Bement High School - BIM Yearbook (Bement, IL)

Page 8 text:

(855 T In the last one hundred years of educational progress, the school system and buildings have changed from the rural, one room little red schoolhouse to today's community unit district with its large modern buildings which are equipped with every educational facility available. The water tower is a familiar sight to all of us. Just by turning a faucet, you can have your choice of hot or cold water. This is a far cry from the days of the old oaken bucket . The Bryant Cottage, a historical landmark, links us to the past and the days of Lincoln, whose words, Can the World endure half slave and half free? , provide the theme for our Centennial celebration.

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DEDICATION “We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving. Pioneers! O Pioneers I These lines by Walt Whitman typify the thoughts and deeds of the hardy settlers of Bement. It is to them, a few against the wilderness who became the fathers of today’s great agricultural industry, that this book is respectfully dedicated.

Page 9 text:

The pioneers of yesterday often had no places of worship but the open air or someone's house. Our community is indeed fortunate to have today many friendly churches of various demonina-tions. Farmers of today rely heavily upon the modern machinery, buildings, • and procedures used by the cooperative elevator companies. Gone forever are the long hauls over muddy roads (with horses and wagon) to the mill where grinding was done. The power o f fifty horses has replaced the toil of the single man plowing with his horse. Today’s modern tractor enables the farmer to turn the soil almost without effort.