Borden High School - Echoes Yearbook (Borden, IN)

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150 J359 forced to transfer their advanced students to high schools inother townships. wood Township was in this group. By request the management of the Borden Institute provided, in the fall of that year, a complete high school course for the graduates of the township district schools. The trustee of wood Township constituted the high school department a part of the school system under his supervision, and all graduatesciftownship schools were entitled to admission. For a few years after the closing of the Borden Institute in 1906, the opportunity of pursuing a course of study beyond the elementary school was not very encouraging at Borden. A three year high school, however, was then maintained through these years, housed in various buildings in the town, and under the capable leadership of such teachers as Beorgia Bellows, Harrison Toney, and David La Duke. By a special act of the.state legislature approved March 2, 1911, the township trustee was given the right to use the Borden Institute building for a high school although it was privately owned and located in an incorpo- rated town maintaining its own schools. In the fall of 1911, the school was opened with an enrollment of twenty-five pupils, as a four year certified high school which gave graduates the right to enter the Normal schools for Class A training to become teachers. During the first three years after the certification of the school, the length of the term was seven months. With the opening of school in the fall of 191h, a term of eight months was maintained; and the school was placed on the basis of commissioned high schools. The commission, however, was not granted until 1919. Much of the credit for the establishing of a commissioned high school should be given to Professor Clem Jordan, whose able leadership and untiring efforts during his seven year tenure as principal, did much for advancement in the educational opportunities of the young people of the community in whom he was always interested. When the school was finally commissioned, the graduates were given the recognition equal to that of.graduates of any other high school in the state and enabled them to enter the state universities without examination. This rating has been maintained through the intervening years to this writing. If the school term should be extended'kinine months and some other improvements made, it is possible to raise the rating to a continuous commissioned school with some improvement in the educational opportunities offered. On the occasion of the annual commencement exercises in 1929, Mrs. Emma Dunbar Borden Robb, widow of Professor Borden, donated the school building and ten acre campus, which had been the home of the Borden Institute and the beginning of the high school, to the citizens of wood Township for a high school. The name was changed to the Wh. W. Borden High School as a living memorial to the generous spirits of the two individuals who have meant so much to the young people of the community. In 1931 the seventh and eighth grades were transferred to the high school which was then organized as a six year high school and the work was departmentalized giving the students the advantage of instruction under teachers who had special training in each subject.

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150 J359 was ever present throughout its entire history. The building was described as one of the finest in the state. In size it was exceeded by others, but in finish, furnishings, and beauty, it had no superior. It was built of brick two stories above the basement which supplied room for a large laboratory; and towering above the roof was the observatory. The first curriculum of the school was purely 'normal'illits character. J. G. Scott was the first principal. He was assisted by Jessie Morris and F. E. Andrews. Professor Borden, who was ex-assistant state geologist at that time, gave valuable lectures in the field of natural science. Upon the coming of Professor F. M. Stalker, the second principal, the school was raised to the grade of a college. In 1888 Professor W. E. Lugenbeel became the third principal and introduced the modern languages and sciences. Then in 1899, Professor H. A. Buerk, the fourth principal, adopted the final curriculum which was more democratic in the increased possibility of granting students that combination of studies which were best calculated to secure the fullest development of their abilities. Professor J. O. Engleman was the fifth and last principal of the Borden Institute. The students at Borden Institute enjoyed the following advantages: the finest geological cabinet in the state; a choice library of two thousand volumes; a complete line of philosophical and chemical apparatus; a complete museum of curiosities from all parts of the world; every facility that could be obtained from any partcnfthe world was supplied when needed. The students were engaged in many other activities of the community. One of these was the voluntary fire brigade. At this time the water supply of Borden was obtained by pumping water into a large reservoir which had been constructed on the summit of the high hill just above the college building. Professor Borden was a great believer in universal education, and had a great faith that all classes of students would be greatly benefited and that society itself greatly blessed by the attempt of even those who were limited in their interest and intelligence. The institution tried to serve all. The bright, the average, and the slow found a welcome, and were given personal attention and encouragement. Also the instruction was so organized as to prepare for a subsequent study of ureprofessions; such as, engineering, law, medicine, theology, commerce, and teaching. For many years Professor Borden had contemplated a separate building for the library and geological collection which he had gathered on all his journeys in this country and Europe. They consisted of a large assemblage of fossils, minerals, curios, rare books, and manuscripts. He realized that to preserve them he must have a separate building of some kind, and he spared neither pains nor expense to this end. His thoughts turned to his ancestors, to his parents who had penetrated the wilderness, and wrought with sterling manhood and womanhood, for the future of their descendants. In 1900 he built upon the site of his parent's home a memorial, the Museum, where he placed his collection. The lesislature in 1889, wrote into law the guarantee that all children of school age should have an opportunity to get an education in the higher branches. Many townships, however, had no organized high schools and were

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In 1933 Mr. George W; Robb remodelled thebuilding and installed a water system in memory of Mrs. Robb; and in 1933, Honorable James W. Dunbar, into whose possession had come the unseum Building and adjoining field, donated this valuable property to the township for school purposes and a playground for the school children. These donations have meant the savings of thousands of dollars to the taxpayers and great opportunities for the young people of the community. The alumni of Borden Institute is found in all parts of our country, and some reside in foreign countries. Their successes are general; their failures few. The majority of the alumni have entered the professions of education, law, and medicine; others are engaged in every useful employment. In the field of education we find them occupying all positions in the public school system and higher places in our great universities. In law and government, we see theminCongress and in our state legislatures. In the medical world we find them as successful doctors and dentists. If the worth of Borden Institute can be measured by the quality of manhood and womanhood it developed in this great bodyof men and women who received their training here, it deserves a high place. The last of his race, he is, in truth, not dead; but alive in the hearts of his fellow townsmen. How fitting, then, that it is New Providence no more, but Borden in commemorationcf the noble deed and thainspirational thought, together with the far reaching vision of William W. Borden, who built even better than he knew. Wilson, W. E. 5 Histo 23 Borden Institute. 9 g Catalo ue 2g the Borden Tuseum, 9O William W. Borden Founder of Borden Institute