Flora High School - Florian Yearbook (Flora, IN)

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the Alumni Equipment Committee places the gym on an equal basis with the larger gyms of the state. The building has a seating capacity of about 1,400, which makes it possible to hold sectional and county tournaments here. As the years passed the teams steadily gained fame, climaxed by being qualified to participate in the state finals in 1946. Flora surprised everyone that year and was the people's choice right up until the time they were defeated in the state finals by Fort Wayne Central. The Trester Award was won by Robert Cripe that year. After such a splendid performance, Flora was able to schedule many of the top teams in the state, such as Crispus Attucks, Kokomo, Lo-gansport, and Gary Froebel. When the Hoosier Conference was formed in 1948, Flora was a member. In 1953-54, the Badgers crowned their achievements by winning the conference championship. They have also claimed the Holiday 4-Way Tourney title the last three years. Flora and Bringhurst High Schools were consolidated in 1927 but were still under management of a school board until 1931 when the trustee took over. There were many heated discussions over the pros and cons of the merger. The Bringhurst patrons hated to loose their school, but the advantages of consolidation won out. Disaster struck on February 4, 1933, when fire demolished the school building. Making the best of a bad situation, however, classes resumed immediately by moving into the Community Building. In 1935 the new building was completed and was surely appreciated after two years of make-shift facilities. A new addition containing a long-desired auditorium was built onto this school in 1950. The Flora High School orchestra of 1929 was The ruins remaining after the big fire. something of which both the school and community were justly proud. They won first place at the district contest which was held in Kokomo. From there they went to the state contest at Indiana University where they met with equal success. By participating in the national contest at the University of Iowa, they put Flora on the map in national orchestra circles. After meeting with such success the first time ever entering competition, the orchestra with the aid of the Community Club and school bought new instruments amounting to $1400 including machine tympany, two string bass, a sousaphone, and a bassoon. In 1941 in the district contest at Delphi, the Flora High School band was awarded first honors for playing. The next year they really brought home the prize, however, when they walked off with the Sweepstakes Award in the district contest at Monon. This indicated excellence in all respects—playing, marching, etc. Organized debating was stated at Flora in 1929, and the first year the team tied with Frankfort and Lebanon for district honors. In the triangular tie-breaker, Lebanon won. A tie with Kokomo the second year saw Kokomo emerge victorious. In 1932 they were even more successful. The team, coached by Madonna Barnes, included Marjorie Niccum, Minnie Lou Chittick, Virginia Hawkins, and Mabel Ridenour. As members of the State Debating League, they won their sectional, district, and zone debates but were defeated in the semi-finals of the state contest by Churubusco. In 1947, the Flora Livestock Judging Team participated in the International Livestock Show in Chicago. They were qualified because of placing 10

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Flora's first representatives to the State Basketball Finals. Front row: Joe Wilson, Jim Eaton, Student Managers. Second row: Kenneth McGill, Leonard Reid, Coach; Fred Oyler, Russell Callane, Principal; Brentis Berkshire. Third row: Joe Eikenberry, Dick Nevin, David Mills. Back row: The first five—Dick Hanaway, Bill McPherson, Robert Cripe, Robert Spitler, Richard Oyler. the years of 1912-13 and 1913-14 Cutler was Flora's leading rival. Flora held the edge the first year and Cutler the latter year. In 1914 the F.H.S. team was without a home because the merchants complained of the noise the boys made while playing. When the season was about over the room above the water-works was secured but it was too late to develop a good team. Basketball was at such a low ebb during this season that every team in the county, with the exception of Camden, defeated Flora one or more times. In 1916 an addition which included a gymnasium was built to the school house. Although it looked more like a swimming pool than a gym, F.H.S. was proud of it; and it became the scene of many a thrilling battle. In comparison with the other teams of the state. Flora probably had the best team in her history. Both Logansport and Frankfort were defeated. Overconfidence lost the Sectional Tournament. During the next three years F.H.S. was represented by fair but not outstanding teams. In 1920 the first County Tourney to be held in this state was held at Delphi, and F.H.S. coming through unscathed. returned with a fine sheepskin trophy. In 1921 and again in 1922 Cutler won the championship, but in 1923 F.H.S. was victorious and this time won a silver cup. The year of 1924 ushered in a new era for the athletes of F.H.S. The Community Building sponsored by the Flora Community Club gave F.H.S. a playing floor equalled by few and excelled by none in the state. The equipment furnished by

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Flora High School orchestra in the fall of 1929. Front row: Ruth Burns, Ruth Cook, Mabel Ridenour, Freida Cook, Betty Jane Voorhees, Dorotha Chapman, C. R. Young, Director and Principal; Dale Welty, Tom Riggle, Leon Viney, Jimmy Niccum, Jack Voorhees, Kenneth Knapp, Meredith Butcher. Second row: Kathryn McCain, Carl Steinman, Lois McCain, Helen Young, Evelyn Hamilton, Marjorie Niccum, Virginia McCloskey, Charles David McCain, Marjorie Voorhees, Lois Cripe, Mary Moss, Charlene Bell, Donald Hoffman, George McCain, Superintendent. Third row: Buthene Sharp, Jean Cripe, Virginia Hawkins, Celia Cook, Delores Sink, Alice Pullen, Minnie Lou Chittick, Velma Berkey, Mamie Smith, Don Good, Isabelle Kuns, Josephine Bell, Richard Landis. Fourth row: Price Ferguson, Esther Pullen, Margaret Holmes, Richard Beard. Back row: Virjean Coleman, Charles Colvin, Donald Myer, Lloyd Dekker, Dean Colvin, Tom Peter, Marion Thomas, Wilbur Wilson, Evelyn Knapp, Lee Eckerle high at the Indiana State Fair. Competing with twenty-six teams, the team from Flora placed first and was awarded the title of Junior World's Livestock Judging Champions. Fritz Schnepf, Jr. placed first individually, and Tom Allen placed second. tests, a good number of entrants have won the right to compete in the state contests at Indiana University. Bob McLaughlin won second place in First Year Latin in 1952 and returned the next year to claim first place in the state in Second Year Latin. The 1955 Livestock Judging Team was invited to compete in the annual Eastern National Livestock Show at Timonium, Maryland. The Flora team placed first in the contest. Mary Jo Thompson placed first individually and Pat Meade, second; Martha Schnepf, who placed third, is the sister of Fritz Schnepf, Jr., who placed first at the International in 1947. Flora girls have always shown great interest in the Sunshine Society. On October 14, 1951, the local chapter was hostess to the annual fall district convention. As nearly five hundred girls attended the convention which was held in the Community Building, this was an undertaking which called for thorough organization and complete cooperation. Flora students for many years have been participating in the achievement contests held each spring in the fields of English, Latin, and mathematics. By high placings in the regional con- While speech is not a new course at Flora, competition with other schools was first attempted in the spring of 1955 at the Delphi Invitational Speech Festival. Surprising even themselves, the contestants proudly returned with a third-place II