Fort Wayne Normal School - Annual Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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16 OUR XYESTERDAYS Any subject desired by twenty or more students was arranged with the understanding that credits received were accepted in such schools as University of Chicago and Columbia University. A course of twelve weeks which entitled them to the Class A cerificate de- manded by the state for beginning teachers, was arranged for High School graduates. .-Another twelve weeks course 'vas oifered to those who had completed tjlass :X work. lt en- titled the student to a Class B certificate. These courses could be applied on the one and two year courses. The city teachers took advantage of this opportunity to make advanced credits without leaving their homes during their vacations. Some life licenses were secured with the help of these additional credits. The young people of the country also found it a great advantage to live at home and take the training which would enable them to teach. Not the least of the advantages of the summer school was the opportunity given the city teachers to become acquainted with the teachers of surrounding country and towns. The summer school was not all study, however, Many stories and arguments in the hall or on the street made students reluctant to return to their class-rooms. Chocolate bars and sandwiches indulged in between classes helpcd to sustain energy during the long, hot morn- ing sessions and made Redding's store prosperous. Assemblies, formal and informal, broke the monotony of daily routine, The social climax came with the big picnic, at Lakeside Park, when great interest was shown in a baseball game to which the young men were chal- lenged by the young women. FLOWER FESTIVALS In IQI5, the following account of the first Flower Festival appeared in a local paper: ln a grove of stately oak, black walnut and maple trees, known as Lakeside Park, the first annual Hower festival of the Lakeside Normal School was held yesterday afternoon. At three o'clock a procession of maidens in Grecian costumes of cheese cloth in white, and lovely shades of blue, yellow, green and pink. with ribbon bands in their hair, made up the senior class of the Normal School, and juniors in white, together with the queen, Miss Gladys Becker, president of the seniors, her tiny train-bearing pages, four flower girls, and the tiny crown-bearer, wended its way from the school eastward to the park, crossed several rustic bridges and then veered southward toward the Hower-trimmed throne, where Marie Strieder waited to crown the queen, This done, her queenship, as well as the assembled audience, reviewed the folk -.lances and the Maypole dance as given by the Seniors and Juniors of the school. The Maypole was a sturdy one, being a noble oak entwined with the class colors of yellow and brown. Music was furnished by a phonograph. The queen's throne was flower-enibowered, being sct against a large maple tree, and the queen not only had a crown of roses on her head, but a huge shower bouquet of peonies and roses in her arms, a spread of pink giant artificial sweetpeas above her head, and peonies, daisies and syringa blossoms at her feet, After a-dancing on the green in honor of the queen, the Seniors, juniors, teachers, and alumnae had a pleasant social hour and a picnic supper. ln the evening an entertainment was given in the school building, which was largely a stunt party. The original intention of making the Flower Festival an annual affair has been adhered to. Each year since 1915 the Normal School students ha-ve made the Flower Festival in Lakeside Park an occasion of great interest to the people of Fort NNayne. The queen is chosen from the Senior class by secret ballot, all students and members of the faculty participating in the vote. The announcement is made of the one elected just before the procession forms. The herald, queens from other years, dancers, and queen's at- tendants precede the queen in the procession. :Xs it arrives in the park they form two lines from the entrance, and the queen, preceded by flower girls who scatter rose petals in her path, passes between these lines to her throne. Here the queen of the previous year crowns the new queen with roses, thus surrendering her sovereignty. The new queen in return crowns the former queen with forget-me-nots in token of remembrance. After this ceremony, the former queens and the dancers group themselves around the throne. Then the program of dancing and music announced by the herald is given. This sometimes takes the form of a pageant. The beautiful in legend and art from many centu- ries has been represented in such exercises as the dances of many nations in 1919, the Indian and Colonial dances of 1920, and the Robin Hood dances of 1921. The following students have been chosen as queens of their respective classes: 1915-Gladys Becker, 1916-Mary Zent. IQI7-l'lClSl'1 Rohyans. 1918-Esther Miller. 1919-Mildred Gailey. 1920-Estella Sherbondy. 1921-Elizabeth Lowery

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18 OUR YEsTERDAYs COMMENCEMENTS In the early days, joint commencements were held for the High School and Training School. The programs consisted chiefly of essays delivered by the graduates. A published copy of the essays of the class of 1869 is still preserved. One cannot believe, after reading the essay of Miss Margaret Cochrane, later principal of the Washington School and still a resident of Fort NVayne, that the youthful spirit of progress was any less strong in the '60's than it is in 1922. Men will cling to old opinions, to old policies, and to old hats all the more desperately because haunted by the terrible fear that they might possibly, in a moment of weakness, be led to entertain a feeling of tolerance for any dangerous 'new fangled' thing. Such men have ever been clogs to the working out of 'onward and upward' motto, and perpetual goads to that particularly progressive spirit, 'Young America.' It is to these that young America, never at a loss for expressive titles, has given those of 'old fog'ies,' 'fossils,' and 'slow old coaches'. In January, 1902, the first class graduated from the extended course. At this time the Normal commencement was separated from that of the High School, and addresses were given by men of prominence in Fort VVaync:. In 1902 the address was given by Rev. I. Webster Baileyg in 1905, by Mr. Samuel Bl. Foster, in IQO4, by Superintendent I. N. Studyg in 1905, by Dr. W. O. Gross. From 1905 to the present time, the addresses have been given by men of reputation in educational circles outside of the city. The names constitute a list of which the Normal School can be proud: 1906, Hon. F. A. Cotton, State Superintendent of Public Instruc- tiong 1907, W. W. Parsons, President of I. S. N. S.g 1908, Dr. E. B. Bryan, President of Franklin College, 1909, Dr. Robert I. Aley, State Superintendent of .Public Instructiong 1910, Dr. NfVilliam L. Bryan, President of I. U., 1911, Dr. E. H. Lindley, I. U.: 1912, Prof. H. B. Von Klein Smid, DePauw Universityg 1913, Dr. NV. W. Black, I. U., 1914, Prof. D. H. Roberts, Michigan State Normal College, IQI5, Dr. M. E. Haggarty, I. U., 1916, Dr. Stanley L. Coulter, lfurdue I,'ni'.'ersity, 1917, Edgar A. Doll, Vineland Training School, 1918, F. B. Pearson, State Superintendent of Ohio, 1919, Dr. VVm. Bishop Owen, Principal of Chicago Normal College, 1920, Carroll G. Pearse, President of Milwaukee State Normal Schoolg 19.21, Dr. W. 'vV. Black, I. U. In 19.22 the address is to be given by S. A. Courtis of the Research Department, Detroit Public Schools. BACCALAUREATE Several weeks before graduation the girls of the Senior class select, by v-oting, the min- ister whom they wish to have preach the baccalaureate sermon. This service is held the Sunday before graduation. THE BANQUET For many years the Juniors had given a party the week before graduation in honor of the Seniors, These parties finally became so elaborate that they have taken the form of a banquet to which the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, their wives, the members of the School Board, their wives, the Alumnae, Miss VVilber, the Faculty and the Normal stu- dents are invited. The Juniors take much pride in making this occasion an outstanding feature of the year. The banquet room is decorated with school colors, daisies, and other spring Howers, and the school pennants. Various educational leaders of the city. as well as a Senior honor student chosen by the Faculty to represent her class, give toasts. The school song, class songs, and community songs are sung. Class yells are given and sometimes a short program is given by the mem- bers of the Junior class. All await this event eagerly, for it is a time when old friendships are renewed, past experiences are recalled and re-lived, new friendships are formed, and everyone has a rousing good time. , BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NORMAL SCHOOL HISTORY I. The Fifth Annual Report of the Board of Education, 1868. 2. Report of the Public Schools, 1901-1902. 3. Report of the Public Schools, 1907. 1 4 Essays and Addresses of the Fifth Annual Commencement of the Fort Wayne High School, 1869. Property of Carrie A. Snively. 5. Commencement Programs, IQO3-IQ22. 6. Fort Wayne Normal School Annual, 1917. 7. Cartoon Magazine, September, 1913. 8. Newspaper Clippings. 9. Historical Sketches of State Normal and Training School at Oswego, N. Y., 1887.