Hart High School - Hartian Yearbook (Hart, MI)

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A second election for the four-room addition was held June 15, 1903, with 133 votes cast. There were 95 yes, 37 no and one blank. The board prepared and sold the $5,000 bonds for $5,026; obtained plans, etc., and the building was ready for use the next year. Everyone thought my growing pains were all cured with this fine addition and all my pupils under my roof again. Wood that fall to heat me cost $2.75 per cord. Like a teenager I quickly outgrew my clothes and the need of more room was demanded by the many new youngsters in Hart and the surrounding territory. After much deliberation and controversy (blaming me for not having elastic walls) the citizens voted in 1912 to build the annex. A local company, Bennett Lumber and Manufacturing Co., was given the contract to build a three-story addition for $12,000. The main floor had a large assembly room, as well as several classrooms which added much to the high school department. However, my pride and joy was the top floor which was a gymnasium and auditorium. This was, also, used by the community for many activities. One of the first big events was a Father and Son banquet for four hundred dads and sons served by the Eastern Stars. Oh, I mustn't forget a few items that happened. In 1922 the idea of purchasing a school movie machine was proposed. This at once produced a heated fervor and the Board was told that if such a piece of equipment was placed in the building that immediately the rate of insurance would be raised a lot. The Board shook their heads no at this. In January 1923 the Board did vote to purchase a Christmas tree to be planted in the northeast corner of the school yard where it could be decorated annually at the Holiday season. During the years this tree has grown and is one of the traditional beauty spots of Hart, as it shines in its beauty with Christmas tree lights. In 1937 the Board purchased the band uniforms, the money to be repaid by contributions from the people and from concerts. Then again I proved that I had not yet reached maturity, for my demands were still increasing. After studying me and my needs the decision was made to remove the gym and divide that space into several classrooms and to construct a new gym. The citizens this time appreciated my squeezed-up condition and voted 179 yes and 18 no. Towards the end of 1937 the contracts for $44,220 were let for the new gym which was ready to use in September 1938. This was the finest building of its type in Western Michigan. I fairly swelled with pride. The basketball tournaments for the conference were always held here and I was so happy. The Home Ec department required more space and in 1949 the adjoining property, the Plass house, was purchased. The first floor was arranged to accommodate the sewing and cooking classes. The superintendent's office was moved up-stairs. Still growing pains were tormenting me. Just no room to provide space for the ever increasing enrollment. The state fire and building safety inspectors arrived and said, You are too old; no longer safe; you can't be used. These words frightened me. I wanted no accident, but just what could be done. Some men came in with new lumber and boarded off a part of me which caused a larger problem than ever for me. Groups of people held many meeting in me discussing my predicament. I listened rather fearfully and tremblingly. Then came the eventful day when the citizens voted to build a new grade building across the fill (Oh, so far away). In the meantime the kindergarten children had school in the Congregational Church nursery, a nice place but not at home. Then in 1955 all my little children left—to be mine no longer. How I missed them! But the authorities claimed that still I was not safe for the older students. Now in 1962 I am left entirely alone, deserted, forlorn, my work completed. If space and time permitted I could tell much about victories and defeats in football, basketball, debates, and in other activities. If you doubt my right to brag, look in the trophy cases and see the cups. They are all mine! All this is in the past. There remain only memories for me. Memories of superintendents, pupils and teachers; of carnivals with their tremendous crowds and excitement; of bands and teams with their hard-won victories come pushing into my mind one after another. Only these are left to me after all these years of service. 7

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 ME -A SOLILOQUY I was full of excitement and thrills and heard mysterious words of being through, leaving, and moving. Even much of my furniture seemed to be going somewhere. 1 could not understand their meaning, for as I looked around me there was lots of snow on the ground, so I knew it wasn't summer vacation yet. What could it be? Then amid cheers and laughter the pupils carrying books rushed out the front door. Good-by. We are not coming back. I was filled with dismay and a desolate, deserted feeling swept over me. Then words, You are too old; no longer safe; too inadequate; new building, came to my consciousness. I realized that I was being cast aside—no longer useful—my work to be carried on by a new building. Left alone I began to reminisce and a few items of possible present-day interest came to my mind. All at once I realized that long ago I, too, had pushed an older building into discard. On Sunday evening January 13, 1889, the Wigton building located about where the Hansen Clothing Store is today burned. The school records were kept in an office in this building and were destroyed, so no school records previous to this date are in existence. The school buildings (two wooden ones) were located on my site. The three teachers each received thirty-five dollars a month and the principal seven hundred dollars a year. By October 1889, the school became so crowded that the Board fixed up the janitor's room for a classroom and hired another teacher. In January 1890, fifty cords of beech and maple wood were purchased at sixty-nine cents a cord delivered. At the annual meeting July 1890, the total yearly school expenses were reported as $2,138.43. That November the school was closed two weeks for a measles epidemic. At the Board meeting July 7, 1891, the Board went on record as it being it’s sentiment that a new building (that's me) should be constructed at an approximate cost of $8,000. After publicity of the subject the following is quoted from the Board records: The polls were open from ten minutes after 2:00 pm of said 25th day of August 1891 until forty minutes after 4:00 of said date. Whole number of votes cast were 95, with 64 marked yes and 31 marked no. Contacts were made with a Detroit architect who drew up plans and specifications including steam heat and sewerage. Bonds for $8,000 were printed to be sold and to be repaid in ten installments of $800 plus interest. The Board received $8,162.40 from the sale. A few prices are interesting: heating system $1420, 85,000 brick at $5.75 per M, flooring $32 per M, 113 loads of fill dirt for west end of yard at 50 per load. The contract for my construction was signed September 9, 1892. That summer the two wooden buildings were moved to the southwest (opposite the Raymond Newton home). Scarlet fever closed the school for two weeks in January 1893. I grew fast and was ready for school in September 1893. How proud I was, as well as were the people of Hart. One of the old school buildings was sold to H. Crowner (the father of Mrs. Mark Hunkins) who moved it to the northwest corner of Johnson and Water Streets and remodeled it into a house. Fred Corbin purchased the larger building for $175 and it was moved to the present location of the Hart Builders Supplies. Here it was used as a garage and warehouse and later torn down. Alas, what will become of me? At first all my rooms were not used, but as Hart grew I was soon filled up and more teachers added to my faculty. In January 1896 the contract for ninety cords of wood at $1.50 per cord was let. Notice the doubling of price in six years. Too much I heard people say. The school year of 1896-1897 saw eight teachers on the faculty. Hart was growing rapidly and on July 15, 1902, a vote was taken to raise $5,000 to build a four room addition to me. At the election 42 votes were cast with 25 no and 18 yes. Another year for my walls to be pushed out with youngsters packed inside. After school actually started in September 1902, I just couldn’t take the jam, so the school board rented the old Baptist Church and one grade moved over there. What a relief! Can you imagine the cry of extravagance in January 1903, when a telephone was installed in the superintendent's office? What next will they think of to spend the taxpayers' money for? 6

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According to available information, Mrs. Charles Noret (Katherine Holmes) is the only living member of Class 1894. The Class of 1962, the first class from the new building, salutes you, Mrs. Noret, as a member of the first class from the old building. Staff Standing: Merle Lindsay. Jerry Schaner, Leo Settler, Virgil Smith, Curtis Jensen, Garth VanSickle, Peter Bala-vitch. Sitting: Gary Woodhouse, Kay Nixon, Shari Tate. Cheryl Lipps, Gloria Haynor, Bobbie Jo Gowell, Loretta Johnston, Judy Frishett, Diane Greiner, Mrs. Frost. 8