Madison High School - Trojan / Madisonian Yearbook (Madison, IL)

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THE NINETEEN M. H. S. Our M. H. S. HISTORY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL WAY back in 1893, when Madison was a mere cluster of houses in the midst of a few scattered farms, the Madison school district was mapped off to itself, having been a part of the Venice district. Soon after the separate or- ganization an election was held at which three school directors were chosen and ten thousand dollars was voted to build a schoolhouse. During the entire summer and fall of 1893 the new building was un- dergoing construction. When completed the result was an imposing six-room structure located in what is now the center of the town. During the first school year the enrollment reached one hundred pupils; but it is not my purpose to tell of the trials and hardships of these early teachers and pupils, excepting as these formed stepping- stcnes to our high school. The grade school was continued until 1903, progressing rapidly all the while, as did the town; about this time there was felt a great need for a high school. Lone, lean and lanky—never angry or cranky.—Mr. Janssen. Seven

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Where the faculty reigns supreme.

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THE NINETEEN M. H. S. Accordingly one of the rooms in the school-house was set aside for a high school which was started with twenty-two pupils and only one teacher. Miss Megowen, assisted by the superintendent, Mr. Baer. Through the untiring efforts of Mr. Baer and his early teachers the school progressed slowly in the face of many difficulties. The first high school graduating exercises, participated in by one pupil, Frances Ulffers, were held in 1905. From that time on the number of pupils in the school increased rapidly until an addition had to be made to the building, and the high school was moved into a larger room with one additional teacher. The first literary society also was formed in 1905 and it rendered some commendable programs. The programs, however, were held in the evenings and an admission fee of ten cents was charged, the receipts being used for oratorical and athletic high school meets, which were held at that time all over the country. In 1906 the first four-year diploma was given. It was in this year also that manual training was added to the course of study, our school having the honor of being the first in the county to introduce industrial work. In 1908 our high school was accredited. In a few years a second addition to the school-house became neces- sary and the high school was moved further north into a room at present occupied by one of the fourth grades. There were then three teachers, Miss Megowen, Miss Harris, and Mr. Janssen, assisted by the super- intendent; and as the number of pupils in the grades was constantly in- creasing, our present high school building was beginning to loom on the horizon. About this time also, our first, and one of our best, cantatas was given, although certainly under the most adverse circumstances. We did not then have the piano which we have at present, but instead, only a squeaky organ, a source of much merriment. Nevertheless, the instru- ment strengthened the ability of the pupils and the cantata, “The Lady of Shalott, was a decided success. The musicale was given in the K. of P. Hall and at a time when the electric wires were being cut; when al- most time for the music to begin the wires were cut and audience and performers were left in darkness. However, a lamp was found some- where and by the aid of this feeble light the performance went merrily on. The piano which we have at present was secured through Mr. Bot- tom, the druggist. The instrument was to be given to the person who secured the most coupons, a coupon being given by Mr. Bottom with each twenty-five cent purchase. The high school pupils entered the contest and in the fall of 1911 they won the piano. From 1907 to 1913 no literary work was done; but in the fall of 1913 two societies were formed, the Forum and the Olympian. Mr. Janssen was at the head of the Forum and Miss Harris of the Olympian. A man’s a man for a’ that.—Mr. Vines Eight