Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

Page 33 text:

i OJtAAAsYvy First Prize Cartoon, by Rex Vane

Page 32 text:

JUNIOR County Oratorical Contest. The annual oratorical contest of the county was held at the assembly room of the Kankakee High School building May 4, 1906. A large crowd was present from the neighboring towns, Momence, especially, being well represented. Our boys met with defeat at the track meet with an undaunted spirit, as was shown by the yells given in the evening. The first number on the program was a solo by Miss Carmichael, of Kankakee, followed with a prayer by Rev. B. B. Evans. Then came the orations. A larger number of schools than ever before were represented. The first prize, a gold medal, was awarded to Perry Day, of Kanka- kee. His subject was “The Pendulum of Progress.” It was a very good oration and was spoken in a way that showed talent as an orator. The second prize was awarded to Harry Whittum, of Herscher. The Momence contestant, Miss Clennie Little, had a fine oration on “Hypatia” and she delivered it in a pleasing and eloquent manner. After the “ Bill of Fare” given by the St. Anne High School Girls’ Glee Club, the declamatory contest begun. The declaimers spoke well, and it was a close decision between three. But finally the first prize a gold medal was given to Bernice DuMontelle, of St. Anne, who gave a selection on the “Ruggles Family,” The second prize was awarded to Miss Margaret Nelson, of Momence, who gave a pathetic selection entitled “Tobe’s Monument.” BOOK. It was spoken in a manner that showed her ability as a speaker. Momence was proud of her contestants, and, although defeated, will spur itself on in the hope of better results next year. The VetluLe of an Education Dig tired in Dollars and Cents. Boys who get tired of going to school should read the following, written by Superintendent Adams, of Fayette (Ohio) College: “The average educated man gets a salary of $ 1,000 per year. He works forty years, making a total of $40,000 in a lifetime. The average day laborer gets $1.50 per day, 300 days in the year, or $450 in a year. In forty years he earns $18,000. The difference, or $22,000, equals the value of an education. To acquire this earning capacity requires twelve years at school of 180 days each, or 2,160 days. Divide $22,000, the value of an education, by 2,160, number of days required in getting it, we find that each day at school is worth a little more than $10 to a pupil. Can’t afford to miss school, can we.—School Topics.

Page 34 text:

JUNIOR Recollections of an Old Settler. By A, S. Vail. Momence is, today, a thriving little city of about three thousand inhabitants, but I can remember very clearly the time when but a few tiny houses clustered about the bend in the Kankakee. Now when the interests of the city seem to be broadening so rapidly, I enjoy very much to look back upon those times and call to mind a few of the happenings, which, taken altogether, form the varied but interesting history of our home town. Many years ago, I met an old man who had been a fur trader through this part of the country at the time of the Revolution. He told me, among other things, about a strange incident which happened among the Indians once while he was traveling through this part of the country. It seems that the chief of one tribe had killed a warrior in another. This caused hard feelings and on the day which he was telling about, the now hostile bands had de¬ cided to fight it out. Armed with bows, clubs, and vari¬ ous other weapons, they met on the prairie near where I now reside. One company of braves was drawn up in a straight line opposite the other, and as they were in a mood for fighting it looked as if a bloody battle would en¬ sue with the possible result of the annihilation of all. In the space between the two ranks of Indians stood their respective chiefs talking earnestly together and walking up and down the lines parleying with each other and their tribesmen. At last the two turned back to back and step¬ BOOK. ping off for thirty paces, each suddenly turned about, sim¬ ultaneously, giving their respective war whoops. At that instant the chief guilty of the crime threw up his hands and the other buried an avenging knife in the heart of his warrior’s murderer. Thus the latter gave his life for those of his tribe, because if the two opposing parties had fought many would have been killed. This shows the noble spirit of the Indians who roved these prairies in those almost forgotten years when no white man but the fur trader was seen from one moon to another. I came here in the November of 1836. Soon after, the few settlers gathered together and decided to call the lit¬ tle town Loraine, but a few years later the name was changed to Momence. The Indian name from which it was supposed to be taken was, however, Moness. At that time for sixteen miles north of the river on the Range line there was not even any bushes, only burnt praire. Our nearest neighbors were fifty miles away at Chicago. I was the first postmaster and aiso built the first frame school house in Kankakee county. My sister-in-law, Loraine Beebe, was the teacher It then cost twenty-five cents to send a letter from the East, and two cents for a newspaper. The chief of the Pottawatomie Indians, White Pigeon, had his wigwam then a few miles up the river. When told that his excessive use of “fire-water” grieved the Great Spirit, he promptly replied in an earnest manner: “White man no ma ke um, Indian no drink um.” One of the habits of a few of the settlers is shown by