Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

Page 26 text:

Page Number 20 gmlftirrs’ iRmummtt an tl In the year of 1909, a beautiful soldiers’ monument was erected on the campus of the Central School, dedi¬ cated to the men of the 42nd, 76th and 113th infantry, and the 4th Illinois cavalry, as companies from these regiments were organized in Momence. A picture of the monument is given in the Year Book. The credit for this monument is largely due to the ladies of the Womans’ Relief Corps, as they did the planning and soliciting funds, as well as making the ar¬ rangements for the dedication. But the patriotic citi¬ zens who gave the money are the ones to whom much honor is due. The suggestion for a monument was made in 1906, when Mrs. Mary McKee was president. It was at a meeting in 1907 that Mrs. Orra Allen, made a motion that the $100 made at a bazaar, be appropriated for the building of a monument. The motion carried, and the money was placed at 3 per cent, interest. Mrs. Lucia Vail was president in 1907, and appointed as purchasing committee, Mrs. Flora Gray, Mrs. Angie Bellenger, and Mrs. Sadie Lilly. Mrs. Lilly resigned and Mrs. Allen was appointed. Mrs. Gray resigned and Mrs. Allen was elected as chairman by the corps. In June Mrs. Vail appointed Mrs. Alice Love, Mrs. Ida Dayton, Mrs. Mary Parks, Mrs. Sarah Hess, and Mrs. May Miner as soliciting committee. In June at a meet¬ ing held at Mrs. Allen’s, it was decided to erect a mon¬ ument to cost $1000. Mrs. McKee moved away and Mrs. Penzie Manzer was elected treasurer, and filled the position very creditably. The program committee was composed of the following members: Mrs. Sadie Lilly, Mrs. Ida Dayton and Mrs. Orra Allen. THE JUNIOR YEAR BOOK ► (Skntral i riuud (ground After giving teas, dinners, and a concert,, in January 1909, the contract for the monument was awarded to Gilbertson Strong, of Belvidere, Ill. Mrs. Vail was again president in 1909, and in Febru¬ ary the program committee, with the assistance of Mr. J. S. Garrett, of Momence, and Attorney W. R. Hunter, of Kankakee, semired the consent of Governor Deneen to make the dedicatory address, on July 5th. Great plans were made for a fourth-of-July celebration, but it rained all day. Governor Deneen came and delivered an eloquent address in the Baptist church, and the un¬ veiling of the monument was witnessed by hundreds, in¬ stead of thousands, but for the rain. The history of the regiments was read by Mrs. Flora Gray. The two little girls who pulled the ribbons unveiling the monument, were Helen Nichols, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred M. Nichols, and Iris Hicks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Hicks. The four grandfathers of these pretty maidens served in the regiments to which the monument was dedicated. Mrs. Orra Allen and Mrs. Ida Dayton are daughters of the 113th Infantry, and the 4th Cavalry, respectively, and were very enthusiastic in the building of the mon¬ ument. Hundreds of others deserve special mention, but lack of space forbids. The monument is sixteen feet high and stands on a concrete base. It represents a volunteer soldier at a parade rest, and is a “thing of beauty” as well as dur¬ ability. It will stand for years, telling the students of our public schools, that in 1861 our citizens Avere patri¬ otic, and in 1909 the people and the W. R. C. had not forgotten the noble dead, nor the heroic deeds of the old soldiers. Wayne Allen.

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THE JUNIOR YEAR BOOK COUNTY ORATORICAL AND TRACK MEET COUNTY ORATORICAL. The tenth annual Oratorical Contest was held at the High School building in Kankakee, on Friday, May the thirteenth. There were four contestants in oratory and also four in declamation. The size of the room was against the speakers as it made it hard for them to make themselves heard all over the house Momence, Herscher, and St. Anne now realize their mistake by not choosing a patriotic subject. An orator can arrouse more feeling in his hearers by such a sup- ject, and it gives a good impression. One of the Kanka¬ kee papers said that it was noticable that the winner of of the cup held the attention of the audience, while Geo. Grabe did not. The reason was that anybody can under¬ stand a patriotic subject, while it takes a thinker to un¬ derstand a subject like tariff revision. St. Anne and H rscher did well and their men are good for another trial. Hjalmer Hasselquist, of Kankakee won first, and George Grabe, of Momence, won second. In declamations there was a neat little task laid out for the judges when itcame to deciding who received first. Its a nice thing to be a judge of such a contest. In the declamations of the winners, every word was heard dis¬ tinctly and clearly. This counted a whole lot in win¬ ning a place. The declamation winning first, was a story of a case of jealousy between the Emperor of Rome and an extremly good archer. The climax of the piece is the triumph of the archer over the jealous king. The decla¬ mation that won second was a story of a street boy’s talk to the governor The music was furnished by the Kankakee High School Glee Club, and the greeting was given by Superintendent F. N. Tracy. The medals were awarded to the winnersi of the field day meet, while the judges were making their decision. Page Number 21 HELD AT KANKAKEE, ON MAY 13, 1910 THE TRACK MEET Friday, May 13, 1910, the High Schools of Momence, Kankakee, Herscher, St. Anne and Manteno met for the tenth annual track meet, on the Kankakee Fair Grounds. The contest was a close one, all thru between Momence and Kankakee, Momence being beaten by two points. Both teams were well represented by a number of enthu¬ siastic rooters, who encouraged them with their High School yells The track was in good condition, but the temperature of the day was very low for the events. Notwithstand¬ ing the coolness of the day, a great many records were broken. Norris, of Kankakee, broke the county record for the 220 yard dash, making it in 23 4-5 seconds, the old record being 24 1-5, held by Simmons, of Kankakee. The county record for the half-mile and the mile were broken by Metcalf, of Momence. The time of the half was 2:13 2-5, breaking the old record of 2:15, which was held by Deselm, of Kankakee. The new record that he made was 5 minutes and 3 seconds, 2 seconds better than Coyer’s of St. Anne Mann, of Kankakee, broke the rec¬ ord of the countyfor the pole vault, which was held by Hayden, of Momence. The new record is 9 :9, one inch better than the old record. A new record for the discus was made by Corcoran, of Kankakee, the distance being 100 feet 7 1-2 inches, and the old 93 feet, by Deselm, of Kankakee. Stratton, of Momence set a new record in the 120 hurdles, and broad jump. • In the first he broke Deselm’s record 17 seconds bv four-fifths of a second. The county record in the sec¬ ond was 19:11 l-2feet, held by Momence, Stratton’s new record for the broad jump being 20:3. The relay was won by Kankakee, it being decided in the first 220 by Simmons, but Momence men gained on each Kankakee man after the first 220. The total score was: Kankakee, 5 :3: Momence, 5:1: Herscher 1:3.