Montpelier High School - Spartan Yearbook (Montpelier, IN)

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. I - 'y-y-, w P yllw Ziff Q, 10 tk ii I ry Len IM :ies The Heretofore Unwritten History of the Montpelier High School BROADCASTED FROM STATION M. H. S. For the Benefit of the MONTPELIER HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION At Their Annual Banquet Held May 24, 1929. It was back in the early 9O's, the month of August, 1895, to be exact, when an im- portant event occurred in the otherwise tranquil Montpelier school history. A vacancy brought about by the resignation of L. C. johnson, as head of the schools, caused the board to begin a hunt for a capable man to become head of the growing system. Mr. I. P. Nelson, then a teacher in the schools, highly recommended a youth who was a native of Washington township, having been born, reared, and educated there among the frogs, whippoorwills, and thistles, and whom he described as an unhandsome, lanky plow boy, but an Abe Lincoln in disguise. He was told to have his friend, who was just then graduating from the Indiana State Normal School, at Terre Haute, Indiana, to appear before them at their next meeting. When the school board next assembled, Mr. Nelson had his man there. He was a homely young man of twenty-five summers, tall, and lean, with his bulky hands pro- truding far beyond his coat sleeves and dangling at his sides because they were too large to be admitted to his pockets. The board closely surveyed him from his big feet to his shaggy locks and then dismissed him in the usual manner that he would be informed of their action later. Upon the high recommendation of his friend, the board accepted this youth and he became Superintendent L. E. Kelley, head of the Montpelier Schools, which at that time, consisted of the new eight room Huntington Street Building and the five room Main Street Building. In his first year, he organized the Montpelier High School, and after it was closely examined by the state board, a commission was granted in 1898, and in the spring of the same year, the first class, consisting of Five members, was graduated. But just a moment, we want to give you a little more of the unwritten history. During this first year, a very charming grade teacher, a Presbyterian minister's daughter, direct from Madam Blaker's College at Indianapolis, made eyes at the shy young pro- Yxs, E g .. . N, x W, XX .I -.39-. xg, ' . g T IM.-'+ff 'elf-- 3 xxx ,,Yi -K es N X ,gl ff wx QQK77-5?'?g:f,1z . f -. ,eff--xr --'X . .. , KA. .1-' . Af 1 X, N..-. - . fx! ag Z f fi A. Pg-xb,Q,,lNpwAtq?x F XAXXL rf, ,,,,.y. t ' '5'1i?3E5, w-frgw-, gi'e'L, ' wa exe-:SMB ,al 4 'gb-5 'iii 1 1 L' ' nuff l , .5 t .gf .3-'I I ., ' '- 'E- J- .I - Aft m .9 .Sir 1 gl. . 7 if jgq a f - .Jill 6 '51 1 i F' -: 'iilwlw ',:,3,5iQg'f+1 : 1' . e usb! ' 1? l ':3't'.i lair? WL i. l'-r J 1 .1 tx fu it I I , I ., i it if it if fly Fifi! . t iv r itll I l lrlfi il Wil .'.' rg' . , iq-Il it . IM ry K .1 ,, li' I ' iz Y, if. xf' y 'li JM ,fe f if 'EQ -if 1 yi! 'f . 1 All I' ' ,. , .isp ,ff ,Aff ,rg A . it 1 ' nil-I ff l.'l if I 1' ' girl! mr, lrC?yyf tr .Qgff If fj 1, kristi g:?r!i-K, A ' Q. -. -J t , ffl lt sl ! CTN Ffh i -rl .7 gxvf' x xg? . 4 9'

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'Tw ii T if il ll l , L l- 3- W The Class of '98 Turn back, turn back, oh, Time, in thy flight, Back to the year of ,98, Back to that eventful night, When I was just a graduate. The music startsg we are marching in. Our Class is led by Verna Page. Then Ada Burris, Luther Thornburg, Pearl Shinn, With Lena Buckland last on the stage. We have reached our goal, our work is done, And with regret we heave a sigh. But no, our work is just begun, For now we are the new Alumni. It's up to us to plod along, Starting this new organization, Seeing that plans never go wrong, For we must be a firm foundation. Time goes ony years roll by, The original five do their part, Greeting each year the new alumni, Helping to give each one a start. We must drop out one by one. Our work takes us far away. We leave the task we have begun To the faithful ones who can stay. How proud we are of you tonight. We feel 'tis not been labor lost. No matter how hard the fight- No matter what the cost. There is one thing I'd like to do- Perhaps we could if we would strive. I'd like to welcome each of you, Standing in line with the original five. ADRIAN Buluus GEERY. This poem, written about the first graduating class of Montpelier High School was read by Mrs. L. E. Kelley at the annual Alumni Banquet held May 24, 1929.

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'A of 1- V-e--g --- -Q -- Y--- .. -- --' ' , 1 -ii 1 . 1. 1 , - X -, 'X , , 13 1. I ll ,fi 1 T ' , lg Q ljjjllljlf L'll,f Lxnol 4 1 -a1-..., LLL .- ,L l L Y 5' fessor, and a courtship sprang up. But ere long, Miss Axtell found the highway of ro- mance becoming rough, for another blushing maiden had entered the schools as a teacher and had firmly decided that the out-of-town Miss should not steal the Professor without a struggle. The new Miss, being more beautiful and at home, soon had the better of the scrap. ,Now, Class of 1929, they had a little fun and thrills in those days, so the so-called sporty Mr. Kelley and a Mr. Nunner, also of the faculty, decided to show their girls to a real treat. The two gallant youths went to a livery stable, engaged a two seated carriage drawn by two Hery steeds, and the foxy Mr. Kelley grasped the reins and proceeded to the home of his fiancee, Miss Elizabeth Speece, on North Main Street, placed the young maiden in the place of honor on the driver's right, and then proceeded to the home. of Mr. Nunner's friend. Now the party was complete and they then proceeded on their long journey to the town of Pennville, where Mr. Kelley explained all about one of the wonders of nature's world, the Twin Hills. Needless to say, Miss Speece became Mrs. Kelley one bright June day in 1898. It was in these early days of the high school that this wise professor, who had so enriched his mind in the general knowledge of things, brought forth his famous inven- tion- the spanking machine. Who, as a grader, or even before starting to school, has not heard of this spanking machine? Who ever saw it? Nevertheless each school child knew in his own mind just what it looked like. Large, high-backed, wide armed, equipped with the necessary straps to make the victim secure, spacious, but bottomless, with vicious paddles below and a handy crank operated by Mr. Kelley. The speed and time were according to the seriousness of the crime. This machine was kept in Mr. Kelley's office, and many a student was known to offer up a prayer for mercy just be- fore going through the door. This is an old story, yet true. Twas only two months ago that a five year old child, whose curiosity was stronger than her fear, came into the superintendent's office and asked to see the spanking machine. But tonight, we will im- part to you for the first time the truth. The spanking machine was nothing else than a set of paddles which that janitor back in 1896, was whittling out for his fishing boat. Mr. Kelley remained with us, and in 1903 the high school building on South Main Street was built. There were few more improvements, except in the progress of education, until 1923, when the present consolidated Montpelier-Harrison Township six year high school building was erected. Tonight, Professor Kelley, after thirty-five years of eficient and faithful service, sees in you, Class of 1929, the realization of his greatest ambition, the first class to complete all the work offered by that six year high school. CHARLES RAY. f X 1,,f- If ,J,, M ' ff 1 fe , To .A,s ,- - - -t. ,ff ' 1.-1' ' m 9 e f c f - ef' ff ..Qf,f..4. 'S' f-15, 75' ' - -5, f- - - .f-eff . ' ,t-if ,f 1 , A -- -f - ' 4 . .1-7 ,,Y1v ,4 ,.--P -f- ,gi 1 . i1?YL1Tf.'.g, - ' pfni' fa. -'1 Jjrrfff 1 iw-f ff-,,fZ'.. -.:a7.. f,, -- f . -- ' 'L'