Ransom High School - Longhorn Yearbook (Ransom, KS)

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CLASS OF 1915 The school term began Sept. 7,1914 and ended May 21,1915. Construction began on a new high school. There were 30 pupils outside the district that were attracted to the school because of the free tuition. Total high school en- rollment included 53 pupils. Faculty included: Rush Ellenberger, Principal and City Superintendent at a salary of $100.00 per month; Gladys Draher — $80.00 per month; and Ethel Calkins — $75.00 per month. The school board was composed of; W.S. Grisell, Director; Peter Horchem, Clerk; and Fred Johannes, Treasurer. CLASS ROLL: Mabel (Dubbs) Adkinson Lorena (Darkness) Amstutz Clarence Horchem Mildred (Kraus) Fouquet John Noll Agnes (Stowe) Cook Frank Strickler Elsie (Tilley) Horchem Lydia (Ummel) North 1917 Graduates: Seated: Nelle, Cynthia, and Mae Standing: Nell, Jennie. Donald. Martin. Ceorl, Charles, Mary, and Elizabeth. CLASS OF 1917 This class was the first class to gra- duate in the new High School build- ing. They made history again by be- ing the first class to have caps and gowns. On May 4, 1917 the school present- ed a school play entitled, The Dicta- tor . It was a three-act comedy-drama. Nineteen students participated in the play, eight of which were Seniors. These eight were; Mary Turner, Don Blocksome, Charles Dubbs, Martin Schreiber, Elizabeth Schoeppel, Ceorl Gilmore, Nelle Giddings, and May Robinson. This play was presented at the Ransom Opera House at 8:00 P.M The play was about two hours long. $40.00 was spent for direction and costumes, which were ordered from a large costume house in Kansas City. Ticket prices for admission were 25- 35 cents, which were available at the Scherzinger Mercantile Co. Martin Schreiber was in the title role. The Baccalaureate services were 19X6 Graduates: Seated: Nay. Jesse. Andrew, Joe, Everett. Standing: Lela, Leola. Ruth, Laura Robinson. Laura Gilmore, and Florence. CLASS OF 1916 CLASS MOTTO: — -Dig CLASS COLORS Pink and White CLASS FLOWER: - Pink Rose Total enrollment for the school year was 54 pupils. High School faculty included: Rush Ellen- berger, Mary M Ruble, and Ora E Fullen Grade School faculty included. Bertha Vermil- ion, Ruth Poland, and Zella Scott. Commencement exercises were held on Wed- May 17th at 500 at the Methodist Episcopal Church The Valedictorian was Joseph Robin- son and the Salutatorian was Laura Robinson. The address was given by George O Fostor and diplomas were presented by Principal Rush W. Ellenberger CLASS ROLL Lela (Carroll) Cearcy Nay Combest Jesse Dieffenbach Ruth (Dubbs) Harkness Everett Engle Laura Gilmore Joe Oppliger Leola (Ptomey) VanWinkle Florence Robinson Laura (Robinson) Wright Andrew Schoeppel 11

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CLASS OF 1913 In the fall of 1909, a high school course was added to the Ransom school system. This was a 4-year high school organized under the Barnes High School law and two more teach- ers were added to the faculty, already consisting of three teachers. Enroll- ment in high school was 50, 20 boys and 30 girls. Three courses were of- fered at that time. The second floor of the Grammar Room was used for high school classes. C. M. Livingood was hired to teach the 8th and the first year of high school. The subjects taught were; Latin, English; Ancient History; and Algebra. The members of the Freshman class were; Gladys Carrol, Georgia Blocksome, Agnes, Minnie, and Albert Dubbs. Georgia dropped out at the end of the year and the remaining four made up the FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF RANSOM HIGH SCHOOL, this be- ing in 1913. The following quote was taken from Albert Dubbs' autobiography; The Sophomore year our teacher was May Bernard, daughter of a pioneer doctor in Ness City. She was one of the finest teachers I ever had, al- though I kept up a running argument with her the entire year. One amusing incident that year was that our Doctor Grisell, who was on the school board, decided that the school building should be fumigated because of a measles epidemic. Miss Bernard, be- ing the daughter of a competing doc- tor, decided that the fumigation was not necessary. I can still remember her wrath upon coming to school one Monday morning and finding that the building had been fumigated over the weekend. The rest of this history was pro- vided by Minnie (Dubbs) Millbrook, the only surviving member of the 1913 class. In 1912-1913, the high school was complete with two teachers, Claude DeWitt and Gladys Dreher. Miss Dreher taught the Latin and English classes and Mr. DeWitt taught the rest. I still remember going up to the teacher's desk in front for recitations. As to the courses offered, there was little choice. Everyone took four years of English and Latin, a year of Alge- bra, a year of Geometry, and assorted classes of History, Civics, and Physi- ology. For graduation each student must have passed sixteen courses, four each year. In addition. Miss Dreher, a skilled musician, trained a girl's quartet and Mr. DeWitt taught a boy's basketball team, with all the games being played on an outside court. Finally the Ransom High School was complete. The first graduation was in May 1913. There were four graduates; Gladys Carroll, Albert, Ag- nes, and Minnie Dubbs. Since the school building was now fully taken up by classrooms, the graduation ex- ercises were held in the Christian Church. Some local orator gave the main address; each member of the class spoke briefly, the valedictorian, Albert Dubbs, more lengthily. I do remember my graduation costume — a white embroidered voile dress or- dered from Montgomery Ward, and white, high buttoned shoes. CLASS ROLL: Gladys (Carroll) Bowen Agnes (Dubbs) Hays Albert (Dubbs) Minnie (Dubbs) Millbrook CLASS OF 1914 The school term ran from Sept. 1, 1913 to May 15. 1914 Faculty included: Claud J. DeWitt, City Superintendent who received $100.00 a month for his services. Gladys Draher, who received $80 00 a month. Zippa L. Bunn who received $7500 per month. CLASS ROLL: Alice (Dubbs) Gravatt Gertrude (Johannes) DeWitt Alice Dubbs in her graduation dress in 1914. The three Senior boys of 1915, Frank Strickler. Clarence Horchem, and John Noll, on a mule belonging to the Brundage family. The mule never stayed home and was always on the school . grounds, so what better to have your picture taken with!

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1919 Graduates: Standing: Lucille, Elva, Myrtle. Harold. Ira. John, Peter, Edith, and Ella. Seated: Bertha, Irene. Anna, and Reva. held on May 13, 1917. The sermon was delivered by Rev. Fisher. His ser- mon was Proverbs, entitled: He that is slow to anger is greater than the mighty, and he that ruleth his own spirit than he that taketh a city. Commencement exercises were held on Thurs. night, May 17,1917. Due to the prevalence of a scarlet fever epi- demic, the commencement exercises of 1917 could not be held in the Opera House as scheduled, but instead the graduates were informally presented their diplomas Thurs. night at the lit- tle High School. Little preparation and less publicity were given the exercises and only a few witnessed the last meeting as a a class of Seniors. The exercises consisted of a brief address by Brother Briggs, a farewell invoca- tion by Martin Schreiber, and the pre- sentation of the diplomas. CLASS ROLL: Donald Blocksome Charles Dubbs Nelle (Giddings) Dieffenbach Ceorl Gilmore Cynthia (Jarvis) Frye Jennie (Mast) Newlee Mae (Robinson) Guest Nell (Schell) Swisher Elizabeth Schoeppel Martin Schreiber Mary (Turner) Hill CLASS OF 1918 The School Board was composed of C.J. Shellenberger, director; Peter Horchem, clerk; and C.J. DeWitt, trea- surer. Class Colors — red, white, and blue. Commencement exercises were held on April 29, 1918 at the Ransom Op- era House. Professor F.L. Farley of Kansas Wesleyan College of Salina gave the address. Miss Edna Robison, County Superintendent of Schools, CLASS OF 1919 CLASS MOTTO: Our class was one of the largest classes to graduate, at that time, and we were also younger in age than the average High School grades. Our Baccalaureate services were held on Sunday, June 1, 1919 at the Opera House. The sermon was deliv- ered by Rev. Morton Miller entitled, presented the class with their diplo- mas. CLASS ROLL: George Anspaugh Elma (Baumgartner) Anspaugh Bertha (Cofer) Horchem Margaret (Dubbs) McMillin Netta (Dubbs) Curry Daisy (Hazen) Vermillion Hubert Horchem Clarence Pavey Carl Sherwood Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free . Due to the in- clement weather, many could not at- tend. The steady downpour of Tuesday caused the postponement of the Com- mencement exercises which were to be held that evening. The exercises were given at the Opera House the follow- ing evening, June 4, 1919. The girls wore dainty dresses of white and the boys wore suits of black. All wore bouquets of pansies and sweet peas, which were presented to us by the Ju- nior class. Following the graduation ceremony, the faculty and our gradu- ating class were royally entertained by Mr. and Mrs. George Shellenberger at their home until a late hour. The fol- lowing day, we all went to Ness City to have our class picture taken. CLASS ROLL: Bertha (Dubbs) Graham Myrtle (Dubbs) Stover Harold Graham Reva (Holmes) Klitzke Peter Horchem Lucille (Johannes) Jesse Anna (Miek) Sargent Elva (Miller) Page Irene (Rowson) Maneval Ella Shearer Edith (Vermillion) Huff Ira Vermillion John Yost 12