Ripon High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

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Q . . xff? ,ya 'Six , . Qvx A The Tiger, 1926 Q E tfssfj- . Q ' Q.. 'il-13 I ' In . n. ll 1865-The first college buildings. At the left, Smith College, at the right, East College. man of that time, who in turn, was responf sible for the editorial, about one and one' half years later, to the effect of naming the party-Republican. The historic building, the school housc, which fostered within its walls the birth of the Republican party, has been moved from its original site and stands unpretentiously in one corner of the lower college campus as a milestone in the history of politics- and Ripon. A number of years previous, in 1851, cit- izens made a movement to found an educaf tional institution of high order. Money for the purpose was liberally furnished by citif zens of Ripon and surrounding vicinity, considering their limited resources. Those who had no money gave willingly in matc- rial and labor. When the building was still unfinished, their scanty means were exhausted and the aid of a religious denomination in the enter' prise was solicited. A convention was held, and its support was promised as soon as suf- ficient money could be raised for the pur- pose. Rev. Walcott of Menasha personal' ly aided the convention in its undertaking. It was decided that the person who sub' scribed the most should have the honor of having the college named after him. It was called Brockway College, for Mr. Brock' way. There were but two buildings, Smith College and East College. In 1861, college was forcibly closed by the enlistment of a great many of the stu' dents in the army. The college grounds were leased to the government for a camp and were occupied by the First Regiment of Wiscoiisiii Cavalry. The attendance rallied in 1862, and so a permanent faculty was engaged. 1863 saw it formally recognized as a college-hereto' fore it had been really only a high school, or academy. In its first collegiate year its debts were wholly paid. Later some amend' ments to the charter were made, granting additional privileges and changing its name to L'Ripon College. In 1866, it had outgrown its accommodations, and West College was added-a larger, better build' ing than the others. The hand of David Mapes has been evidenced through its start and development. After the college, came the railroad, giv' Thirteen

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The Tiger, 1926 -ffl t?5'6Ql' . Q. l 1863-Main street, looking south from the Square. The building to the left is the present Yerk and Ladwig Barber Shop. All of the buildings at the right were burned in the fire of 1882. the ringleader in interest. The Dodges, Hastings, Hills and several other families held their private seances to communicate with their departed friends. Interest ran so high that on one occasion a man building a new residence on the hill on East Fond du Lac Street, directly across from the present high school, was informed at one of the neighborhood gatherings, by solicitous def parted dear ones that there was a considf erable sum of money hidden on the premf ises. Very specific directions were given, and the following day a search was made -several holes were dug in search of the hidden mint, but ultimate disappointment was his. The money was never found. Although the people of Ceresco and Ri' pon did not mingle a great deal, the Spiritualistic interest brought a good many together. As people moved away and no marvelous iresults were gained, interest gradually slackened. VV'arren Chase later moved to St. Louis where he continued his research work, running a book store in conf nection with it. In the meantime, in 1854 there was high indignation over the passing of the Kansas' Nebraska bill. Andrew Bovay, the lawyer, with Jebdiah Bowen as a close ally, was chief among those to read the bill as a men' ace to antifslavery forces. The two started propaganda and headed a new movement which soon resulted in dehnite action. Meet- ings were held in the small church on the hill. This tiny building has since developed into the Congregational church of today, which in November of last year celebrated its Diamond jubilee. The meetings were attended by both Whigs and Democrats, and it appears, was both lively and interest' ing-too interesting, in fact, for it was def clared no such meeting could again be held within the church. In these exciting meetings, the kernel of a new political movement was started. The Whig and Tory elements merged in their ideas. Andrew Bovay suggested that a new party be formed, and that its name be Re- publicanf' He made a trip to New York, interviewing Horace Greeley, the famous Twelve

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The Tiger, 1926 ,eggs :ii AWP-'A 1870-The east side of the square. The first building at the right was torn down to make room for the First National Bank. ing Ripon communication by rail with Mil- waukee-only two years later than Fond du Lac. Berlin, Ripon and Waiipun worked together in the establishment of railroad connections, Ripon's share costing about S130,000 in cash, mortgages and town bonds. The last bills were fully paid in 1880. Ripon's first depot was an old box car. During all this time there were two dis- tinct villages, Ripon and Ceresco. With the decline of the Spiriutlaistic and Fourier' ite colonies, Ceresco was not able to continf ue in good strength. Consequently, with the approval of both, Ripon and Ceresco were consolidated in 1853 and the resultant Ripon was incorporated- in 1858. The Booth war is an interesting light on the political situation directly preceding the war. Sherman M. Booth, editor of the Free Democrat in Milwaukee, freed a ne' fro from jail and helped him to escape. Booth was imprisoned for one year and lined severely. The United Etates had no prison in the state, but the Custom House at Milf waukee detained him there until he could pay his fine. Loyal sympathizers from Ripon conceived a plan to free him. A conspiracy was formed and by forged pa' pers to the warden, admission to the prison was obtained and Booth was liberated. He was finally conveyed to Ripon, where he gave two speeches, one in the old City Hall and the other in a grove now known as Bowen's Woods, at the west end of Thorn street. A United States marshal came to capture and arrest him--he was staying at the Mapes House and sauntered forth from there to the grove to make his arrest. The entire audience arose as a mob to protect Booth and threatened to kill Mar' shal McCarthy. He was seized and thrown down, followed by the crowd, and returned to the Mapes house in considerably more of a hurry than he had started. Booth went to Berlin, protected, and gave a stirring address, and unfortunately for him, his only escorts from the meeting there were a trio of ladies who did not prove sufficient. He was successfully ap' prehended by the marshal and returned to the Milwaukee jail. Fourteen