Sheridan High School - Bronc Yearbook (Sheridan, WY)

Page 15 text:

The apps Eng-got A new teaching force had been selected for the year of 1892-93, consisting. of Prof. B. F. Ogden, of Wapello, Ia., principal and sole instructor of Sheridan's first high school, and four other teachers who presided over the lower grades, total en- rollment of Sheridan schools at this time numbering about 350. The first class in high school was organized and after a hastytreview in eighth grade work, completed about Dec. 15th, 1892, commenced on their three year course. And a little later in that year a second group was started' in their freshman work, and at the beginning of the year 1893-4 a third freshman class was started, making ax well organized high school numbering about twenty students and consisting of freshmen, junior and senior classes. The course of study, a general three year course, consisted of Algebra, Plane Geometry, Physics, Geology, Botany, Physical Geography, History, Latin, Rhetoric, Literature and Bookkeeping. The first freshman class started in Dec., 1892, graduated May 16th, 1894. The members graduating were Miss Della Collier CMrs. Della Morgareidge died March, 19245, Miss Mae Farley fMrs. J. E. Walters, now of Benkelman, Nebr.J, and Herbert E. Zullig of Sheridan, VVyoming. The first commencement of Sheridan high School was very simple, consisting only of a short ceremony held on the evening of May 16th, 1894, in Coffeen's Hall, on, the second floor of the frame building in part destroyed by fire and later demolished to make room for the present Lotus Theater building. The hall was packed to capacity. The graduates, together with Prof. B. F. Ogden and the school board, facing the audience, occupied one corner of the hall. The exercises consisted of an invocation by a pastor, and' an address of welcome by Prof. B. F. Ogden, which was followed by a short oration given by each graduate. After each oration, two young ladies appointed for that purpose, with trays, collected the offerings of wild flowers and small gifts which were then placed at the feet of the graduate. In addition to the flowers, the collection netted 31.50 in cash, evidently being contributed by one person, who informed the young lady who took up that offering that the dollar was for the boy and a quarter to each of the two young lady graduates. A short address and presentation of diplomas by a member of the board completed the ceremony. Few appreciate the obstacles that pupils and teachers had to overcome. Some parents found it difficult to provide the necessary books, and necessarily those pupils were compelled to limit their training to the three R's and what else- they could absorb by listening to the other classes at recitation. Added to this difficulty was the neces- sity of many boys, as soon as their stature permitted, being obliged to help at home with the fall work, making their start in school late in the fall, and being again obliged for the same reason to quit early in the spring, and the many classes those faithful teachers were obliged to instruct. That old brick house and the school grounds on which it stands which played so important a part in the early history of Sheridan's schools has been sold or rather been taken over by private individuals who contributed its value to raise funds to com- plete the present Central School building on Sheridan Avenue, between Works and Loucks Streets, and may soon be demolished to make way for some other purpose. With this prospect in view, would it not be fitting that this building, now neglected, be restored and be converted into a museum for housing' relics of the early pioneers, now fast passing away, and the grounds dedicated to the public as a park, as a m.e- morial to those early pioneers and teachers of that period? HERBERT E. ZULLIG.

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. 1 SHERIDAN'S FIRST HIGH SCHOOL Sheridan's First High School occupied the west row of double seats on the upper floor of the two story brick building shown, in the accompanying cut. And the small hall at top -of stairs leading to this second floor served as the class room. ' - This 'building located on East Loucks Street was erected by James W. Thurmond and Charles H. Thurmond, contractors and builders, and all the materials used, except doors, Windows, and hardware, were native materials. The impressive ceremon.y.of laying the corner stone and dedication was conducted in early spring: of 1891 by J. F. Hoop, Grand Master of Wyoming, assisted by members of Sheridan Lodge No. 8, Rdrfz A. M., and attended by the Sheridan schools in a body and the citizens of eri an. 1 This new building' consisted of only two rooms, one on each floor, and walls painted for blackboards, double seated desks and stoves for heat. This building' was completed for occupancy for the beginning of the 1891-Zfschool year, giving' Sheridan a total of four school rooms accommodating an enrollment. of about 175 pupils, making it possible to divide into grades with established courses of study. The year of 1892 witnessed the building of fthe Burlington Railroad into Sheri- dan With its first train, a mixed passenger and freight, coming into Sheridan about Nov. 12th, 1892, thus adding to our 'populationg many families who had assisted in the bligldgiga of this road or been attracted here by the many opportunities this community a or e . TEN ' 'I .

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we si' 1 . Friar I1 I , .,,, I g '2 Y-W eigititiqt 5 E H Balm. , M 1 IJ SHERIDAN HIGH SCHOOL, 1896-1925 The oldest brick building, known as the Hill School, was built in 1896, and housed the high school in the two rooms on the second floor. In 1908 the east half of the larwer building was erected which served the district well till 1910 when the west half was added giving the structure its pre ent form. In 1916 the year when the present principal came to Sheridan the two brick buildings were connected by a hall a cafeteria was established on the second floor of the west building and the Hill School with its grades one toI four continued to occupy one of the two rooms on the fiist floor. In the following year 1917-'18 a normal training department and a department of agriculture were introduced. The Hill School was moved into a bungalow and be- came the Model School run in connection with the normal training department. The manual training department built a bungalow for' the agriculture classes and later the agriculture boys built a farm shop. The number of pupils in 1910- 16 was 357. Theu rapid increase in this number reaching 522 in 1920-'21 made the erection of more bungalows imperative. In 1921-'22 the school was occupying ten buildings andthe capacity of the study hall was taxed to its limit. The following year 1922- 23 the enrollment reached 694 and the juniors and seniors were allowed to come to school for a part of the day only doing much of their studying at home. - During these years the curriculum was much enriched by the addition of many new courses such as band orchestra., junior business training business English ma- chine bookkeeping debatlng and public speaking. V In spite of the handicap of inadequate buildings the Sheridan High School has been recognized as one of the best. The happy hours spent by the pupils in these buildings with their friendly associations as they chatted about 'Winged Victory will never be forgotten. On Monday January 25 the pupils and teachers prepared to move from the old buildings and at a given signal on Tuesday January 26 1926 they said good-by to the J. J. MARSHALL Principal 1916-1926. old buildings and joyfully entered the new. TH El VE 4 , , I -I. : as I' II ' I , S I II ' I 1 A 7 I I 1 I I ' I ! 3 . I 1 7 I F I I I E I ,-., I I II P' 1 9 I 7 I Y 1 1 I I II I i l I Y I I fa . I A H ' , I I , I I I I I It I I 'I I v 1 s I' I' I I s ti I .I I I I I 1 I 1 I 411 1 -W' M-NFB,-E f-..,..........,-.ves'----f-f'- 1 - .--l -T--. -W.. I-1 ff--r?..1-3-..,,..,.,::f '1 5-fl Qjix . .. -. .- . . 4 -'