Sparks College - Yearbook (Shelbyville, IL)

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Roger R. Sparks was born in his grandparents ' home in Rock Island County, Illinois, but has spent prac- tically his entire life in Shelbyville. He is a graduate of the Shelbyville public schools. Sparks College (study- ing both accounting and stenography), ari d the University of Illinois. After graduating from the Uni- versity, Roger took charge of the Ac- counting Department of Sparks College. Except for two and one- half years in the army during World War II, he has held this position ever since. Roger became manager of the school in the fall of 1958. Madge Sparks was born in Shelbyville, and has always called it home. She is a graduate of the Shelbyville public schools. Sparks College (accounting and stenography) , and the University of Illinois. She had her first year of college in Knox College, Galesburg, Illmois, and took the teacher-training course in Steno- typy given by LaSalle Extension University in Chicago. She has taught all stenographic subjects in Sparks College, as well as helping out a few times with accounting.

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Shelbyville, Illinois August 2, 1958 Dear Friends: Of my own free will, fifty years ago, I decided to start a business -training school in Shelbyville, Illinois. I wanted to train young people so well that they could hold the better positions in business. What do you think? This illustrated history of Sparks College tells briefly this story of fifty years of service. All graduates are listed. There are hundreds who deserve special mention, but space allows special consideration for only a few. These should be representative of the whole group. These fifty years are the very heart of my mortal existence. They represent my life ' s work, my contribution. The way has been hard. Many a day I didn ' t know what to do next. Wars, depressions, and lack of funds have played their part, but I kept on. Sometimes I have gone home ready to give up, only to have Mrs. Sparks, God bless her memory, say, Oh go back and go to work. The fact that Mrs. Sparks didn ' t want very much, and her willingness to sacrifice with me, probably kept the school going. For many years, I was so badly in debt that I couldn ' t quit without going broke. Folks seemed to trust me. My credit was better than I deserved. For a time, I carried a lot of tuition accounts, many of which were paid in full soon after graduation. Many were not. I wrote off several thousand dollars ' worth of such accounts. No doubt I needed the money right then more than those who owed it. I am at the end of the school journey. The question of my personal success lies in the lives and in the hearts of those who trusted me. I hope I have succeeded. I trusted God and leaned, sometimes heavily, on His abiding love. I thank each and everyone from the bottom of my heart for whatever you have done to help. May God in His infinite wisdom and wonderful love stand beside you in the years to come. Roger will need your co-operation. Stand by, please. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer. Sincerely yours.

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The Power Behind The Scene The father of Mr. Henry D. Sparks, Mr. Bateman R. Sparks, was twice married. To the first union were born four children, John E., George A., Isaac, and Ernest M., all of whom are dead - Isaac dying in infancy. The father, Mr. Bateman R. Sparks, was later married to Miss Mary Jane Shupe. To this union were born two children, Mary Catherine and Henry D. They were both born on a farm near Toledo, Illinois. Miss Mary C. Sparks married Mr. Luther Bruster, who died in the infuenza epidemic. She afterwards married Mr. Charles Wade. Mrs. Wade now lives in the hospital in Moweaqua, Illinois. Both of Mr. Henry D. Sparks ' s parents and his sister were working members of the United Brethren Church. The father was a trustee of two churches at the time of his death. Both grandfathers of Henry D. Sparks were ministers, fraternal. Baptist; maternal, United Brethren. Mr. Bateman R. Sparks was named for a well-to-do bachelor, Mr. Bateman Ross, who lived in Terre Haute, Indiana. Mr. Ross told the father of Bateman R. that, when his namesake was old enough to be away from home, he should be sent to him, and he would give him as good an education as money could buy, and he had the money to do so. Years later when the father of Bateman R. felt that the son was old enough to be away from home, going to school, he sent the young man with his brother Sam in a covered wagon to see Mr. Ross. (The Sparks family lived in the country in Vigo County, Indiana). Brother Sam and the prospective student saw Mr. Ross at a distance. Sam called to Mr. Ross, asking him if he wanted to take a boy to raise. Mr. R oss, not knowing who the boys were, said, I will go in and talk it over with sister. He was gone a few minutes. Bateman R. got homesick and said, Sam, he does not seem to know his business. Let us go on home. And they did. Mr. Bateman R. Sparks came that close to his one great educational opportunity. This unfortunate incident perhaps made him resolve that his son Henry would get an education, and he never wavered from that position. The son attended country school in Cumberland County, Illinois - White Oak. The directors usually hired a beginner or the cheapest teacher available. School terms were as short as the law would permit. Then came high school. His father paid the tuition. The home was about three miles from the school in Toledo, Illinois, the family having moved from the home where Henry was born. He walked, rode a horse, rode in a two-wheeled cart, or went almost any way he could to get to high school. He was never tardy. At different times, he had frozen dinner. The lunch was in the stable where he kept his horse, not in a deep freeze. He was surely a country jake. One evening after Henry D. came home from high school, he told his father that he was going to an apple cutting that night. The father replied, Do you think attending an ' apple cutting ' among that group of young people, who have no interest in education or anything else much, goes along with high school? The lad didn ' t go. Father Sparks was the head of the house. His boy knew that his word was law. The son never attended a dance or played a game of cards. The father often said, Cards are a gambler ' s tools. After graduating from high school in 1896, Henry taught school and went to college. He taught four years in three schools - Union, Center, and King, all in Cumberland County, Illinois. The last year he taught at King, he received $50. a month. One director did not sign the contract - said it was too much, even though the teacher had a college degree. Teaching was interspersed with going to col- lege. It was necessary for him to teach in order to continue his college education. Henry graduated from Dixon College, Dixon, Illinois; Rochester Normal University, Rochester, Indiana; and Westfield College, Westfield, Illinois; and attended the University of Chicago. He holds four college degrees, Bachelor of Oratory, Bachelor of Science, Master of Accounts, and Master of Arts. He holds a state supervisory certificate in Illinois. Mr. Henry D. Sparks and Miss Lillian Bowes were married in Rock Island County, Illinois , near Taylor Ridge, in June, 1905. They have two children, Roger and Madge. The children graduated from Shelbyville High School (both of them have perfect-attendance records). Sparks College, and the University of Illinois. Madge took her first year of college in Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois. Both children taught extensively in Sparks College. Roger taught accounting and Madge stenography. Mrs. Sparks was a good teacher. Teach- ing was her life. She loved it. She passed to the Great Beyond July 1,1958.