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Page 15 text:
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The Burial of Trigonometry For many, years, sometime during the year, Mr. Sparks would tell what became familiarly known as the Trigonometry Burial. Mr. Sparks was a member of the Scientific Class of Dixon College, Dixon, Illinois. This class put on a stunt, involving the last rites of Trigonometry. Thinking that students of former years might relish the story, Mr. Herman Janes reproduces it. One day last summer, Mr. Sparks was in Dixon, and stood near the spot w ' are Trigonometry was buried. Place; Dixon College, Dixon, Illinois Time: 1903 - Henry Donham Sparks was a senior Cast: Senior Scientific Class Plot: The Burial of Old Trigonometry The senior class had an awful worry with Old Trig, so they just decided to bury the villain and call it a day. Henry Donham thought the joke was rather crude, but, as the majority was for it, and really no principle of good morals was involved, he went along with it, and in fact became one of the chief mourners. H. D. was sent to the President of the College to ask permission to dig a grave out in front of the main building, where, after appropriate ceremonies, the Scientific Class might dispose of the remains of Trigonometry. Old Trig was properly em- balmed and placed in a small casket covered with bright red, somber black, and other appropriate colors. The procession, consisting of the bearers, chief mourners, and the Devil and all his Angels, formed in the library and went toward the campus. Some freshmen, thinking to be wise beyond their limited ability, tried to fix a bucket of water so that when the door was opened the procession would be drenched, but the Scientifics got the dope, and prevented this catastrophe. The procession marched around the campus with doleful music of the bugle corps and crying of chief mourners. While the class was out around the campus, the grave was left open. A couple of freshmen went to the grave with the intention of filling it up. Director of the class. Prof. George C . Heritage , put one foot across the open grave, picked up a shovel and said, Come one, come all, not one drop of earth or anything else will you put in that grave while this bunch of mine is away. And so the grave was left untouched. The procession in time returned to the open grave and buried the deceased in due form. Finally they presented the soul of Old Trig to the Devil, a terrible looking person all decked out in red, long horns and tail, etc. As they were about to disperse, our good friend Heritage called a few seniors together and told them they had better guard the grave at night, as he believed some fresh- men would try to steal Old Trig from the grave. They took the tip, and a number were scattered around the campus waiting. About one o ' clock, some freshmen, armed with elm clubs which they had peeled until they shone like sabers in the moonlight, appeared on the scene. The Scientifics were greatly outnum- bered, and would have lost the body if the freshmen had attempted to take it by force. However, the freshmen listened to the argu- ments of the Scientifics, and the body was left in the ground. Guard was maintained for the next two nights, but no one came. On the third night, Old Trig was taken from the grave to the ball park and cremated. The Scientifics noised it around that they had quit. The freshmen came and opened the grave only to find that Old Trig was gone, thus letting the Scientifics laugh last. Says H. D., I didn ' t like the goings on, but since no principle was violated, I went along with the gang. I was one of the chief mourners and I made the loudest noise, too. I get from this whole story: Stand up for what you think is right and best, but if the majority is against you and no principle is violated, go with the crowd. (Footnote) - The two Orlandos - Janes and Runkel - and others, reenacted the Old Trig story at a banquet in the Christian Church basement in Shelbyville about 35 years ago. Henrj ' really enjoyed it. H. O. Janes
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Page 14 text:
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After graduation from Rochester Normal, Mr. Sparks was employed as a teacher. He went to Madison, Indiana, during the middle of the year 1905-1906, and took over the com- mercial department inthe high school. Because of his training in public speaking, he was asked, upon his arrival, to coach the high school play - a copyrighted manuscript play, My Friend from India. During his stay in Madison, he coached all the high-school plays. One of the plays put on by him was Our American Cousin - the play that was being staged when President Lincoln was assassinated. He was promoted from the com- mercial department to the high-school princi- palship. The commercial department of the high school was in a grade-school building across the street from the high-school building. As the school authorities thought the principal should be in the high-school building, the principal taught English there. Henry got along well with the students. One week he was out four days on account of sickness, and when he walked into the assembly on Friday, he was cheered so loudly that a member of the school board who lived almost a block away heard the cheering. He got $1,000 a year as principal - and that was considered a good salary. Mr. W. A. Jessup, who later became president of the University of Iowa, was the city superintendent at the time Henry was the high-school princi- pal. Henry came to Shelbjrville soon after high-, school commencement in 1908, decided to start a business-training school in Shelbyville, Illinois. Shelby Business College opened September 7, the first Monday in September, 1908, with thirteen students. The Apostle Paul affirms that Christians ought to be active in every good work of the community. Henry has done this, serving twice as president and once as secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. He has been president and secretary for seventeen years of the Rotary Club, as well as a District Governor, which office he served with dis- tinction. Two new clubs - Cowden and Blue Mound - were organized during his tenure in office. He was a32d-degreeMasonandShriner. He has served eighteen years with distinc- tion as a Representative in the Illinois General .Assembly. He worked under four Governors, Small, Emmerson. Horner, and Green. He was a member of the Committee on Education during the eighteen years. He was very active in the promotion of the welfare of the public schools, and was instrumental with other friends of education in raising the school distribution fund, twice. He was active on the Appropriations Committee, trying at all times to get a dollar ' s worth for the taxpayer ' s dollar. He was ever independent in his thinking and his voting. The constitution of the State of Illinois distinctly prescribes that each session of the Legislature be opened with prayer. The Legislature provides a minister to offer prayer each day, but occasionally the minister may be called away, when the Speaker must fill in. Mr. Sparks was asked to offer the prayer several times. One night just before midnight. Speaker David Shanahan came from the speaker ' s rostrum and said, Mr. Sparks you know we will start tomorrow ' s session just after mid- night. Will you please offer the prayer? Mr. Sparks knew that the membership of the Legislature included members of various religious beliefs. In a few minutes, he wrote the following prayer; We recognize Thee, O God, as the ruler of all nations and the hearts of men. We desire Thy guidance in our deliberation. May Thy rich grace and loving kindness be and abide with us all, both now and forever more. Amen. Henry sought out a place of worship as soon as he arrived in Shelbyville. He learned in early years the greatest lesson of life, that God wants men and women to worship Him in the beauty of holiness, that It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Like Abraham of old, wherever he pitched his tent, there he erected his altar of worship. He served faithfully as Chairman of the Official Board of the Christian Church of this city for 33 1 3 years. He has been an elder inthe Church 50 years. He applies the principle of the Golden Rule in his dealings with men. He is liberal in his relation with other churches. He has often been heard to say, I don ' t care to what church you belong, but I think you should work at the job. Constancy and fidelity are a part of the life of this humble man. Here is a man who is really concerned with the kind of morals that work for the good of the community to which he belongs, and for the true welfare of the society of which he is a goodly member. Henry D. Sparks believes and teaches, That except the Lord builds the house, he labors in vain who builds it. With this kind of a man promoting it, need we wonder that Sparks College has been a worth-while part of this community for lo ! these FIFTY YEARS. H. O, Janes
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