Sparks College - Yearbook (Shelbyville, IL)

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nvit wmouwrh n »« a swim Witfc t « ipfa ri(oitlui rwr«isf Tfca bbtlby ee»anc CiAl tnuftfT •Mani- iDd StiBlby oosuty ScmtofoTv osr OJ112 moo and y Miag waiu»tt bare cen comprlteti to wMk«%EKt u«M trma. OK At Bmidcm ColksiM-«( uUMrsittM Kit Dov tbey tiAve an «: tbelr owo loor, K to (poAk u 4 «an remaw « iotn« aad «it«ad coOe TbU u « d«]r wbeo fi opto wboen- •loy belp want skillvtf wmitto o TIbm ipplira to ft bMi)c ' k«e «r,a twMgi i - ■T kod acl«rk a well ■• to «oy tt ei Uuia ot workWB. l «r«iiM wtko 4»ll icaslbly uSLifd to pv flwu cbil lr«D -a loiions CoJIeg co mr c cboald tain bcadvaata wbtdi »•■ ' hea in tbair io««r. A coar « iti ba«Dca« trainloc witli be brlby Baainostt CvHegc vritl b« rortb « buudrcd foM. t yoJir -eon or a-JiChter « ' hat tb »ane ATneaot oC [fOoeif wwttd be |d c« t» cbea id oatt «c c o tirtt hf taken «y ? i tacfln -Om MlJwGtf vM ira •»• aMy ■— ly ' y «w«y. ■ - Tbe Daw wlvaol la alre v % •uc -eM ' be carollmciit is a« great i ni t better t »n wkft expected by Pi ' -w tin S)j«rk» kheii »c vimed the cIKc roomi Mon «y kfterDtwn, every tbi FgAvcmcd lo be DDDJiig nmootfaly aad aU baods at 1 . . ■ , 1, . ' ihtj College A M.,kiuv of .11 «,.;k ..:,.. ..■ ... « K,-ncral Hci ictn t rHiuiD); . M ■■. ' IU|ilniiit |{ Mf.i. ■ .1 ' n;;it vv ' hoatl wa-t ■■I ' tiir ■ ' ■. ' ■■ .uo ni|»toyeil .1 - ,■ vi-.i- Mbic t» ati ' H ' ,1 I o...l..nli( IV. .sr i c. d l The foregoing copy is taken directly from the September 10, 1908, issue of The Democrat. It was written by the editor, Mr. Isaac S. Storm. • licllnniillc. Jlllinnis. The QUESTIONS are answered. WE are to have a first class Business College. The fall term will open the first Monday in September. Such courses of study will be offered as are really educative. Courses of study are modern, practical and thorough. The rates of tuition are reasonable, and consis- tent with high grade work. Location. The College will be located in the Syndicate Building, corner Main and Morgan Streets. Those interested in commercial education, and EVERY ONE SHOULD BE, should investigate this institution and be able to speak intelligently of it. . A Business College is a necessary institution, helping all lines of legitimate business, and hinder- ing none. To the citizens of this county and surrounding community: Let us pull together and build up a school right here in our own midst which will be of real benefit to our young people; one which will help to make real, live, wide-awake, conscientious men and wonH-n. The I ' nrsident will gladly explain tlie workings, )t ' this school to those interested. C all at college otf ' i . ' , Of adc!re s the President for any desired in- t.. ' rnia!ion. H. D. SPARKS, B. S., B. 0., M. Accts. Rre3iclomt Ml-i|, A;-. ttlio b u vbM ' t{«: ft tbc ib irtb«D ' l mit ' { T| }cwiititiK depari- iieoi. was VI ry basv »iib • cUs oi wKiiiactH in tb t dcpar :mvttt Bemileft •tiHK ao tftiiitui tvacber of Tyjwwrit »] and Sh ' -rtb ml. Muu. Lcwiii is hIso I tcacbT j1 vocal E. vd lastrumcnrat r.uMu Sbe bii a i j lecdid voice aod I pleavnfc pcitooatKy HersinjjiDg at :•« CbtisliMn church Sc-day niorniog lod cvcaiog was well received. This is the picture of the first home of Sparks College. The school occupied about two-thirds of the third floor. Note the sign Shelby Business College. The school was in this location one year, then in the Dove building - now occupied by the Moose Lodge - for six years. Then it was moved to the present building.

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A Business Is Born It has often been said that the strength and purpose of an institution are the shadow of some individual. During the last year of his service as principal of the Madison, Indiana, High School, Mr. Sparks dreamed night and day of the establishment and promotion of an institution of learning that, while it would be private and personal, yet would serve future generations. He had in mind a school of training for young men and young women for better positions in business. Three words were signal posts on this highway of thought, modern, practical, and thorough. During the spring monthsof 1908, he wrote many letters to various cities throughout the United States inquiring about the feasibility of such a school, . fter high-school graduation exercises were over, he saw Shelbyville, Illinois, for the first time on June 11, 1908. The first three people that he met were Reverend R. H. Robertson, Minister of the Christian Church, Mayor Edwin R. Knecht, and City Attorney, Judge A. J. Steidley. None of these men overurged or even tried very hard to sell Shelbyville as a proper place for the school. They didn ' t discourage him, but were cautious. The most important visits, perhaps, that he made were to the prayer meetings of the various churches. He found them well attended and sincere in their programs. The Chamber of Commerce was inactive, but friendly. He was pleased with the citizenry of Shelbyville. He liked the public schools. One thing that always stood out in his mind was a little woman dwarfed in stature who stood up in the seat and talked to people all around about her as he came on the train from Mattoon to Shelbyville. Later on, he found out that really the first citizen of Shelbyville he ever saw was the sainted Winifred Douthit. God bless her memory. After considerable questioning and think- ing, counting his pennies, he decided on the twenty-first day of June to start a school. Mr. Sparks supervised the opening of the quarters on the third-floor-back room of what was then known as the Syndicate Building. Several years later, there was a fire in the building, and this top story was removed. This building is the one now occupied by the Reisacher Drug Store. Thinking that it would be wise to call particular attention to the opening of the school on the morning of the first Monday in September, 1908, he had a large sign painted, which was stretched across Main Street between the buildings now occupied by Richardson Clothes and the Reisacher Drug Store. A very few minutes before time to start the enrollment, a friend came to him and said, Sparks, how do you spell ' business ' . Why, he answered very promptly, b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s. The informer replied, That isn ' t the way it is spelled on the sign. Mr. Sparks hustled downstairs and, to his amazement, in great large letters he found B-u-i-s-n-e-s-s. It was too late to correct the sign, but it came down faster than it went up. Thirteen students answered the roll call and made arrangements to cast their lot with this new venture, named Shelby Business College. The first student to enroll in the school was Miss Lulu Andes, who was famil- iarly known as Rosebud. She is now Mrs. B. C. Gennette. The first student to work in the office was Miss Ildna Marguerite South, who is now Mrs. Henry Pauschert, living in Alhambra, California . The original thirteen students who enrolled that first morning were Miss Lulu Andes, Mr. George A. Bowman, Mr. George Heinz, Mr. John Huffman, Miss Alta Jenkins, Mr. Glen Miller, Mr. Harry L. Pauschert, Miss Edna Marguerite South, Mr. Clair I. Storm. Mr. Leslie R. Tallman, Miss Grace Thom, Miss Mary Thomas, and Miss Martha E. Ulmer. Of these original thirteen, at the time of this writing, only one has- answered the Final Roll Call, and that one was the president of the class, Mr. George Bowman, who passed to the Great Beyond very recently. On the first evening, a night course was started. It was not ever the intention of the management to conduct a night school per- manently, but he felt that, of those students who might come for the night school in the beginning, some would eventually enter the day school, and others would drop out. It worked that way. Those entering the night school were as follows: Mr. W. F. Aichele, Mr. Vance Courtright, Miss Ora Cullison, Miss Pearl Cullison, Miss Grace Davis, Mr. Jesse Donaldson, Mr. Rennie Frazier, Mr. Orville Moore, Mr. Ben Parish, Mr. I. S. Storm, Mr. Orville Storm, Miss Nell Thornton, Mr. Charles Waggoner, and Miss Ada Weakly. MISS I.ULU ANDES MISS MARGUKiniK SnUTH

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Teaching Staff The high ideals of the management could be maintained only with good instructors. In the early years, teachers were largely trained in the school itself. In later years, a college degree has been required, although a degree does not always make a good teacher. Commercial Law has been taught by a lawyer all of the years, except for two years that the president of the school taught it. The teachers by departments: Bookkeviping and Accounting: Mr. Henry D. Sparks Mr. F. C. Westervelt Mr. C. C. Chappelle Miss Ethel J. Christman Mr. Karl Smith Mr. George Braden Mr. C. O. Adams Mr. Roger R. Sparks Stenography and Typing: Miss Mae Lewis Mr. Harmon L. Ruff Miss Bertha Herron Mr. A. C. Nunn Mr. Charles Wade Mrs. Treasie Newlin Mrs. Lillian B. Sparks Miss Madge Sparks Miss Wilda Duncan Mrs. Mary C. Bruster Wade Mr. Frank Wiesenmeyer Mrs. Mae Maloney Kirk f Miss Gwendolyn McCallister [ ' i l Miss Ruth Leitch ' Miss Elizabeth Rest Mrs. Lillian Howry Mrs. Zoe Greenwood Mrs. Florence Boone Mrs. Margaret Gillespie Mrs. Frances Sanders Mrs. Lois Atkinson V Commercial Law: Mr. A. J. Steidley Mr. John J. Baker Mr. John Crockett Mr. Henry D. Sparks Mr. J. Maurice Stice Mr. Philip L. Turner Mr. John J. Baker, Jr. For several years, the school tried to promote a public-speaking department, but for lack of interest it was discontinued, despite the fact that excellent teachers were in charge. The teachers usually taught English in the commercial course. Public Speaking Teachers: Miss Coral Smith Miss Gladys Derr Miss Eathel Buzzard Mr. Henry D. Sparks For several years, the school maintained a good music department. It was closed when Mr. R. G. Newell became music instructor in the Shelbyville High School. During the years that Mr. and Mrs. Newell had charge of the department, it prospered. Several students graduated from a four -year course. Mr. Newell taught voice and piano, while Mrs. Newell taught violin. Music Teachers: Mr. Frank Held Mrs. Zoe Pearl Park Miss Georgie Hopkins Miss Olive Filer Mr. R. G. Newell Mrs. R. G. Newell Mrs. George D. Chafee and Mrs. George B. Rhoads helped much in an advisory capacity.