Sparks College - Yearbook (Shelbyville, IL)

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FARM ORGANIZATIONS ANN ARBOR MACHINE CO. STA-RITE GINNIE LOU. INC.

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MR. GARLAND STROHL The Alumni Association For many years, the graduates of Sparks College have maintained an alumni association. During the early years of the school, annual picnics were held in the spring. They were usually held along the Kaskaskia River. The big dinner was the feature. In the horse-and-buggy days, these crowds presented a beautiful spectacle. As the automobile graduallytook over, the picnics were usually held in Forest Park, Shelbjfville, Illinois. Ten years ago, a big picnic was planned and went off accordingly. There was an auto with one or more persons for each year of the school. These cars lined up in the order of the years, and went to the park for the big chicken fry. It happened on August 4, Mr. Sparks ' s birthday. The alumni presented him with an elegant wrist watch, which he has proudly worn ever since. This get together was such a lot of fun and so well attended that a time, the first Saturday in August, was set for further homecomings, which have been quite regular. The officers of the Alumni Association are Mr. Garland Strohl, President Part Owner and Manager of Tuscola Lumber Co. Tuscola, Illinois Mr. Jack Ellis, First Vice President Court Reporter for Judge F. R. Dove of the Circuit Court Shelbyville, Illinois Mr. Noble Corley, Second Vice President .Accountant - The Oliver Corporation Shelbyville, Illinois Mrs. Clara Mae Herron Carter, Secretary Findlay, Illinois Mr. Russell Younger, T1 easurer Vice President - Shelby Loan Trust Co. Shelbyville, Illinois

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Development of Business Schools In the early yeaxs of Sparks College, the National Business Teachers ' Association was the only organization to which commercial teachers, of both public and private schools, paid particular attention. Soon after the founding of this school, however, the National Accredited Commercial Schools Association came into existence. One disreputable thing that some private business schools had been doing for quite some years was to guarantee a graduate a job or give his money back. The very first circular published by Mr. Sparks made this statement, We do not guarantee a job to anyone. We do guarantee our training to fit people to hold jobs, and we are interested in having our graduates at work. We work with them in secm ' ing employ- ment. In the organization of the National Accredited Commercial Schools Association, Mr. Sparks, as a charter member, was on a committee which compelled one of the largest private chains of business colleges in the country to take from its catalog the job-guarantee statement. No reputable school since this organ- ization was founded has done any good with guaranteeing jobs. The Sparks school was accredited by this association for more than thirty years. Then this organization was merged with the National Council of Business Schools, the outstainding leader of private school organ- izations in the world today. In the meantime, Mr. Sparks helped organize the Illinois State Association of Business Colleges. Both Mr. Henry D. Sparks and his son, Mr. Roger Sparks, have served as president of the state association. Contrary to the practice of some organizations, Mr. Sparks and his co-workers have always worked for and with the public schools. With very few exceptions, all through the years, a list of high-school graduates is sent to the college whenever requested. This year the college has received ninety-nine graduation lists. An Accredited School The most recent and most generally respected approval program is the one which developed out of the National Association and Council of Business Schools. This organization is known as the Accrediting Commission for Business Schools. This agency is accepted by the Federal Bureau of Education. Schools are rigidly examined by disinterested educators before the schools are placed on the accredited list. The following is a copy of the action of the Accrediting Commission for Business Schools in regard to Sparks College: r i ACCREDITS SPARKS COLLEGE an a TWO-YEAR BUSINESS SCHOOL 7 Htj oinkm by the Cotnmuiton 15 haMtd ■pon fidl examination of the educatifmal prmetMcn and ochi« ;cm nt« 0 thti tngti- m H — - —- ' iL. — ■ • f — ' rsXvom. trhirh Mixufartcmly mxei aXah- -y Ckaiaman f UsHrd mtcna. - a xa for the year 1958-59 EXECUTrVE SCtRETAHV