Spencerville High School - Echoes Yearbook (Spencerville, OH)

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Valedictory THE COMMUNITY AND ITS SCHOOL Nearly two centuries ago the leaves were turning red, gold and brown. Some had drifted into the peaceful waters of the Auglaize River. Once again Indian Summer had come to this community in all its splendor. With the aid of a soft wind the moon made dancing shadows across the somber bronze faces of Indian braves and their chief. Here the braves were learning the important lessons of the day. This was the begin- ning of the first school. Legion of thrilling legends have been carried from generation to generation. This was a peaceful village of Shawnee Indians lying in the quiet shadows of the Auglaize River. Here, the sun saw, as it made its daily journey across a vast uncivilized continent, Indian braves hunting in the forests and fishing in the quiet waters of the Auglaize River. Also the sun noticed the squaws tilling the soil. But one day the sun no longer saw the villagers working in the great out-of-doors. One by one the people died until the city was gone. Small- pox had entered this community leaving only a legend and a few tomb- stones. Time is a great healer of many wounds. In 1812, the sun, which had seen vast quantities of land and people, then watched the: construc- tion of Fort Amanda. Pioneers, adventurous and hardworking, had come and constructed a naval base and an important mail center. Time- marched on. Again as the sun took a last fleeting glance he was amazed at the progress of the tiny community. Seventeen thousand men, working by the sweat of their brow, were digging a new road to pro- gress, the Miami and Erie Canal. The necessity for two locks at this point in the canal built two industries and thus the village of Spencerville, then known as Acadia, was started. Prior to the year 1848, what is now the Spencerville school district, found but a fe-w scattered schools in Jennings township, Salem township, Logan township, and the township that came later-Spencer township. These scattered schools were mostly subscription schools. Many conveniences were lacking in the early schools. Ordinary clapboards were used as seats and desksg these were double. However, the boys were not allowed to sit with the girls. Winters were long and cold. Teachers, when they were paid, which was seldom, received sal- aries from five to twenty dollars per month. The residents of the school district took turns boarding the teacher. One set of books was sufficient to educate the entire family, and families were large in the early days. A fight on the way home promised a whipping by the teacher the follow- ing morning. Not infrequently the school day was ended by a fight be- tween the teacher and one of the larger pupils. Rarely, if ever, does this happen now, for school activities are creating many new and varied interests. xiaxzoicvioioznicxioioziriozfricrif Page 1'I o101o1o:o1o14v:o21x1o1o1o:4n1o14

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SENIOR CLASS WILL CCon'd.J Joan Roberts wills her winning smile to Mary Flssel. Doyle Jacks wills his determinedness to George Armstrong. Martha Kennedy wills .her method of getting dates to Anna Stonehill. Van Myers wills his mousy way to Paul Snider. Marjorie Fike wills her like for hair styling to Helen Metzger. Gene Fenneman wills that certain look to Mary Plikerd. Mary Hilty wills her ability of talking teachers into what she wants to Pauline Kill. Quinton Morris wills his all around manner and likability to Harold Carr. Waneta Graessle wills her ability to hold her boy friends to Ruth Shaffer. Howard Johnson wills his fascinating dimples to Albert Miller. Mary Watson wills her senioristic air to Grace Miller. Bill Kennedy wills :his taste for clothes to Sneezy Snider. Jean Becker wills her typing ability to 'hier brother, Ray Becker. Junior Meihls wills his great oratoriesn to Preston Davis. Doyle Jacks wills his like for speakers in Assembly to Robert Hampshire. Virginia Kuhns wills her boy friends to Irene Schwartz. Paul Schindel wills hi-s reckless driving to Donald Monfort. Mary Walth-ers will her low voice to Ruth Clark. Donna McNeal will her Buckland Boy lwhen she's done with himl to Wanda Angel. Betty Hiler wills her Alma Mater to Margaret Koenig. Roger Gossard wills his F. A. ability to Fred Miller. Norman Rohrbach wills his everlasting study to Hilary Youngpeter. Mary Point and Ethel Fronk will their Saturday nite rounds to the Slentz Twins. Freda Miller wills her Home Ee? ability to Mary Schwartz. Beulah Rupert wills just a few pounds to Margie DeCamp. Ora Miller wills his ability to hurt people's feelings to Gordon Roberts. Elizabeth Colgan wills her appendix to Mary Coffman. Richard Grassley wills his peaceful sleep in study halls to Clarence Coffman. Mary Becker wills her book worm to Clara Clark. Robert Dicus wills his crazy ways of amusing people to Melvin Trent- man. Ray Wagner wills l1is heart stopping abilityi' to James Wierwille. Mark Burnett wills his future Hollywood Career to Robert Fisher. Norma Moorman wills her success as a student to Stanley Youngpeter. Helen Sutton wills her high pitched voice to Joerdis Griffin. Norma Seibert wills her 'shortness to Ruth Clark. Orville Lauer wills his innocent look to Bill Wienken. Leonard Rothe wills his chemistry ability to Mary Purdy. Marion Glaseo wills his twinkling eyes to Santa Claus. Carl Goodwin wills his devilishness to Bonniebelle Wright. Bill Hooker wills his volleyball ability to Kenny Sawmiller. vim: 101:11 vin: ri 11 :moz 11:34:11 Page 16 uzozuxoiozozavzcvzogozoxavioiavxa

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VALEDICTORY QCon'd.J The first school house to be built in Spencerville was constructed on the west side of the canal and was taught by Mr. and, Mrs. Ditto. Later a school house was erected on alot at the corner of Fourth and Pearl streets. This was used until the year 1876 when the prosperity of the Spencerville community demanded a larger school. Thus the sun found the people broadening their visions. For now they had a four room brick school building, which, with many additions, forms our grade school. Time marches on. How often has the sun smiled down on the face of North America., watched over the United States as it built itself into a prominent nation, respected by all the world, visited each picturesque spot, making it into a fairy-land of beauty? The sun remembers, as well as do many of you tonight, the day of February 4th, 1927, when this building in which we have gathered was dedicated. Our community has not sat idly with hands folded but has accepted the challenge of the modern world to keep pace with it. The school and the community must grow together. For its part, the school is furnish- ing a place in which you may come and learn. Friends, the school is not only a place for boys and girls from six to eighteen to come and learn, but also for you. Short courses are held here both in the summer and also the winter months. The community and school grow together. Fellow classmates, we are leaving this building, dear to our hearts, to make for ourselves a plac-el in the world. We have worked togefther and we shall continue to work together thus proving that we are worthy of the sacrifices made for us. The sun, as it set this evening, lingered for just a moment to see this tribute to higher education. It found a grand group of teachers-our faculty. It stopped and gazed at the Board of Education that has given its best that we boys and girls may make better citizens. It also shone on this community of people, you peofple in this audience, and you who are taxpayers, who, in the way of progress and encouragement are cheer- ing us on to higher roads of learning and better citizenship. This is a community not excelled by any in this entire nation. Classmates, let's accept the challenge of the world, and as friends, make our community proud of this graduating class of 1940. Friends are works of art that all may leave behind, Friendship a greatness all may win. Friends are the axis the old world turns upon And friendship the power that makes it spin. r3r211n11111111:1n21i1r2nirs: Pgfj 18 n2oir2l1i1 n:1v: vjoIcQ E C H O E S Duioiuvioiwrisvinicrmoiozcvqoisvie r1oI1Q