Wapakoneta High School - Retrospect Yearbook (Wapakoneta, OH)

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 TO ALIA BOWEN •9- ♦ OUR ESTEEMED AND ADMIRED TFACHFR OF ENGLISH AND MATH- EMATICS. WE RESPECTFULLY DED- ICATE THIS RETROSPECT. 5

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 N’o permanent action was taken by the Hoard of Education in the establishment of a High School in YVapakoneta until the spring of 1X71, when the first graduation exercises were held in the old school building, located where the Third Ward School build- ing now stands. The first graduation exercises were held the last week in May, 1871. Otho Layton, Ada Smith, and Maggie Cordell received diplomas on that occasion, the same being presented by Dr. C. Berlin, then president of the Board of Education. In 1868, C. W. Williamson was elected Superin- tendent of Schools, and continued to serve in that capacity until 1879, when he was succeeded by Pro- fessor William Hoover, now of Athens, Ohio. Mr. Hoover served until 1881. when the vacancy was tilled by J. L. Carson. In 1887, Superintendent Carson was again suc- ceeded by C. W. Williamson, whose services as Superintendent terminated in 1899. In the interim between 1871 and 1874, a rapid growth in the population and business devc’opments had taken place in Wapakoncta. Under those eru- ditions it became necessary to prepare increased accommodations for the growing school population. Accordingly the Third Ward School Building was erected in the years 1874-5 at a cost of twenty-eight thousand dollars. In the year 1891. arrangements were made by the teachers for holding a series of entertain- ments by the schools, to raise funds for the estab- lishment of a school library. The entertainments were largely patronized by the public. By Decem- ber 1892, fifteen hundred dollars had been accumu- lated. which was spent in the purchase of books, which forms the nucleus of the present High School Library. In 1899. H. H. Helter was elected Superin- tendent and held this position until 1907, when he was succeeded by Charles Haupert of Wooster, Ohio, who died in 1909. Mr. I , hi. Reynolds of Defiance, Ohio, was chosen by the Board of Education to fill this vacancy, and is in a very creditable manner occupying the position at the present time. In the meanwhile in 1907, the enterprising citi- zens of Wapakoncta thought it necessary for the students to have a separate High School Building. Therefore, the question was voted upon and every- thing was seemingly progressing. However, the one difficulty remaining was the lack of a suitable loca- tion. many things having to be considered. This difficulty was finally remedied by the kind offer of the late L. X. Blume, donating for the school the present excellent site. Thus, the school was christened Blume High School, in honor of the liberal giver. The school was completed in 1909, giving to the students of Wapakoncta and vicinity an imposing structure, modern in every respect, of which they can be justly proud. Under Mr. Reynolds’ administration there have been many wise and necessary improvements, among which are the addition of the two courses of study, domestic science and manual training. These rooms are equipped with the most modern apparatus ob- tainable. and the pupils, under the able directions of the teachers, Miss Ida Basinger and Mr. I . E. Munk, respectively, are progressing splendidly. The enrollment of our High School to date is one hundred sixty boys and one hundred seventy- eight girls, making a total of three hundred thirty- eight pupils. This is an exceedingly large number, considering the capacity of the school, and the grad- ual increase of pupils each year will soon nccessi tate the building of an addition to the school. Up to this time there have been two hundred fifty-six boys and three hundred sixty-five girls graduated from the High School of Wapakoncta, making a total of six hundred twenty-one pupils. The class of 1916 will add sixty-two to this number, and we claim the he nor of adding the largest num- ber to the list. This, however, does not seem strange to us, for we have always had the distinction of being an original, industrious, and diligent class, propagating everything which tends toward the general uplifting and development of dear old Blume High School., —Beulah Zint.