The sketch shown with this column caught my attention when I first saw it on Facebook. I thought it might be fun to see if I could find enough material in the paper to do a column about the graduation. It was the cover of a tri-fold program for the graduation exercises from Monroe High School in 1893. The horse and the clothes on the boy were painted with what appear to be pastel water colors. The inside listed the entire program for the evening.
The Monroe Sentinel reported on the following Wednesday that [the original] Turner Hall was crowded to its utmost capacity by “the people of this community who feel a lively interest in the welfare and achievements of our public schools, and especially those who are annually gratified and edified by being present at the high school graduating exercises.”
The report continued, “No commencement in the history of this institution, which ranks among the best of its class in the state, had elicited more interest; and no class of pupils had ever graduated with more credit for past achievements, or brighter hopes for usefulness.”
The large hall was beautifully decorated with flags, flowers, and pictures, which presented an effect that the hall was half audience room and half art gallery “with a sea of animation, expectancy, and genuine enjoyment depicted in the faces of the two thousand present.” The class motto chosen was “The end of knowledge is usefulness.”
The program started with the Remembrance Overture played by the orchestra at 8:00 p.m. followed with a prayer by Rev. I. F. Nuzum of the M. E. Church. Miss Osee Wagner delivered the salutatory address called, “Irish Schools and Scholars.” Each graduate of the 18-member class gave a similar type oration, except for Mary L. Barney who was to deliver, “An Old Problem.” The newspaper stated that this one was omitted “on account of her illness.” Grace Ball, member of the class, delivered a history of the class, which consisted of six males and 12 females.
In addition to the orations, there were also some musical pieces. Miss Laurene Gardner performed a vocal solo of “Take Me, Jamie Dear.” Mrs. Nettie Booth Wegg played a violin solo, and the orchestra played “Auf Der Alm.”
The last oration was the valedictory address, “Liberty and License,” which was delivered by John W. Raymer immediately before the presentation of diplomas by school board president A. C. Dodge and principal J. A. Mitchell. This was followed with another musical selection by the orchestra, possibly a recession. The newspaper article did not state what time the graduation was completed. There is a photo of Center School where these graduates at-tended all four years on the cover of the Monroe Area Pictorial History.
An article in the September 20 issue of the Monroe Sentinel stated that Amy Carey, Grace Schoenfield, Osee Wagner, Jennie Barber, Grace Ball, Carrie Ball, Elma Smock, Mary Wal-lace, and Rose Gapen, all 1893 graduates of the high school, had secured positions and were already teaching. It also stated that Monroe graduates who desired to teach had no trouble obtaining positions.
The first graduation from Monroe High School took place on March 24, 1871 after the win-ter term was completed. They had quite a last term as the Center School that they had been attending burned on January 19 of that year. The five graduates were Will Corson, Theo Hall, Sarah Willey, Mary Start, and Carrie Williams. At the time of graduation, each of them was entitled to receive a first grade teaching certificate from Superintendent Morgan. The graduation program for this class was very similar to the one for the class of 1893, except that it appears that more of the younger high school students were involved in the program. The paper did not state where this graduation ceremony had taken place.
I remember that my brother, who graduated from Monroe High School in 1973, was in the 100th graduating class. For a reason unknown to me, there were no graduating classes from 1872 to 1874. It now makes sense that 1883 would have been the tenth graduating class and the class of 1973 was the 100th. That means that the class of 2023 will be the 150th graduating class of Monroe High School.
— Matt Figi is a Monroe resident and a local historian. His column will appear periodically on Saturdays in the Times. He can be reached at mfigi48@tds.net or at 608-325-6503.
