Farina LaGrove Graduates-Alumni HS Yearbooks

Farina High School

and

LaGrove High School

located in Farina, Illinois

List of Graduates & Alumni

along with school history

(gathered from High School annuals)

Click here to return to School Yearbooks Index page

"The first term of Farina High School was organized in 1889-1890 under the leadership of Professor Abbott from Alma. F.B. Titsworth and J.A. Nirider made up the first board of education. Mr. Titsworth was a druggist and occupied a store with E.F. Randolph. Mr. Nirider was in the hardware business.

O.C. Wells was the first and only student to finish the prescribed course in 1890 after seven years' study. Mr. Wells received no diploma for the reason that Professor Abbott objected to the idea. It must be understood that the organization was not upon a class basis as it is today but rather the work was completed at the convenience of the individual student. Not only did Mr. Abbott object to giving diplomas, he also regretted ever having started the high school."

"The second graduation class, that of 1891, consisted of only two pupils, George E. Crosley, who is at present the medical director of Burdick Corporation of Milton, Wisconsin, and Arnold C. Davis, the son of a practicing physician in Farina. D.R. Miller was the principal and the teacher. The diplomas were given on April 12, but no exercises were held."

having passed satisfactory examinations as required by the Farina Board of Education in the following prescribed courses of study:

Algebra, Arithmetic, Reading, Botany, Bookkeeping, Penmanship, General History, Orthography, Descriptive Geometry, Grammar, United States History, Zoology, Philosophy, Physical Geography, and Rhetoric, is entitled to this diploma.

The subjects were a contiuation of grade school work and others which are not now genearlly included in high school, such as descriptive geometry, zoology, philosophy and rhetoric.

"The class of 1892 was the first to hold graduation exercises with Mr. Golden the principal that year and the class of 1891 joining them for commencement. Commencement programs were held at Switzer's Opera House which was located in the room above Haley's Store. They were much longer than those of today as the following program of 1896 shows.

Vocal Trio - "Down in the Dewey Dell" - Mrs. Howard, Misses Honor and Leta Davis.

Quartette - "Stars of Descending Night" - Misses Honor Davis, Eva Austin, Messrs Schuyler Parrill, Ed Halladay.

"1899 & 1900. No class. Apparently a change in the school organization eliminated graduation classes for these two years."

"Two year courses were offered until 1903. After that date, three year courses were given, but the first year was devoted to subjects which are now given in the eighth grade. The principal taught all subjects which were alternated. Only one year of English was offered, and it was taught to the whole room, for all those who had not passed the course earlier. Physics was taught also but in a different manner from that of today. Now we have a laboratory which includes a variety of equipment; then there was no apparatus. Less Latin was taught then now now. A full year's work was never completed."

"The first three year class was graduated in 1903. It also had the distinction of being the largest in history of the school, with the members calling themselves the 'Big Fifteen'. The first valedictorian was Emma Berges. Their motto, 'Veni, Vidi, Vici.' Colors - red and white. Flower - white roses.

Mae Marguerite Maxon, daughter of Harriet (Goodrich) Maxon, in back 6th from left wearing white blouse

"There was no graduating class because of the change made from a three year to a four year course."

"The class of 1913 was the first to graduate from a four year course. Miss Marion Howard, a graduate of the old three year course, had taken the fourth year with the class of 1913, thus making a class of five students.

Although the school was comparatively small at this time, it shows a commendable record for the attendance with ten of the group present each day of the one hundred and seventy which comprised the full term at that time. They are as follows: Leslie Brasel, Myrtle Davis, Floyd Ferrill, Louise Neeper, Lucile Osborn, Donald Richardson, Irvin Schmidt, Ruby Starkey, Lucille Switzer, Glen Whitford."

"Basketball was first introduced in F.H.S. in 1914-1915 with Ross Seager as coach. Other interesting facts corcerning sports will be found in the athletic section. The first Fayette County Meet, held May 19, 1914 at Vandalia, was composed of the following schools: Vandalia, St. Elma, Ramsey, and Farina. This organization had as its purpose the fostering of interest in scholarship, athletics and oratory. Examinations were held in the forenoon, athletics in the afternoon, and oratory in the evening. Farina received twelve out of a possible eighteen points in the six exams entered.

Relay race - Farina - First (team - Harry Wilk, Eugene Dillon, Earl Wilk, Bernard Seager)

"The school was remodeled in 1917 and ten years later the gymnasium was built. In 1917, the Junior Class set the precedent of the Junior Class Play."

"The Alumni Association of the F.H.S. was organized June 1, 1922. It was the hope of the organization to link together students who had graduated from school. The plan was to hold an annual banquet during the Christmas Holidays. The officers were: President - Mrs. Bert Norman; Vice President - Leone Switzer. Secretary- Harold Bauman; Treasurer- Malinda Leonhard."

"1923: The High School was much interested in listening to records made by the Victor Phonograph Company. They consisted of addresses given by President Harding, one at the Disarmament Conference, and one in commemoration of the landing of several bodies of American soldiers, sailors, and marines. Just seventeen years ago the radio was practically unknown as an educational aid. today the Victrola has taken second place.

1923 proved to be a successful year in basketball as may be seen in the following poem which appeared in the Farina News for January 18, 1923.

The commercial course introduced in 1934 1935 offered the following subjects: Book keeping, Shorthand, and Typing. This year, second year typing has been added.

The idea of the annual in F.H.S. was introduced by Mr. Krutsinger the first year he was principal, 1933-34. The school had a picture book several years previous, but not the annual as we know it today. By: Elzie Voeste, Wilma Grandt, Avon Michel, Helen Kraucunas, Erwin Brauer, Everett Schwarmm.

Farina High School - 1938 graduates (Photos can be found in the 1938 School Yearbook)

"In August, 1936, twenty-three Freshmen began their course in F.H.S. During the year Eilene George was transferred to Kinmundy and Laural Worth dropped out after suffering a seige of small-pox, thus leaving a class of twenty-one to finish the year."

In August, 1937, the same twenty-one returned with an addition of seven from LaClede making a total of twenty-eight Sophomores. None of these students were lost during the year, and we finished intact.

In August, 1938, twenty-seven started their Junior year. During the first six weeks, Fred Weale dropped out, but at the beginning of the second semester he was replaced by Avon Michel who came to us from St. Louis. So at the eand of our Junior year we still had a total of twenty-seven.

In August 1939, thirty-five Seniors came to Farina to finish their high school training. Five new students came from Brownstown, two from Edgewood, one from Iola, and one from Kinmundy, the latter having moved here. During the first six weeks Hazel Lowery and Genell Helm were transferred to Brownstown, and Charlene Kaiser and Leota Hinton dropped out at the end of the first semester. Wilma Williams was transferred to Brownstown leaving us to begin our last semester with a total of thirty.

Those Freshmen who began in '36 did not realize that when they finished in 1940, they would celebrate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Farina High School.

They probably will have the distinction of being the last class to go out from F.H.S. as plans are being perfected for the organization of the LaGrove Community High School which will include Lone Grove and LaClede townships. With the completion of these plans, the history of Farina High School comes to a close.