The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-05-28
10 TRIUMP
Closing Exercises of the Lex
ington High Schools.
THE OPERA HOUSE CROwDED.
Two Entertainments and Graduating
Essays and OratiOns-A Brilliant
Success-klOwers and Music.

Wnat q merry shout comes from hall
a thousand boyish Threats as the grand
chorus OF jubilee swells the fiower-scent-
ed air.
What q merry, dearie tremor there is in
the united voices from the white throats
OF many scores OF dimpled. demure and
dainty little maidens, as they join in with
the boys, not with a shout, and a hurrah,
n a waving OF arms, but with just as
much animation, and good will, and happy
anticipation, in the grand, the final con-
certo:
"VAcATIoN HAS BEGUN"
School is out, and the pleasantest month
of the year for picnics, and excursions,
and visits to grandpa on the farm, is Just
beginning. The well thumbed books can
be hidden away in the closet; the closely
written examination papers are no lon
ger in sight; the school hat no longer
does duty, superseded by the iaunty ten
mis- cap or the broad s%unshade. School is
out until September, and that's three
months away.
BIT OF HISTORY.
lhC SiObih6 Va tlC PuDliS oShooAo bhS
year yesterday serves to call up something
of the early history of what is to-day a
part of one of the g~randest school systems
ever known of man. The public schools
of Lex~ington-are just closing their Goth
On Wednesday an INTELLIaENCER re-
porter was permitted to see and copy from
the record of the proceedings OF the board
of education when the present school sys-
tenn was organized. The first page OF the
record follows:
ELECTION HELD.
Record Book of School Directors, sub
district No. l, Township 81, Range "a,
Lafayette County, Mo.
Persuant to notice previously given and
by authority OF an act OF the general as
sembly OF the state of Missouri, approved
March %, 1886, the qualified voters OF the
sub school district, No. 1, township 81,
range q, in Lafayette county, Mo-, as
sembled at the court house, on Saturday,
sth day of September, A. d., 1866, and or
ganized by the appointment of William
Boyce as chairman, and John w. Waddell
as secretary.
The following named persons were then
put in nomination for the office of school
directors, viz: Jesse f. Atkinson, Jacob
A. Price, Robert Taylor and Edward Win
sor.
The polls then were opened and forty
one voters cast, with the following result:
Jesse F. Atkinson IS votes
jacob A. Price. ........... g. 80 Votes
Robert Taylor ...... ............. SO votes
Edward Winsor ......... ......31 votes
Whereupon Jacob A. Price was declared
duly elected school director for three
years, Robert Taylor for two years, and
Edward Winsor for one year from this
date, September 8, 1866.
Signed, etc.
II FIRST MEETING.
Ameeting of the new directors was held
on the 10th of that month, at Mr.. Winsor's
Office, all the members elected two days
before being present. Mr.. Price was chosen
president, and Mr.. Winsor secretary.
James M. Pool was appointed to take
an enumeration of all the white and col
ored children in the district, between the
ages of S and 10 years, and $50 fixed as his
compensation.
1t was then determined to open a school
for white children on the 18th day of Sep
TENDER, and the secretary was instructed
to advertise for one male teacher.
On the 18th, at a meeting of the board,
bids were received for repairs to the school
house, and $3.50 fixed as the entrance fee
to the school.
On the 21st G. F.. Ballingall was elected
as principal at $l25 per month, and Miss
Anna M. Dowden as assistant, at $40 per
month.
At the meeting November 9TH, Mr.. Bal
lingall stated that there were SO males
and q females Of school age in the dis
trict.
January %, 1867, Prof. A. Slaughter was
elected as principal of the male depart
ment, at 500, and Miss Dowden as assist
ant in female department, at $50.
Colored school first opened September
2, 1867, with Mrs. Elizabeth Randall as
teacher at a salary of $50 a month.
At the enumeration of September, 1867,
there were 1876 pupils of school age, as
follows:
White males SCI
White females $40
Colored males .222
Colored females 323
IN LATER DAYS.
So much for the first. Several columns
of deep interest to lovers of the system
might be compiled from the pages OF this
old record book-how the school grew
from that small beginning, received cuffs
and kicks occasionally, as it does yet, from
those who despise the system for the learn
ing it imparts, its growth being steady
mi marked. Apropos is the statement