Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-18
COM MMENCEMENT
A CLASS OF SEVEN GRADUATE
WITH HONORS.

decorated Saturday evening for com
mencement exercises of the Howe High
School, particularly the stage. 1t had
more the appearance of parlor than a
public platform. The flower decora-
tions aided by plants, evergreens, lace
curtains, &C., tastily arranged gave a
pleasing effect. A large audience of our
best people greeted the graduates with
warmth of feeling that indicated
interest in their welfare. An admission
fee of ten cents was charged which
proved good thing. 1t had decided
effect in keeping away children who
could have no interest in the program
belonged to older persons. Young la
dies and gentlemen belonging to the
junior class acted as ushers and per-
formed that duty we'll. The class motto:
BE not simply good, be good for some
thing" in gilt letters upon blue back
ground was suspended from the top of
the stage. The program was carried out
as advertised in the REPORTER last week
and was interesting from beginning to
close. The papers read were rich in
historical facts we'll presented. To pre-
serve these facts we publish them in
full, as follows:
INTRODUCTORY BY JAMES GOGGINS.
Geography is the twin sister of
history therefore the two should be
taught hand in hand. Accordingly
attention should be paid to the
physical outline of country and the
movements of the different nationali-
ties of people in the study of its
history. The influence of geography
on history may be illustrated in the
settlement of the country and the
establishment Of its towns. For
instance the pupil may observe that
the situation of Grand Rapids depend
ed entirely upon the course Of the
Wisconsin river. That this having
been timber vicinity would make
this Il logging town and Il rafting river.
Being situated near the great lakes an
easy access to this country from
Canada would lead him to think that
share Of the population would be
Canadians.
In earlier years when this part Of the
country was all timber, the numbering
would be done on the wholesale plan,
that is cutting the best down and not
stopping to utilize it here but raft it
down the river to where there was
more But as the tracts of lumber
grew smaller they would have to get a
finer and more sitting process of using
the lumber. Hence we get firstly the
saw mills, thence pulp and paper mills
and the manufactures in which ar
tcleS that use wood in their construc-
tiOn are manufactured.
The lumber tracts have now grown
smaller and the clearings larger, but
these tracts cannot be left idle so the
farmer proceeds to break up and cul-
tiyate the lands, hence we get the
largest share of the Germans and
other people inclined toward agricul-
ture. This is a rapid change, even
now, few ever think of the Wisconsin
as having exported millions of feet OF
cut lumber, and this city as once
having been only by-station fo1
riyermen and wood choppers.
In order to have history of this
place preserved it is first necessary tC
find somebody to undertake that task.
Why not organize Local History
Society composed of members from
Centralia and Grand Rapids whose
and preserving history of these two
towns. Suppose the society had decided
to work upon the topic of saw-mills
The first in order will be to collect al
the photographs of the old mills anC
other material that would have any
bearing upon that topic and report a
the next meeting. Atthe next meet
ing members may be appointed to eacl
take one of these photographs, show
them to the old settlers, and ask then
to tell all they know about that mill
And they will be able to tell them ;
number of interesting facts, many
more than if they had nothing to bring
them vividly to their minds. When al
thatcan be is collected from the ole
settlers the society can look through
the old newspaper files and copy all th'
extracts OF interest TO that topic an(
then by putting these with what ha
been collected by interviewing, writin!
them up in a connected manner
having them bound and placed in tn
library together with photograph
where all will have an easy access t
them and the history of that topic vii
be completed and the society ca
pass to the next topic. The member
OF a society like this would certainl
find the work far more interesting thai
which they could get out of a literar
society and just as instructive and
general advantage to all that woul
read their works.
HISTORY OF LOCAL JOURNALISM.
Introductory Paper BY James Goggins
The Wood County Reporter wa
established in the year 1857, by Nj
j. =. Brundage. 1t is the first Dape
ever established in Wood county an
for this reason Mr.. Brundage has bee
called the NeStor of Wood ccuntv il
journalism. The office in which i
was first printed was located in til
southeast corner of the lot Opposit
the residence in Grand Rapids i
which Mr.. 4. L. Fontaine now resides
Mr.. Brundage edited the paper unit
1868, when he sold it TO James I
lngraham. In the year 1865: til
paper was moved into a buildin
which was located on the south 0
Miss \. NJ. Gordon S present milliner
store. In the year 1868, Mr.. Ingrahal
took as Il partner H. b. Philleo VIII
had long been employed on the pape
as writer. The firm being known d
Jas. E. Ingraham x Co. The pape
was next moved into the Wood Count
Drug Store building which at tha
time was situated where the Bittne
meat market now stands. In the yea
1873 Mr. InUraham diSD0Spd 0f n