The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-20

ES4&lg1 for the beginning OF the
IMl public High school system
lNvA In Richmond. but the open
W8fl ing took place gradually n
IAvA an unpretentious room Of
WI the old public school house
which stood on the site OF
the "old part" Of the present High
school building. ~
1860. algebra. geometry, Latin and
natural philosophy were made regular
studies In this old room, called Mum
Der Nine. and there Richmond's youths
and maidens of the day began to re
ceive their higher public education
Many famous sons and daughters oil
the Quaker City received part. and in
some cases. all their education In Its
High school. During the schools his
approximately 1900 graduates have
passed out from its protection. In the
colleges OF the middle west. the east
and the far west, graduates Of the
Richmond High school have matric
ulated, and in the world at large many
successful men and women point back
to II as their High school"
The men who sponsored the public
schools in the early days did 30 In the
face Of inertia on the part of many
citizens. Civil war was on and the
atmosphere was not the best for the
promotion Of publicly maintained edu'
cational Institutions. but through their
efforts in the critical times the schools
have come down to the present gen.
Grafton as assured institutions Of
tereatly perfected type.
{ Although today the building would
be pushed aside AZ one unworthy OF
the age, the old school building In
which Room Number Nine was located
was one of the finest educational
buildings in Eastern Indiana In 1860
All kinds of classes and all grades
were taught there at various times.
The building itself had been erected
in 1854 through the levying OF a high
tax. II was one Of the earliest large
buildings of Indiana" history OF the
times says.
Started In 1850
The particular room which saw the
start of public High school training
in the city seated about 100 pupils IN
1860. Main recitations were held In
the room itself, while smaller classes
were often heard In the adjacent
cloakrooms. One citizen says Of 1t:
"Old room number nine was to me.
then eight years old, Mecca OF
knowledge, which I thought II ! could
ever reach, would bring to me pride
and Joy could not mentally esei-
mate"
In 1864 the high school had exclus-
i've use Of this room, and In that year
the grammar school was removed to
other parts of the building. and def
finite course of study was outlined for
the high school, including Latin, al
zebra, natural philosophy. geography
and bookkeeping. Erastus Test was
the teacher in 1S54-5. He was assisted
by the superintendent Of schools. Jesse
II, Brown, who had been principal In
the advanced room number nine for
two years previous. The high school
was held in this room until 1874.
In the fall of 1867 George P, Brown
was again made superintendent for
the second time, and succeeding Jesse
(Brown. He remained IN that position
for two years, In, the second period
of his superintendency, the term
was heightened and improved, Cyrus
w. Hodgin was principal OF the high
school, succeeding William Menden-
hall. who resigned on account Of Ill
health before the close of 1868. Mr..
Hodgin completed that year and
taught the next Among the other
teachers during these fourteen years
up until 1874 we're: William A. Bell.
George Grant. Cyrus Hodgin, Matthew
Charles. Mrs. Jane G Holcomb, Emma
Choate and Mary Dillon.
The first class to graduate from the
high school was in 1871. Mrs. Jane
G. Holcomb was principal Of the high
school from 1871 to 1885. The largest
enrolment during these years was
in 1875 when 1874 students enrolled.
In the year 1874 the school outgrew
the old room and was moved to the
present Garfield building. This build
ing had eight rooms and was occupied
until 1888. In 1875 the graduating
exercises were performed In the public
hall for the first time.
Increased to $40.
During the period between 1885 and
1894, the high school enrolment in
creased to $40. J. w. Weir was the
principal from 1S94-95 and in 1895
DIR. ID. II. Ellabarger became principal.
He held this position for thirteen
years During this period the enroll
ment of the school reached 438 whoch
was very high when compared to the
attendance In other schools of the
state Because of the increased at
tendance a larger building was neces-
STATED. The building then occupied
was torn down and construction was
started on the same site in 1888. The
building was completed In 1889. School
was held in the old business college
building on North Twelfth and II
streets while the new building was In