Celebrating History: Graduation week 100 years ago

By Emily Mayer

It was graduation week 100 years ago for many local schools. Several articles were in the Havre Daily Promoter last week and this week regarding Havre High School’s Class of 1924. This article, published in the May 27, 1924 edition, outlines the program and lists the students graduating.

HAVRE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1924 GRADUATES TONIGHT

Forty-eight Young Men and Young Women Will Receive Certificates of Four Year’s School Work

Forty-eight young men and women, members of the graduating class of 1924, Havre High School, will receive their diplomas at the annual commencement exercises this evening at the auditorium.

Chancellor Brannon of the University of Montana will be the Commencement day speaker. Other numbers on the program will include the salutary by Corrine Loranger and the valedictory by Corrine Lancaster. The commencement exercises will commence promptly at 8 o’clock.

Program

The program for the commencement exercises follows:

Invocation, Rev. C. M. Ridenour.

Salutatory, Corrine Loranger.

Vocal solo, Worth Clack.

Commencement address, Melvin A. Brannon.

Trombone solo, Alice Webber.

Valedictory, Corrine Lancaster.

Presentation of class, Prin. E. T. Walker.

Presentation of diplomas, Pres. C. B. Wilson.

Benediction, Rev. Henry Van Valkenburgh.

Graduates

The complete list of graduates follows:

Hazel Anderson, Josie Anderson, Elizabeth Ball, Roland Bangs, Kathleen Barrett, Alice Berg, Maurice Boldue, Lillian Bossuot, Alta Boynton, John Boynton, Veva Brewer, Josephine Broadwater, Russell Butterfield, Worth Clack, Florence Conley, Arthur Daum, Violet Davidson, Ethel Doles, Helen Emery, Dorathy Erickson, Joseph Faber, Kathryn Field, Dorothy Gludt, Roy Hanson, Myrtle Higgins, Thelma Holliday, Flora Howard, Corrine Lancaster, Lewis Lineweaver, Corrine Loranger, Donald McCarty, Mary McGougan, Janet MacKenzie, Kathryn Mathews, Virginia Olsen, John O’Neil, Dorris Reynolds, Lillian Sandberg, Roland Schreier, Ena Sjordal, Esther Skylstead, Kathleen Tasker, William Troy, Jeannette Van Valkenburgh, Alice Webber, Grace West, Frona Wigmore and Rosa Zelenka.

In the days leading up to graduation, a couple groups treated graduates to meal gatherings. This event was announced in the same edition:

PICNIC FOR SENIORS AT FORT ASSINNIBOINE

The Presbyterian church entertained the Presbyterian high school graduates with a picnic at Fort Assinniboine Sunday afternoon. The parents of the students were also invited.

The graduates all attended the morning service at the church in a body and wore their class colors.

These gatherings were announced on the front page of the May 28, 1924 issue:

MOTHERS OF SENIORS SERVE LUNCHEON

Following the custom of past years the mothers of the senior class served a luncheon yesterday at 1:00 o’clock in the domestic science rooms at the high school in honor of the graduating class.

The banquet room was brilliantly decorated in the class colors, purple and gold, and wild current flowers were strewn about the hall. The table was decorated with violets.

Father Corbett, Chancellor Brannon, Superintendent Sherwood, Principal and Mrs. E. T. Walker, and Miss Gladys Mathews and Mr. Raymond Mountjoy, class advisors, also were guests.

Sugared strawberries, creamed chicken, potato chips, vegetable salad, rolls, pickles, ice cream, cake and coffee were served. White flowers containing salted nuts were at each place.

The guests were given favors and after the luncheon the seniors cheered their mothers.

PICNIC FOR SENIORS

The Women’s club will give a picnic this afternoon at 2:30 o’clock in honor of the senior class.

Cars will convey the picnickers to Rotary camp on Beaver creek where a fitting program will be given. A picnic lunch will be served.

However, the best laid plans are always subject to the weather, and the next day the Promoter carried this account of their change of plans:

PICNIC AT LUCKE RANCH

The picnic for members of the senior class planned by members of the Women’s club, to have been held on Beaver creek yesterday, was held at the Lucke ranch on the Highway the place being changed because of the rain.”

Havre was not the only community in Hill County to hold events for high school classes. Hingham’s awards ceremony was published in the May 25, 1924 issue.

HINGHAM GRADUATES RECEIVE THEIR HONORS

Hingham, May 24-Kimpel hall was crowded to its capacity by persons eager for the first Senior Class Day exercises Monday. The key of knowledge with the class colors, blue and gold, was presented to the Junior class.

The purple letter H, signifying work done for the Hingham High was then presented by Mr. Swatek. For girls basket ball Misses Aleta Sittkus, Evelyn Welte, Alice Mikesh, Georgia Cress, Leona Sittkus and Eleanor Alex received letters. Rose Sedivy was presented with a letter for commercial work at the District Meet in Big Sandy.

For boys basket ball, Clifford Harrison, Fred Knopes, Raymond Gehlen and Henry Knopes received letters. As only one letter can be given to any pupil in one school year Norman Welte was given a letter for Field and Track work having 11 points to his credit. The program ended with a violin solo by Mr. Swatek.

News regarding schools were found in three paragraphs in the “Gildford News Notes” column, published in the May 27, 1924 issue:

The Gildford schools closed Friday. The lower rooms closed a week prior to the high school and upper grades owing to the state final examinations, which were held Thursday and Friday.

The junior high school spent Saturday at Fort Assinniboine for recreation and outing. No formal exercises were otherwise held at the closing of the school year.

Several families are moving to their country homes this weekend after having kept their school folks in school during the full term.

Regarding school closings, Hingham made this announcement in the same issue:

HINGHAM SCHOOLS CLOSE 29TH

Hingham, May 26-Closing day exercises will be held Thursday afternoon May 29, at the school house. Each room of the grades will take part in the exercises and in addition diplomas will be given the eighth grade graduates.

Speaking of eighth grade graduation, St. Jude Thaddeus announced their 1924 class in the May 30, 1924 newspaper:

CATHOLIC SCHOOL GRADUATES LARGE CLASS

Commencement exercises for the eighth grade graduates of St. Jude Thaddeus school were held last evening, Father William Shepherd, S. J., presiding.

Diplomas were awarded to the young graduates, who have completed their eighth grade work, passed the state examinations and are now ready to continue their education in the high school.

Ronald Herron, Thomas Sherman, Clarence Mayer, Joseph Burke, James Gormley, Frank Hary, Roger Sprinkle, Veronica McKenty, Anna Lamey, Lorna Coolen, Blanche Sticka, Edith Pyper, Evelyn Burke, Rose O’Neil, Catherine McCarthy, Catherine Herron, Mildred Eastop, Loretta Sunday, Aquina Cebulla and Dorothy McDermott.

Congratulations to all area graduating classes of 2024. May the lessons of high school serve you well. Now go out and change the world for the better!