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Freeport High's first annual


"Polaris" was not the name of the first annual of Freeport High School.

It was called "The Stella," and was published in 1896 - 107 years ago. (In the dictionary we see that "stella," means a star.)

Lillian Osran discovered this copy some 40 years ago. She says it is the only one in existence. She found it as she was looking through old books on sale at the Goodwill store.

Before she and her husband, Dr. Edward Osran, moved to Evanston about a week ago, she gifted me with the book. It is indeed a treasure.

Back in 1963 when she first came across it, she told Elisabeth Yager about it and at that time Elizabeth wrote an article about her find.

The book is fascinating for it reviews the history of FHS, which we'd like to share.

The editor noted that The Stella "has continued to grow brighter and brighter until it shines forth today in all its splendor ... "

T. LeRoy Laird was The Stella's editor-in-chief and also was president of the graduating class.

The other class officers were: Josephine Serf, vice president; Maimee E. Dessinger, secretary; and Margaret Fitch, treasurer.

The 24 seniors were: Florette Keeler, Nina McCulloch Cross, Bertha Briggs, Charles Brubaker, Edna Crouse, Maimee Dessinger, John Dittman, Alice Dorman, Ada Eichelberger.

Also Ada Flachtemeier, Malcolm Ford, Edith Grier, Vera Meyer, Naomi Miller, Arthur Nieman, Myrtle Pierce, Wilbur Reitzell, Gertrude Timms, Alice Turneaure and Mabel Whiteside.

There were 167 students in the four classes -freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior - and seven faculty members instructed them.

(Just happened to notice in the freshman class such old Freeport names as: Ina Henney, Will Krape, Anna Hermsmeier, Alice Hershberger, Arthur Flachtemeier ...

One picture shows the student body in the assembly room, and the text describes the scene with the faculty seated "on their uplifted throne" facing the students.

It was in the old Junior High School on the site of the present St. Joseph's School.

In the yearbook, they boasted about a board of education "composed of wide-awake men and women, who honestly care something for the education and advancement of the growing children under its care."

Other pictures in the book show public buildings and the downtown streets of 1896.

The superintendent of schools was R.S. Page, beginning his second year here. J. E. McGilvrey was the principal. The other members of the faculty were Miss Frances A. Rosebrugh, assistant principle, Miss Flora Guiteau, H.F. Patton, Miss Ida Gray Galloway, Miss Lulu Clark and Miss Elizabeth Hood.

Mr. McGilvrey also taught. His wife was a college graduate, who wished to keep up her Greek. She invited students to study it and taught a little class of three, of which the former Nina McCulloch was one.

Two literary societies ere new in that year of 1896, Philomathia - which later became an English honorary society at FHS and the Athenaeum, which did not survive.

There was a newspaper in its third year. Its name was changed in 1896 from the Courant to the Budget. It came out monthly, and the number of pages had grown from 12 the first year to 30 for two issues in 1896 and then back to 16 for financial reasons.

Athletics are covered in one section.

In the back part of the book is a final interesting feature - a list of the FHS alumni by classes with address and occupation of each when known, beginning with the class of 1863.

In "Alumni Reminiscences" we get the history of the high school and especially memories of the classes of 1863, '73 and '83.

The first high school class, we are told, graduated in 1863 from the Union School, which had been built in 1852 on South Galena Avenue. (This is not to be confused with the present Union School on South Chicago Avenue, built in 1897. In the class of 1863, there were five graduates, all girls.)

"The war had broken up our school the year before," we read, "and many of our boys left, either to enter the college or the army. Mr. Montague, the principal at that time, went in as colonel of a regiment."

As for the 1873 class, its 1896 reminiscences report:

"They now know how benighted they were in those days when waterworks, and streets paved with bricks or blocks would have been regarded as an iridescent dream; and not the wildest flight of fancy would have pictured our modest town lighted by electricity and equipped with telephones and 'trolley cars.'"

In 1878, we are told, a new high school building was erected on the corner of Cherry and Exchange at a cost of $14,000. This made possible for the first time separating the high school from the grades.

It was in this building that the class of '83 graduated. (Later renovated, it became the First Ward School.)

Then in 1885, the Union School was rebuilt as a high school and served until the present high school was built in 1926

In 1896 Stella there are some "personals," run as "free advertisements," and one is: "Wanted a new High School Building," signed "Everyone."

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And so once again, we've gathered "Around the Table" to meet a collection of characters, chiefs and consorts.

As at our table, if you have any ideas or happenings to pass on, or humorous incidents - past or present - please feel free to join in.

We'll pull up a chair for you "Around the Table."

Full credit for story goes to: Freeport Journal Standard, IL