Montpelier High School
Montpelier High School had its beginning in the basement of Washington School located on the northeast corner of 4th and Clay.
The first high school class was organized in 1906 with Fred L Willis as the Superintendent. Eleven students were enrolled in the first year. They were Jennie Barrett, Finch Ridd, Myrtle Conley, Mabel Pearce, Marguerite Whitman, Harold Toomer, Cecil Hull, Earl Jonley, Forest Stuart, Neil Gee, Raymond Reese and Mildred Whiteman.
Morning sessions were devoted to high school work which met in the one basement room of Washington School. Courses were the same for everyone, Algebra, English and Literature, Ancient History and Physical Geography. All eleven students completed the first year course.
By 1906 a building was under construction which was being built on the playground area of what is now A J Winters Elementary school, adjacent to the Purple Sage property. High school classes continued to meet at the Washington School during the second year, but two rooms were then needed to house the students. Carl F Banghart served as superintendent, principal and instructor, with another teacher Miss Lois V Stoddard. There were 25 freshmen and ten of the original group as sophomores. This year the students choose the colors, banners and the Bear mascot.
At the beginning of the third year students moved into the new building. The faculty included H S Stevens as principal and Georgia Bassett and Harold Sanders as teachers. Only five original students remained in the junior year, Mabel Pearce, Jennie Barrett, Neil Gee, Raymond Reese and Mildred Whitman.
By the fourth year the building was completed
and the student body was at 48. Only two Mabel Pearce and Mildred Whitman
were in the senior class. These two received their diplomas in the spring
of 1910. Both had identical grades and graduation was held in the
Montpelier Theatre. Rev James Laughlin, pastor of the Methodist Church
presided and Dean Elliott, President of the University of Idaho was the keynote
speaker.
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The Montpelier Examiner, December 31,
1909
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DAMAGED BY FIRE
Shortly after four o'clock last Monday afternoon, Mrs. W W Chapman noticed smoke issuing from one of the basement rooms of Montpelier's elegant new high school building.
She notified Mr. Chapman, who hurried to the building with two buckets of water and also turned on the fire alarm. Before the department had arrived, several other men had come to Mr. Chapman's aid and they were doing good work with buckets.
The stream from the water system put the fire
under control in a very short time.
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The Montpelier Examiner, January 24, 1935
HOT LUNCH TO BE SERVED AT SCHOOL
Through the cooperation of the IERA, the Montpelier City School Board, the faculty of the city schools and the parents of out of town students, a hot dish is now being served as supplement to the cold lunch that is brought to school by out of town students.
The school board provides the serving room, the
cook stove and the dishes; the faculty provided supervision during the lunch
period and IERA. Most of the supplies used are donated by the parents of
the children who benefit from the lunch.
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The Montpelier Examiner, May 6, 1937
The following high school students are candidates for graduation. The commencement exercises will be on Friday, May 21.
Maxine Ashley, Helen Batschi, Gloria Burgoyne, Helen Hanson, Myrtle Headlee, Maxine Irving, Jeanne Johnson, Betty Keay, Viona Kunz, Shirley Lindsey, Margaret Loveday, Jean Messerley, June Oakey, Bertha Parker, Ramona Parker, Billie Ree Pendrey, Barbara Perkins, Carole Rasmussen, Helen Ream, Beth Roderick, Selma Schick, Virginia Schick, Maxine Solum, Lonetta Sorenson, Ione Taylor, Inez Tuescher, Effie Thompson, Ruth Tueller, Cleone Wilcox.
John Aegerter, Dean Aland, Forrest Bardull,
David Berrey, Grant Birch, Glenn Blazer, Eudell Bohi, Dick Buck, Sherman
Burgoyne, Jace Carne, Lowell Davis, David Fredicks, Woodrow Hayward, Duaine
Hunter, Allen Ipsen, Vernon Jewett, John Nussbaum, Don L Pendrey, Aaron
Prescott, Keith Rich, Jeddie Roderick, Bruce Root, Kenneth Sharpe, Clifford
Skinner, Herman Skinner, Harold Stammer, Richard Stammer, Velman Steed, Leon
Stevens, Lynn Thomas, Alfred Thompson, Harold Toomer, Jack Wells, Rex
Williamson, Arlo Wuthrich and Cyril Roberts.
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The Montpelier Examiner, May 13, 1937
After a very careful and complete survey of scholarship standing of members of the senior and junior classes over periods of four and three years respectively, the following have been nominated for membership in the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools of which a chapter has been maintained in the Montpelier high school since June 1930.
Class of 1937: Jeanne Johnston, Helen Ream, Bille Ree Pendrey, Gloria Burgoyne, Glen Blaser.
Class of 1938: Robert Burgoyne, Eleanor
Stephens, Pearl Stock, Richard Hughes.
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Jack Crane won the All-school pentathlon of
Montpelier high school by making a total of 3734 points in this annual event
which includes a spring, a jump, a throw and tow electives from the regular
track and field events.
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The Montpelier Examiner, June 3, 1937
Three Montpelier students who are included in
the University of Idaho's 42nd graduating class and the degrees that will be
conferred upon them follow:
Carlos Munk Perkins, bachelor of science in mining engineering
Paul Newton Richelson, bachelor of science in forestry
Cecilia Kathleen Hurley, bachelor of science of business.