The First High School

Paris had the third high school to be established in Missouri about the year 1870. The building shown above was constructed about that time. It was torn down and replaced by the present grade building. 

The old school building, as can be seen from the above picture, was two stories high. It contained seven rooms, two downstairs and three upstairs. Instead, of being divided into grades, the division was downstairs, in which elementary courses were taught, and upstairs, in which higher courses were taught.    

There were no written examinations. In every room they were oral, and a sort of Roman holiday for the community. Every room would be gay with flowers and crowded with visitors. Men like Temple B. Robinson, the town’s best educated man, would take turns at quizzing pupils on various subjects, which was quite an ordeal.  

Higher courses than at present were taught. They included Geology, Astronomy, Psychology, Latin, Trigonometry, Ancient history and Rhetoric.  

The Senior classes usually had no more than half a dozen members, sometimes only one or two. Not many boys belonged to what is now known as High School. Ninety per cent of them quit when due to go “upstairs”, in order to learn trades in the town's numerous industries or to help make a living for their families.  

There was no free transportation from rural districts. Usually, only one or two farm boys or girls came to Paris for an education.  They had to get room and board in local homes.  

There was no sentiment against corporal punishment. Every room had a supply of keen hickory switches. The Appeal editor was whipped in every room except the primary. When Seniors, he and the late Tom Bodine were soundly thrashed by Supt. Christian.  

The school had no athletic coach. It had no music department. It had no home economics department. It had no commercial or vocational Ag. department. Book learning was all they gave. 

The boys were not lacking in diversions. Baseball; racing, top spining, marbles, wrestling, fencing with imitation swords, fist fighting and other activities kept them pretty busy when time was permitted. The girls played jax, skipped the rope and did a lot of singing.  

Only once or twice during the term were there night gatherings. Illumination was by coal oil lamps and only in one room, the one which ran entirely across the upstairs south room had them.  

The Senior class did not get off with a dress parade during commencement exercises, as at present. A requirement for diplomas was that each boy must deliver an oration and each girl an essay, supposedly written by themselves. It was hard on the students, as well as The audience. 

H. J. Blanton The Monroe County Appeal

ALUMNI OF THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PARIS HIGH SCHOOL  

The records are not complete for the first few years.

1876

Robinson, Willie

Ford, Tirey  

McGee, Ed

1877-78

Alexander, Paul

Buckner, Charley

Long, Emma (Mrs. Arthur Armstrong)

1878-1879

Alexander, Eben H.

Dawson, Mollie (Mrs. Sam Sproul)

Moss, Kate               

McNutt, Lucy V. (Mrs. J. F. Welch)

Rawlings, Viola (Mrs. Kan Poage)

Wilson, Carrie B. (Mrs. A. T. Vaughn)

West, Samuel  

1879-1880

Broughton, Callie (Mrs. Wm. Blackford)

Broughton, Molly (Mrs. Waller Bridford)

Buckner, Anderson

Blakey, Kate M (Mrs. Adolphus Carter)

Graham, Maggie (Mrs. Owens)

Lasley, Nora (Mrs. Digs)

Mcnutt, Sallie B. (Mrs. Jas. Elgin)

Mcgee, Ed

1880-1881

Burgess, Jennie

Burgess, John

1881-1882

Alexander, Wm.

Bassett, William

Haydon, Willie

Holdsworth, Jessie

1882-1883

Alexander, Mary (Mrs. Irvine Shedd)

Bean, Carrie (Mrs. Gray)

Bryan, Ida

Blanton, Lillie

Burgess, Nora (Mrs. Wm. Alexander)

Caplinger, Pattie (Mrs. Geo. Tucker)

1883-1884

Bassett, Stella (Mrs. Elliot Grimes)

Dawson, Eva (Mrs. T. R. Roane)

Harley, Ida (Mrs. W. L. Smith)

Holdsworth, Gussie

West, Carlotta (Mrs. D. W. Cunning)

 1884-1885

Brace, Jessie (Mrs. A. H . Weber)

Fowkes. Lulu

1885-1886

Ashcraft, Carrie (Mrs. Ples Burgess)

Caplinger, Susie (Mrs. Skinner)

Manuel, Bessie (Mrs Ed Scearce)

Noel, Mary (Mrs. Wm. Barr)

Jones., W. S.

1886-1887

Asmuth, Angie (Mrs. Dr. Mcmurry)

Blanton, Jack

Bodine, Tom

Smizer, Ernest

West, Myrtle (Mrs. D. W. Hein)

1887-1888

Brace, Pauline (Mrs. Lieut. Crawford)

Caldwell, Clara (Mrs. Fred Bristor)

Long, Leta (Mrs Ed Priest)

Moss, Laur (Mrs. E. L. Major)

Noel, Frankie (Mrs. Fred Davis)

Nolen, Genie

Rodes, Jennie (Mrs. T. J. Buerk)

Shearman, Tomsie

Woods, Ella (Mrs. H. Glascock)

1888-1889

Burgess, Mary (Mrs. S. E. Harley)

Burnett, Cleo (Mrs. S. P. Spalding)

Cooper, Mabel (Mrs. Weldon Cotton)

Pitts, Carrie

Powell, Mamie (Mrs. Jack Blanton)

1889-1890

Bickner, Emma

Irvine, Pauline (Mrs. Harry Noel)

Moss, Georgia (Mrs. Morris Arnold)

Shrader, Eugene

1890-1891

Allen, Wm.

Blanton, Pearl (Mrs. E. M. Alexander)

Bodine, Clara (Mrs. H. G. Stavely)

Hawkins, Allie B.

Hocker, Nina (Mrs. A. E. Patterson)

Pitts, Bessie (Mrs. Dr. Chilton)

Reid, Birdie

Smith, Annie Lee (Mrs. John F. Smock)

Stone, Leon

West, Jennie (Mrs. Dr. Eimbeck)

Wetmore, Ed

1891-1892

Blakey, Harry

Farrell, Emma (Mrs. Robt Burgess)

Greer, Ardena (Mrs. Frank Coats)

Mcbride, Bina (Mrs. Anderson Blanton)

Noel, Lucy (Mrs. Chas. Seibel)

Phillips, Davis

Smith, Amber

Smith, Jesse

Smizer, J. F.

1892-1893

Bean, Hardin

Buckner, Frank

Gore, Lina (Mrs. Lacrossett)

Pitts, Sadie

Reynolds, Lollie (Mrs. Dave Buerk)

Stone, Joe

Stavely, Mary (Mrs. H. F. Warren)

Wilson, Addie

1893-1894

Bassett, Marie (Mrs. Dyson)

Bower, Kate (Mrs. Browman)

Dawson, Jessie (Mrs. Ernest Randall)

Hawkins, Katie (Mrs. Maurice Powers)

Heath, Ella

Moreland, Luch (Mrs. Louis Shaeffer)

Reid, Angie

1894-1895

Crutcher, Belle, (Mrs. A. C. Peterson)

Craig, Dallies

Curtright, Virginia (Mrs. Harry Blakey)

Hugely, Chas.

Noel, Georgia (Mrs. Dr. Proctor)

Stone, Nell (Mrs. Penn Brace)

Stone, Mary

Smith, Gertrude