The school house represented on the opposite page, was built in 1867 at a cost of $1700, and destroyed by fire in 1893. Before 1875 there were five teachers, including the principal, in the fall and winter terms, and four in the spring term when the Grammar and High School were united and placed in charge of the principal. When I accepted the principalship in that year, it was agreed that the five teachers would be retained for the enter year notwithstanding the fear expressed by one of the members of the Board that there would not be a "corporal’s guard" in the High School. The spring term, however, found 38 pupils in the grammar room and 53 in this High School. A few years later the number of teachers increased to nine.

During the first year six additional studies were introduced, and a graduating course was established. The first graduating class, consisting of three members, appeared on the commencement stage in June 1876. Subsequent classes varied from six to fourteen members, with the exception of the class of 1880 which had only two members.

I shall never forget the difficulty experienced in securing a church in which to hold the first exercises. It was only after three meetings of the trustees and my personal assurance that there would be no running over the backs of the seats that a house was secured. The people, however, soon learned that commencement exercises were not for the frolicsome boys but for all the good people of the little city.

During my second year a High School lyceum was established. This lyceum met every Friday evening from October to May for debate, declamation, and parliamentary drill. I regarded this institution as a very important adjunct of the school, and therefore met regularly with the boys and girls, missing only sic meetings in sixteen years.

In 1881 a Class Day program was presented. Educational journals at the time spoke of it as the first distinctive Class Day program presented by a High School. These exercises were held annually thereafter, and soon became easily as popular as the regular commencement exercises. In this year a High School paper was established, the alumni association was organized, and the baccalaureate sermon and a debating and declamatory contest were made features of commencement week.

Public entertainments were held every year. I often have felt very grateful to the good people of Lanark for their very liberal support of these entertainments. The net proceeds, amounting to $1230, were spent in the purchase of a musical instrument, books, apparatus, and decorations for the High School. Making this room one of the neatest and best equipped rooms in the state. I cannot omit special reference to the delightful entertainments given by the teachers and little folks of the lower rooms during my last year.

Then there were the annual May festivals. They were always patronized liberally, regardless of the weather. On one occasion it was cold and rainy all afternoon and evening; several cases of the first strawberries of the season, ten gallons of ice-cream and about fifty cakes were in the hall. Lamentations were heard on every hand on account of the prospect of financial loss, but there was a large stove in the hall; a summer atmosphere was created and the gloom was dispelled. The good people came in large numbers, and before they left all the strawberries, ice-cream and lemonade were sold, and I had cut 39 cakes. These were happy occasions, and the proceeds assisted materially in defraying the expenses of commencement week.

That the Lanark High School did as good work as was done in the other schools of the state was evidenced by the number of diplomas on the walls of the old school-room, won in state High School contests in Civil Government, Algebra, and Physics. I often think of "my boys and girls." I have the names of all who attended the High School during the seventeen years I had charge of the school, and occasionally call the roll. No better boys and girls were ever turned out of school, -- indeed, sometimes I think there were but few as good. They are scattered now, doing good work, I am sure, wherever they may be. Occasionally letters from some of them tell me of their work and remind me of incidents -- their trials and victories -- in what every one of them calls "the deal old school."

I cannot close this sketch without expressing my keen appreciation of the loyalty, earnestness and ability of the teachers associated with me in the old school, and of the hearty support of the Board of Education which never refused me a single request during my long stay in Lanark.

The seventeen years I spent in this school were happy years. I have been laboring in larger fields since I left Lanark, but I can never hope to be in such close touch with all the boys and girls as I was in my old home. May God’s blessing ever attend them all.