This Week in Odessa History

Graduation is near at hand for Odessa High School’s class of 2012. As the community observes the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Town of Odessa, we look back at the first high school graduation exercises, which took place 103 years ago this week.

There was one graduate, Ella Williams. She must indeed have felt honored, as 300 persons came to see her receive her diploma. Even though the Class of 1909 had only one member, it nevertheless had a class motto, a class flower and class colors. Presumably, Miss Williams made all these choices.

Here is The Odessa Record’s report in the May 21, 1909, issue:

The first annual commencement of the Odessa High School was held at the Opera House last Friday evening, the exercises beginning at 8 o’clock.

Nearly every available seat on the main floor was taken, the attendance reaching about 300.

The stage was very prettily arranged and there was a profusion of flowers. The class motto, “On the Threshold,” was conspicuously displayed, the letters being in orange on a background of green, the class colors.

On the stage with the graduate, Miss Ella Williams, who was dressed in white and carried a bouquet of white roses, the class flower, sat the Honorable Charles E. Myers, of Davenport, the speaker of the evening. Messrs. Finney and Coal of the Board of Education, Principal Neeley and his high school assistants, Miss Bliss and Miss Troll and the Rev. G.B. Wright.

The exercises began with the commencement march, played by Miss Clara Weisgerber, after which Reverend Wright asked divine blessing on the assembly. A mixed quartet consisted of Messrs. Sparhawk and Quist, and Misses Troll and Seidel next rendered a very pleasing vocal selection.

Miss Williams’ oration, “The Emotional Element in Literature,” was a masterpiece and showed a thoroughly trained mind and intimate knowledge of the subject. She spoke for half an hour without the slightest hesitancy, quoting often from classic literature and emphasizing her points in clear, strong language. Her grasp of the subject was truly wonderful, and she surprised even her closest friends.

Following her oration, the Honorable Mr. Myers gave a splendid address espousing the cause of education and pointing out the pitfalls that lie in the path of the student.

Principal Neeley presented diplomas to Alvin Cox, Joseph Shimek, Willie Isaac, John Schoonover and Francis Duerr, the graduates from the eighth grade.

In presenting Miss Williams diploma, he mentioned a long list of subjects that she had taken during her course in high school and commended her very highly, stating that the lowest percent in any subject she had taken was 85 and her average in all subjects during the entire course was 95 percent, a record that is rarely equalled.

On account of her high attainments in her high school work, Miss Williams will be given a season ticket to the A.-Y.-P. (Alaska-Yukon-Pacific) exposition in Seattle by the management of the fair. She is also eligible for a free scholarship covering a four-year course at Whitworth College at Tacoma (Whitworth was located there before it was moved to Spokane in 1918), which ranks among the best schools of the state.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 17, 1912

The Odessa public schools close today for the summer vacation. The high school commencement exercises will be held at the M.E. church tonight, and the program will include an address by Atty. W.M. Nevins, and orations by the two graduates of the class of 1912, Ethel Low and Edward Jasman, the presentation of diplomas being made by Prin. Wm. U.Neeley at the close of the program.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 21,1937

The inspection made recently of the 243 grade school pupils of the Odessa school revealed that 38 were given an OK rating by the county nurse, with 205 showing defects.

Among the defects it was seen that 67 had defective vision, 119 had defective teeth and 106 defective tonsils. Some of the children were also marked for poor posture, poor nutrition, oral hygiene, thyroid and skin diseases, very few of these being found.

Frank Watson of Harrington, his 13-year-old daughter, and Mr. and Mrs. Pruitt had a narrow escape from drowning Sunday afternoon when fishing at Pacific lake when a windstorm overturned their boat.

Mrs. Pruitt swam to shore, but the others, holding to the overturned boat, were carried by the wind further out into deep water.

Rescue was delayed by the heavy waves, as the storm swept the lake.

Equipped with a heavier boat the two rescuers were able to take two of the victims, leaving Mr. Watson with the boat. Brought to shore, he had kept a hold of the motor, preventing its loss.

So strong was the wind that one fisherman, braving the waves reported at times his propeller was clear of the water.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 21, 1987

In four of the last seven years, community floats from Odessa have received the President’s Trophy at the Spokane Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade, an honor representing the second-highest of awards for which the float has been eligible.

This year, the Odessa Community Float achieved the honor which has eluded it in those years, as it took the Community Sweepstakes Award.

The Odessa High School marching band, under the leadership of drum major Tawnya Goetz, captured the first-place trophy at the 1987 Spokane Lilac Festival Parade on Saturday evening.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 23, 2002

Odessa property owners this year are feeling the effects of the Lincoln County assessor’s six-year cycle of property appraisal and re-evaluation.

Notices of change in value in houses, buildings and land were sent out last week and in some cases the increase in assessed valuation has been 40 percent or more.

The Odessa School District has received a $100,000 renovation grant sponsored by the federal government, which will be used to buy new bleachers for the high school gymnasium and for installation of a new air filter system in the vocational/agricultural shop.

The Odessa School District and six other school districts are joining the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in applying for a Cops in Schools federal grant, which could become a replacement for the D.A.R.E. program which the Sheriff’s Office dropped last December.