4122. Brocton Bank (Brocton, IL)

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COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES (By E. C. Cunningham) We Should Feel Proud of Lawrence County Banks Because of the fact that nearly every week I get a letter from some former teacher in this county who happens to be, at the present time, so unfortunately situated as to be in a community where a bank failure has made things unbearably distressing, I simply must say a word, through the school notes, to the people of Lawrence county telling them how fortunate we are in having such tried and true men at the head of our financial institutions. Did you ever think about it? We had not had a single bank failure in this county. In nearly every case, here in this county, we have men who, in their own right, are worth a lot of money at the head of our banks and that it is a very essential qualification, for if those men are willing to risk their own personal fortunes in the institutions over which they preside, we ought to support them by doing business with their banks. We should feel proud of our banks, and the people who are running them. Banks are failing in northern Illinois as well in the southern part. Just today I received a letter from Miss Doris Stebbens, who was the first teacher whom I visited after taking office as county superintendent of schools in 1923. She then taught Pleasant Ridge school, district 42, in Bond town. At the present time she is teaching in Brocton, Illinois, Edgar county. Their bank in Brocton failed in January immediately after she had deposited her December school order. Now they hope to get 50 per cent of their deposits in May. For the present teachers must deposit their checks in a Hume bank, some distance away, but cannot get their money for fear of a run on the bank. Some of those teachers have actually gone hungry at times. I have talked to several people in the suthern part of the state who say that things have been terrible down there. In one county every bank has failed. All the school money was in the banks, of course. Teachers were compelled to discount their school orders one-half to someone who would cash them. Just think of a condition like this. It is terrible. Yet, in this county we have not had a single bank failure. Now, banks have to make money to exist. Some of the money which we deposit there must be loaned to enable the bank to do business, SO let us keep what money we can get hold of in the banks and leave it there unless it is necessary for us to use it. Banks are ruined by people making runs on them. You know what gossip is; some people cannot stay at home and attend their own business, but they want to be running around telling something that they have heard about someone. Especially do they do this if they do not like the person about whom the story concerns. The same thing could be done regarding a bank. A tale always gets bigger every time it is told. When you throw a store into the water, the waves begin to travel, which extend far into the distance before they exhaust themselves. The same thing is true about reports of gossip. If you ever hear any report about your bank, do not repeat it without investigating the truth of the statement. (Let me suggest that you regard a report on some person the same way.) Keep all you can in your bank. There never was a time when we were in need of more thrift. Not only put all you can in the bank but encourage others to do likewise, for few people know how terrible it is where banks have failed. In many places the schools had to be closed through bank failures. Not a single person or banker in this county knows that I have written this story. I have done it to encourage the people of Lawrence county to appreciate and uphold the banking institutions which mean so much to our county. Will Be Professor at School of Mines James Cullison, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Cullison, of Petty, will continue his work as professor in the Missouri School of Mines, Rolla, Mo., for the next year. He was graduated from the Lawrenceville High School in the spring of 1923, after which he entered the University of Illinois where he was graduated with honors in geology four years later. He then entered the above mentioned college where he taught part time and did work on his master's degree, working his way through. In the spring of 1929 he was crowned with his master's degree-that coveted prize for which so many boys and girls from this county are working. Early this spring James was married to a charming young school teacher in Missouri. They are now pleasantly located in their new home in Missouri where they will be glad to see any of their many friends. Freemont School Has Scarlet Fever The members of the board of directors at Freemont school have closed their school because of an epidemic of scarlet fever. Five children representing five families in the district have the disease, as follows: Russel Shearer, Junior Heath, Allen Fox, George Hamilton. Thelma Rudisell. The open winter that We have just had has caused more sickness in our schools than we have ever had since have been county superintendent of schools. Last Day at Hazel Dell Forest Case, teacher of Hazel Dell school, closed a successful term of school Wednesday, April 29. A delicious basket noon day meal was served by the women of the district, after which a splendid program was rendered by the pupils of the school. The children presented to the audience several dialogues, readings, recitations and songs which were appreciated very much by the patrons of the district. This is Mr. Case's second term at the school, which has employed him for the coming year for a third term. Mr. Case will attend the sessions of the Illinois State Normal University for the mid-spring term of six weeks. Before beginning to teach he completed one year of training there. He will have a total of 42 weeks of schooling before the term begins this coming fall. Perfect Records Three children, all pupils of Hazel Dell school, have had a perfect record for the year. They are Adeline Brookhart, Georgia Daniels and Marjorie Daniels. Adeline has been neither absent nor tardy for the last four years; Georgie has attended with a perfect record for two years; while Marjorie has just the one year of perfect attendance. Weiner Roast at Union 17 Miss Margaret Lockman, teacher of Union 17 school, and her pupils enjoyed a fine old fashioned weiner roast at the school house on Thursday, April 30, which was the last day of school for this term. After the roast the pupils of Centerville school arrived upon the scene, walking all the distance from their school, which has been taught the past year by Ruby Wolfe. Pupils of both schools enjoyed a number of different games during the afternoon. Ward Kingery Warner has a record of being neither absent nor tardy for the entire year at Union 17. Miss Lockman is going to attend the sessions of the Eastern Illinois State Teachers College for six weeks this coming summer. She is just now beginning her last year of attendance there, where she already has one year of attendance. She plans to get her normal diploma as soon as she can. Last Day at Bellwood Earl Fiscus, teacher of Bellwood school, closed a successful term of school last Wednesday, April 29. The ladies of the district brought well filled baskets, the contents of which were spread upon tables in the house making a delicious noonday meal. The program which was rendered at 7:30 in the evening consisted of songs, recitations, dialogues, readings, and music by the Beaver Ditch String Band consisting of Willie Reel, Norman Allen, Emmet Cups, Harold Stone and Johnny Cups. The fellows rendered some fine selections which were enjoyed by all present, and the audience expressed its appreciation by repeated cheers for encores. The directors-William Grange, Harry Richman, and Robert Hueby-were present as well as four or five teachers from others districts of the county. A large audience consisting of patrons, high school students and friends enjoyed the splendid program. Mr. Fiscus has been in the district five years, teaching two years at Holiday after which he was employed at Bellwood. Patrons and friends wished him lots of success, and declared that his entertainment was the best that he had ever given them. Awards at Petrolia Miss Callie Hobbs, primary teacher of Petrolia school, gave seven awards to her pupils for perfect attendance this past year. For the second grade she. gave eversharp pencils, and the third and fourth grades were presented with fountain pens. There were seven pupils who received these awards for being neither absent nor tardy for the entire term, as follows: Ferrel Kincaid, Bessie Means, Ruth Preston, Florence Green, George Preston, Raymond Gilliatt and Steven Angle. Miss Hobbs enrolled 59 pupils during the year. She would have had to buy many more pencils and fountain pens had it not been for an epidemic of measles which ruined the perfect record of 15 more of her pupils. She also gave premiums to her pupils for splendid work in spelling.