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O'Fallon High's First Commencement The first annual commencement exercises of O’Fallon High School were held in May 1903 at Wachter’s Hall, located in what is now the Schwarz Furniture Annex at State and Oak Sts. The actual date has been reported variously as May 19, 20 and 22. The graduation program declares Tuesday evening, May 19 as the date, so we’ll go with that. The members of the Class of 1903 were Ethel Evans, Edna Thurston, Henry Poignee, Thomas Gordon, and Ralph Evans. They were graduates of what was then a 2-year course of study. At the start of the program, a crowded room applauded the scholars as they took their seats on a stage decorated with flowers and a flag stretched across the back. The festivities opened with music provided by the orchestra, followed by a piano solo. Rev. Greenlee Calvert of the Methodist Church gave the invocation, after which the high school students sang “Hark the Mellow Horn.” The featured speaker, Prof. H. W. Shryock, Vice-president of Southern Illinois Normal University and noted lecturer, was then introduced. The theme of his well received one hour lecture was “that the aim of education should not he solely to aid the boy or girl in making a living, but also to train the intellect to seek the uplifting pleasure of life and to raise the level of popular scientific knowledge.” A musical interlude was provided by the O’Fallon Male Quartette after which Board of Education President, W. A. Koenigstein, presented the graduating class with diplomas. Following the presentation, the high school students sang what is now the state song, “Illinois”.
Bouquets and presents were collected by the ushers and delivered to the class while the orchestra played a closing selection. To show their appreciation for his kindness and encouragement, Principal William R. Dorris was presented with a rocking chair by Edna Thurston on behalf of the Class of ’03. Rev. Egger of the Evangelical Church closed the proceedings with a benediction. The class motto was “Not finished but begun.”
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