Practical 

 Education 

 at Media 



This Henderson County 

 High School is Worliing 

 Constructiveiy For Better 

 Homes and Better Uving 



^^y^O SAY that Nathan Wever, 

 / Henderson county bachelor 



\_y who died in 1907, is respon- 

 sible for setting up a homemaking 

 center for high school girls and house- 

 wives of the Media community would 

 be misleading. But Nathan, an edu- 

 cational pioneer, laid down the prin- 

 ciples 50 years ago which resulted in 

 the establishment of such a center. 



Schools, Wever said, should provide 

 college preparatory courses, special 

 training for teachers and general busi- 

 ness instruction for farmers, mechan- 

 ics and merchants. In 1889, he founded 

 a school offering these courses in 

 Media. 



Nathan's school, called Wever Acad- 

 emy, offered its practical curriculum 

 until 1918 when it was reorganized 

 as the Media Township Community 

 High School. The Academy's five 

 trustees were replaced with five elected 

 directors. 



When a mysterious fire destroyed 

 the old building in 1930, citizens 

 erected a beautiful, modern brick build- 

 ing for 60 students. A period of 

 growth and expansion followed. In 

 1930, classes were conducted by four 

 teachers and graduating classes were 

 small. Enrollment reached a new high 

 in 1938-39 with 107 pupils in atten- 

 dance. The faculty was seven teachers. 



Smith-Hughes vocational agriculture 

 was added in 1935 when Gerold D. 

 Holstine became principal. Paul W. 

 Durbin -^vas employed to teach the 

 course. . . 



HEADQUARTERS FOR HOME MAKING INFORMATION IN MEDIA 

 School officials bought the Media State Bank for $375. modernized and equipped 

 it as an educational center. 



So successful was the new course 

 that plans were laid to offer girls the 

 same opportunities in the field of 

 homemaking. But the new building 

 was already filled and directors faced 

 the task finding quarters for classes. 



In January 1938, the building that 

 had housed the Media State Bank was 

 offered for sale. School officials 

 grabbed it at the bargain price of 

 $375.00. They put in a furnace, 

 sanded floors, laid inlaid linoleum, 

 painted with buff, ivory, cream and 

 white. They installed a combination 

 double drainboard sink and work top, 

 put in modern kitchen units, bottled 

 gas stoves, an electric range, and stor- 

 age cabinets. The directors' room be- 

 came a sewing room with cutting tables 

 and five Singer machines, one of which 

 is electric. The vault became a lava- 

 tory. Into the president's office went 

 pressing equipment and triplicate mir- 

 rors for trying on garments. Venetian 

 blinds on all the windows added the 

 final modern touch. 



Courses offered for second, third and 

 fourth year high school girls include 

 buying, preparation, preservation and 

 serving of food. Clothing, its care, 

 repair and construction; home manage- 

 ment and social problems; nutrition, 

 sfjecial diet and candy making; room 

 improvement, furniture arrangement, 

 planning and furnishing the new 

 home; budgets, family income, child 

 care; wardrobe planning and the mak- 

 ing of school dresses are other prac- 

 tical subjects taught. 



Groups of four girls work together 

 as a "family" in studying varied prob- 

 lems. So anxious are they to apply 

 new knowledge to home and personal 

 problems that few need assignments. 



Although the girls use the home- 



making center and its fine equipment 

 most, mothers of the community, too, 

 use it in studying their problems. The 

 building is op>en every day except Sun- 

 day for girls and mothers. Home- 

 makers use the facilities for Home Bu- 

 reau meetings, bake sales, canning dem- 

 onstrations and clothing exhibits. 



Here the principles of Nathan 

 Wever, laid down 50 years ago, find 

 practical application in helping every 

 woman of the community make hap- 

 pier, healthier and more efficient home 

 life. 



Pilie Pounty Observes 



Its 20th Anniversary 



Twenty years of organization was 

 the theme of the joint annual meeting 

 of the Pike County Farm Bureau and 

 Pike County Service Company held at 

 Pittsfield, October 25. Earl C. Smith, 

 president of the Illinois Agricultural 

 Association and former president of 

 the Farm Bureau, gave the principle 

 address. He presented gold AFBF 

 service pins to 81 Pike County farmers 

 who have been active members for 

 20 years. 



Business reports of the Pike County 

 Service Company revealed that this 

 was the most successful in its six-year 

 history. Patronage dividends, ranging 

 from 5% to 15% of purchases, were 

 declared. A total of 16,19300 was 

 distributed to 465 member patrons 

 whose checks averaged $1331. W. B. 

 Peterson represented Illinois Farm 

 Supply Company. All Service Com- 

 pany directors were re-elected. 



Uncle Ab says if you don't put the 

 heftiest load in the front of the wheel- 

 barrow you deserve to work too hard. 



L A. A. RECORD 



