Area Patterson Grads, 1915 & 1916

Continuing on with a few more names of the Patterson Exam graduates from this area in 1915 and 1916.

The Patterson Exam was given to eighth grade students to make sure they were ready to enter high school. The tests covered a variety of subjects and if a student passed the exam he or she could enter the high school of their choice.

The names of those Patterson Exam graduates were often published in The Celina Democrat and in the Van Wert Daily Bulletin and it is interesting to see if any of the names are familiar.

The exams were given in April and May. Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 1 April 1915:

NOTICE TO TEACHERS…Pupil’s examination under the Patterson law will be held in High School Auditorium on the third Saturday in April and third Saturday in May…

The commencements were usually held in late May or in June.

The Celina Democrat, 21 May 1915:

Liberty Township held their Patterson Commencement on Friday evening, 28 May at 7:30 at Mt. Carmel Church. The music was furnished by Holtzinger’s Orchestra and county school superintendent Cotterman delivered the address. The eighth graders who passed the Patterson Exam in Liberty Township, Mercer County, in 1915:
Edwin Bollenbacher
Pearl Bollenbacher
William Brehm
Lawrence Kable
Leona Strable
Chloa Willrath
Dora Willrath
Myrtle Fetters

Hopewell Township’s Patterson Commencement was held Thursday evening, 27 May 1915 at 7:30 at the Albright church. Again, the music was by Holtzinger’s orchestra and the church choir and Superintendent Cotterman gave the class address. The following were the 1915 Hopewell Township graduates:
Deelaura Smith
Beulah Orr
James Reynold
Ruth Knepper
Minor Ricketts
Harold Brookhart
Chester Hansel
Cecile Wilson
Ocie Fast
Flora Smith

I could not find the names of Van Wert’s 1915 Patterson graduates.

However, there was quite a long list of 1916 Patterson Exam graduates from Van Wert County.

1916 Patterson Commencement, Van Wert County, Ohio, VW Daily Bulletin, 2 Jun 1916

The list of 1916 Van Wert County graduates was divided into Supervision Districts, including Convoy. I recognize some surnames in District Four and I suspect it was the Willshire/Schumm area. District Four was a very large group:

1916 Patterson Grads, Van Wert County District 4, VW Daily Bulletin, 2 June 1916

As time went on, the names of the Patterson graduates published in the local papers seemed to be hit-and-miss. Perhaps the test was phased out.

Here is an article about a spelling contest at the Chatt school in 1915.

Spelling School at Chatt, Celina Democrat, 10 Dec 1915

Spelling School at Chatt, Celina Democrat, 10 Dec 1915

The spelling school held Friday evening at the Chattanooga school in Liberty township was very largely attended, and the interest was intense throughout the evening.

The spelling contest among the schools by six different schools, each determined to win the honors of being the best spellers therein.

All pupils showed that they had made a hard study of the list of words prepared for them by the District Superintendent. These not being of a sufficient number, words taken from the ‘State Course of Study’ were used until the winner of the contest was decided.

As a result the eighth grade of the Chattanooga schools represented by their best speller, Ralph Rhothaar, won the honors of being the champion speller of Liberty township. Much credit, however, must be given to the quartet of spellers from the Landfair school who previously were the winners. They say they will win the next time.

The free for all spell-down in which teachers, pupils and school patrons took part was equally as interesting. More difficult words were used in this class. The word ‘rendezvous’ proved to be the stumbling block to the last four spellers, and no one spelled down. The ciphering honors were won by Edward Bauer and Louis Gehm. [1]

This brings up a question. The 1915 Hopewell graduation was at the Albright church. I wonder where that church was?

[1] The Celina Democrat, Celina, Ohio, 10 Dec 1915; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 1 Jun 2023.

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