The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by David Grimes/Quill Correspondent
There was a sense of finality to it.
The last class of graduates from both the Union and Southern School Districts received their diplomas from their respective School Boards this weekend.
Voters in both districts decided to consolidate Henderson County's only two school districts at last November's polls, leaving the class of 2005 at both schools with the distinction of being the last memory of a soon-to-be defunct school district.
The new West Central School District #235 will formally be created July 1.
"Last one out of the building turns out the lights" read a T-shirt at Southern's commencement exercises Sunday afternoon.
Commencement speakers at both schools spoke of the honor the classes of 2005 would bear now, being the final graduating classes in their respective districts.
Southern graduated 34 seniors; Union 36.
The litany of presenters and speakers at both commencements lauded the graduates for achieving this first step toward adult life and encouraged them to continue to work hard, not give up on their life goals and find fulfillment in pursuits and endeavors larger than themselves.
"Embrace forgiveness in order to move ahead in life," Union superintendent Dean Irlbeck said.
Union School Board President Doug Sams extolled the class of 2005 to immerse themselves in causes "greater than yourself."
"Work hard and do not be afraid to fail," Southern athletic director Jay Blender, who had touched the lives of each member of the class of 2005 in some measure during each of their 13 years in school, urged his charges.
"You are history makers," Union High School principal Karen Rima told the class of 2005, explaining that they had been there when Union Elementary opened and that they had been there as Union Schools prepare to close their doors.
But while there surely must have been a sense of sentimentality to graduation weekend with respect to the imminent closing of two institutions, certain members of the two distinguished classes had more pressing matters on their minds than the honor of being the last ones out the door.
"I'm kind of nervous, I can't wait to get it over with," said Union senior Brad Murphy II, Biggsville, Saturday.
Murphy already has plans to spend time with his parents - Brad Murphy of Winfield, Iowa and Michelle Hartman, Biggsville - before shipping off to spend the next eight years in the Navy.
Following basic training, Murphy will serve as a missile tech, maintaining operating systems. His time will be split between four years of active duty and four years in the reserves.
Murphy's logic is to use his time in the Navy to travel and see the world and to save money for college.
But what about being a member of the final graduating class at Union?
"Actually, it didn't dawn on me until just now," Murphy said. "We were the first class to go all the way from kindergarten through high school in the Union School District," he said.
Union High School graduated its first class of seniors in 1961, but the several grade schools from Gladstone, Oquawka and Biggsville did not merge to form Union Elementary School at the junction of U.S. 34 and Ill. 94 until 1992.
Southern High School and Elementary School formed in 1971.
There were 52 in that first class to graduate in 1972, the product of the school consolidation that brought students from Media, Raritan, Smithshire, Carman and Stronghurst together.
Murphy's perspective on the immediate goal of getting on with life was noticeable at the south end of the county, too.
"I'm just happy to be graduating and getting out of school," said Craig Bowman, Carman, when asked if he felt honored to be part of the final graduating class at Southern.
Bowman said a first step in getting on with his life will be to enroll at SCC in Burlington, Iowa to get his feet wet in college life and see if there's a particular direction he wants to pursue in studies.
Chad Kaup, also from Carman, will begin his college career at SCC before transferring to Western Illinois University in Macomb.
"Go after a liberal arts degree, that's the thing to do," Kaup said. "(At this point in life) nobody really knows what they want to do or what they're going to be doing."
Union senior Darren Anderson, Terre Haute and formerly of Gladstone, said he was relieved to graduate before the newly consolidated district forms this summer.
Anderson said he enjoyed being part of a smaller graduating class and avoiding being part of a larger student body.
Anderson already works in the detail department at Shottenkirk and plans to enroll in classes at SCC a year from now.
But for the time being, "I'm just glad to graduate and move on in life," he said.
Still, the realization of the honor of being one of the last graduates from a disappearing school district may develop with time, if not immediately.
"I think it will be kind of cool to look back at this in a year from now and remember what it was like," said graduating Southern senior Andrew Linder, Carman.
Southern class of 2005 members Mackenzie Day, Carman, and Bryan Bohnenkamp, Stronghurst, take a moment to reflect on the past 13 years prior to Southern commencement exercises May 22.