Adams County, Nebraska - Chapter 9: Schools and Colleges, 1916

Chapter 9: Schools and Colleges

1871. The first school district Avas thus formed just four days after the organization of Adams County. The first school oflficers were Harmon H. Ballon, moderator; Titus Babcock, director; Samuel Ij. Brass, treasurer. A. H. Bowen had been elected county superintendent at the election of December 12th. While there were no schools in the county at the time of the election, the superintendent's position was far from a sineciu'c, for in the next few months a large number of school districts were to be formed under his direction. The board of commissioners fixed the compensation of the superintendent at $4 per day for each day actually occupied with the duties of tlie office.

The officers of District Xo. 1 did not hold a meeting until January ;). 1872, when it was ascertained that it was necessary to secure school facilities for about thirty-one scholars. Miss Lizzie Scott was emj^loyed as a teacher, and soon thereafter a contract was let to I. G. Dillon and E. M. Allen to construct a schoolhouse, and a small room was rented from them, to be occupied for school purposes until the new building should be completed. The new schoolhouse was completed before the end of the year and is described by an early writer as a "two-story frame from the main part, being 30 feet wide by 40 feet long, with one large recitation room below and two in the second story, with study rooms attached. The cost of the building was about $3,;500."

By April 1, 1872, thirteen districts had been organized, and by October 1, 1873, the organized districts numbered thirty-eight. A large jjercentage of the schoolhouses built in the early years were of sod, and one district reported the construction of a log building.

1872. and one week later the school officers held their first meeting. School was not opened in Hastings, hoAvever, until the spring of 1873.

The Hastings school officers leased a little room which had been built for a store room. This room, 14 by 16 feet in size, was the beginning of the Hastings school system. ^Nliss Phoebe Denstoe ^\as the first teacher engaged.

In JMay, 1873, the erection of the first schoolhouse in Hastings was begmi. It was completed dvu'ing the same year, and cost $5,000. This building was located on the block of ground bounded on the west by Colorado Avenue, on the east by JVIinnesota Avenue, on the north by Third Street, and on the south by Second Street. This schoolhouse was a frame building two stories high and would accommodate about three hundred and fifty pupils. The building was used until 1892, when it was sold by the school district.

In April, 1882, the Hastings district voted $12,000 in bonds for the erection of a high scliool building. The vote resulted in 293 ballots being cast i'or the bonds and 67 against. The plans of C. F. Driscoll were accepted and the contract let to ^Villiam Van Allstyne to erect the building. This was the second building to be erected in Hastings. Fire of unascertained origin destroyed the first high school building in October. 1886. The insurance carried on this structure was $10,000. On Febniary 21, 1887, Scales & Clark, of Omalia, were awarded the contract to erect a new high school at a cost of $22,998, the work to be finished by September 1, 1887. This building, at jjresent the Longfellow School, served as a high school until 1905, when the present structure became ready for occupancy. Steam heat was not installed in the old high scliool until 1893.

The ]Morton School, known until 1914 as the "West Ward School," was built in 1886. Samuel Chaney was awarded the contract for its erection upon his bid of $10,995. The original building contained six rooms. It was enlarged and remodeled in 1912.

The oldest school building in Hastings at this tiuie is the Lincoln School, before 1914 known as the First Ward School. This was erected in 1880 by J. R. Sims. Six years later, the same contractor built a two-wing addition to the building at a cost of $2,875. and in 1912 a foiu'-room building was constructed near the old structiu-e and Avas intended to form the nucleus around which additional rooms may be constructed.

The Plawthorne School, known, before the names in all the wards were changed in 1914, as the South Ward, was erected in 1888 at a cost of $9,150. It was completed about August 20, 1888. J. R. Sims was the builder of this building.

In 1873 the school census of Adams County shows that there were 407 between the ages of five and twenty-one; by 1880 the number had increased to 3,275. The census of 1916 shows a school population of 6,311 and an enrolment of 4,756, and the average daily attendance was 3,664. In 1880 the school buildings of the county were valued by the district officers at $31,492.20. In 1916 the eighty-five schoolhouses of Adams County have an estimated value of $318,065. In 1880 the sites belonging to the district were estimated to be worth $911 : in 1916 the estimated value of the sites is $100,093. In 1880 the salaries of the seventy-three teachers of the county amounted to $12,505.01. In 1916, meaning the year closing in June of that year, 178 teachers were employed and $107,946.26 was jJaid in salaries; $19,361.85 was paid to men and $88,584.41 to women. The total expenditures of the Adams County schools for the year ending in June, 1916, was $198,308.00, of which sum $12,313.25 was spent for text books. The contract for the erection of the present high school building, located on Fifth Street, between Hastings and Lincoln avenues, was let to Robert Butke of Omaha, September 14, 1903, for $47,740. This was for the building only; plumbing, heating and ventilating and all fiu'nishings were let by additional contracts, the total cost, including site, being well towards $80,000. On July 5, 1904, a special election to vote bonds for the high school buildingwas held, resulting in 417 votes being cast for the bonds and 50 against. Jacob Baily, now of Spokane, Wash., Avas president of the board of education when the building was erected. The other board members were D. JM. Ball, E. N. Hamen, M. A. Hartigan, C. D. Nellis, C. H. I'aulick, J. A. Rose, John Slaker and J. C. Hedge. The amount of the bonds voted for the high school building was $40,000.

In the spring of 1912 the Hastings school district voted bonds in the sum of $50,000, and that year rooms were built at the Lincoln School so planned as to form the nucleus for extension at a later period, and the Alcott and Morton schools were remodeled and enlarged. The school levy of the Hastings school district for 1916 Avas 34 mills, producing a revenue of $76,486.36, and an additional levy of 3.5 mills for school bonds and producing $7,714.75.

the sujjerintendent at present. JManual training and domestic science courses have been offered in the Hastings High School since 1908 and in the grades since 1911. Normal training, with state aid, has been offered in the high school since 1907; millinery instruction was added in 1915; agi-iculture, with state aid, was placed in the high school in 1914, and gardennig was placed in the gi-ades in 1915, and pliysical training in the grades and high school was inaugurated in 1914.

Among the teacliers who have served in the Hastings schools for long jjeriods of time are the JMisses Nina Carpenter and Emma Parker, each thirty years; JNIiss Alice A. JMason, twenty-nine years; the jNIisses jNIatilda McClelland and Georgia Holmes, each sixteen years. The name of JNIrs. F. F. Carruthers, formerly JNIiss Hattie Snodgrass, aj^jjears in the record of the elections of teachers as early as 1886. All of the teachers mentioned are still on the teacliing staff of the Hastings schools, although ]Mrs. Carruthers lias not served continuously since the date mentioned.

Adams County towns outside of Hastings are equipped with creditable brick school Iniildings. The Kenesaw School was erected at a cost of $35,000, the Juniata High School cost $7,000, and the Holstein School cost cost $8,000 to build. District No. 20, southeast of Pauline, is the only country school district in the county equipped with a brick school building. This building was erected at a cost of $1,000. In his report made December 31, 1888, County Superintendent A. E. Allyn credited Adams County with five brick schoolhouses, seventy-seven frame buildings and two sod school houses, and placed the value of the school jiropert}' at $173,014. The first flag raised over a schoolhouse in Adams County was hoisted over the school building in the Wallace district January G, 1890, by W. E. Nute. One of the early uses to which the schoolhouses were put was for the holding of literary meetings, known as the "Lyceum." Debates and readings were features of these assemblies.

At the present time only nine of the school districts of Adams County are carrying bonded indebtedness, and these are districts that have recently erected new buildings. These districts are Juniata, KenesaAV, Holstein, Hastings, Ayr. and rural districts fourteen, thirty- four, sixty-nine and seventy-five. In 1916 tlie standardization of rural schools after the model of Illinois and Iowa was adopted by Nebraska. Districts fourteen and thirty-one, teachers Blanche Young and Tecal [McKeone, were the first in Adams County to score as standard. Scoring is made with regard to teacher, grounds and

Eighty-tAvo teachers are employed in the schools of Hastings: Ivenesaw, nine; Juniata, seven; Holstein, six; Roseland, five; Pauline, three; and Ayr, three.

In the fall of 1916 Hastings voted $200,000 in bonds for the erection of a junior high school and a new schoolhouse in the southeast portion of the city.

Tiie rapidity with which schools were established in the county will appear in the following, where dates of the organization of districts is i>'iven:

District No. 2 was organized January 30th, first meeting of the board, JNIarch 15th; No. 4, January 6th, first meeting of the board, January 20th; No. 5, January 6th, first meeting of the board, January 20th; No. 9, INIarch 18th, first board meeting, March 25th; No. 10, March 25th, officers of the board, Henry B. ]\Iunson, John Duncan and John Woods; No. 12, INIarch 1st, first board meeting, ^Vlarch 9th: No. 13, jNIarch 14th, first board meeting, March 20th; No. 14, April 2d; No. 15, organized 1872; No. 16, June 1, 1872; No. 17, 1872; No. 18 (Hastings) July 13th, first board meeting, July 20th; No. 19, August 10th, first board meeting, August 24th; No. 20, September 23d, first board meeting, October 5th; No. 21, September 23d, first board meeting, October 5th; No. 22, September 28th, first board meeting, October 6th; No. 24, October 10th, first board meeting, October 15th; No. 25, October 26th, first board meeting, November 2(1; No. 26, September 23d, first board meeting, November 12th; No. 28, December 2d, first board meeting, December 7th ; No. 29, December 18th, first board meethig. December 26th; No. 30, December 30th, first board meeting, January 4th.

District No. 6 was organized August 21st, first board meeting, August 28th; No. 31, January 2d, first board meeting, January 11th; No. 32, January 7th, first board meeting, January 14th; No. 33, February 3d, first board meeting, February 10th; No. 34, IMarch 6th. first board meeting, March 12th; No. 35, INIarch 10th, first board meeting. ]March 15th; No. 36, April 8th, first board meeting, Ajjril 16th: No. 37, July 14th, first board meeting, July 30th; No. 39, October 2d, first board meeting, October llth; No. 41, December 31st.

District No. 7 was organized jMay 18tli, first board meeting, January 6th; No. 27, November 2.5th, first board meeting, December 2.5th; No. 40, December, first board meeting, January 26th; No. 42, January 30th, first board meeting, February 25th; No. 43, January 30th, first board meeting, February 25th; No. 44, February 3d, first board meeting, February 28th; No. 45, ]March 17th, first board meeting, JNIarch 30th; No. 46, February 17th, first board meeting, April 1st; No. 47, JMarch 17th, first board meeting, March 31st; No. 48, ]March 27th, first board meeting, April 2d; No. 49, February 5th, first board meeting February 28th; No. 50, September 5th, first board meeting September 14th; No. 51, September 17th, first board meeting, September 26th; No. 52, November 16th, first board meeting, November 25th: No. 53, December 15th, first board meeting, December 2 1st.

District No. 54 was organized January 4th, first board meeting, January 5th; No. oo, January 20th; first board meeting, January 30th; No. 56, February 22d, first board meeting, February 25th; No. 57, February, first board meeting, February 3d; No. 58; No. 59, April 3d, first board meeting, April 10th; No. 60, organized ^Vpril 16th; No. 61, April 14th, first board meeting, April 25th.

Graduates Of Hastings High School

In 1893 ^liss Bertha Horlocker was the only member of the senior class. JNIiss Horlocker chose to be graduated with the class of the following year.

Past And Present Of Adams Couxty 137

Describing the beginning of Hastings College in a commencement address delivered June 3, 1907, the first president of the institution, Di-. \y. F. Ringland, said: "In August, 1873, in a frame store on the northwest corner of Hastings Avenue and Second Street, about half way back in the store on the east side, there stood, inside the counter, JMr. Sanmel Alexander and Cajjtain A. D. Yocum, and on the outside of the counter, Mr. A. L. Wigton. The latter gentleman said to the other two, 'AMiy not have a Presbyterian college in Hastings T The idea of Hastings College thus sprang into existence."

]Mr. ^Vigton was the editor of the Hastings Journal and a short time thereafter gave expression to the idea in his newspajjer. The result of this expression of an idea is noticed in the record of the first meeting of the Kearney presbytery which then included all the territory covered by Hastings and Kearney presbyteries. This meeting was held in November, 1873, and the question of founding a college at Hastings was discussed. The Synod of Nebraska was not yet formed, but it was anticipated that it would be at the next general assembly. At this meeting of the presbytery a committee composed of the Rev. James A. Griff es, Rev. Nahum Gould and A. L. Wigton, was appointed to receive propositions for donations of lands and funds to be used for the founding of a college. When the Synod was formed in May, 1874, it extended its moral support to the project of founding a college at Hastings, but declined to take the financial responsibility of the enterprise.

The jiromoters, however, were by no means discouraged, and in November, the board of trustees elected the following officers : President. .Tames A. Griff es; vice president, J. S. IMcIntyre; secretary, J. Balangee; treasurer, Samuel Alexander. The board itself had been formed some time in 1873, and was composed of the following: Samuel Alexander, A. L. Wigton, Samuel Reed, M. K. Lewis, A. W. Cox, George W. Dade and the Rev. James A. Griff es. In 187J<, the grasshoppers desti'oj'ed the crojjs in Adams County, and there resulted a spirit of dejjression not calculated to further new enterprises involving the hazard of a new college. Not until 1879 did the movement take on an encouraging aspect.

In September, 1882, the college was organized and opened for the work of insti-uction. It was located in apartments over the postoffice, which was then located at the corner of First Street and Hastings Avenue. There were forty-four students and three instructors in the literary department of the work. In addition were nmsic and art departments. The instructors in the literary deijartment were Prof. George E. White, Prof. J. INI. Wilson and JNIiss Abbie Brewer. In tlie music and art departments were Prof. John Rees and JNIiss Lou ^^ance. The college did not come imder the care of the synod until 1884. and until that time was controlled by trustees selected from the Hastings and Kearney presbyteries, which, meanwhile, had been separated.

April 1, 1883, Dr. W. F. Ringland, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, became the president of Hastings College. Dr. Ringland leai'ned that the Presbyterians Avere contemplating the creation of a board of aid for colleges and academies. Accordingly, he forwarded to Dr. Herrick Johnson, chairman of the committee charged with the duty of reporting to the general assembly concerning the advisability of creating the board of aid for colleges, a report on Hastings College, its needs and its outlook. With this report was sent a communication to be given to Cyrus H. JNIcCormick of Chicago, and soliciting $5,000 for the erection of the first building, to be given through the new board, subject to its a])proval. and to constitute the beginning of the work of that board. The j^rivilege was also asked of Mr. McCormick of naming the first building McCormick Hall. Both requests were granted.

The corner stone of McCormick Hall was laid by James B. Heartwell, president of the board of trustees, July 12, 1883. The ceremom'es were elaborate. The principal speaker was Dr. Gregory, president of Lake Forest University. From the city a procession nearly a mile in length, led by the Gazette Journal band, made its way to the college camjjus. After the ceremonies the out-of-town guests Avere given an eight-mile drive in the country, and that evening a banquet was partaken of, at which covers were laid for 400 guests.

The walls of JNIcCormick Hall went up rapidly, and it was ready for the fall term of 1884. The dedicatory address was delivered by Dr. Herrick Johnson. The total cost of this building was $14,703.00. Ringland Hall was erected the following year at a cost of $lG,709.o4.

James B. Heartwell gave $10,000 for the erection of the .second building, and citizens of Hastings gave the remainder. At about this time another Presbyterian college located at Bellevue, Neb., was seeking recognition by the synod, and it is likely that this furnished added zest to the zeal that hurried the second building to completion.

The college campus contains twenty-nine acres. Twenty acres were donated by Joe Hanson, of Hastings, as an inducement for the erection of a college at its founding. Nine acres have subsequently been acquired by purchase. In 1884, the trustees purchased eighty acres lying Avest of the college grounds, this was platted as College Addition, and it was at this time that University Avenue was laid out. The jjroceeds from the sale of lots in College Addition were used for benefit of the college.

One of the most trying periods in the history of the college was in 1888. On November 9, of that year, the executive committee canvassed the situation for some hours, considering the accumulated debt, resulting from securing buildings and grounds, and meeting running expenses for six years without endowment. The debt amounted to about $37,000. Dr. Ganse, secretary of the board of aid for colleges, met with the trustees at this time, and said that he believed if the citizens of Hastings could lift the debt then accumulated, it would be possible afterwards to secm-e some endowment. The trustees at this time were seriously considering closing the doors of the college; instead, however, a strong effort was made to lift the debt. The widow of Cyrus H. IVIcCormick announced that she would contribute $1.),000 for endowment, if the debt were paid. This was eventually done, and the gift of JNIrs. INIcCormick became the foundation of the endowment.

A vast amount of labor has been expended in securing endowment. Friends of education in the East helped liberally, and Hastings has contributed again and again. The endowment at this time amounts to $220,000. This amount was raised through several active campaigns. The first $.50,000 was completed in 1904; the next $.50,000 in 1909; the next $100,000 in 1913; $20,000 was raised between 1913 and 1916.

Hastings College had only the two buildings, jMcCormick Hall and Ringland Hall, until 1907, Avhen Alexander Hall, a dormitory for young women, was completed at a cost of $16,011.68. The principal gift for this building was made by A. L. Clarke; it was named in honor of Samuel Alexander.

tion of this building, and it was named in liis honor. Shortlj^ after- M^ard, Johnson Gymnasium was built, and named in honor of P. L. Johnson, Avho was one of the jjrincipal workers in the raising of the endowment, and who for many years has been an active helper of the college in many ways. Tlie athletic grounds were called Hanson Field, in honor of the donor of the original twenty acres - Joe Hanson, who still lives in Hastings.

All the buildings of the institution are heated from a central heatingvplant, which was constructed in 1912, the greater part of the labor being done by the students under the direction of P. L. Johnson.

Since 1912, Hastings College has been classified as a Class A institution by tlie College Board of the Presbyterian Church. It is the only Presbyterian institution of that class for nearly three hundred miles in any direction, and the only one in this latitude from Eastern Iowa to the Pacific Coast. It is also a member of the North Central Association.

The library of the college contains 7.000 volumes; the laboratories Jiave been equipped at a cost of $9,000, and the museum has an equipment valued at about $15,000. Prof. Walter J. Kent is largely resjionsible for the development of the nuiseum. In 1908, Professor Kent secured the installation of the weather dej^artment. which has since been furnishing the community with daily forecasts.

Tlie first graduate of Hastings College was J. H. H. Hewitt, who is now a practicing attorney at Alliance, Neb. Mr. Hewitt was the sole member of the class of 1887. In all, 183 have been graduated by the institution. The class of 1916 immbered eighteen, which was the largest class to be graduated by the college. The faculty and assistants number twenty-three.

In 1914, a chair fund was created to endow the chair of biblical instruction in memoriam of ]Mrs. C. L. Jones, of Hastings, who, in that year, lost her life through accident. iNIrs. Jones occupied the chair of biblical instruction at the time. The endowment, when completed, will be $2.5,000, $18,000 of ^^-hich have been subscribed.

Dr. W. F. Ringland, the first president of the college, served in that capacity from April 1, 1883, to his resignation in June, 189.5. Prof. W. N. Filson then acted as president until June, 1896, when Salem G. Pattison assumed the executive position, which he held until his resignation in the early part of 1900. Professor Filson was then elected j^resident and continued in ofl^ce until June, 1902, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. Van Dyke Wight. President Wight resigned in 1907- In that year. Dr. A. E. Tin-ner was elected jjiesident and continued the work until his resignation, in Februarv. 1912.

The office was then vacant until the meeting of the trustees, in June, 1912, \\lien President R. D. Crone was elected. President Crone has occupied the chair from that time.

Among the early workers for Hastings College was Rev. Nahum Gould, at whose home, in Kearney, the first meeting of the presbytery was held, and Hastings College was first discussed in an official meeting. Reverend Gould favored locating the institution at Kearney. A. L. Wigton, a charter member of the board of trustees, continued to be a friend of the college until his death, which took place in Omaha in recent years. His son. Dr. Harrison A. \Vigton, of Omaha, was gi'aduated from the institution in 1!)00.

Samuel Alexander, the pioneer merchant of Hastings, was secretary and treasurer of the board of trustees for twenty j^ears. He died in Hastings on Easter Sunday, 1908. Robert Brown was a loyal supporter of the Cf)llege through the years of its adversity. He was a member of the board of trustees for nineteen years, and for many years prior to his death, ]\Iarch 20, 1905, was j^resident of the board. The Rev. David S. SchafF, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church from 1887 to 1891, and at j^resent professor of ecclesiastical history in ^Vestern Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, is a life contributor to the college. He is the founder of the endowment for the Junior prize essay.

Joseph Eaily, Margaret E. Haughawout, Mrs. Julia Heartwell Payne, Mrs. JNIargaret Jones Smith, David J. Lewis, R. JNIelvin Smith, JNIrs. M. Aberdeen Webber Ketelle, Roy A. White, Harrison A. Wigton, and John Brown.

Immaculate Conceptkust Academy, Hastings

The Immaculate Conception Academj' is located in Hastings, on Fourteenth Street and Pine Avenue, and is conducted by the Sisters of Saint Dominic. The building is a magnificent structure of brick, standing upon a foundation ten feet high, built of Colorado red sandstone, from the quarries of Thomas E. Farrell. Mr. Farrell was lai'gely instrumental in the locating of the academy in Hastings, and donated the original ten acres of the campus. The ground dimensions of the building are 60 by 184 feet, and it is three stories high. The east wing is the monastery and is especially set apart for the sisters in charge. The west wing is the academy for the accommodation of students and the reception of visitors. The plans and specifications of the stnicture were prepared by C. C. Rittenhouse, a Hastings architect, after designs by Kiely of New York, and the contract for building was let to ]M. Trich of Hastings.

The construction of the building was begun in the spring of 1889, and the buildings were opened January 6, 1890, and on February .5 the first reception of novices was solenuiized by Bishop Heimessy. The school at that time was conducted by the Sisters of The Visitation, and the school was known as the Academy of The Visitation. The crop failures of the next few years made the existence of the new academy most precarious, and in 1896 it was forced to close its doors. The sisters retiu'ned to Chicago, and the property passed into the hands of creditors.

From 1896 to 1908 the building was unoccupied save by wanderingdomestic animals, and it was threatened with ruin. The creditors were Tuiable to dispose of the property. In 1908 through the efforts of Rev. William INIacDonald, of Hastings, interest was aroused in Hastings, and the debt of $8,000 was paid. The Commercial Club of Hastings raised $.5,000 of this amount, and the Catholics of the city raised $3,000. The property ^vas then given in fee simple to the Sisters of Saint Dominic. At the solicitation of the Right Reverend Bisho]) Bonacum and Rev. William MacDonald the Sisters of Saint Dominic of the Sienna Convent of Kentucky came to Hastings and reopened the school, September 13, 1909. Those in charge at that time were Sister ]Mary Louis, Superior; and Sisters Aloysius, Teresa,

Margret, Loiiis Bertrand, JMaiy Pius, Anastacia, and Rose. The curriculum at the opening inckided ten grades, each successive year a grade was added, luitil twelve grades were offered. In 1911, the institution was accredited to tlie state university as a high school, and the following year the course offered was apjiroved by state board of education to grant the bachelor of education degree, normal school diploma and professional life certificate. JNIusic, art, dramatic art and domestic science are offered. The teachers at ^Jresent are Sisters Columba. Teresa, ISIargret. A^irginia, jNIatthew, Catherine, Frances, Alvarez, Emily. Rose Marie. Bernardine and Benignus. Nineteen were graduated from the institution in 1916. Fourteen of the class were granted elementary certificates; three, life certificates, and two degrees in music.

The value of the Immaculate Conception Academy propert)^ is now estimated at $100,000. The caminis comprises thirty acres. Five thousand dollars were expended in finishing the building before it was reopened, and $2.5,000 in furnishing. A primary school was established by the Catholics in 1912. The old church, which stands on the west side of Colorado Avenue, between Seventh and Sixth streets, is used as a school l)uilding. and has an attendance of about seventy-five.

The ]Mid-West Business School was founded in 1888 by J. H. Schoonover, who died several years ago. A Professor Wilson pui'- chased it from JNIr. Schoonover and operated the school for a number of years and then sold it to Professor H. S. ]VIiller, now of Wichita, Kansas. In 1903 G. E. Boggs purchased a half interest in the school from JNIr. INIiller who went to Wichita at that time. i\Ir. Boggs bought the remaining interest from Mr. Miller in 190.5 and conducted tlie school until 1910 when it was purchased by W. A. Julian and Charles W. Foot. In 1912 the school was bought by tlie ])resent proprietors. F. L. Groom and H. L. Renick.

It was first called the Queen City Business College and afterwards the Hastings Business College. For many years the school was located in quarters over A. M. Clark's drug store, and it removed to its present quarters in the Madgett Block sliortly after the completion of that building in 1907.