340 – Eliza Cheney, School News

Mark Jarvis

In 1911, the Cheneys attended the Easter week performance of Handel’s Messiah at Bethany College in Lindsborg, as they had in earlier years.

The first known picture of the Oratorio Society during the Messiah Festival. This picture was taken in 1908.

On March 28, 1882, the Bethany Oratorio Society in Lindsborg, Kansas, gave its first performance of George Friedrich Handel’s Messiah.

It’s been performed every Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday since, the longest running annual performance in the U.S.

You can still attend the Messiah Festival of the Arts in Lindsborg. https://www.messiahfestival.org/

The Gypsum Advocate – April 14, 1911

From Gypsum, a special train departed each Sunday during Easter week for Lindsborg, 25 miles away. The fare was 72¢ round trip.

Dozens of excursion trains from around the Midwest brought people to the town of Lindsborg for the Messiah. In 1911, the auditorium held 4,000, and was always sold out.

Passengers disembarking from Messiah excursion trains in background – ca 1914

School news 1911

In May 1911, Rollo Cheney was a graduating senior in Gypsum High School. Ned Cheney was a junior, a year behind Rollo. Fred was a freshman, two years younger than Ned.

A few days before graduation, the senior class and faculty were entertained in the Cheney’s home.

In 1911, the high school annual wasn’t a yearbook, but a 22″ x 28″ poster with photos and information about the school and students. We don’t have the actual poster, but instead a photo of it in the newspaper. We have grainy images of Rollo and Ned.

Gypsum High School Annual – Class of 1911

School’s out

Ned got a job at Chaddock’s Jewelry Store.

Ida Cheney’s younger sisters Dora and Mary visited her from Salina for a few days in early June.

E.R. and Ida Cheney made several trips to Groveland in June and July, as W.T. and Eliza Cheney both had spells of serious illness. Rollo and Ned spent several weeks at their grandparents helping out.

Eliza Cheney died

In late July and early August, both Dr. E.R. and Dr. J.W. Cheney were called to Groveland, as Eliza Cheney’s health was getting worse.

Eliza Cheney died early in the morning of Tuesday, August 8, 1911.

School fall term 1911

Ned was a senior, Fred a sophomore. Rollo was off to college.

E.R. and Ida Cheney

E.R. and Ida Cheney continued to live in small-town America at the turn of the century. But they also experienced some of the amazing technological advances.

E.R. Cheney loved automobiles. In July 1912, he traded again, this time for a Buick Model 29.

Country doctor

There are so many recurring stories about Dr. Cheney escorting his patients to Wichita or Kansas City for operations or treatment. I can’t imagine that level of care today.

School spring term 1912

The spring school term was full of activities for graduating senior Ned Cheney.

Ned was on the debate team, and had to argue both sides of the resolution: “Resolved, that every voter in federal and state elections should be able to read, write, and speak the English language.”

That sounds like a pressing topic today, over a hundred years later.

Ned was in the Senior play and singing quartet. He and Fred were on the baseball team.

Ralph Edwin “Ned” Cheney graduated Gypsum High School in May 1912.

Timeline

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