October
24, 2017
This
is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
Today’s story comes from another
article in the May 1918 Junction City High School newspaper, “The Blue and
White.” The article is about the disappearance
of the “Loving Cup.” From 1894 until 1904, the “Loving Cup” presentation was a
custom during the graduation exercise.
The President of the Senior Class would tie the colors of the class to
the handle of the silver cup provided for that purpose and present the cup to
the Juniors. In 1904, however, the practice
came to an abrupt conclusion since the cup could not be found.
“The President of the Class of
1904, who was in reality a bright student had wasted his time and toward the
end of the year was just barely passing.
For this reason the persons in authority declared that a boy who was doing
better class work should have the honor of presenting the cup.” However,
members of the class met and resolved that this was an injustice to the Senior
Class President and refused to accept it.
The teacher however, insisted that
they must do so and thus the matter rested. Shortly before the close of school
the Superintendent was conferring in his office with several of the boys of
1905 and on returning after a short absence, which was not long enough to
permit the boys to leave the room, he discovered that the cup had disappeared
from its usual place. A teacher was at
once called in who carefully searched all the boys, but the cup was not to be
found and was not seen again until some two or three years ago when it was
returned to the Superintendent’s office as mysteriously as it was taken away.
It has since developed that one of
the boys had, during the Superintendent’s absence, placed his hat over the cup
and when the time came for the departure, carried the cup away. They hid it away in the cupola of the old Lee
house on the corner of Fourth and Adams Streets. When that house was being torn down one of
the boys involved probably obtained the cup and secretly returned it to its old
place. At the Alumni Banquet last year
it was shown that some feelings still existed, because the class of 1905
refused to attach their colors when the other classes did so.” The “Loving Cup”
was a feature again at the Alumni Banquet in 1918, which was being renewed
after an absence of 12 years.”
This trophy is still used today
as a part of the JCHS Awards Night and may be seen in a display case at
Junction City High School.
That’s today’s story on “Our Past
Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
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