5/31/2011:
In the midst of World War I, the fighting in Europe hit close to home—and also to the classroom. On this date in 1918, the graduating class of Bismarck High School had a lot more to think about than graduation parties.
As freshmen entering high school in 1914, they had been 96 strong, and were such a large group that it became necessary to put an extra row of seats along the middle aisle of the auditorium. But over the following four years, some classmates moved away, some began working, and many of the boys ended up serving their country. This brought the 1918 senior class of Bismarck High down to 36; and of that number, five more boys, as they turned of age, slipped away during the school year to join the war effort. Others were just waiting for their 18th birthday, so they, too, could enlist. With so many boys leaving to fight, no longer would an extra row of seats be needed.
Along with whatever support was ongoing at home, whatever city, county and state drives were organized, the whole school was reminded constantly of ongoing war effort. They took part in regular school activities, but they also took an interest in victory gardens. Each grade tried to outdo the others in selling thrift stamps. The seniors, again, went the extra mile, though. Every member of the graduating class was a member of the Red Cross. They even postponed the senior banquet because of the war.
When The Public Opinion, a Bismarck newspaper, published a nice write-up of the class and of the graduation ceremony, it was even more special because the senior class had chosen not to put out a school annual that year. They “thought it [was] not fair to go to the business men and ask them for advertisement when they were asked to invest their money in liberty bonds and thrift stamps and in this way were using their money in a more patriotic way than aiding the annual.”
With all of these efforts, all 36 remaining members of the class—even those who had enlisted over the school year—were given a diploma. Principal Bolt dedicated a service flag to the Class of 1918 as part of the graduation exercises. The flag had five stars, representing the five boys who had already enlisted. And the class of 1918 selected “Over the Top” for their class motto—forever a reminder of their hard work and sacrifice for their country.
Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker
The Public Opinion, June 6, 1918
The Public Opinion, May 30, 1918