The Bluffton News

Schools Bulge as Peak 803 Attend Opening Day Classes

The establishment of a new enrollment record, with most of the increase in the high school, and the restoration of French as a high school subject were highlights of the opening day Tuesday.

Superintendent A. B. Murray told the board of education Tuesday evening that enrollment had broken through the 800 mark with 803 registered and approximately seven more students expected to enroll within the week. This compares with opening day enrollment of 760 pupils last year.

Largest increase is in the high school where an additional teacher was employed for the coming year. The total enrollment in grades seven through 12 is 324 students compared to 295 last year. In the first six grades and kindergarten the enrollment Tuesday was 479 compared with 465 last year.

The new kindergarten class numbers 77 students, but the largest class of all is now grade two with 87 pupils requiring three sections.

Mr. Murray reported that Miss Mildred Keel will teach French, which is offered to junior and senior students for the first time in 10 years. Miss Keel taught the class 10 years ago. This is the first time through that period that a foreign language has been offered in the high school.

Bluffton's next graduating class numbers 55 students, the largest in several years. Last year there were 37 seniors on opening day, and in 1957 34 seniors.

The break-down of enrollment according to sex shows there are 168 boys in the high school and 156 girls. In the elementary school there are 253 boys and 226 girls including the kindergarten.

The enrollment according to grades follows: Miss Groman, kindergarten, morning 40, afternoon 37; Miss Stepleton, first grade, 33; Mrs. Murray, first grade, 35; Mrs. Diller, second grade, 29; Miss Hamilton, second grade, 30; Mrs. Klay, second grade, 28; Miss Hilty, third grade, 33; Mrs. Steiner, third grade, 34.

Mr. Ewing, fourth grade, 35; Mrs. Oyer, fourth grade, 37; Mr. Kooker, fifth grade, 37; Mr. Creamer, fifth grade, 24; Mr. Creamer, sixth grade, 9; Mr. Stratton, sixth grade, 38.

Seven A, 40; Seven B, 38; Eight A, 27; Eight B, 26; Nine A, 21; Nine B, 21; Ten A, 22; Ten B, 20; Eleven A, 26; Eleven B, 28; Twelve A, 55.

A 22-year record of opening day registration at Bluffton schools is as follows: 1937-669; 1938-648; 1939-610; 1940-585; 1941-532; 1942-494; 1943-487; 1944-484; 1945-491; 1946-486; 1947-484; 1948-493; 1949-502; 1950-480; 1951-506; 1952-531; 1953-565; 1954-573; 1955-577; 1956-671; 1957-722; 1958-760; 1959-803.