This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Hatten, Penn, Lingenfelter, Taylor, Simons, Lacy, Duncan, Nixon, Barnes, Marvin, Murray Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/1676 Message Board Post: THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD. May 6, 1920. "An Old Relic".--When G.T. Hatten was remodeling his residence s hort time ago he found behind the plaster in one of the walls, a card bearing the following legend: F R E M O N T C O U N T Y C O L L E G I A T E I N S T I T U T E. Students Entertainment. Sense. Shortness. Salt. Friday Evening, March 20, 1868. PROGRAM OF EXERCISES: 1. Salutatory--Freedom....A. V. Penn 2. Music 3. Essay--The Gift of Appreciation....M. C. Lingenfelter 4. Music 5. Declamation--Angels of Reuna Vista....C.A. Taylor 6. Music 7. Discussion--Is War Justifiable? ....Affirmative: R. Simons, M. Lacy ....Negative: J. N. Taylor, M.E. Duncan 8. Music 9. Essay--The West....H. N. Nixon 10. Music 11. Declamation--Parrhasius....C. L. Barnes 12. Music 13. Anonymi.....M. Marvin 14. Music 15. Valedictory--Life Ahead....L. E. Murray 16. Music It will be noted that A.V. Penn, our druggist, appeared on the program with others whom the old timers will doubtless remember. N.B.: From the mid 1850's, various organizations had been trying to establish a college in Sidney. The "Fremont County Collegiate Institute" was established by the Sidney Methodist Church, but closed its doors when the Methodist Conference refused to back it. This was the last attempt to make Sidney a college town.--W.F.