Racine History - The Thiel Connection

The Thiel College Connection

My dad found a 1917 Thiel College yearbook, the Endymion, at a yard sale in Racine, and gave it to me. At first, I didn't get the Racine connection, and then I found two interesting objects tucked in the pages.

The first was a "Program of the Commencement Exercises, Racine High School, Nineteen Hundred and Fourteen." It was between pages 22 and 23, right next to a junior named Jerome Case Jackson. Here is his transcribed listing from the Endymion:

JEROME CASE JACKSON. "Jerry." Racine, Wis. Racine High, 1914. Chrestomathean. Alpha Delta Mu. Y. M. C. A. Foot Ball 1, 2, 3. Basket Ball, 2, 3. (Capt.) Base Ball 1, 2, 3. Glee Club 1, 2, 3 (Mgr.) President of Athletic Association 1 Editor of Endymion 3. Thielensian Staff 3. Dramatics, "Facing the Music," 1; "Sunset," 2; "The House Next Door," 3.

Oddly enough, there is no Jerome Case Jackson in the list of 1914 graduates of Racine High School. His middle name caught my eye right away, though -- could he have some connection with J.I. Case, by marriage perhaps?

Later in the Endymion, between pages 90 and 91, there is a valentine which says, "Just to let you know that thoughts are with you ... day by day," and which is signed, "Love, Winnie." On page 90, there is a picture of Winnie Weible.

This Endymion is not signed, so I can't be sure who it belongs to and therefore who is the object of affection of Winnie, but there is a clue on page 29, which lists the freshman class. Here is the entry for Weible, Elwina:

Valentine from Winnie Weible

Weible, Elwina -- "If you don't believe she has a winning disposition, ask Jerry." This would seem to point directly to Jerome (Jerry) Jackson, a senior.

I can't find any Elwina Weible in the Social Security Death index (SSDI), nor could I find a Jerome C. Jackson in the SSDI with the correct birthday (before 1900).

I was browsing through the yearbook again, and I realized that Racine natives apparently played a big role at Thiel. At the beginning of the book, the Board of Editors contains the following names: Editor-in-Chief: Jerome C. Jackson; Associate Editors, Grace Heckman, Ralph Key; Business Managers, Agner B. Hansen, Manager, Trueworthy Durgin, Assistant Manager. Three of the board members are listed as having come from Racine High School: Jerry Jackson, Agner Hansen, and Trueworthy Durgin.

Agner Hansen and Trueworth Durgin are listed in the 1914 Racine High School commencement program.

Trueworthy Durgin is a Junior. Here is his bio:

Trueworthy Durgin

TRUEWORTHY ORRIN DAVID DURGIN. "Tuey." Racine, Wis. Racine High, 1914. University of Wisconsin 1, 2. Chrysostomos. Delta Sigma Phi. Basket Ball 3. Assistant Business Manager of Endymion.

With a name like Trueworthy, surely I can turn up something for him on the Internet. Sure enough: over here on http://www.jansdigs.com/Racine/WWIdeaths.html, he is listed as a WWI death, and he apparently died on October 1, 1918 at Great Lakes Naval Station. Could it have been a training death?

Trueworthy also appears in "Racine County in the World War" as follows:

Trueworthy Durgin navy picture

DURGIN, Trueworthy 1615 Washington Ave.
Navy; seam 2 cl-ensign; Municipal Pier Grt Lakes
May 31-18 Oct 1-18
Died Oct 1-18; buried Mound cemetery

Years later, in the 1940 Racine Telephone Directory, there is still a Mrs. Mary A. Durgin at 1615 Washington Ave.

Agner Hansen is also a Junior:

Agner Hansen

AGNER BERT HANSEN. "Ag," "Windy." Racine, Wis. Racine High, 1914. Chrestomathean. Delta Sigma Phi. Glee Club 2. Orchestra 1, 2, 3. Foot Ball Manager 3. Base Ball 1, 2, 3. Basket Ball Manager 3. Business Manager of Endymion 3. Dramatics "Sunset," 2.

I was able to find Agner in "Racine County in the World War."

HANSEN Agner B 1500 Hamilton Ave.
Navy; seam 2 cl-ensign; U S S Kennedy
May 31-18 Apr 24-19

Apparently he served but was not killed in World War I.

Further Thoughts and Questions

How did these three Racinians end up at a tiny college in Greenville, Pennsylvania? The senior class consisted of 12 people. The junior class consisted of 19 people.

I imagine that Jerry Jackson felt some sort of obligation to look after his fellow Racinians, Trueworthy Durgin and Agner Hansen. Jerry strikes me as a "Big Man on Campus". I wonder if he "pulled strings" to have Trueworthy and Agner on the board of editors for the Endymion.

Why did Trueworthy go to the University of Wisconsin for his freshman and sophomore year, then transfer to Thiel? Does that have anything to do with Agner being the business manager for the Endymion and Trueworthy being the assistant business manager?

With Agner having an address of 1500 Hamilton Ave. in Racine, and Trueworthy having an address of 1615 Washington Ave., these two grew up within about a block from each other. Could they have been friends in high school?

Why did Agner and Trueworthy go to war, but Jerry apparently did not?

Did Jerry marry Winnie?