Pringle pageant captures a century of progress, 1836-1936

UNION - Experience a centennial pageant with the McHenry County Historical Society Aug. 12 and 14.

Titled "Elementary Follies," the original drama crafted by retired historical society administrator Nancy Fike, mimics a historical retrospective of 1936 - the county's 100th birthday.

"There weren't the opportunities for people to get together as there are today. People took their entertainment where they could, which meant a lot of it was homegrown. They did the pageants and got together little museums. They put on parades," Fike said. "It was a way of celebrating the past and looking backward. They did it for the centennial. … It was hokey - as this is going to be."

The large cast of "Elementary Follies" includes the likes of attorneys Herb Franks and Bill Bligh, Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb, Huntley Unit District 158 Superintendent John Burkey, McHenry County Board member Sue Draffkorn, Alden Township Supervisor Preston Rea, Fox River Grove Village President Bob Nunamaker, Woodstock City Planner Nancy Baker, Realtor Dave Gelwicks, former McHenry Mayor Bill Busse and current Marengo Mayor Don Lockhart.

"The point of it was to try and get a broad-based representation of McHenry County," Fike said.

Limited seating is available for two performances: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, at the museum, 6422 Main St. in Union. Admission is $10, with all proceeds benefiting restoration of the 1867 Pringle School - one of just three limestone structures in McHenry County.

Quarried at Garden Prairie, the stone was transported by wagon to the site off what is now River Road, once owned by Patterson Pringle. Children of Scottish settlers attended the simple school, then in District 139. Enrollment fluctuated between 10 and 25 students until the 1940s.

Books were scarce, even dictionaries often were not available. However, Pringle School had the distinction of being one of the first rural schools in the county to have a radio. It was purchased in January 1938 using money earned from a basket social and program the school hosted.

In the early history of the schools there was a fall and winter session attended by boys after harvest and before spring planting season. A summer session mostly was attended by girls. The students carried on attendance well into their teens, as there were no high schools. Many of Marengo's early community leaders were products of this educational system, passing from the local district, directly to higher education.

Consolidation of one-room schools began in the 1920s in this county, but many McHenry County schools consolidated in 1947 after a school report condemned the quality of country school education and rising costs. Pringle School operated until 1951 when it became part of the Hawthorn School District 17. The McHenry County Historical Society acquired Pringle School in November 2002.

Donations and volunteer efforts are necessary to repair and restore the foyer and adjoining storage/cloakroom area. For information or tickets, visit www.GotHistory.org or call (815) 923-2267.