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Here’s Elfrieda Howe’s morning Kindergarten in 1955-56. It was the final year for private Kindergartens in Bluffton.

Front row from left, Mary Herr, Linda Marshall, Connie Sommers, Kathy Kirtland, Ann Balmer, Patricia Benroth, Barbara Basinger, _____ Anderson, Rick Emmert.

Second row from left, John Simcox, James Henry, Fred Steiner, Ron Benroth.

Third row from left, Judy Lehman, Beth Dailey, Candice Swank.

Fourth row from left, Chris ______,  Michael_______, Judy Westrick, Kent Kinsinger, Dan Steiner, John Lehman (with cat), Jon Sommer, Mrs. Howe.

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FHA - Future Homemakers of America. Here are members of that Bluffton High School organization during the 1956-57 school year. Names are under the photo.

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Wearing new crimson football sweaters adopted by the high school that fall, the 1925 Bluffton High School football squad took a stance for the team photograph. The photo was taken in parking lot beside the 1911 gym (no longer standing).

After going scoreless, losing its first four games to Lima Central, Ada, Lima South and Forest, the team rallied to defeat Pandora, St. Marys and Oakwood to finish the season.

Jesse Steiner (standing left in the rear) was the faculty manager. Lewis Pearsall (standing right in the rear) was the coach.

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If you've ever wondered what the layout of Bluffton was like in 1880, here's the answer. In two different pieces are portions of a Bluffton plat map from that year.

You'll notice several interesting things:
• College Avenue is called Blanchard Avenue
• Lawn Avenue is called Mill Street
• There's no bridge over Riley Creek at Jefferson Street

There's lots more and we'll let you discover it by examining the map.

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It was 93 school years ago. This is the Bluffton College women's Hiking Club. The page is from the Ista and it tells about the club and identifies members (but not in standing order.)

There are many familiar Bluffton last names, including Steiner, Hilty, Sprunger, Yoder, Lehman, Lugibihl, Gratz, Gerber, Schumacher, Diller and Niswander.

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This is the Buckeye quarry in the summer of 1944. The Bluffton Lions Club gathered for a picnic to celebrate the renovation and clean-up at the Buckeye park. This photo is taken from the east end of the quarry. Look closely and you can see a platform for diving into the Buckeye.

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