from 80 to 120 years old and were among the most interesting in the tent. Most of the manufacturers of the City had exhibits of their manufactured products on hand and these were a revelation to the sight-seers. The sight of these exhibits made every citizen feel proud that his City produced such high class goods.

The Centennial celebration is now a matter of History. It more than fulfilled the most sanguine expectations of the Community. It was a stupendous success of a stupendous undertaking. In closing this account it is only just that credit be given to three local boys for their loyal and efficient work in caring for the big Program Tent, Mr. Fritz Limbacher, Mr. Howard Meyers, and Mr. Lowell Botkin; to the Evening Leader for its splendid support, to Mr. H. Collier Smith, Sr., not alone for his generosity, but for the untiring and wholezouled support that he gave to the General Chairman; to Mrs. M. K. Clover, who gave so splendidly of her executive ability and musical talent; and to the citizenship of the City of St. Marys which stood shoulder to shoulder to put across the greatest event in its history.

The great Centennial celebration was the emotional high point of the entire history of Saint Marys. However, during this same period men of vision and action were bringing this city into a new century of being! Men like Albert Herzing were working on a "Better Roads Association" to promote paving of highways while William Jasperson, thinking along the same lines, first proposed the idea of painting a center line on the pavement to eliminate the driver who "took his half out of the middle." (Many thanks, Bill, but they still do! ) Another man was young Lieutenant Emil F. Marx just returned from the Great War. Marx recognized the need for a stronger defense force than the old State Militia. As soon as Congress passed the National Guard Act, he organized the first company in Ohio under this new law. They had the option of being Company "A", but chose to retain the designation of Company "K" as they had been during the late conflict. Marx also organized many other companies in Ohio and as a result of his vigor and dedication, Saint Marys was chosen in 1920 for one of the very first Armories to be built in the post war period. Marx continued his enthusiasm for the Guard and rose to be Adjutant General of Ohio in 1935. Since his retirement with the title of Brigadier General, he continued his service to this community by bringing into being the Joint Township Memorial Hospital.

Other men were pursuing other goals. The Memorial High School was under construction during the Centennial year. Lemon Gray Neely, the town's first millionaire, who had made his fortune in the oil boom and had built the quite prestigious home at Ash and South Streets, wanted to help the City with the new planned high school. Without any fanfare and with scant recognition, Neely purchased the land and donated it to the Board of Education. He asked that the name "Memorial" be used for the new school as a tribute to his late wife. His wish for no public accolade can be broken at this time to reveal the generosity of a true citizen. The new school was opened for use in 1924 and graduated its first class in 1925.

Harold G. Neely, his son, looked at a swampy weedy corner of Lake Saint Marys and saw a beautiful amusement park surrounded by a neighborhood of