Muncie Central
Alumni Association
Memorabilia Room
The Muncie Central Alumni Association Memorabilia Room allows visitors to explore Muncie Central Magician yearbooks and Munsonian school newspapers; items featuring academic, music and sports achievements; newspaper articles about Muncie Central; historic photos; display cases full of mementos alumni have collected over the years; display cases dedicated to broadcaster Morry Mannies and super Bearcat fan, Herbie Houk; and more.
The Muncie Central Alumni Association, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, unveiled the Memorabilia Room on February 21, 2004, during the basketball game that commemorated the 50-year anniversary of the Milan-Muncie Central state basketball championship game.
The concept of preserving Muncie Central history through artifacts began with the discovery in the late 1990s of multiple trophies that had been eliminated from exhibit at the school. (See photo above.) Discussion began and eventually the trophies were resurrected, repaired and polished. They became the heart of a project that has grown exponentially.
The driving force behind the creation of the museum was Marilyn Moore, a member of the Class of 1950 and a past president of the Muncie Central Alumni Association. It became her dream to have a museum for Bearcat memorabilia when the 1914 Muncie Central structure closed on North High Street in the spring of 1973. She didn't want to see Central's history lost.
It is estimated that the room, located in the southeast corner of the historic Muncie Fieldhouse, stores and displays more than 3,000 pieces of athletic and academic memorabilia from the 1800s to the present day.
Jay and Shirley Pittenger were members of the Alumni Board when the idea of the Memorabilia Room was proposed, and the Alumni Board soon after appointed them as the volunteer curators of the collection. Assisting the couple maintain the room throughout the years are members of the Memorabilia Room Committee, who also are members of the Alumni Board. Charter Memorabilia Room Committee members were Larry Campbell, '54; Tom Raisor, '53, and his wife, Marty; and Joan Scrivnor, '53. They built cabinets and organized the original displays.
Donations of items and financial assistance are accepted and appreciated. See contact information below.
As of January 1, 2022, any donations made to the Memorabilia Room will be the sole property of the Muncie Central Alumni Association and the Muncie Central Alumni Association Memorabilia Room. The program will no longer accept items on loan.
The Memorabilia Room is open before most boys junior varsity basketball games until the end of halftime of boys varsity games. Tours also may be arranged by appointment. Contact Steve Cartwright, '66, scartwright2@yahoo.com, 765-228-1505.
Articles about Memorabilia Room:
Our
mascot
Muncie Central's Bearcat mascot's current name is Beau. Although the current mascot doesn't look exactly
like the one in the Memoralia Room, every mascot uniform costs about $5,000.
The Alumni Association was among the organizations, grantor and individuals who helped purchase
the mascot get a new "suit of
clothes" in 2021.
1868
Muncie High School's first class of graduates was all women. The
seven women graduated in 1868. They were Louise Nelson; Rose Ross; Frone Case; Mary Craig
Paine; Florence Anthony; and
Lizzie Montgomery; and Ida
Husted (married name: Harper),
who later became a nationally
and internationally known
suffragist, journalist and author.
Her writings, speeches and
lobbying helped Susan B. Anthony and others persuade the U.S. Congress to pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the
right to vote.
She also wrote for the Muncie
High School student newspaper
in high school.
Harper was inducted into the
Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame
in April 2023. Two other Muncie
Central alumni in the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame are Bob Barnett, '29, and Ruth Chin, '42.
Central alumni and Muncie value Bearcat history and traditions
History to come ...
Top: For almost 50 years, Muncie Central High School was located on South High Street. Bottom left: At one time, Muncie Central was located in the Universalist Church. Bottom center: Washington School was the location of Muncie Central. Bottom right: Muncie High School was the first official home of Muncie Central.
Copy to come
To visit or donate items to the MCHS Alumni Association Memorabilia Room, contact Steve Cartwright, '66, scartwright2@yahoo.com or 765-228-1505.
Contributions to support the operations of the Memorabilia Room may be mailed to Linda Hollis, '64, Muncie Central Alumni Association, 6604 W. Talamore Court, Yorktown, IN 47396.
Visits are available by appointment.
Recent visitors
to the Memorabilia Room
