Celebrating 50 Years

 It's been a while since a computer has been accessible for me; thus, there have been no posts for some time.  The last month or so has been rather wet around here.  Consequently, major flooding has taken place in many parts of the state.  A number of houses in some of the newer developments in town were extensively damaged because so much water infiltrated the basements.  Construction is taking place at the airport, which may have caused some unusual flooding at nearby storage units.  There was even some flooding on the downtown streets (http://www.ksfy.com/story/25674135/downtown-brookings-business-owners-cleaning-up-after-flooding).   An internet search will yield even more articles.  Its been reported that in Canton, 90% of the houses received water damage when the town was isolated because the floodwaters were so high over the roads that vehicular access into or out of the city was impossible.  Even parts of the interstate were covered with water, backing up traffic and/or forcing drivers to turn around.

Do any of you remember 9th grade English class with Mrs. Wheeler during the 1965-66 school term ?  She was probably in her second of teaching, as she is pictured with the other Junior High teachers in the 1965 Bobcat.  Do you recall your teachers and your class schedule from way back then?  In the morning, our section had Mr. Paul Johnson for HR and math; Mrs. Doris Larson for English; and Mr. Duane Rykhus for science.  After lunch, we had Mrs. Etta Olson for history; study hall or gym (we boys had Franny Dolan; who was the girls PE teacher?) or chorus; and then nine weeks each of art, followed by SRA reading(?), shop or home-ec, and speech.  Mr.  Lloyd Wesche taught art: Mrs. Larson was our reading teacher: Mr. Leslie Peterson (Uncle Petey) tried to guide us boys in the proper use of shop tools, while I believe Mrs. Eleanor Cochrane refined the girls' cooking and sewing skills; and Mr. James Klassen tried to inspire us to appreciate public speaking.  Fifty years ago this summer, Mrs. Wheeler had gotten married to Mason Wheeler, a 1956 graduate of BHS.  It appears that they had met earlier when he was stationed in the service in Texas.  After their marriage, they settled in rural Brookings, where he farmed and she began a long career as an English teacher in the Brookings school system.  In that graduating class of 1965 were some familiar last names:  Adamson, Ahlers, Allstot, Berkland, Bortnem, Bozied, Colburn, Egeberg, Graff, Ishmael, Kallemeyn, Koenders, Kohl, Kortan, McCone, McKeown, O'Connell, Person, Prussman, Roberts, Skubic, Simmons, SloatSmith, Steen, Taylor, and Workman.  Some are definitely siblings, but some may be cousins, or perhaps no relation at all to any of us. 

In the weekend edition of the Brookings Register, Chuck Cecil compiles and edits a column entitled memories from Brookings Past.  A recent entry for June 21, 2014 noted that "Preliminary plans for a new high school to be built on a 50-acre site along south Medary Avenue is being designed for an en enrollment of 600 students." 

Chuck Cecil mentioned above is the brother-in-law of Tom Madson.  Thus, Mrs. Cecil (Mary) is the sister of Tom's wife, Cathy (Wilber).  In addition to compiling the weekly history column, Mr. Cecil also writes another weekly column entitled Stubble Mulch.  Basically, it is a general interest column, and tends to poke fun at some of the antics that occur in town.  Mr. Cecil grew up in Wessington Springs, and graduated from SDSC in Brookings around 1960. ( Have you heard about the tornado that recently wreaked havoc there?  This is just one link  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/18/south-dakota-tornado-wessington-springs_n_5509952.html   A web search will undoubtedly yield many more)  He worked in the administrative offices on campus for a number of years. He has been involved in the newspaper business, and has written a number of books on the local history of this area (A somewhat recent Register article can be found at  http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=12500&page=76  A list of his books can be found at http://www.brookingsbooks.com/?page=shop/browse&fsb=1&searchby=author&keyword=Cecil%2C+Chuck).  His Stubble Mulch  writings often recall memorable events from his years on campus in his writings.  His wife was a good high-school friend of one of my older sisters.  Anyway, his column of June 18, 2014, was somewhat more serious than his usual fare.  The title that day was "Plain talk from the olden days," and was a brief tribute to his mother-in-law, Rebecca Adamson (nee Howell)

According to the article, she was the youngest of 10 children.  Her education ended at the end of 8th grade, after which she was hired to clean neighboring farm homes around Elkton to help her parents make ends meet .    She met her future husband Leon Wilber at the skating rink at Lake Campbell, and they were married on June 2, 1937.  However, he died unexpectedly, perhaps from diabetes complications, in 1956 while working on the family farm south of town.  That farm later became Bob Shelden Field, part of the high school/city complex mentioned above. 

Mr. Cecil emphasized that his mother-in-law, and many others of that day, spoke "Plain talk, regional speech peppered with rich and colorful phrases that others could understand, and perhaps, picture it in their mind's eye."  Some examples he cited are "hog tight and bull strong; God won't hoe your potatoes; easy as apple pie; hogs on ice; live one day at a time; only scratch where it itches." Rather reminiscent of Guy O. Karnes and his colloquialisms:  "My sainted aunt; I'll be a cow kicked into Texas; If you don't give me the answer, I'll kick you in the shins (or 'If you don't...I'll cut yer gizzard out with a dull knife')."  Those words probably would not go over very well in today's classroom environs. 

Tom (Madson) gave a beautiful eulogy, evoking memories of days past when just about everyone in town knew everyone else, and nicknames were recognized more readily than one's given name.  Anyone remember Flap the grocer, Snort the barber, Shorty the postman (there was also Shorty the waitress), Slim the cop, Buck the haberdasher, Barney the bartender, Hawkeye the road grader or snow plower.  Teachers were not immune, either.  As mentioned above, there was "Uncle Petey" and "Mad Etta" Olson.  Let us not forget our athletic director and coach, Arnold "Nig" Johnson.  Would there be an uprising today if a man or a boy had that nickname? 

Our condolences and prayers go out to Cathy and Tom on their loss (http://rudesfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/RudesF1/obit.cgi?user=1320423Adamson and http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21194&page=80).

Below is a photo of Cathy's First Communion class.  Can you identify her and any others?

 Unfortunately, others in our class have also lost a parent recently.  Our thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to them as well.

The mother of Sandy  (Davis) Meisenheimer passed away on June 18 (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21341&page=80 and http://www.furnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Furnes1/obit.cgi?user=1335928Davis).  Sandy's husband was a custodian at the high school for a number of years.  My teaching assignment was in another building, but coaching duties took me to the high school regularly, so I was fortunate to know Sandy's husband Larry.

On June 7, the mother of Mary (Kidwiler) Moritz passed away  (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21300&page=80 and http://www.montgomerystryker.com./page.php?page=obit&id=951). I regret that I was unable to find a photgraph of Mrs. Kidwiler.

 One June 6, Hazel Gabel passed away (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21230&page=80 and http://rudesfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/RudesF1/obit.cgi?user=1323903Gabel).  She was the mother of Sandy Gabel.  I believe Sandy attended Hillcrest, so I never really knew her.  She's pictured in the yearbooks up through our sophomore year, but not  in our junior or senior years.  Did her family move before then?

Several others have also departed, who, while not directly associated to our class, may have close connections with some of us.  On May 9, Rosemary Tordoff  (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=20961&page=80  and http://rudesfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/RudesF1/obit.cgi?user=1306660Tordoff) passed away.  Her son Don was a year ahead of us, while Jerry was a year behind us.  Her other children may have been in some of the classes of our siblings.  Don and Jerry both played on our baseball teams throughout Little League, Teeners, and Legion. The oldest son Duane was a successful track and field coach in Spearfish, SD until he retired a few years ago.  Their father ran the DX station on 6th St and 5th Avenue, where Pizza Hut presently is.  He was a big promoter of baseball, and was one of the chaperones when our Teener team went to Hershey, PA in 1965.

Frances Otterness passed away May 8 (http://rudesfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/RudesF1/obit.cgi?user=1311636Otterness and http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21232&page=80).  Her oldest son Ron was on the 1962 state champion basketball team.  He was about 6'7", but also had good speed for a big guy.  In track, for example, he long-jumped, ran the 220 yard dash, and threw the discus.  Not many boys could do all three of those as well as he could.The youngest son Brian was a fine tennis player.  In our senior year, he teamed with Marty Johnson, Lefty's son, to help win conference and state titles in tennis.  According to the annual, Craig Derscheid, Harry Rossow, and Steve Miller from our class were also on the tennis roster.

The manager for that 1962 basketball team was Ronny Milfs.  He passed away on May 26  from complications after surgery (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21255&page=80).  Some of us may have had siblings in that class.  Leanne Hirschenman (sp?) had a sister, Marnel,  in that class.  Marnel was a long-time secretary at the Middle School, so we became very well acquainted with each other.  Her husband was also a custodian at the high school, and worked with Larry Meisenheimer, Sandy Davis's husband.

Passing away a few days ago was Arpinee Berberian (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21409&page=80 and http://rudesfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/RudesF1/obit.cgi?user=1346484Berberian).  That name probably means nothing to most of us.  However, if any of us were in orchestra our senior year, we may recall that the directors were Dr. John Colson and Mr. Hratch Berberian, who had just recently married his wife Arpinee.  They both were extremely gifted and talented musicians. Orchestra member from our class, as pictured in the Bobcat, were Kim Hamilton, Cecilia Kellog, Kris Lyons,  and Stan Skubic. Kim was honored for her talents when she, along with five other members,  was selected to represent BHS at All-State Orchestra. 

I believe that on July 26, 2014, there will be South Side reunion.  If any of us had any connection with that part of town, we are encouraged to attend.  I attended for the first time last year, and had a wonderful time.  Emmett Early from our class is one of the organizers.  If you happen to be the area, feel free to come.  A number of people journey from quite a distance to be a part of this grand event.