1932 Annual

The 1932 Bobcat (http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Brookings-High-School/62033?page=0)  is dedicated to Mr. Horrigan, just as the 1966 yearbook is.  The dedication reads:  "To Mr. Horrigan, we, the senior class of Brookings High School, dedicate this annual of 1932.  Mr. Horrigan has been with us through three years of high school and has always been behind Brookings High School in every way.  Under his supervision and with his guidance it has been possible for our school to make marked progress in all lines."

If he had been with this class for three years, did he start teaching in the 1929-30 school year?  Perhaps he student taught then,  as he was still enrolled at the college.

A new teacher was William R. McCann.  There used to be a lawyer in town by that name.  His law office was right next door to the old Carnegie Library on the south.  Previous to that, there was a house, maybe a duplex.  If memory serves right, Bill Sherman's family lived there in the mid-50's before moving out by the drive-in. 

There were some interesting members of the senior class.  One name familiar to most of us is that of Harley Kabrud.  He was the 7th grade geography teacher for many of us.  He was also a jr.-hi-track coach, and our 8th grade football coach.  The day before he would give a test, he had a big review session for us that covered everything on the test.  When our 6th grade class was visiting in the spring of 1963, Mr. Kabrud was talking about the Soviet Union.  He said it could be pronounced "Soh-vee-et" or "Sah-veee-et".  Why I remember is a mystery to me.  Another memory is from the 7th grade party.  As a tribute to all of the teachers that chaperoned that night, a group of girls paid tribute to them by singing their own version of "We Love You Beatles"  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPQ8P2QZvKg).  Instead of  singing the names of the Beatles, they sang the names of the chaperones.  "We love you Kabrud, LaChance, Cole, etc."  There is a website (http://www.sdstate.edu/sdsuarchives/collections/upload/Brookings-Businesses-Avenues.pdf)that lists the business that have been located at various addresses in Brookings.  On 6th Avenue (called Brookings Street in the early Years), this entry was listed:   205 6th Ave.--1919, Kabrud Brothers Insurance Agency, moved to 327 1/2 Main in 1921.  205 6th Avenue was where my family lived when I was in grade school.  Tom Bozied lived a half-block away.  In 3rd grade, I would stop over before school and we would watch Captain Kangaroo until 8:55, then run to school to get there before the 9:00 bell.

Harlan Otterness was also a senior that year.  I believe he was the father of Ron (class 1963) Terry (64) , Dan (1967), and Brian.  Brian was freshman when we were seniors.  Did the family move to Texas before or after he graduated?   

The following list of seniors may trigger some memories for us:

Wayne Albright--was this Gerry's father or uncle?

Firmina Alexander and Thornella Alexander--aunts of Gary?

John Beatty--he was the owner of Beatty's Jewelry, that his family started in 1918.  It finally closed in 1986.  He also wrote a column for the Brookings Register for a number of years.  He was very involved in the community and SDSU  (http://eidsnessfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=339048)

Marcella Beneke--anyone remember Lloyd Beneke?  He was the last homecoming lord at the old school (the last Lady was Bob Kallemeyn's sister Beth).  He was also on our Teener baseball team that went to Hershey in 1965.  Could this be an aunt?

Arlene Braley--when we were in grade school, was there Steve Braley a year ahead of us?  He was in our First Communion picture.  He is hard to see, but he is in the third row, second from the left, between Rick Thompson and Mike McClemans. 

There was a Mike Braley, a pretty good athlete,  that graduated in 1959 with Skip Webster and Bob Shelden.  Steve was his younger brother.  They moved away in the early 60's.  Might this have been an aunt?

Alta Bulen--any relation to Nancy Bulen, a year behind us?

David and Ruth Flittie --when we were younger, the Flittie farm was then south of town, just west of Medary Acres.  Now it is full of houses.  A United Church of Christ is about on the spot where the farmhouse was.  The only reason I know is that the Mrs. Flittie was a customer on my Minneapolis Tribune paper route.  For a while, my area was from 2nd Street South between Medary and Main. This was David Flittie's farm.  Unfortunately, he had passed away in 1957, so his wife, Ruth (Kohlhoff) Flittie, was running it  Now I know why I never saw him when I was collecting).  On page 25 of this website, there is better explanation than I can give (http://www.kohlhoff.com/familyhistory/daniel/K410,%20Part%20IV,%20pdf.pdf)  Mrs. Flittie was on the school board at that time in the early 60's, and was a very generous lady (she might tip me a quarter, which was a big hunk of change back then)..  One son Bruce Graduated in 1961.  Another son Roger was a couple of years ahead of us; he is shown in the 65 annual, but not in the 66 one.  This website might give us a clue (http://www.leagle.com/decision/19881450853F2d597_11353)

Dorothy Hoy--Sally Hoy was a year ahead of us in school.  She was one of the best girl athletes around.  She may have been in that first communion picture shown above, though I'm not positive.  Would she be the in the first row on the left?t   Her dad Dwight was a mailman.  I was able to know him somewhat during my tenure at the post office in 1968.  Her brother Tom was a bass player for The Talismen, whose drummer was Pat O'Connell, Kevin's brother (http://www.southdakotarockandrollmusicassociation.com/inductees/talismen.htm).  Unfortunately, she passed away recently (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=126359787)

Lilian Jensen, Gladys Johnson, Helen Johnson, Olive Johnson, Marjorie Johnston, Charlie Linn, Alice McComb, Allen Peterson, Helen Peterson, Mildred Peterson, Marvin Sterud, Frances Wilber, Leon Wilber--related to any  of our classmates with the same last names?

Maxine Kennard--the neighbor who lived between Tom Bozied and me in the 1950's was an old codger (buzzard, as Guy O. Karnes might say) named Harry Kennard. Brother-sister?

Some names go way back to the beginning of Brookings and Brookings County, such as Cora Jeannette Rude and Wilma Telkamp.

Don and Medora Lombard are pictured.  Would Don have been Tom's father?  Tom was a year behind us, and if memory serves right, he may have been in our Cub Scout den for a year or two.  I recall going over to his house to play a few times.  It was on Fourth St down by the retirement center.  My second Minneapolis Tribune paper route was in that part of town, so maybe that is why I seem to remember this.

The last name that is significant is Vernon Ullman.  20 years later, Janice Ullman was the first girl elected as student body president of BHS.  She was quite attractive and obviously talented.  Her senior pictures lists her belonging to Chorus, Band, Orch., Pit Orch., Pep Band, L'All., Jr. and Sr. play cast, GAA, Bob. Staff, Brob. Editor, NFL, Debate, Declam, H.R. off., FHA, Quill and Scrooll, Cue Cl., Kinetic Cl., Ind. Arts Cl., Stud. Body Pres., Bobcat Day Royalty. Are the two Ullmans related?

The format was the same as the 1931 Bobcat.  An organization not listed the previous year was FFA (Future Farmers of America).  There was again a combined Jr.Sr class play, but there were two Jr. class plays, and three one-act plays.  There were also contests for Typing I and II and Shorthand I and II students.  One of the new businesses advertising was Frie Motor Company. 

Yearbook Advertising

As mentioned previously, a number of Brookings businesses advertised in the 1931 Bobcat yearbook.  Two of them have personal connections.  One that is rather significant  is Tidball Pharmacy.  He started his business at 317 Main, where Coast to Coast was when we were growing up.  In 1925, however, he moved a few doors north, to 321 Main.  In 1946, he sold it to Chan Shirley, thus becoming Shirley Pharmacy that many of us remember.  My family's connection is that the house we moved into in 1963 was built by Mr. Tidball.  According to this website, (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/35726016/609-4th-Street)  "Clyde and Florence Tidball, a local druggist, had this home built from a compilation of several builders plans.  The house features exposed rafters and brackets.  The walls are of gray stucco and the gabled roof has a shed dormer and balcony--convenient for shaking second story (sic) rugs."

The other notable business is G. M. McMahon, Dentist.  His office was upstairs in the Bartling Building.  He was my dentist in the 60's.  Anyone else see him?  He practiced for about 50 years there, from 1926-1976.  

Other notable businesses, with perhaps some interesting trivia; how many of these do you remember?:

Brookings Steam Laundry-- their phone number was 95; Hauff's Millinery--any connection to Barb Haauff in our class?; Dr. M. C. Tank--anyone have him for a physician?; University of South Dakota--at that time, the only university in the state; Nickel Hamburger Shop--forerunner to Nick's?; Montgomery Wards; Ray's Drug Store; Columbia Clothing--would later become Quails, and then Wilson's; Oyloe's Studio--their origins go back to Dakota Territory; Kendall and Locke Druggists, the Rexall Store--what we knew as Kendall's Rexall Drug Store:  A. A. MacMillan Band Instruments; Waltz Hardware; Rude's Furniture; Matson's Brothers Druggists: J.C. Penney;  Sexauer and Son; Cole's--their slogan was "a store of youth, a store of fashion." 

The 1931 Bobcat Yearbook

As mentioned in a previous post, there is a website that has previews of BHS yearbooks for various years.  Copies of them can even be purchased (http://www.classmates.com/places/school/Brookings-High-School/9192).  Browsing through the earliest one from 1931 (http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Brookings-High-School/65640?page=0), when the city of  Brookings was younger than we are now, brought back many memories.

The superintendent at that time was J.E. Martin.  That was his second year in that position, but he would remain there until we started kindergarten.  It seems rather remarkable that he was the superintendent of the Brookings school system for some 26 years (1929-1955).  The athletic director was Bob Coffey, which is the derivation of the Bobcat name (Bob's Cats).  A couple of others on the staff are people with whom we may be familiar.  One of the science teachers and (and coaches; someone also told me once that he used to a good deal of officiating) was Lester Horrigan.  This must have been his first teaching position, as he is listed as the president of the senior class 1930 edition of "The Jackrabbit" (http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/brookings/school/jr1930.txt    Also on that list is freshman Millard McComb of Brookings.  I  believe he is the father of Joan and John McComb of our class.   He worked at the Insect Lab north of town, so I became acquainted with Mr. McComb, as I worked summers there after high school and during college. I was only able to get the job thanks to a tip given to me by Jim Kortan in the spring of 1969.   His mom worked there, and Jim told me about the openings.  Fortunately, they hired me.   Mr. Horrigan eventually became principal at BHS (perhaps I can stumble upon that information in another yearbook) and then superintendent in 1955 upon the retirement of Mr. Martin.  He retired in 1966, and was honored by that year's graduating class when they dedicated the yearbook to him.  That dedication reads

          To show our appreciation for his willingness to help us 
          in any worthwhile thing we strived  to do; for all the 
          extra work he has done in helping to make the dream 
          of a new school a  reality (we moved into it our junior 
           year); for having given his time and  energy as yearbook
          adviser, teacher coach, principal,  and superintendent;
           and for his determination and desire to do anything
          in his power to make our school a better place and the
           students in it better citizens, the Senior Class of  1966,
           being the last class to graduate with his  name on our
           diplomas, proudly dedicates this edition of the Bobcat
            to our superintendent, Mr. L. D. Horrigan.

  On this dedication page are pictures of him receiving the golden shovel at the ground-breaking ceremonies for the new high school, receiving a watch from Mr. Hauschild on behalf of the faculty, getting ready for a round of golf, and relaxing at home by doing some gardening.  Retirement must not have suited him too well, though.  In the next three yearbooks, he is listed as an administrative assistant.  Sadly, Mr. Horrigan passed away in 1971 (http://www.geni.com/people/Lester-Horrigan/6000000001937388738).   His wife lived quite a bit longer than he, passing away ten years ago (http://www.rudesfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=341529).   Mr and Mrs. Horrigan had a daughter Patricia who graduated in 1958.  She, too, has passed away (http://www.rudesfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=341408)  

The fourth individual some of you may know of is Agnes Schlender.  She was the school secretary.  In some of the later annuals, she is listed as secretary to the business manager, who would have been Mr. Charles Webbenhurst, father of Nancy Webbenhurst of our class.  She must have retired in the early 60's, as she is not shown in the 1962 Bobcat.  When our family moved a block north to the corner of 3rd St. and 6th Ave., Agnes Schlender was our next door neighbor.  She and Miss Erickson lived in the house just east of us.  Miss Erickson had been a long-time elementary teacher and perhaps even principal for the primary building. Their lot was rather small, so we would shovel their walk during those nasty winters.  Around Christmas 1976, they were ready to downsize, so their house was up for sale.  With some help from an older brother, I ended up purchasing it.  After my mother died in 2003, I moved into our old house, and eventually sold mine to Emmett Earley of our class.  However, he needed a little bit more garage space, so he eventually sold it.

In the senior class that year of 1931 was a number of students whose family names might hold some significance or be familiar to us.  The ones that left an impression on me were:

Fred Bang--anyone remember Bang's Bakery?  At the back of the yearbook are a number of advertisements for local businesses, perhaps to finance the cost of publishing the annual.  One of those businesses is Bang's Bakery.

Margaret Bartling--one of the children of the Bartling's furniture clan?

Harriet Bortnem--any relation to the Bortnems in our class?

Irwin Gunsalus--there was a Gunsalus family that lived in our neighborhood, about a block west of the courthouse.  Twins Robert and Richard graduated from BHS in 1965.  Robert graduated from SDSU in 1969, and was recently honored as a distinguished alumnus (http://state.sdstateconnect.org/distinguished-alumni-2013/   and    http://www.statealum.com/s/1108/index.aspx?sid=1108&gid=1&pgid=1802).  As an aside, another honoree was Brian Kaatz, who atttended SDSU when many of us did.  He was in one of my freshmen chem labs.   But Irwin was the father of these boys.  He, too, had a very distinguished career (http://www.asbmb.org/uploadedfiles/AboutUs/ASBMB_History/Past_Presidents/1970s/1974Gunsalus.html  and  http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2008/11/24/dr_irwin_gunsalus_discovered_lipoic_acid_a_form_of_vitamin_b6/)  Their mother was also gifted. (http://eidsnessfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=339287)

Ruby LeFevre--was she related to the owners of LeFevre Motors?

Maxine Linn and Burdette Shelden--these two are listed together because they were married to one another in 1933.  One of their children was Bob, who graduated in 1959, and was one of the most talented athletes ever to come out of BHS.  The high school stadium is named for him.  This site has a nice aerial photo, even though there is s misspelling (http://wikimapia.org/29317056/Bob-Sheldon-Field-Football).  Bob died of  Hodgkin's disease when we were about in the 4th grade.  He was related to Gerry Albright. Gerry told us that Bob had become so sick and lost so much weight that he was practically a skeleton.   If memory serves right, Gerry is related to Stew Linn.  This obituary of Maxine Linn Shelden gives some clues (http://www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Eidsne1/obit.cgi?user=1252_MShelden172)

George Messner--father or uncle of Frank Messner, who graduated from BHS in 1961?

John Nolan--any relation to "Gip" Nolan, longtime director of the Chamber of Commerce in Brookings? (http://southdakotagravestones.org/view.php?id=218782)

Lyle Otterness--related to the Otterness family that lived in Brookings until the early 1970's?

Viola Telkamp--many Telkamps farmed in the Brookings area.  A Roger Telkamp worked with Joan and John McComb's father at the Insect lab north of town.  Telkamp Housemoving is a well-known business throughout the state.

Hazel Trygstad--the Trygstad family was one of the earliest families to settle in Brookings County (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdbrooki/chistory.htm  and http://www.brookingscountysd.gov/Index.aspx?NID=99)

Naturally, yearbooks have evolved over the years.  One strange feature in 1931 is that there were no individual pictures of sophomores or freshmen.  Rather, there were just picture of their homerooms.  The name of the teacher is listed, but not the names of the students. Bobcat Day seemed quite late, Nov. 10, with the football game the next day.  BHS beat Huron 20-0 to cap off a successful week.  The football schedule was  a bit different than the one we were used to.   Instead of a prom, there was  a Jr.-Sr banquet held at the Hotel Dudley (Sawnee) on April 25.  In track and field, the boys threw the javelin.  However, that event is no longer contested today.  Don't know when they quit throwing it.

Girls athletics was limited to soccer, basketball, and volleyball.  In the picture of the soccer game, it appears that the field was on the north side of the Red Castle, which would have been the playground north of Central Elementary.  It's also interesting to note that volleyball was played outside. 

French must have been an elective, as there was a French Club (Cercle Francais).  The school paper, The Broboca, was in its first year of existence.  The only other clubs listed are dramatics and student council.

There were other opportunities for extra-curricular activities, though.  Musicians could play in the band and/or orchestra, while the singers could belt out their notes in the boys and girls glee clubs.  It appears that there was even a musical, "The Lucky Jade."

Future Hollywood hopefuls had a couple of plays to show off their talents.  There was Jr-Sr play on Oct, 30, and another play on March 19.  Was that one limited to juniors and seniors?  In addition, there was a one-act play and another short skit during graduation week.

Those with an argumentative bent had numerous chances to display their oratorical skills.  There were 13 debates during the season, in addition to districts and state.

What was intriguing to me was to see all of the business that advertised in this yearbook.  As mentioned above, Bang's Bakery was one.  Some of the others that seemed significant to me will be the topic of the next post. 

More on the 1918 "Bomb"

While browsing through the 1918 BHS yearbook "The Bomb" (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdbrook2/Index.htm), some names jumped out at me.  The post below contains a little bit of history and reflection on some of those names.  Today's post will continue in that vein.

Some of the names that rang a bell were Coulter, Gamble,   Matson, Mitchell, Mix, Moberg, Nelson, Odegaard, Olson, Otteson, Oyloe,  Pittenger, Peterson, Rishoi, and Solberg.

There was a Dale Coulter who was a year ahead of us.  He is is pictured in the 1967, annual, but not in the 1968 one.   I believe he lived near Southside Park.  If memory serves right, he had a mohawk when we were probably in grade school.  Would he be a relative of Zaida Coulter, a graduating senior at BHS in 1918?

One of the juniors listed is Dale Gamble, who had enlisted in the service.  The Gamble family was rather rather well-known when we were growing up.  The father William was, I believe, an electrical engineering professor at the college, and active in local government.  His wife was a local columnist for the Register.  Their youngest son Bill was a junior on the 1962 state "A" championship basketball team.  Although he was not a starter, he played a key role, especially in the championship game.  He may even have made the all-tourney team because of his play.  Isn't it amazing what internet searches can do?  (http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/South-Dakota/William-H-Gamble_3tcpmm and http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=6193&page=80).

As an aside, William Gamble, who graduated from SDSU (SDSC at that time) was honored as a distinguished alumnus  in 1971.  While browsing through that list, there were many other notables who have been honored over the years. Their names are followed by their graduation and year of induction.  Orville Bentley, 42, and 67; Art Vandall , 39 and 71;  Pete Retzlaff, 53 and 74;  John Bibby, 42 and 75; Bob Durland, 53 and 76; Jim O'Connell, 35 and 77; Dave Pearson, 39 and 78; Lyle Derscheid, 43 and 78; Stan Marshall, 50 and 81; B.H. Schaphorst, 12 and 81; Mel Henrichsen, 38 and 82; Jim Marking, 50 and 85; LaVerne Kortan, 42 and 86; Deb McDermott (nee Kneip), 76 and 2000; Adam Vinatieri, 95 and 2006.  

Orville Bentley was the father of Craig, who was a year ahead of us.  Mr. Bentley accepted a federal government position in mid-60's, so they moved there after Craig's freshman year.  Art Vandall, Jim O'Connell, Lyle Derschied, Stan Marshall, and LaVerne Kortan are the fathers of classmates Scotty, Kevin, Craig, Mike, and Jim respectively.  Pete Retzlaff was an outstanding football for the Philadelphia Eagles.  Some of us met him when our Teener baseball team went to Hershey, PA for the National Teener Tournament in 1965.  Dave Pearson is the father of Dave, who was also a year ahead of us in school.  Another son Dick was a year behind us.  B.H. Schaphorst was a long-time lawyer in town.  Mark Bortnem's mother was a secretary for him (http://classof69bhs.blogspot.com/2011/04/mark-bortnems-passes-away.html).  From 1926 until 1979, Mr. Schaphorst had an office upstairs at 326 1/2 Main, just above Matson's Drug, which is mentioned in the next paragraph.  Mel Henrichsen ran the campus bookstore for a long time.  Jim Marking was a fiery, exciting, and enthusiastic basketball coach at SDSU when we were in high school and college.  Deb Kneip was a couple of years behind us during our school years in Brookings.  Adam Vinatieri has no direct connection with us, other than he graduated from SDSU and has helped his football teams win some Super Bowl Chamionships. 

There are a two Matsons listed,one a freshman and one in the service.  Were they part of the family that started Matson Brothers Drug Store in 1926?  According to this website (http://www.sdstate.edu/sdsuarchives/collections/upload/Brookings-Businesses-Avenues.pdf), the drugstore was located at 326 Main, about two blocks west of the old high school.  Kendall's was just across 4th street to the north, the Northwest bank was across on Main, and Ray's Corner was kitty-corner.   They sold out to Moriarty's in 1965.  Incidentally, a Chuck Matson graduated from BHS that year.  Would he have been a relative, a son perhaps?

It seems curious that there were two Don Mitchells, one of whom was in the service.  In addition, there is a third Mitchell, Kathryn.  There was a Mitchell that was a publisher of the Brookikngs Register for a number of years.  Any connection?  About all I could find was this link:  http://www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Eidsne1/obit.cgi?user=1252_ERonshaugen203  There were three Mitchells (two boys and a girl) who were about the age of some of my older siblings.  If memory serves right, one (or maybe both) was/were (a) little league baseball coach(es) for a few years.  Mary Kay Mitchell was a cheerleader for that 1962 championship basketball team, and also homecoming Lady her senior year.

There was Mix Cleaners about a block and one-half block west of the old high school.  There was also a Mix Market.  Do these business have any connection with the Philo Mix in the 1918 Bomb?

A number of years ago, so I have been told, the south edge of town between Main and Medary was partly bordered by the Moberg Orchards.  Would  Lyman Moberg be a part of this family?

Nelson, Odegaard, Olson, and Peterson are not rare names, considering the Scandinavian ancestry of this area.  Otteson is not a very common name, but do any of these have a connection with our classmates?

One name that is somewhat significant to me is Oyloe.  Franny Dolan started teaching in Brookings in the 40's.  He once told me about a boy named Turner Oyloe.  According to Franny, he was an early maturer, and was practically fully grown before he came to high school.  His father was photographer.  It appears that the family business was photography (http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=263&p=localities.northam.usa.states.southdakota.counties.brookings).  What an interesting site!  There are a number of Oyloes who have their final resting in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Brookings (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GSln=Oyloe&GSiman=1&GScnty=2363&).  According to this site (http://www.sdstate.edu/sdsuarchives/collections/upload/Brookings-Businesses-Year.pdf), Oyloe Photography started in 1890.  Anyway, Turner Oyloe went to SDSC, and later earned a Ph.D. in Ag Economics from the University of Minnesota.  According to this website, he must have had an important role in the international world (http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?pid=164205864).  He was a BHS graduate of 1950.

Some other names that figure prominently are Pittenger, Rishoi, and Solberg,   One of the ministers when we were growing was Richard Pittenger.  I believe he was a Methodist clergyman.

 There was a Stan Rishhoi that graduated in 1952.  Another Stan Rishoi graduated in 1928 (father-son,  uncle-nephew, cousins?).  He was one of the early inductees into the Brookings High School Hall of Fame.  Here is a picture of last year's inductees, including our own Jim Kortan.(http://brookings.k12.sd.us/education/components/whatsnew/default.php?sectiondetailid=1561&)  Jim joins Lee Colburn in the "Veterans" category.  Also in that category are some athletes with whom we might be familiar:  Stan Whitmore, Jan Sanderson, and Mike Redmond.  Jerry Martinson will be added to that list soon.  It will actually be tomorrow night, Sept. 5, at halftime of the football game.  In the pioneer category, there are three Bartling brothers, and Tom Bozied's father-in-law Bud Billings.  There are some coaches that have may have special meaning to some of us.  First is Bob Coffey, who was the inspiration for the name "Bobcats" (Bob's Cats).  Ralph Ginn, who was a long-time football coach at the college, coached at BHS in the late 40's.  Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Tlustos were also honored for their commitments, not only to  Bobcat athletics, but also for their influence on the students of Brookings High School.  Skip Webster, who coached some of us before he became an insurance agent, was honored for his generous support of the athletic programs at BHS. 

The name Solberg is associated with SDSU.  Solberg Hall is the oldest building on campus that is still in use. Many aspiring engineers took classes there. It has been recently renovated, as it was deteriorating rather badly and was condemned in 1998 (http://www.sdbor.edu/mediapubs/pressreleases/2003/101003Solberg.htm)  Mr. Solberg must have lived all of his adult life in Brooking, as he is buried in Greenwood Cemetery (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=105877222).  One of his nephews was Conrad Solberg, who graduated from BHS in 1954.  Would Conrad's mother have been the Mrs. Solberg who taught at Central Elementary, maybe 5th grade?


Is is amazing what can be found on the internet.  This website, affiliated with Classmates.com, may be familiar to some of you (http://www.classmates.com/places/school/Brookings-High-School/9192).  Roughly in the middle of the screen, a little towards the bottom, is a link to BHS yearbooks of various years.  There are previews of 29 yearbooks covering the years 1931, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 70, 71. 90, and 95.  If you have some time, it might prove interesting to browse through these and see how BHS has changed over the years. Some of the administration, faculty, and staff were there for a long time. 

Almost One Hundred Years Ago

Recently a follower forwarded this link:        http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdbrook2/Index.htm


There are pictures from the 1918 Brookings High School Yearbook,  The Bomb.   In those days, it seems, the school did not have an official mascot.  One year, if memory serves correctly, the yearbook was named The Pheasant.  The Bobcat name was later given because of a man named Bob Coffey.  Don't know the exact details, but I believe he was a coach, and the athletic teams were called Bob's Cats, eventually becoming Bobcats.

In 1918, the city of Brookings was not even 40 years old.  The town was platted and surveyed in October of 1879 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings,_South_Dakota). Another fascinating website is http://books.google.com/books?id=SJ4V-7onz7AC&pg=PA7&dq=brookings+south+dakota+mayors&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VZkHVPHkFdC7ggSDnoG4Dw&ved=0CFsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=brookings%20south%20dakota%20mayors&f=false (A dedication for this work is directed to a Judy Hauff.  Any relation to Barb of our class?)

The school was located about where the west end of Central Elementary was. It may even have been on what used to be the playground, and it was called the Red Castle.

If you go to the above website ( http://books.google.com/books?id=SJ4V-7onz7AC&pg=PA7&dq=brookings+south+dakota+mayors&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VZkHVPHkFdC7ggSDnoG4Dw&ved=0CFsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=brookings%20south%20dakota%20mayors&f=false) you will find some pictures of the Brookings schools before 1935 (the year the Red Castle was torn down).  If you scroll down to page 62, there are two pictures, one of the Red Castle and another one of what we knew as the Primary Building.  The Red Castle was built in 1888, and then torn down in 1935 to make way by Central Elementary, to open in 1936.  The Primary Building was built in 1908, but was not torn down until about 1980, despite the author's assertion that it was torn down in the 1940's. This picture shows the west (front ) and the north side.  Some of us were first and second graders in that building.  I was fortunate to have the same classroom both of my years there.  that room was on the first floor, right above the word "Public" in the picture.  We used to play tag between the east side of that building and the west side of the annex, which had just been built.  My athletic abilities were sadly lacking, as most of the other students, both boys and girls, were much faster than I was.   On the north side was a small playground with a slide,  merry-go-round, some swings, monkey bars, and a pyramid shaped climbing apparatus we called the "rocket ship".  Also on the east side, extending from the second floor to almost ground level, was the fire escape.  It was just a big, metal tube.  We used to climb up it and then slide down.  There was quite an echo in there if you pounded on the sides and yelled as you were coming  down.  That was eventually replaced with wooden stairs, perhaps in the 70's.  Notice that there is a basement, or a half-basement. When we were in 7th and 8th grades, we had art class in the southwest corner of the basement.   Our 7th grade teacher was a new teacher by the name of Mr. Kleinschmidt, while our 8th grade teacher was Mr. Wesche.  We must have made teaching rather miserable for Mr. Kleinschmidt, as he only lasted one year here. Mr. Wesche also taught Art I, so some of us may have had him during our freshman or sophomore year if we were so inclined. 

Page 63 show all three buildings, the Red Castle, Primary Building, and High School .  The picture is facing east and slightly north.  It appears to be taken from where the southwest corner of the playground at Central would have been, right around home plate of the ball field.  Also on page 63 is the Carnegie Library.  It is now the Community Cultural Center, having been replaced by a new library on the southern half of that same block in 1976.

Update:  The follower just sent me some extraordinary pictures of the the old school buildings.

The top and the bottom pictures of the Red Castle as viewed from the southwest looking to the northeast.  In the background is  the primary building.  To the south of the primary building would be the high school.  The center picture is a better view of the primary building.  What appears to be a flagpole is on the west side, so to the right would be the high school.  When we went to art class in the downstairs, there was a little entrance built about where the tree on the right is.  There was a back door to the high school just to the south of that entrance, and  would just come out that door and walk maybe 25 feet to art class, which was located in the southwest corner of the basement, right above the words Brookings, S. D. in the photograph. 

There appears to be on other misprint in this wonderful work.  On page 14, the title on the photograph clearly says 3rd Street, yet the caption says Fourth street facing east.  The Courthouse would be hidden on the left, just to the left of trees on the north (left) side of the street.  The building on the corner is not Kendall's, but what would later become the  Montgomery Ward's building.  It is now Skinner's Pub, in memory of one of the founding fathers of Brookings (page 7).   Page 57 has the same building looking north on Main. 

There are 288 names listed for students, faculty, administration, and board of education in the 1918 yearbook.  Many of those names may be meaningful to us, and may even be some of our relatives.  There are some Andersons listed.  Would they be related to any in our class?  Esther and Gladys Bairey may have some relevance to my mother.  My mother grew up on a farm in the second and third decades of the 1900's.  My recollection as a bratty young boy is that she always planted a large garden.  She also knew a couple of elderly families in the neighborhood who had large backyards that were ideal for even more gardens, and was allowed to use their space to augment her own garden.  These other two gardens were just down the alley from our house.  One of these spaces was in the backyard of a lady I only knew as Mrs. Bairey.  It was 610 3rd St, right across from the courthouse and a block south of the Jr.-Sr. High School.  Mrs. Bairey passed away in the 1960's.  If she was, say, 80 years old at her passing , she would have been born in the 1880's.  Could these two girls have been her daughters? 

Herb Cheever was a sophomore that year.  It's my guess that he would later become a judge in Brookings.  Another Herb Cheever graduated from BHS in 1956, and later was a political science professor and Dean at SDSU.  Some of us may have been his students there. Would the two Herbs be father and son, or uncle and nephew?

Sophomore Ora Crosser would later work at Bartling's Furniture Store.  He may have worked there up until he was 70 or 80 years old.  His son Lavern (sp?), I believe, worked at the First National Bank, and later bought Jackson's Jewelry, perhaps in the 1970's.

Would the Dybdahls, junior Clarence and senior Julian, be related to Ivar Dybdahl, who started selling cars as the Dybdahl Motor Company in 1915?  According the book A Brookings Album, 1879-2004, Celebrating 125 Years by Chuck Cecil (brother-in-law of Cathy Wilber), Ivar's son and daughter Irwin and Nora continued after their father retired, eventually closing the business in the early 1970's.  At one time, the business was located at the corner of fifth and fifth, just east of the Post office, north of the First National Bank, and kitty-corner to the north end of the Central Elementary playground.  At one time, also, that location was the home of a Council Oak grocery store.

Megaklis Efthimion is listed as a special.  Would this be Mike Efthimiou, who was the owner of Mike's Eat Shoppe, located next door to the College theater?

Forest Frie is listed as a senior who had enlisted in the service.  He was mayor of Brookings from 1964-1970.  His youngest daughter Sandy was a year ahead of us in school..

Clark Fuller is another name that brings to mind a former business in town.  Ed Fuller had the Brookings Steam Laundry.  It was located about one and one-half blocks west of the school on  the south side of Fourth Street.  The telephone office was just across the street on the north.  He did all of the cleaning of the athletic uniforms and towels for the school.  Remember when we had to shower after gym class?  Those towels were cleaned at Mr. Fuller's laundry.  When we moved out to the "new" high school, he was still cleaning uniforms and towels.  He would haul his van or truck up the ramp in the back, and bring them in and out through the back locker-room door.  He was still supplying both the high-school and middle school with towels even after I started teaching at the Middle School in 1973.  Shortly after that, however, the laundry was closed, and the students had to bring their own towels.  Within a few years, showers after gym class were no longer required.

Junior Cliff James is likely another name with ties to a local business.  There was a B and J Wholesale House in town, on Main across from the railroad depot.  The business supplied local establishments such as gas stations with snacks, candy, tobacco, cigarettes, and the like.  Later, it was just James Wholesale.  My father worked there in the 50's , 60's, and early 70's. I believe Cliff James was the owner of James Wholesale. 

One of the seniors is Guy LeFevre (his name is spelled LaFevre in the index, but is correct on page 21.  Would this be "Doc" LeFevre who later owned LeFevre Motors?  There is also a relatively new street named LeFevre Drive in town, although ii is only a block or so long.  The significance for me is that around 1963-4, LeFevre Motors was one of the customers on my Minneapolis Tribune paper route. 

One of the juniors is Frank Revell (would sophomore Lucy be a sister or perhaps a cousin?).  A block south of the Red Castle used to be a big apartment building.  In our youth, it was called the Revell apartments.  A number of the Revell children graduated in the 50's, perhaps in the early 60's.  There was a big Scottish pine that grew on their lot.  When we neighborhood boys would play war games, we would use the pine cones for hand grenades. 

There are two students with the name of Rude, as in Rude's Furniture and also Rude's Funeral Home.  Both of them are juniors, Ida and Minnie. Would they have been twins or cousins?  On a related note, Bartling's Furniture Store also used to have a Funeral Home associated with their business.  Is there a connection between furniture stores and funeral homes?      http://jostfuneralhome.com/history/

The Sexauer name figures prominently in this yearbook.   George, the founder of the Sexauer Seed Company, was on the Board of Education.  It would seem that Verna Sexauer was his daughter.

The next post will include some other names that may be of interest to us.  Some of them may be surprising.