Some of us were wondering why we had no class reunion last year, 45 years after graduating from BHS. Sixteen years ago, rather than plan a 30th reunion, it was decided to have a 50th birthday party. Similar logic led to the idea of having a reunion in honor of our turning 65, which happens to be next year for most of us. Hence, we have begun to commence (in the words of Guy O. Karnes) with plans for the next reunion of the BHS class of 1969. Our small committee, however, could use a little help. Since we are trying to use email and social media to notify everyone, we need emails or residential addresses of everyone. We presently have email addresses of 88 classmates. Some of these, though, may no longer be active. Coincidentally, we are also lacking 88 emails. We recently sent out an email on August 25 with information on the proposed dates for next summer's reunion. Those dates are June 25, July, 2, and July 16 of 2016. We have traditionally met during the Brookings Summer Arts Festival, which next year is on the weekend of July 9-10. However, we felt that there would be too many obstacles and distractions for us to have a convivial gathering. In any case, early responses indicate that the July dates are preferable. Seven people have indicated that June 25 is satisfactory, while July 9 is okay with nine people. July 16 is okay with 11 people. Some individuals have no preference, so they are fine with whatever date we decide. We still would like to hear the wishes of the rest of you, preferably by Sept. 4, as we will be meeting shortly thereafter.
If you have addresses of any of our classmates, whether email or residential, please respond to the email we sent out on August 25. We would like to, if possible and with your help, contact every member of our class to invite them back for a wonderful experience. Thank you to those who have already responded, both with addresses and their preferred date(s). We have added eight new email address to our mailing lists. Let's see if we can add those missing 88. For those of you who are proficient and active on other media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Classmates, Pinterest, etc., feel free to inform those users of our plans.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
A Mother and a Father Remembered
Recently, two of our classmates, Joe Ulmer and David Berge, lost their only living parent. Joe's mother was active in a number of organizations, and "was named SD Mother of the Year in 1989 and represented the state at the National Convention in Seattle that year." Her obituary can be found at http://eidsnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Eidsne1/obit.cgi?user=56705526_JRothUlmer
David's father was featured in a story in the Brookings Register about five years ago (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=8459&page=76). About 30 years ago, a Brookings County History Book was compiled in honor of South Dakota's centennial. A number of people in Brookings County wrote brief histories of their family's roots. The Berge family was among them. David's great-great-grandfather(I hope that's right) Andreas, his wife Lucie, and five sons left Bergen, Norway and arrived in Quebec in the summer of 1867. Unfortunately, Lucie died on the voyage and was buried at sea. The family eventually settled in Fillmore County, Minnesota for a few years. When the fourth son Johannes married Synneva Hatleli, the daughter of another Norwegian family, homestead land was no longer available, so the the young couple went west to Dakota Territory, settling in Medary township around 1878. The father Andreas also homesteaded in the area, settling on the northwest shores of Lake Sinai in March of 1889.
The rest of the article describes early life on the prairie for the Johannes Berge family. Their home for about three years was a sod hut. A frame house, the first one in the area, was built in 1881, with additions made in 1889 and and 1901. Wells were dug by hand to a depth of 16 to 25 feet. Wheat and oats were the first crops. Later, they raised flax and corn. It is very evident that life back then was no walk in the park. Life was difficult, but the people had a deep faith in God, which allowed them to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Johannes and Synneva had six children. Oscar, the only boy, married Ruth Havrevold. They had four children, Joe, Ruby, Ruth, and David, the father of David of our class. Two of Oscar's sisters married into the Vick and Bortnem families. David's father also married into the Bortnem family, thus making those families related to each other. Mr. Berge's obituary can be found here: http://eidsnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Eidsne1/obit.cgi?user=74130988_DBerge
Numerous local families also made their contributions to this magnificent book. Some names that may be familiar to us are Jeannette Abbey (many of us likely had our senior pictures taken by her), Richard Adee (well-known honey producer from Bruce), Oscar Ahnberg (anyone remember Loren Ahnberg from elementary/jr. hi; there was even a town named Ahnberg), Earl Bartling (Bartling's Furniture), Bauman, Beatty, Behrend, Bibby, Biggar, Bishman, Cheever, Chittick, Corlett, Crosser, Darnall, Derscheid, Duff, Dybdahl (Dybdahl Motors), Egeberg, Erickson, Fishback, Foreman, Fuller, Gilbertson, Gile, Gilkerson, Grommersch (Rich Helsper's mother was a Grommersch), Halvorson, Hanson (Brad Rufer's mother was a Hanson), Hegg, Hendricks (Bernie's family), Hoy, Johnson, Juel, Kendall, Kinch, Knutson, Larson (Arne B.'s family), Linn, Lund, Maher (relatives to Tangen and Wilber), Martinson, Matson (the drug store), May (Zesto), McCann, McCarty, McKeown, McKnight (3M), Minier (postmaster before Tom Lyons), Moberg, Moe, Moriarty, Moxon, Nelson, Ness, Norton, Odegaard, Olson, Ostroot, Osvog, Perso, Peterson, Pike, Quail, Ribstein, Rude, Sanderson, Schroeder, Sexauer, Simmons, Skordahl, Steen, Sterud, Sundet, Svenners, Telkamp, Tofte, Trautman, Trudell, Trygstad, VanderWal, Vick, Wheeler (our 9th gade English teacher married into this family), Wiese, Wilber, and Workman.
It is a fascinating book , and includes a little history and interesting facts about the towns in Brookings County. It may be worth your while to browse through it if you are in the area and have a keen interest in this sort of thing.
David's father was featured in a story in the Brookings Register about five years ago (http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=8459&page=76). About 30 years ago, a Brookings County History Book was compiled in honor of South Dakota's centennial. A number of people in Brookings County wrote brief histories of their family's roots. The Berge family was among them. David's great-great-grandfather(I hope that's right) Andreas, his wife Lucie, and five sons left Bergen, Norway and arrived in Quebec in the summer of 1867. Unfortunately, Lucie died on the voyage and was buried at sea. The family eventually settled in Fillmore County, Minnesota for a few years. When the fourth son Johannes married Synneva Hatleli, the daughter of another Norwegian family, homestead land was no longer available, so the the young couple went west to Dakota Territory, settling in Medary township around 1878. The father Andreas also homesteaded in the area, settling on the northwest shores of Lake Sinai in March of 1889.
The rest of the article describes early life on the prairie for the Johannes Berge family. Their home for about three years was a sod hut. A frame house, the first one in the area, was built in 1881, with additions made in 1889 and and 1901. Wells were dug by hand to a depth of 16 to 25 feet. Wheat and oats were the first crops. Later, they raised flax and corn. It is very evident that life back then was no walk in the park. Life was difficult, but the people had a deep faith in God, which allowed them to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Johannes and Synneva had six children. Oscar, the only boy, married Ruth Havrevold. They had four children, Joe, Ruby, Ruth, and David, the father of David of our class. Two of Oscar's sisters married into the Vick and Bortnem families. David's father also married into the Bortnem family, thus making those families related to each other. Mr. Berge's obituary can be found here: http://eidsnessfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/Eidsne1/obit.cgi?user=74130988_DBerge
Numerous local families also made their contributions to this magnificent book. Some names that may be familiar to us are Jeannette Abbey (many of us likely had our senior pictures taken by her), Richard Adee (well-known honey producer from Bruce), Oscar Ahnberg (anyone remember Loren Ahnberg from elementary/jr. hi; there was even a town named Ahnberg), Earl Bartling (Bartling's Furniture), Bauman, Beatty, Behrend, Bibby, Biggar, Bishman, Cheever, Chittick, Corlett, Crosser, Darnall, Derscheid, Duff, Dybdahl (Dybdahl Motors), Egeberg, Erickson, Fishback, Foreman, Fuller, Gilbertson, Gile, Gilkerson, Grommersch (Rich Helsper's mother was a Grommersch), Halvorson, Hanson (Brad Rufer's mother was a Hanson), Hegg, Hendricks (Bernie's family), Hoy, Johnson, Juel, Kendall, Kinch, Knutson, Larson (Arne B.'s family), Linn, Lund, Maher (relatives to Tangen and Wilber), Martinson, Matson (the drug store), May (Zesto), McCann, McCarty, McKeown, McKnight (3M), Minier (postmaster before Tom Lyons), Moberg, Moe, Moriarty, Moxon, Nelson, Ness, Norton, Odegaard, Olson, Ostroot, Osvog, Perso, Peterson, Pike, Quail, Ribstein, Rude, Sanderson, Schroeder, Sexauer, Simmons, Skordahl, Steen, Sterud, Sundet, Svenners, Telkamp, Tofte, Trautman, Trudell, Trygstad, VanderWal, Vick, Wheeler (our 9th gade English teacher married into this family), Wiese, Wilber, and Workman.
It is a fascinating book , and includes a little history and interesting facts about the towns in Brookings County. It may be worth your while to browse through it if you are in the area and have a keen interest in this sort of thing.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
"Alumni Square plans taking shape for BHS"
"Alumni Square plans taking shape for BHS" Landscaping, benches, wall, patio history to be installed in northwest corner of campus." Thus reads the headline of the Brookings Register for the weekend of August 22/23, 2015. The public has now been informed about the new addition planned for the high school. According to the paper, the plan was, with the help of current BHS principal Paul von Fischer, "dreamed up by the Brookings High School Class of 1964 (http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Brookings-High-School/32824?page=0)at their 50th reunion last year." (We were in 7th grade that year--http://www.classmates.com/yearbooks/Brookings-High-School/32824?page=106) (Some of these seniors that might be familiar to us are Bill Adams, Ron Aho, Russ Anderson, Dave Beatty, Ileen Beneke, Pete Bentley, Leslie Billings, Sharon Boggs, Liz Bundgaard, Ron Christie, Gary Derscheid, Mike Dotson, Marlyn Erickson, Nancy Felt, Van Fishback, Mary Foreman, Jerry Hoffman, Doug Holzkamp, Ray Horn, Kathy Ishmael, Julie Jackson, Tom Klinkel, Carol Kinney, Janice Kortan, Donna Lombard, Pat Lyons, Bob Nemitz, Suzanne Ness, Rich Norton, Dave Osvog, Terry Otterness, Mark Sanderson, John Schultz, Merri Lynn Schoepf, George Semeniuk, Tom Sexauer, Connie Shirley, Dave Sogn, Karen Sterud, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Turner, Susan Vick, Dave Watson, Anne Westbrook, and Barb Wolter)
The article continues: "They envision an attractive and meaningful landscaped embellishment on the high school campus that will bring together in a common effort past and future BHS graduates.
"Their planned Alumni Square, which will actually be laid out 'in the round,' will include a bit of history dating back to the community’s high school in 1888, along with a modernistic, polished granite reflection wall, benches, and a centerpiece patio area highlighted with a giant likeness of a Bobcat paw print."
The planning committee of Anne Westbrook, John Schultz, Carol (Kinney) Hintz, Van Fishback, and Merri Lynn (Schoepf) Nelson hope to raise enough funds to be begin construction this fall. The bell from the city's first permanent school, the "Red Castle," will be showcased in a concrete tower. Also assisting in the planning, at no charge, were these Brookings firms: Banner Associates, Inc.; Outlaw Graphics; Brutty Landscaping; and Les Rowland of designArc.
Tax deductible gifts to the project may be sent to:
BHS Alumni Square projects
c/o Brian Lueders
School Administrative Offices
2130 Eight Street South
Brookings, SD 57006
A brief article can be found at http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=76&story_id=25834
The post below also contains some information, but it can be somewhat difficult to read. 50 years ago, we were high school freshmen, although we were still considered to be in junior high. This project seems very noble. Perhaps a small donation for those in a position to do so will help make this endeavor a reality sooner than later.
The article continues: "They envision an attractive and meaningful landscaped embellishment on the high school campus that will bring together in a common effort past and future BHS graduates.
"Their planned Alumni Square, which will actually be laid out 'in the round,' will include a bit of history dating back to the community’s high school in 1888, along with a modernistic, polished granite reflection wall, benches, and a centerpiece patio area highlighted with a giant likeness of a Bobcat paw print."
The planning committee of Anne Westbrook, John Schultz, Carol (Kinney) Hintz, Van Fishback, and Merri Lynn (Schoepf) Nelson hope to raise enough funds to be begin construction this fall. The bell from the city's first permanent school, the "Red Castle," will be showcased in a concrete tower. Also assisting in the planning, at no charge, were these Brookings firms: Banner Associates, Inc.; Outlaw Graphics; Brutty Landscaping; and Les Rowland of designArc.
Tax deductible gifts to the project may be sent to:
BHS Alumni Square projects
c/o Brian Lueders
School Administrative Offices
2130 Eight Street South
Brookings, SD 57006
A brief article can be found at http://www.brookingsregister.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=76&story_id=25834
The post below also contains some information, but it can be somewhat difficult to read. 50 years ago, we were high school freshmen, although we were still considered to be in junior high. This project seems very noble. Perhaps a small donation for those in a position to do so will help make this endeavor a reality sooner than later.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Another Addition To The High School
Our "new" high school is nearing its 50th anniversary. If any of us have not visited it recently, we would hardly recognize it. Additions in the past 20 years have practically doubled the area. Not only are there new classrooms, there are new gymnasiums, locker rooms, lunchroom and commons area, and new administrative offices. The parking lot has been reconfigured, with the parking spaces running north and south rather than east and west. The front of the school is now the west side, rather than the east side as we remember it.
Another addition that is planned is the “Brookings High School Alumni Square” project. According to a recent email, it "will be located on the northwest corner of the Brookings High School campus. The information about the project will be shared at upcoming class reunions and be promoted at events at the high school throughout the year. There will also be a community campaign starting with a story about the project in the Brookings Register in August.
Below (and above; the picture kept moving around, and I could not "freeze" it) is a copy of the brochure that is being distributed to promote the Alumni Square Project. To view the entire page, see the hint below.
When I view these document, only half shows up. On my computer, to view the whole thing, I have to right-click on the image, then click on the View Image command.
Don't know if that will work with anyone else. When the Register runs the story, we will post it on here.
Another addition that is planned is the “Brookings High School Alumni Square” project. According to a recent email, it "will be located on the northwest corner of the Brookings High School campus. The information about the project will be shared at upcoming class reunions and be promoted at events at the high school throughout the year. There will also be a community campaign starting with a story about the project in the Brookings Register in August.
Features in the square include:
- The red and black concrete Bobcat paw logo
- The bell tower. This will house the school bell
that was found that was on the top of the 2nd school built in Brookings in 1888. (http://classof69bhs.blogspot.com/2015/02/resurrection-of-red-castle-remnant.html)
- The corner stone that will face the street running
north of the high school “Brookings High School Alumni Square”
- The tree that the class of 63 planted has been
incorporated into the circle. An additional tree will be planted to balance it.
- Two pillars will form the entry. Vertical lettering
on each pillar – Alumni on one, Square on the other.
- A polished granite reflection wall is at the back.
- Shrubs, benches, garbage cans etc. will be added.
This
a tremendous undertaking, but will be a great addition to the BHS
campus and a great way for alumni to show their appreciation for their
days at BHS. The project
is planned for completion in phases based on funding. The first phase will be the bell-tower and the Bobcat paw.
We
are making every effort to get the word out about this project so
please forward/share the brochure and pertinent information with friends
and family that have
a Brookings connection. Don't get frustrated now. Just keep reading and scrolling down. Half of the brochure shows up next. No idea why that is happening. It is explained below.
The Alumni Square Steering Committee from the Class of 1964
Van Fishback
Carol Kinney Hintz
Merri Lynn Schoepf Nelson
John Schultz
Anne Westbrook
When I view these document, only half shows up. On my computer, to view the whole thing, I have to right-click on the image, then click on the View Image command. Don't know if that will work with anyone else. When the Register runs the story, we will post it on here.
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