In April, we had some nasty weather. There were a couple of big snowstorms in the middle of the month. The middle of April is also the time when the South Dakota rock and Roll Music Association inducts bands into their hall of fame. However, one of the storms occurred during that time, likely hurting attendance. One of the bands inducted was formed by some BHS students in the wonderful year of 1969. That band is "Cocoon." A link to their biography is(http://www.southdakotarockandrollmusicassociation.com/inductee?id=240#Cocoon).
Last summer, Cocoon played at the Summer Arts Festival. They drew a really nice crowd, with many of their classmates in attendance. Eric Adams proved to be about as nimble as Mick Jagger. He seemed quite agile for someone in his 60's. He commented that he hoped the band would be inducted into the hall of fame in the coming year, as he and the others were getting too old to wait another year. His and the band's dream came true. Below is the article as it appeared in the Register of April, 28, 2018.
Perhaps some of those band members received their start under the tutelage of Mr. Erling Engstrom. Mr. Engstrom was the instrumental music teacher when we were in grade school and junior high, and remained there when the new high school was built. He comes to the public library just about every day, often arriving early and taking a walk around the block before the facility opens. He recently had his 90th birthday on June 1. If anyone cares to send him a card, his address is 2042 Arbor Ridge, Brookings, SD 57006.
Does anyone recall the Jr. Hi pep band under Mr. Engstrom's direction? They would set up on the stage of the Central gym, playing the school song to the tune of the "Minnesota Rouser", the pep song for the University of Minnesota. The pep band was discontinued in the mid-70's when girls' athletic programs became a regular part of the extra-curricular schedule.. Since most of the band members were also involved in an athletic activity, only a few were left to play in the pep band. Thus, the discontinuance of pep band at the middle school level. At our last reunion, the question was asked if anyone remembered the words to the school song from our high school days. Can anyone recall the words to the Jr. Hi pep song?
When we were in the 5th grade, a new student by the name of Jeff Jager moved into town. He lived on the corner of 2nd Street and 8th Avenue, two blocks east of me, and just across the street from Jim Egeberg. He only went to school here that one year (or part of the year). About 20 years ago, there was an article in the Register concerning the new owner of the grocery store in Volga. His name was Jeff Jager. Curiosity got the better of me, so I finally went over there a couple of months ago to ask if he had ever gone to school in Brookings. He said he had, but he remembered very few of the students in his class. About the only he remembered was Jim Egeberg, likely because they lived so close to one another. We had a nice little visit, and he indicated that he was ready to retire from the grocery business, so he was looking for someone to buy him out. It doesn't appear as if anyone has offered to take it over, so the store closed about six weeks ago (May 25). The Register of May 23 had a nice article about Jeff and his career. His retirement plans include working on old cars, so he would fit right in with those numerous classic car lovers in our class.
While scanning the minutes of the school board meeting in the May 31 Register, it jumped out at me that two of our classmates made a donation the school's NFL fund. NFL is not a reference to professional football. Rather, NFL is the National Forensic League, an organization working to improve debating and speaking skills , such as declam and oratory, for high school students. According their website (http://www.forensicscommunity.com/index.php?q=league/national-forensic-league), "The National Forensics League is a nationwide organization that gives high school students the opportunity to polish their speaking/acting skills, compete in regulated National tournaments, and be a part of a lifelong organization that promotes solid speaking skills and intelligence." Their efforts are often unrecognized by many students and community folks. How many of us realize that in our senior year, the debaters were State "A" champions? Of those eleven debaters, all but three were from the class of 1969. Those classmates who participated in the state declam contest also experienced much success. The skills that they learned toiling those long hours have remained with them to this day.
Sixty years ago, this First Communion picture below appeared in the July 16, 1958 edition of the Register. While this picture has appeared on this blog before, not all of the students were identifiable. The Register listed their names, but did not identify them individually. Can you match these names with the individuals? The girls are: Cherylin Ahern, Patricia Bates, Robyn Connelly, Kelly Dolen (sic), Patricia Erger, Catherine Funk, Delores and Mary Heeren, Sarah Hoy, Judy and Robyn Howell, Cecilia and Margaret Mary Kellogg, Theresa Meierbachtel, Mary Pearson, Debra Shirley and Catherine Wilber. The boys are: James Antonides, Douglas Biggar, Steve Braley, M. Coughlan (sic), Pat Durland, Gregg Graff, James Herrig, Dan Holm, John Iverson, Joseph Jensen, alan Leibel, Ronald and Thomas McTague, Mike McClemans, John (sic) and Jerry Martinson, Rickie Thompson, Rolland Vostad, James Wakeman, rock (sic) Watson, and Tim Serlet. The priests are Fr. F. X. Dooley and Fr. John Garvey. Jeannette Abby, who took many of our senior pictures, also took this photo.
No comments:
Post a Comment