High School Alumni, Columbia, Brown County, South Dakota This is the full text of the following book. It was scanned in by Maurice Krueger (mkrueger@iw.net, 178 Southshore Drive, Mina, SD, 57462-3000) and proofread and edited by James J. Lewis (triske@io.com, 3503 Owen Cir., Apt. N, Austin, TX, 78705-1130). The original book did not have an index, so this full text version was scanned in order to facilitate names searches with a search engine. An original print copy of the book is available from Aberdeen, South Dakota's Alexander Mitchell Public Library (519 S. Kline St., Aberdeen, SD, 57401-4495). It does not have a catalog number. * This work may be freely copied, but may not be sold. * ----------------------------------------------------------------- ROUNDUP TIME OF ALUMNI OF COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL 1926 - 1965 Prepared by the Columbia Alumni Association, Columbia, SD Printed by Western Printing Co. c. 1965 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PROLOGUE We, the alumni of Columbia High School, want to share with each other the many recollections of the past. For as we reminisce, we re-live history and pass tradition on to everyone's future. Class histories from the various class chairmen have been good. Some facts, dates and figures need correction. We have been unable to contact all our former classmates; our "Comet" files are not totally complete, and our memories are human. We hope this project will encourage all to recall the many nostalgic memories of Columbia High School. Continue to send to your historian more of that which needs recording and help correct us wherever you can. On March 2, 1861, Dakota Territory became a reality when President Buchanan signed the Organic Act, and statehood status followed in November, 1889. Surely our pioneer ancestors taught their children the three "R's" by candlelight in their log cabins and sod shanties on the prairie, and from this began the desire to establish our first school. History tells us the first school in Dakota territory dates back to 1818 in Pembina County. The first school in Brown County was taught by Rachel Smith and opened in 1881 near the present site of Putney, S. D. The first schoolhouse in Columbia was built in 1883. This three-story, brick building was located on the hill three blocks east, across the railroad tracks, from the present Congregational Church in the area now occupied by the Catholic cemetery. Later, school was carried on in the County Courthouse, located where the present St. John's Lutheran Church stands. When the building was removed, our first, white, wooden two- story school was built on the present school grounds in 1907. This building had all eight grades downstairs, and ninth and tenth grades were upstairs. We had no gymnasium. We were able to gather a few records which indicate that school opened in Sept. 1907 with Miss Regan as superintendent. She taught grades 6-7-8-9 and Miss Peak taught the lower grades. Mrs. George P. Paddock was superintendent beginning Oct. 3, 1910 for three years. Such students to attend then were: Andrew Hoover, Alice Johnson, Orpha Hoover, Lillian Larson, Katie Conley, Harry Kemnitz, Mamie Hemen, Kenneth Hoover, Roy Wahl and Earl Schatfen. The fall of 1913, Mr. Zumwalt was Supt. for one year. Mr. A. G. Savage taught for two terms as Supt. and taught such individuals as Willis Klepfer, Frank Lewis, Katherine Connell, Fred Clark and Harold Hemen. In about 1916, Gust Wahl and Billy Peters planted the trees surrounding the school block. Mr. H. Melcher was Supt. for three years and our records show from an old High School newspaper, called the "Upstart", that a two-year graduation was held for three tenth graders - Hazel Pratt, Donald Hoover and Joyce Lewis. This graduation was held in the Congregational Church with Prof. A. H. Seymour of N.S.T.C. giving the address. Other numbers on the program were a duet by Eazel Pratt and Joyce Lewis, and a solo by Hazel; the class prophecy by Joyce and a selection by the church choir, a brief review of the history of World War I by Donald. The diplomas were presented by Mr. Melcher. Mr. Melcher also taught Beth Durkee, Bernice (Hall) Gabert and Delite Hastings. The third year of high school was added in the fall of 1918 for: Maude Gooding, Hazel Pratt, Joyce Lewin; and the Supt. was Margaret A. James for one year. Mary E. Ford was the Supt. for one year. J. O. Davis was Supt. for one year and taught Ada and Annie Larson, Gladys, Della and Reese Laurence, Anna Nilsson, Ruth Renderknecht, Gordon Elliott, Fred Wright, Jr., Charles Zantrow, Richard Daly and Edith Chase. George Chase was Supt. for two years and taught Bernice Elliott, Lois McCormick, Harold Dennert, Selma Hanson, Clifford Johnson, Laura Yeske, Helen Schliebe, Violet Borden, and Lester Hoover. In the summer of 1924 three more classrooms and a gymnasium were added to the structure. In Sept. 1925 a four-year accredited course was offered for the first time. The graduating class of 1926 was the first to complete this course. It was in 1924 and 1925 that a gymnasium and three new high school classrooms were added to the original structure. This building served Columbia vicinity for 34 years. During these years improvements were made yearly. In 1931 a new gym floor was laid, walls white-washed, furnace pipes enclosed, cloak rooms added, a library was set up in the English room and showers were installed. It was not until May, 1951, that blueprints were drawn up, by a former graduate, Archie Daly, for a new Community Auditorium. The original committee consisted of: Clifford Padley, general chairman, Dick Daly, Ben Buntrock, Connie Hanson, Harry Kemnitz, Oliver Weismantel, Harold Dennert, Rudy Buntrock, Floyd Davis, Bob Dennert, Henry Hillen, Bob Pence, Art Ringgenberg, R. L. Martin, Mrs, Ervin Milbrandt and Mrs. Albert Weihrauch. The structure, valued at $150,000, was built at a cost of approximately $45,000 due to the cooperative spirit of the men and women of the community. The project began with over $13,000 in pledges from the people of the community. Only four paid laborers were hired to work on the building. Some of the unique money-making plans were: community auction sales, community plays, food sales, breakfasts served at 4:00 A.M. to hunters, lunches sold at sporting events, donation from the Harold Dennert hunting pit rentals amounting to around $5,000. This structure was completed for use on Jan. 29, 1953. On April 13, 1954, plans were made to remodel the old gym to include grade and high school classrooms. This was completed in March of 1956. As the 1959 school year drew to a close, we looked back at some of the events that had happened that year. We remembered the State "B" Tournament. Then we experienced the tragic climax that ended 52 eventful years - the burning of our school. On April 29th the three-story, frame school burned to the ground. All material things were lost, some replaceable, some not, but memories can never be taken away. To supplement room, classes were held in the Congregational Church basement and one in the auditorium dining room. The Masonic Temple was converted into high school classrooms and these have been used for the past six years. A new, four-room, grade school was constructed next to the auditorium and finished March 1, 1960. Will our upperclassmen be scattered throughout the State or will a new high school be forthcoming? As an added note - the City of Columbia will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 1979. The following Class Histories is a resume of 40 years of high school in Columbia. CLASS OF 1926 School opened in September, 1922, with a total high school enrollment of 39. Of these we believe the 13 freshmen were: William Padley Bernhardt Buntrock Evelyn Everson Albertina Zastrow Laura Podoll Lydia Podoll Lloyd Hill Amelia Krege Esther Flindt Norman Hassenpflug Louise Buntrock Helmuth Zastrow Vera McCormick Activities in those days were similar to the activities of high school students at this time except that we did not travel as fast nor as far nor were we as sophisticated as the seniors of the present day. We had a very good baseball team in 1924-25, winning a five- inch silver trophy cup for sportsmanship. We attended the baseball tourney at Groton and won 2nd place, but no trophy was given. In the spring of 1926-27, with Helmuth doing all the pitching, we won first place at the Groton baseball tourney, bringing home a big eleven-inch trophy. Basketball was also a popular sport. We had a basketball court with a packed dirt surface, on the southeast corner of the schoolground. This is where we learned our fundamentals in basketball. As seniors we were the first class to use the new portion of the building in which the gymnasium was located. Prior to that time we played our basketball games in the Lewis Building downtown, which was sort of a dance hall with two basketball courts. In 1924-25 when our new gym was completed, we were able to practice longer and developed a good basketball team. Prior to that we had a four-room school, with three years of high school upstairs and all eight grades downstairs. It was Nov. 26, 1926, when the first basketball game was played in the new gym. Cheerleaders were Melvin Lewis and Beatrice Markin. We were very active in Declam. Albertina Zastrow won first in the District meet in Groton. We also had a Senior Class play. Our class motto was "Always Lead; Never Follow." At our Baccalaureate services, the Rev. Green gave the sermon. Commencement was held at the Congregational Church on May 26, 1926, with Dr. H. K. Warren of Yankton, S. D., giving the address. Our diplomas were presented by John F. Holdhusen. The following is the first class to graduate from a four-year high school course at Columbia. William S. Padley graduated from the University of Nebraska and practiced law in Nebraska until 1963. He is married to Betty Cox and they have one son and one daughter. Bill was also in the Air Corps. Bernhardt H. Buntrock attended Aberdeen Business College. He was a farmer for many years in the Columbia vicinity. Ben is now an Insurance Agent, living in Aberdeen, S. D., with his wife, Agnes. They have five sons and one daughter. Evelyn E. Everson graduated from N.S.T.C. and was a teacher for many years. She in married to Alvin Schroopfer. They live in Haxen, N. D., and have five children. Albertina Zastrow studied nursing and is an R.N. She lives in Mankato, Minn., with her husband, Lester Halverson, and their son, Bruce. CLASS OF 1927 The Class of 1927 was the second class to graduate from C.H.S. We started as freshmen when Columbia School was still a three-year high school. Fourteen students enrolled: Helmuth Zastrow Henry Warne Norman Hassenpflug Emmett Prunty Inez Cooper Lorna Buntrock Lester Wahl Gerald Hoover Gerald Rathert Lee Pratt Lloyd Hill Ralph Elliott Arthur Karlen Vera McCormick We started our sophomore year with 12 students. We had lost Henry Warne, Norman Hassenpflug, Emmett Prunty, Inez Cooper and Lloyd Hill. We gained Russel Shore and Lydia and Laura Podoll. Columbia was still a three-year high school but we were in a new addition which had been added to the north side of the schoolhouse. With the new gym, basketball became a part of the school activities. Both girls and boys had teams. We lost Laura Podoll this year because of illness. In our junior year we had only 11 students. Columbia became a four-year accredited high school and added another teacher. Baseball we played in the fall and spring and our team won a trophy in a baseball tournament at Groton. The boys playing on that team were: Helmuth Zastrow, Ben Buntrock, Ralph Herseth, Lee Pratt, Ralph Elliott, Art Krage, Cyril Bernet, Lester Wahl, Bill Padley, and Clifford Padley. There were Harold Richardson, Gerald Hoover, and Orville Evernon who also played ball but may not have played in that game. We had all new teachers in our senior year. There were only 10 students to graduate. Lester Wahl had gone to Montana to finish and Lee Pratt dropped out. Beatrice Markin, who had left in 1923 because we had only 3 years of high school, returned to finish her last year. She had taken nurses training and needed her high school diploma to get her R.N. certificate. Class officers were: President, Russell Shore; Sec.-Treas. - Lydia Podoll; Class Advisor - Miss McAllister. School attendance had risen 33% with 52 students enrolled. During 1926-27 there were several "firsts". The first school carnival was held on March 10, 1927. Thelma Asher, a Junior, was elected Queen. The first "Comet", edited once a week, was printed by the class of 1927. The first copy came out on Nov. 24, 1926. Columbia School had its first music in 1926-27 when Leone Tollefson, the primary teacher, started an orchestra in Nov. 1926. It consisted of Cyril Bernet and Orville Everson, violins; Ruth Everson and Gerald Rathert, saxophones; Clifford Padley, drums; Clara Yeske and Helen Jett, piano. The group made its first appearance at the second annual declamatory contest on Feb. 23, 1927. In Feb., with Lorna Buntrock, Helmuth Zastrow, and Russell Shore as team managers, we sold magazine subscriptions to raise funds for athletics. Lorna's team won with 41 subscriptions. Clifford Padley sold 12 subscriptions, the most for one student. Miss Green organized a Hikers Club - the members hiked once a week. The first Junior-Senior Banquet and Prom was held. Ralph Herseth was toastmaster and the Everson orchestra played for the dance. The first graduate to come back and teach in Columbia was Lorna Buntrock in 1932-33. The Senior Class play was, "What Happened to Jones?" and the proceeds were used to buy a typewriter which was left to the school as a class memorial. With Helmuth Zastrow doing all of the pitching, the baseball team had a good year, winning four games and losing one. The team won their second and third trophies in 1927. Baccalaureate was held in the Congregational Church on May 22, with the Rev. Green in charge. Graduation exercises were on May 27, also in the Congregational Church. Lorna Buntrock was Valedictorian and Gerald Hoover was Salutatorian. Dr. A. H. Seymour of N.S.T.C gave the address, "Mint Marks." The class of 1927 had some tragedies over the years. Emmett Prunty, stricken with blood influenza, died on Feb. 2, 1928, after a short illness. Gerald Rathert was killed in a train accident in Cutbank, Mont., on July 5, 1933. Laura Podoll died in Calif. in 1947. Lorna Buntrock lives with her husband, Ralph Herseth, on a ranch near Houghton. She taught school and was Deputy Brown County Superintendent of Schools from 1933-37. She served as County Superintendent 1937-39. They have three children. Ralph Elliott lives in Aberdeen with his wife, Verna. He is employed by the S. D. Dept. of Highways. They have two children. Gerald Hoover resides at Yankton, S. D. He is employed by Northwestern Public Service. He and his wife, Charlotte, have two children. Arthur Karlen farms near Hecla. He married Florence Krause and they have four children. Lydia Podoll is married to Howard Ramstad. They live at Salem, S. D. and have two children. Lydia taught school. She has arthritis and is confined to a wheel chair. Helmuth Zastrow married Helen Neff. They live in Columbia and he is employed at Peavey Lumber Co. Max farmed near Columbia for a number of years. They have three children. Beatrice Markin, R.N., lives in Huron. She is married to Bud Keller and they have one son. She works at her profession. Vera McCormick lives on a farm near Columbia with her husband, John Smilloff. They have one son. Russell Shore married a schoolmate, Thelma Asher. They live in Yankton, S. D., and have three children. He is employed as a Parts Manager. CLASS OF 1928 The following enrolled as freshmen in Sept. 1924: Cyril Bernet Walter Leise Pearl Leise Orville Everson Evelyn Elliott Laura Podoll Thelma Asher Arthur Krage Harold Richardson Clara Yeske Edwin Yeske At the start of our sophomore year we had lost Laura Podoll, and Edwin Yeske left us after his second year. Ralph Herseth, Elnora Sullivan, and Martha Childress joined us at the beginning of our Junior year. The first Oral English Club was organized with Evelyn Elliott as president. As Juniors the six girls presented the play, "Her Son's Sweetheart." New basketball uniforms were needed, so the students sold magazine subscriptions to pay for them. We had a good team consisting of Cyril Bernet, Clifford Padley, Arthur Krage, Harold Richardson, Ralph Herseth, Walter Leise, Robert Dennert, and Orville Everson. It was while we were Juniors that the Board controlling athletics in S. Dakota effected the plan by which the State would be divided into eight regions composed of thirty districts. Columbia was placed in region one and district three. Other teams in this district were Aberdeen, Hecla, Barnard, Westport, Frederick, Warner and Stratford. While Juniors, it was the aim of all students to be on the Superintendent's list for examination exemptions. Any student having an average of 90% was exempt from an exam in the subject in which he had that average. At the second annual Declam contest Ralph Herseth represented our class in Oratory and won third place. Graduating on May 25, 1928, were Cyril Bernet, Ralph Herseth, Walter and Pearl Leise, Orville Everson, Evelyn Elliott, Elnora Sullivan, Martha Childress, Thelma Asher, Harold Richardson, Arthur Krage, Clara Yeske and Laura Podoll. Evelyn Elliott was Valedictorian and Clara Yeske was Salutatorian. Earl Klepfer presented the diplomas. The Junior-Senior banquet was held in the northwest classroom. The theme was "Bon Voyage", and Clara Schliebe was toastmistress. The seniors made a pledge to have a reunion the first Saturday in June, 1933, and every five years thereafter. Cyril Bernet attended the University of Minnesota. He is married and lives in Grant's Pass, Oregon, where he has a sportswear shop. Ralph Herseth attended N.S.T.C. and North Dakota State College. Ralph has been interested and active in politics and he became South Dakota's 36th Governor in 1959. He was the first Democratic Governor in 30 years. Many of his friends from this community attended his inauguration at Pierre. A banquet was given in his honor in our auditorium. He is married to Lorna Buntrock and they live on a farm south of Houghton, S. D. They have three children. Walter Leise graduated from Ellendale College in N. D. He is married and lives in Belle Plaine, Minn. Pearl Leise attended N.S.T.C. and taught school. She is married to George Reuteler and they have five children. Orville Everson graduated from Teachers College at Ellendale, N. D. He is married to a schoolmate, Jennie Issler, and they have two children. They live at Vancouver, Wash., where Orville teaches. Evelyn Elliott attended N.S.T.C. and taught school. She is married to one of Columbia High School's Superintendents, George Dirksen, and they have three children. They live in Fresno, Calif. Evelyn has been employed in the city library for several years. Elnora Sullivan, married to Herb Pautsch, lives in Malolla, Ore., and is employed as an accountant. Martha Childress lives in Minneapolis with husband, Clem Wenner. He is a warehouse manager for Winston-Newell. They have one daughter. Harold Richardson attended N. S. T. C. and taught school for nine years. He is married to Loretta Strang, who was also a teacher. They have eight children and farm near Houghton. Arthur Krage is married to Verna Kremer. They have one son and live in Los Angeles, Calif. where Art works for Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Clara Yeske is a Registered Nurse and lives in Jordan, Montana. She is married to Bann Wille and they have one son. CLASS OF 1929 The class of 1929 were freshmen the year Columbia first maintained a four-year high school. Those enrolled as freshmen were: Clem Wenner Daisy Borden Rachel Hoover Clifford Padley Robert Dennert Clara Schliebe Ella Krege Helen Fry Mildred Weismantel Alwin Dennert Alfred Chase Gilbert Karlen Florence Zastrow Oliver Weismantel In our sophomore year George Thompson, Hazel and Dorothy Spencer, Myrtle Richardson and Lucille Fouts joined us. Florence Zastrow left C.H.S. after her sophomore year to enroll at Seward, Nebr., Concordia Lutheran Teachers College to prepare herself as a parochial teacher. Peryl Russell joined us for the Junior year. Mildred Weismantel had to drop out after being with us for 3 years because of her health. Lucille Fouts also left us. Miss Leone Tollefson organized the first band in the fall of 1926 with six members and Clifford Padley played the drums. High interest by the community was taken during our four years at C.H.S. in both girls and boys basketball athletic programs. A Hikers Club was organized by Miss Green and many girls participated. The first Balfour Plaque Distinct Honor was awarded to the student who in the opinion of fellow students and faculty had distinguished himself during his high school career in scholarship, achievement, extracurricular activity, loyalty and fairness. Clara Schliebe won this award in 1929. The third annual Junior-Senior Banquet was held on April 20, 1929. In our senior year we had 13 graduates. Daisy Borden was our Valedictorian and Clara Schliebe was Salutatorian. Our class motto was, "At the Foothills Climbing." The class colors were old rose and silver and the class flower was the rose. Peryl Russell distinguished herself as Editor of the Comet and was honored with a Journalism award from S. D. State College at Brookings, S. Dak. Baccalaureate was held May 19, Prof. T. Harmon was the speaker. Commencement was held May 24 and Henry Osgard, N.S.T.C., was the speaker. Diplomas were presented by Earl Klepfer, Chairman of the Board of Education. After graduation, seven of our class enrolled at N.S.T.C. to prepare for a teaching career: Peryl Russell, Clara Schliebe, Jennie Issler, Hazel Spencer, Myrtle Richardson, Helen Fry, and Ella Krege. Clara, Jennie and Helen are still teaching. A few highlights of our classmates-- Daisy Borden is married to Dewald Stoecker, a postal clerk. They live in Phoenix, Ariz, and have two children. Daisy was a postal clerk. Robert Dennert married Lucille Wenner and they live in Columbia, S.D. Bob has been a banker and businessman. They have four children. Rachel Hoover Schueth is the only registered nurse of our class and lives in Pierre, S.D. She has four children. Rachel is widowed. Ella Krege is married to Albert Weihrauch and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have four girls. She taught school before her marriage. Clara Schliebe married Hillery Clark. They live in Chicago, Illinois and have nine children. She is a teacher at a Lutheran School. Myrtle Richardson Plummer lives on a farm near Columbia. She has six children and is widowed. Myrtle taught school before her marriage. Clifford Padley and wife Lorraine Wenner live on a farm near Columbia. They have two children. Hazel Spencer Green lives in Redfield, S.D. They have four children. She taught school for many years. Jennie Issler lives in Vancouver, Wash., with her husband, Orville Everson. They have two children. She is teaching school. Dorothy Spencer Murray married a farmer and lives near Garden City, S.D. They have two children. She taught school. Helen Fry Murray lives in Hobbs, New Mexico. She has two children. Helen has a degree and is teaching. George Thompson and wife, Ruth, live in Aberdeen, S.D. George is secretary of the S.D. Wheat Growers. They have four children. Peryl Russell Ogden lives in Aberdeen, S.D. She is a businesswoman and active in civic affairs. She has three children and is widowed. CLASS OF 1930 When the class started, it consisted of the following: Lucille Wenner Ruth Sullivan Marjorie Elliott Ida Zastrow Esther McCormick Lenore Felix Herman Krage Hazel Williams Laura Weismantel Esther Hanson Kenneth Kemnitz Walter Sieber Adolph Krege Of these, Lucille, Ida, Esther McCormick, Lenore, and Marjorie were the five members who attended all four years together. Alwin and Gertrud were members of the class the last three years; Mary, the last two years; and Howard Sonday spent his last year as a member of the class. The Junior Class play was, "Poor Father", and the Senior play was, "The Path Across the Hill." Both plays were directed by Esther Jones. Senior Class officers were: Pres.-Alwin Dennert; Vice Pres.- Mary Issler; Sec.-Ida Zastrow; Treas.-Lucille Wenner. Marjorie Elliott was Valedictorian and Esther McCormick was Salutatorian. Lucille Wenner received the Balfour Award for scholarship, loyalty, and achievement. The class motto was, "The Path of Difficulty Leads to the Door of Success." Class colors were Nile green and apricot and the class flower was the yellow chrysanthemum. The class donated a set of reference books to the school. The Commencement speaker was S. B. Nissen. The first Big and Little Sisters Club was organized. The first C.H.S. Monitorial system was introduced into the assembly the fall of 1929. This was the year the Columbia High School joined the S.D. School Press Association. A debate society was organized January 23, 1930, and was named "Nevem Firmi Decentes" (nine strong speakers). The first student council was organized by Supt. Dirksen. Marjorie Elliott attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before her marriage to Richard Daly. They live on a farm near Columbia and have one son. Lucille Wenner lives with her husband, Robert H. Dennert, in Columbia. They have four children. Ida Zastrow married a parochial schoolteacher, Earl Matthies. They live in Detroit, Mich. They have two daughters. Esther McCormick attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before and since her marriage to Robert Graves. They live at Frederick and have two sons. Lenore Felix is married to Henry Freudenthal and they live on a farm near Britton. They have five children. Mary Issler attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before her marriage to Joe Toomey. Mary was widowed and now teaches school in Rush Prairie, Wash. They had two children. Gertrud Weihrauch attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before her marriage. She and her husband, Art Ringgenberg, live on a farm near Columbia. They have nine children. Alwin Dennert farms north of Columbia. He and his wife, Phyllis, have three children. No one has been able to find any information about Howard Sonday. CLASS OF 1931 As we began our high school days in 1927 only four subjects were offered. Our Junior year saw the Student Council organized. The publication of a high school annual called "Memoirs" was the highlight of our senior year. Also, for the first time in its history, Columbia High was represented in a commercial contest in Aberdeen. Robert Hoover represented our class in the bookkeeping division and placed second. Edwin Karlen represented our class in the district declamatory contest in the oratorical division. The class motto was, "Not Evening - but Dawn"; the class flower was a rose and the colors were rose and silver. The Rev. T. E. Harmon delivered the Baccalaureate address, and the Commencement address was given by Mr. M. F. Tostlebe of N.S.T.C. Robert Hoover was Valedictorian and Helen Jett was Salutatorian. The graduates of our class were: Edwin Karlen farms and lives in Columbia. He is married to Rhea Christenson and they have three children. Emil Krage is married to Irene Karlen Sullivan and they live in Columbia. He operates the Sinclair Oil plant. They have two sons. Robert Hoover lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and is chief engineer for A. C. Johnson Construction Co. He is married to Grace Hagen and they have three children. Bob served in the Armed Forces in the Infantry. Marie Yeske is married to Elmer Peck and they live on a farm near Bath, S.D. They have one daughter and one son. Lydia Yeske is married to Homer Hayhurst and they live in Minneapolis, Minn. They have three children. Helen Jett is Mr. Helen Bellis and lives in Long Beach, Calif. She has two sons. Elnora Dennert is married to Douglas Giles and they farm in Endicot, Wash. She has three children. Helen Neff is married to Helmuth Zastrow and they live in Columbia. They have three children. She is a postal clerk in the local post office. Sylvia Tollefson married John Wilson and they are both deceased. They had two children. CLASS OF 1932 As freshmen we started with 16 students. Through the four years we lost a few and gained a few and in 1932, 17 students graduated from C.H.S. In our Junior year, Maude Russell wrote the words to our new school song, winning a season ticket to the home basketball games. Our Junior Class play was, "Rose of the Southland." Other honors during this year were: Verna Kindschi represented us at the singing contest in Aberdeen in the Soprano Division. Eloise Conley won $1.00 in an essay contest on "Why We Fete Armistice Day", sponsored by the Legion Auxiliary. We were represented in the district declamatory contest by Lorraine Wenner in the dramatic division. As seniors we presented the play, "Miss Somebody Else." We donated a new Ditto machine for the school paper. Ruth Everson won the Balfour Award for scholarship, loyalty, and achievement. Our class colors were blue and gold; the class flower was the yellow rose and the class motto was, "Forward not Backward." The Rev. Bennett delivered the Baccalaureate address and Mr. I. D. Weeks of N.S.T.C. gave the Commencement address. Valedictorian was Monna Kilpatrick and the Salutatorian was Ruth Everson. Our graduates were: Eloise Conley is married to Lawrence Jardee and resides in Aberdeen, S.D., where she is employed in the Internal Revenue Office. They have one son. Albert Krege is married to Florence Hoffman and they live on the Sand Lake Refuge near Columbia. They have two children. Esther Beller is married to Earl Johnson and they live in Seattle, Wash. They have six children. Monna Kilpatrick is married to Edwin Yeske and they live in Milpitas, Calif., where Mr Yeske is employed in Civil Service. They have six children. Helen Kilpatrick is now married to Brodie Trellis and they live in Richmond, Calif. She has a family of four children. Madora Jones is married to Jim Woolery and they live in Columbia. They have seven children. Eveline Weihrauch is married to Donald Pratt and they live in Long Beach, Calif. They have four children. She is doing office work. Frank Markin married Madeline Numiller, and they have four children. He works at AiroJets in Calif. Marion Wright is married to Charles Todd, of Columbia City, Oregon. They have two children. Verna Kindschi is married to Ralph Elliott and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. They have two sons. She is employed at St. Luke's Hospital. Marguerite Fouts married Otto Yeske, Jr. & they had three children. Otto is deceased. She is now married to Connie Hanson and they live in Columbia. Ruth Klepfer is married to Alvin Zastrow and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Rudy Karlen married Dorothy Mertz and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have five children. Ruth Everson is married to Ernest Snow. They live in Amarillo, Texas and have six children. CLASS OF 1933 Freshmen enrolling the fall of 1929 were: Donald Elliott Alvin Zastrow Reinhold Krage Wendell Felix Egon Buntrock Viola Smith Elda Wockenfuss Mervin Gilchrist Harold Nilsson Eleanor Hoover Hazel Rossman Edna Buntrock Viola Hanson Dorothy Buntrock Shirley Russell Delbert Esche Virgie Kittleson Robert Wright Our enrollment stayed the same our sophomore year but as Juniors, Robert Wright and Virgie Kittleson left us. Joyce Kilpatrick joined the class this year. Our Junior play was, "Adventures of Grandpa." We feted 17 Seniors at the Junior- Senior banquet on April 23 at the Congregational Church. Some new faces appeared our senior year and 20 graduated. They were: Donald Elliott, Alvin Zastrow, Reinhold Krage, Wendell Felix, Egon Buntrock, Viola Smith, Elda Wockenfuss, Mervin Gilchrist, Harold Nilsson, Florence Kilpatrick, Mildred Knecht, Eleanor Hoover, Hazel Rossman, Edna Buntrock, Viola Hanson, Dorothy Buntrock, Esther Albrecht, Shirley Russell, Bernice Albrecht, and John Daly. Robert Daly was with us only part of his senior year. "Manhattan Honeymoon" was the senior play. Hazel Rossman was class president. Alvin Zastrow captained the basketball team. Track was first introduced in C.H.S. in 1932. Bernard Jerde received two ribbons, winning second place in the mile and third place in the half-mile at the meet in Aberdeen. Eleanor Hoover took first honors in the novice class B typing division at the Dist. Commercial contest at N.S.T.C. Eleanor was also Valedictorian. Donald Elliott was Salutatorian. Alvin Zastrow received the Balfour award for scholarship, loyalty and achievement. The Rev. Bennett gave the Baccalaureate address. The basketball team was runners-up in the District Class A tourney. No trophy was awarded. Alvin Zastrow, forward, was selected to the All-Conference team at a meeting of conference coaches at Barnard. Donald Elliott attended Chillicothe Business School in Missouri. He married Alice Johnson and they have one daughter. Don owns a Grocery store in Columbia, the same one his father owned. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Alvin Zastrow was in the C.C.C. "Boysie", to his pals, is living on the Zastrow farm with wife Ruth Klepfer. They have three children. Reinhold Krage is a welder at the Great Lakes Steel Corp. in Detroit, Mich. Reiny is married and has four sons. Wendell Felix, "Cyk", served his country in the Army. He is married and lives in Berkeley, Calif. Egon Buntrock married Velma Ringgenberg and they have two children. They live on a farm west of Columbia. Egon works for the A.S.C. office in Aberdeen. Viola Smith married Wayne Watson, an electrician, and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. Elda Wockenfuss is an R.N. at Webster, S.D. She is married to Lambert Wattier. They have three children. Mervin Gilchrist attended S.D.S.C. He served in the Armed Services. He is married and lives in Calif. Harold Nilsson attended N.S.T.C. He was in the A.A.F. He has been in the teaching profession for several years. We are proud that he returned to C.H.S. as superintendent in 1964. He is married and has two children. Florence Kilpatrick is married to Ernest Lloyd. They farm at Houghton and have four children. Mildred Knecht married Marvin Mitchell. They farm south of Houghton and have two children. Eleanor Hoover Moody, attended S.D.S.C. and is presently employed as manager of the Columbia branch of Claremont State Bank. Eleanor lives with her mother, Jennie Hoover, one of Brown County's first rural teachers. Eleanor was married and has two children. Hazel Rossman is married and lives at Cyrus, Minn. Edna Buntrock, N.S.T.C., married Harley Ringgenberg. They live on a farm near Columbia and have four children. Viola Hanson married Elmer Knecht. They farm near Houghton. They have six children. Dorothy Buntrock attended school at Seward, Nebraska. She is married, has five children, and lives in Denver, Colorado. Shirley Russell is assistant postmistress at Westport, S.D. She is married to Rex Bartels and has three children. Bernice Albrecht is a beautician and lives in Aberdeen, S. Dak. John Daly was a member of the C.C.C. He is farming east of Columbia, and is married to Myrtis Vitense. They have one daughter. This class held a reunion in 1958. There were 14 members present with their families. CLASS OF 1934 We started our freshman year with the following: Dorothy Holland Loree Hammond Esther Yeske Bernard Jerde Orville Rumrey Arlene Russell Leland Hall Genevieve Jones Beatrice Rossman Reinhardt Schliebe Stanley Dennert Arthur White Delbert Esche Virgie Kittelson Agnes Buntrock As sophomores we had lost Arthur, Agnes, and Virgie. Dorothy took her junior year at Groton, S.D., and Loree went to Daly Corners for her junior year. We gave our junior play, "Safety First." It was directed by Mr. Cyril VanCamp. As seniors we lost Stanley Dennert and Delbert Esche but gained three new students from Daly Corners - Lucille Daly, Herbert Schliebe, and Arthur Daly. Loree and Dorothy rejoined us to graduate. Our Baccalaureate was held in the Congregational Church on May 20, 1934, with Father Mahoney of Hecla giving the address. Commencement was held on May 25 and Mr. Tostlebe gave the address. Bernard Jerde was Valedictorian and Dorothy Holland was Salutatorian. Bernard received the Balfour Award. Class officers that year were: Pres.-Esther Yeske, Vice Pres.- Orville Rumrey, Sec. & Treas.- Bernard Jerde. Orville and Bernard represented us at the S.D. Press Ass'n meeting in Brookings in Oct., 1933. For the first time in the history of the school an interclass track and field meet was held on April 17, 1934, with Bunny Everson and Bernard taking high points. We sent four contestants to the Barnard relays and won fourth place. At the Regional track meet in Aberdeen Bunny won first and Bernard second in the mile event. This qualified us to enter the State competition in Sioux Falls, S. D. Local businessmen financed our trip by popular subscription so that Coach Wahl, Everson and Jerde could attend. We were also active in basketball and won the consolation trophy at the Dist. basketball tourney at Hecla on March 2-3 by defeating Bath 44-13. We had a Girls' Glee Club which presented the operetta, "Ghosts of Hilo", on March 9, 1934. Our Senior Class play was, "The Red-Headed Stepchild." It was directed by Hilda Hiedenreich and Lena Bittner and presented on Nov, 17, 1933. Our Junior-Senior Prom was held on May 5, 1934. Who and Where are the 1934 Seniors? Arthur Daly married a schoolmate, Ruth Johnson. They lived on a farm at Daly Corners with their four children. Ruth passed away in 1958. Arty and the children still live on the farm. Lucille Daly worked in Aberdeen for a few years and then married Wilfred Heinz. They had four children and lived on a farm south of Houghton, S.D. Lucille is deceased. Leland Hall was in the C.C.C. Camp at Sand Lake Refuge where he was seriously injured. He spent three years at a Veterans' Hospital. Then he went to work for Hughes Aircraft (now Hughes Tool and Die), in Los Angeles, Calif. He married a schoolmate, Ruby Kleperer, and they live at 4169 Motor Ave., Culver City. Loree Hammond is married to Norwood Hanson and they live at Cavour, S.D. They have thirteen children. Dorothy Holland attended N.S.T.C. and then taught for 3 years. She went back to college to graduate with a B.S. degree. She taught Home Economics, Biology, and General Science at McClusky, N.D. She has worked at a dept. store in Austin, Minn. as a bookkeeper since 1949. She is married to Lawrence B. Heister. Bernard Jerde is in school maintenance at Phoenix, Arizona, where he lives with his wife, the former Lucille Losacker, and their two children. Genevieve Jones is married to Henry Payne. They live at Kansas City, Kansas, where he is a roundhouse car foreman for the C. Great W. Railroad. Genevieve is a dental assistant. Beatrice Rossman is married to Floyd Mann, head shipping clerk in Dye casting. Beatty is a single needle operator in a sportswear factory. They have three children. Orville Rumrey is married to Elva Pierson of Groton, S. Dak. He works in a bank in Chicago, Illinois. Arlene Russell is married to John Page and they live at El Cerrito, Calif. Herbert Schliebe lives in Aberdeen, S.D., where he works for C. D. Lee. He is married to Rosene Oltmann, a teacher in the Aberdeen school system. Reinhardt Schliebe lives with his wife, Tilda, and one son in Los Angeles, Calif. He is time keeper at Rocketdyne, a Corp. of North American Aviation, Inc. He entered the Service in 1936 and was in the European Theatre Oct, 21, 1944, through 1945. He was a prisoner of war in Germany for five months. Esther Yeske is married to John Rawekamp, who is a Ford dealer at Valley City, N.D. They have four children. Esther is a part time nurse at the local hospital. CLASS OF 1935 Twenty-two freshmen enrolled on August 31, 1931. They were the following: Ruby Drier Bunny Everson Vernon Hammond Lois Knecht Stanley Markin Valma Ringgenberg Katherine Russell Augusta Schliebe Irene Schnieder Barbara Voller Myrtle Vitense Robert Wright Leola Wynn Dale Beller Ella Yeske Hillard Beller Gertrude Buntrock Dorthea Bradley Lucille Case Covelle Dennert Ora Dreier Doris Wooner There was so much snow that winter that many of us were brought to school in bob-sleds and most of us had to stay at the rooming house. As sophomores sixteen enrolled but Dale and Hillard Beller, Vernon Hammond, Dorothea Bradley, Lucille Case, Ora Dreier, Leola Wynn, Katherine Russell and Velma Ringgenberg left us. Since there was only one year of high school taught in Houghton, Lois Knecht and Irene Schnieder joined us. We had a good girls' basketball team all four years, and we also had a good boys' team. The boys were second in the District meet and were awarded the Sportsmanship recognition, although no trophy was given. Fifty-two students enrolled in 1934. We were the Juniors and the smallest class. We presented the annual Junior play, "Where's Grandma?", a three act comedy. Our Junior-Senior banquet was held in the old Congregational Church, using a "Nautical Scheme" and colors of silver and blue. The toastmistress was Myrtle Vitense. We could not afford a Prom but we invited the Seniors and Teachers to a movie at the Orpheum Theater. Five enrolled as seniors in 1935. The class officers were: Lois Knecht, Pres.; Myrtle Vitense, Vice Pres.; Irene Schnieder, Sec.-Treas. Our senior play was a comedy, "Jupiter Smiles", held in the old Legion hall on March 14-15, 1935. The Juniors gave us a banquet on April 26. Our colors of green and gold were carried out and the theme was "Spring". The Baccalaureate sermon was given by the Rev. L. Bennett on May 19th. Graduation was held on May 24 and the address was given by Dr. W.A. Thompson of Southern Normal. Our class motto was, "I Ought To - Therefore I Will". The class colors were green and gold and the class flower was the yellow tulip. We were the smallest class to graduate from C.H.S. - five of us. Lois Knecht, "Doe", was Valedictorian of our class. Ella Yeske, "El", was Salutatorian. This was the first year that Columbia had two school dormitories instituted in keeping with the government plan. The government paid $15 a week and each student paid twenty cents a week. The girls' dorm was established in the Hotel, and the boys occupied the Abbott house. There were 10 girls and 6 boys. All meals were taken at the Hotel. Mrs. P. Wenner was the cook; Mrs. L. Gabert was Dean of Girls; and Reese Lawrence was Dean of Boys. Velma Dickerson was R.N. The Glee Club of C.H.S. had been active for many years, but this was the first time in local school history, under the direction of Miss Piltingsrud, that we entered the District music contest in Aberdeen to compete in class C, and received an "Excellent" rating for singing "Beautiful Saviour." These days in school were also known as the "dirty 30's". Many a day we drove to school with our head lights "on", as we could see only a few feet ahead of us. This was also the time that the government was buying cattle from the farmers because there was no feed. Some farmers who had forty or more head sold them down to seven or eight cows. The farmer was paid $20 a head for the best cattle and as low as $5.00 for the poor ones. From our assembly room at high school we could see the farmers driving their herds into town. The old and thin never left town, but were shot and buried in long trenches on the east side of the railroad tracks. The bawling sound of hungry starved cattle is something one will never forget. These were very hard times for our parents and we wonder how they could carry on and still give us an education. Lois Knecht entered Nurses Training at St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen, S.D., and became a R.N. She was in the Army Nurses Corps from 1942-45. She married Clarence Carson, a High School Counselor. They live in Aberdeen, S.D. and have three children. Ella Yeske attended N.S.T.C. and became a teacher. She married Merle Grace. They moved to California where she teaches in the Arcata public schools. She attends Humbolt State College almost every summer. They have eight children. Robert Wright known as "Red", returned to school after being out two years, and was one of Coach Wahl's determined baseball players. He is married and has a family. He has his own business on Main street in Zainsville, Ohio, known as Wright Typewriter Exchange. Irene Schnieder is married to Marvin Hanson and they live on a farm in the Columbia-Bath community. They have three sons and one daughter. Myrtle Vitense became a farmer's wife. She is married to Walter Sieber and they live north of Columbia. They have two sons. (Myrtle was called "Shorty" in high school.) CLASS OF 1936 We began our freshman year with 21 in our class. The following were enrolled: Edyth McCammon Dorothy Schliebe Virginia Klepfer Elnora Schliebe Myrtis Vitense Dorothy Payne Lillian Schliebe Alice Eichler Dorothea Bradley Gertrude Nelson Dean Elliott Wilbur Wockenfuss George Chase Vern Wynn Delores Wilke Monica Felix Ruth Zastrow Wilma Krause Vineta Jackson Camilla Jerde As sophomores, Donald Clark joined us but we lost Ruth, Dorothy S., Marietta, Gertrude, Wilma, and Dorothea. As Juniors, we were without Vern, Dorothy Payne, and Camilla, but gained Eugene. We presented a class play, "Fingerprints", in the Legion Hall. We had our Junior-Senior banquet in the Congregational Church parlors, and George Chase was toastmaster. We had the prom in the gym. When we were seniors we gained Lorene, Lydia, Elna, Eunice, and John Schliebe. Later John dropped out. The Junior-Senior banquet was at Tietjen's dining room in Aberdeen, on May 8, 1936. We presented a play called "Bachelor House." The Rev. H. Lindgren gave our Baccalaureate sermon on May 17. Our Commencement address was given by Dr. R. C. Keagy from the Methodist Church in Aberdeen. Our class motto was, "We Can, We Must, We Will". The class colors were red and old gold and the flower was the red rose. George Chase was Valedictorian and Alice Eichler was Salutatorian. These were the graduates: Wilbur Wockenfuss is a Lt. Col. in the Air Force. He plans to retire in two years. He is married to Adele Kelley and they have two children. They live in Mooresville, Indiana. While serving in the Armed Forces, he was a prisoner of war in Germany. Elnora Schliebe is married to Art Roush and they live in Lynnwood, California. Edyth McCammon is married to Ralph Moes. She is teaching at Wahpeton, N. D. After receiving her teacher's certificate, she taught in Columbia for six years. Delores Wilke is married to Walter Yeske. They live in Aberdeen, S. D. and they have two sons. She works at the Olwin-Angell store in Aberdeen. Myrtis Vitense is married to John Daly and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have one daughter. Lillian Schliebe is married to Milton Schumacher and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. Lorene Daly is married to Chet Hanson and they have one daughter. They live in Olympia, Wash. Alice Eichler is married to Martin Wegehaupt and they live in Danville, Ill. They have four children. They both teach school. Eunice Herther is married to Harold Tollefson and lives at Richmond, S. D. They have four children. Lydia Schliebe married Vern Ronnekemp and they live at Gothenberg, Nebr. They have five children. Dean Elliott lives in Eugene, Oregon. He and his wife, Betty, have three daughters. He is a postal employee. Elna Wahl is married to Stanley Markin and they have two children. They live in Long Beach, Calif. Vineta Jackson is married to Ervin Milbrandt and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have one son. She attended N.S.T.C. Donald Clark is deceased. Virginia Klepfer died on April 19, 1946. Our class submits this history in memory of these two classmates who have left us. CLASS OF 1937 The 1937 graduation class started with 12 students: Robert Johnson Ruby Klepfer Rose Schliebe Alice Holland Irene Karlen Millicent Atkins Howard Rossman Ernest Wandry Leola Goodman Dorothy Howell Ruth Yeske Monica Felix The second semester we were joined by Camilla Jerde who left in her junior year. Before the year was completed, Robert Johnson and Ernest Wandry left school, leaving Howard Rossman the only boy in our class to complete his four years in Columbia High. Our sophomore year we were joined by Marian Everson, who attended only one year. This same year Leola Goodman and Dorothy Howell transferred to other schools. Our junior year, Joyce Albrecht, who had attended Daly Corner school, enrolled for her last two years. This was the year Ruth Yeske left Columbia to attend school in Barnard. Pauline Daker was with us as a junior and part of her senior year. Our junior play was "Dumb Dolliver", and our senior play was "Comin' Through the Rye", which was given April 30, 1937, at the Legion Hall. Our Senior Skip Day, chaperoned by Mr. Loessin, was spent at the State School in Redfield; a tour of the greenhouse in Aberdeen was followed by a movie in the evening. The Baccalaureate sermon was given by the Rev. Lindgren. Commencement was held on May 21, 1937. Alice Holland was Valedictorian and Ruby Klepfer was Salutatorian. Our class donated a hall clock to the school. On checking with the class of 1937 we find: Alice Holland is married to John Dopra, who works in the iron mines in Sunrise, Wyoming. They have a family of eight. Joyce Albrecht married Clarence Kimball of Houghton and now lives in Great Falls, Montana. Clarence met with an unfortunate accident and is unable to work. Joyce is employed at the hospital and has a family of ten. Howard Rossman married Pauline Daker, a former student of Columbia. They were living in Dayton, Ohio, when Howard passed away in 1942 after a long illness. Rose Schliebe is Mrs. Ernest Jasmer of Leola and resides on a farm. They have three children. Millicent Atkins lives in Aberdeen and is frequently seen in Columbia as she tends to her farm interests. Millicent taught school for a few years before going to work in an office. Ruby Klepfer is now Mrs. Leland Hall and lives in Culver City, Calif. Ruby worked for many years as a secretary, but at present is enjoying life at home. Irene Karlen married Emil Krage, also a Columbia graduate. Irene taught school for 12 years and was the second graduate to return to Columbia to teach. They have two sons. We are sorry that our history is brief, but we have been unable to locate any yearbooks or Comets published during our school years. CLASS OF 1938 Eighteen students entered C.H.S. in 1934 as freshmen. Thirteen students graduated in 1938 and only four of these were from the original class. These four were: Floyd Chase, Ione Vitense, Delila Schliebe and Leona Nelson. The eighteen freshmen were: Roger Davis Thomas Goodman Eileen Grace Virgil Grace Helen Klepfer Mildred Lyons Jack Nelson Robert Prunty Lois Seligman Perry Smalley Beulah Torgerson William Sieber Jr Richard Russell Harley Karlen Floyd Chase Ione Vitense Delila Schliebe Leona Nelson The senior class play was, "The Eagle Screams." The Junior- Senior Banquet of 1938 was held on May 6th at the Tumble Inn in Aberdeen, S.D. Senior Class officers were: Pres.-Pearl Tollefson; Vice Pres.-Charlene Hammond; Sec. and Treas.-Ione Vitense. The class motto was, "Build for Character; Not for Fame". The red rose was the class flower and blue and gold were the class colors. Charlene Hammond was Valedictorian and Pearl was Salutatorian. Commencement was held on May 20 in the Congregational Church. The graduates were: Charlene Hammond, now Mrs. Boyd Gant, lives on a farm near Stratford, S.D. They have three children. The family belongs to a Flying Farmers Organization. Blanche Herther, now Mrs. Morris Campbell, lives in Indianapolis, Ind. They have three children. Ione Vitense lives on a farm near Strang, Nebraska with her husband, Lloyd Schelbritzki. They have five children. Delila Schliebe, now Mrs. Orval Steward, is living in Eugene, Oregon. They have one child. Pearl Tollefson was married to John Wilson, who is now deceased. She has four sons and lives on a farm north of Columbia. Kurt Schliebe lives in Aberdeen, S. D. He is Farm Announcer for Radio Station K.A.B.R. and is also an auctioneer. He married June Ellis and they have two children. Thelma Mertz is married to Warren Lindeman and they live on a farm near Wabacco, Minn. They have three children. She attended Lamberton Teachers College in Minnesota before her marriage. Henry Carlson served in the Armed Forces during World War II. He married a Wisconsin girl, LaVina Laehn, and they have four children. He works at Douglas Aircraft and they live at Artesia, Calif. Nellie Kilpatrick, is now Mrs. Fritz Marko, and they live in Pontiac, Mich. They have four children. Leona Nelson Jensen lives in Rapid City, S.D. She is employed in a hospital. Her husband is deceased. Other graduates in 1938 were: Floyd Chase, Keith Phillips, Inez Buntrock. No information was received from these people. CLASS of 1939 In September of 1935, there were 19 freshmen who enrolled at Columbia High School. They were: Lyle Buffington Grace Dunwoody Phyllis Everson Ellis Gibbons Roberta Goodman Robert Graves Elmo Jerde Clare Johnson Kenneth Johnson Willis Krage Gertrude Larson Kenneth Lee Eldon Neff Helen Nelson Marie Schmidt Dorothy Smalley Elsie Wandry Elnora Weismantel Wilma Weismantel During our junior year, the Latin Club was formed by the students of the Latin II class under the direction of Miss Kropuenske. Walt Buntrock transferred from Westport to Columbia this same year. The Junior Class play was "Blowing Bubbles". In 1939, our graduation year, Columbia High School's basketball team won their way to the Regional Tournament for the first time. It was held at Clark, S.D. Columbia was defeated by Langford. Willis Krage and Clare Johnson were on the team. "George in a Jam" was the Senior class play. All four boys of the 1939 graduating class were in the Armed Service during World War II from 1942 to 1946. The graduates were: Lyle Buffington served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946. He graduated from Tufts College in Medford, Mass. and received his B.A. and M.A. Degree. He also attended Williams College at Williamstown, Mass. for one year. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and has done graduate work at Columbia University. At the present time, he is a high school mathematics teacher at Demarest High School in New York City. Gertrude Larson attended Remely's School of Hair Styling and Cosmetology in Aberdeen, and has worked as a beautician since. She is married to Richard Ruden and they live on a farm near Groton, S.D. They have three daughters. Clare Johnson served in the Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. He is married to Donna Knecht, and they have three children. Clare is custodian at Columbia High School. Elsie Wandry is married to William Hehn and they live in Aberdeen. They have two children. Elnora Weismantel attended N.S.T.C. at Aberdeen and taught school several years. She now works at the U.S. Naval Base at San Pedro, Calif. She is married to Clyde Haas and lives in Long Beach, California. Walter Buntrock attended N.S.T.C. He served in the Navy from 1942 to 1945. He is married to Wilma Weismantel and they have two children. They live on a farm near Columbia. Wilma Weismantel attended Remely's School of Hair Styling and Cosmetology and also N.S.T.C. She is married to Walt Buntrock and they have two children. They live on a farm near Columbia. Willis Krage served in the Army from 1942 to 1946. At the present time, he is a garage mechanic. He is married to Phyllis Lile and lives in Puyallup, Wash. with their two children. Phyllis Everson is married to Ralph Davis and they have one daughter. Phyllis is a grocery clerk at Ridgefield, Washington. Helen Nelson lives on a farm near Aberdeen and is married to Harry Pendroy. She works as a bookkeeper in Aberdeen, S.D. They have six children. CLASS OF 1940 As freshmen, we had 28 students enrolled. This is the largest enrollment of any class to attend C.H.S. The freshmen class was: Rex Hammond Alma Buntrock Kermit Wahl Della Neitzel Robert Markin Edward Daly Audree Hall Joe Gibbons Marie Klepfer Raymond Lunzmann Lorena Bohling Paul Gilchrist LaVonne Rumrey Marvin Grace Esther Kilpatrick Robert Walsmith Doris Zick Henry Wockenfuss, Jr. Irene Hanson Edwin Sharkey Kathlyn Kanaly Robert Graves Esther Buntrock Edwin Carlson Irene Dennert Grace Dunwoody Doris Weismantel Gerhardt Schliebe At the start of our sophomore year we had lost a few classmates, but Ruby Buntrock, Keith Ringgenberg and Nellie Kilpatrick joined us. Our Junior year saw more students had gone but Joyce Kilpatrick joined us. Miss Daulton was our class advisor. It was during our Junior year that our basketball boys won the District championship and made their first trip to the Region II play. They were defeated by Langford in the Championship game. The Junior class play, "The Absent-Minded Professor", was under the direction of Miss Daulton. The Junior-Senior Banquet was held at Teigen's Cafe with a basketball theme. Our senior year left us with only 13 members. The class officers were: Kermit Wahl, Pres.; Esther Kilpatrick, Vice Pres.; Lorena Bohling, Sec. & Treas.; Rex Hammond and Lorena Bohling were chosen carnival King and Queen. Girls basketball was started again that year under the direction of Miss Wismer with Marie Klepfer, Lorena Bohling and Esther Buntrock participating. Music was taught as a regular class subject for the first time. That year the Girls' Glee Club, under the direction of Miss Griffiths, won a superior rating in the Class C division and went on to represent S.D. in the National Music Contest in St. Paul, Minn. The senior girls participating in this honor were: LaVonne Rumrey, Audree Hall, Marie Klepfer, Irene Hanson, Esther Kilpatrick and Doris Zick. The senior class play was "Aunt Tillie Goes to Town". A music theme was used for the 1940 Junior-Senior Banquet. Baccalaureate services were held in the Congregational Church with the Rev. J.D. Warkentin delivering the sermon. Commencement exercises were also held in the church with Prof. V.H. Culp of N.S.T.C. as the speaker. Audree Hall was Valedictorian and Esther Kilpatrick was Salutatorian. Esther was also our D.A.R. representative. Our class donated an electric clock to the school. The class flower was the American Beauty Rose and the colors were rose and white. "Finished Yet Beginning" was our class motto. Members of the 1940 graduating class were: Irene Hanson is married to Raymond Jones and they live on a farm near Houghton. They have three children. Irene attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before her marriage. Robert Markin is married to Darlys Reed. They have three children. Bob spent three years in the Navy during World War II. He attended N.S.T.C. and is now engaged in the aerospace industry. They live in Huntington Beach, Calif. Esther Kilpatrick is married to William Weir. They have three children. Esther attended N.S.T.C. and was a teacher. Now she is a senior account clerk in the Transit Department, Ventura, California. Lorena Bohling is married to Albert Podoll and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. They have four children. Lorena clerks in a store in Aberdeen. Doris Zick is married to Everett Beckler and they live on a farm near Bath, S.D. They have six children. Kathlyn Kanaly is married to James Ziegler and lives on a farm. She attended N.S.T.C. and taught in rural schools for seven years. She was also Deputy Supt. of Brown County Schools for 22 years. They have three children. Joyce Kilpatrick was married to Kenneth Henridson and they had two sons. Joyce passed away March 23, 1962. Rex Hammond was in the Army Engineers from 1942 to 1945, serving in the South Pacific and Japan. Rex was married and has one daughter. Esther Buntrock is married to Leland Herther and they live in Columbia. Esther attended N.S.T.C. and was a teacher in rural schools for three years. She has worked as a bookkeeper with I.H.C. Company and the Dakota Farmer and is now doing part- time bookwork for the S.D. Wheat Growers. They have twin boys. Marie Klepfer is married to William Barnhill. They have two children and live in Salinas, California. Marie did secretarial work for a number of years. Kermit Wahl is married to Marjorie Kreiter and they have six children. Kermit attended Indiana U. and earned his B.S. degree in Education. He served in the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps for 7 months before a medical discharge for a knee injury suffered in his senior year of basketball. Upon graduation from college, Kermit signed a professional baseball contract with the Cincinnati Reds in the National League. He spent the next 10 years, from 1945 to 1954, as a baseball player in the major and triple-A leagues with Cincinnati, Syracuse, Montreal, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Kansas City and Toledo. On Oct. 27, 1950, Columbia had a big affair in honor of Kermit Wahl who was playing third base for the Philadelphia Athletics at that time. Nearly 140 friends and relatives gathered at a dinner in the Congregational Church. Mayor Rudy Buntrock presented him with a key to the city. A gold wrist watch was given to Kermit by his fans and presented to him by Reese Lawrence. Coach Bud Hurin was toastmaster. When Kermit retired from baseball in 1954, he taught school and coached at Groton, S.D. for 2 years. He then joined the staff at N.S.T.C. in Aberdeen as Assistant Director of Special Service. He was at Northern for 6 years. He is now Director of Admissions at Dakota Wesleyan University at Mitchell. S.D. LaVonne Rumrey is married to Jack Keeney and has one son. They live in San Francisco, California. She attended Minnesota Business College and worked as a secretary. Audree Hall is married to Maurice Roettele and lives in California. They have four sons. CLASS OF 1941 The graduating class of 1941 started with the following freshmen: Eleanor Bohling Boyd Johnson Lillian Bohllng Joe Johnson Marion Buntrock Darlys Reed Margaret Chase Cecil Roberts Blanch Rossman Geo. Wilke Jr. Narcille Jones Edwin Sharkey Bennet Tollefson Elizabeth Wandry Verle Smalley Theresa Schliebe Paul Seligman Irene Yeske Jaccy Hall Paul Talmage The seniors chose as their motto, "Honor Waits at Labors Gate". The colors were blue and white and a white carnation was their flower. Baccalaureate and Graduation exercises were held in the Congregational Church with P.K. Cesander from N.S.T.C. as speaker. Verna Mertz was Valedictorian and Darlys Reed was Salutatorian. Our senior class play was "Mama's Baby Boy". Members of the 1941 graduating class were: Eleanor Bohling is married to Ray Podoll and lives on a farm near Westport, S.D. They have six children. Lillian Bohling is married to Richard Pratt and lives in Long Beach, California. They have four children. Marion Buntrock married Allen Jasmer, a Standard Oil Agent. They live in Columbia and have two daughters. Ruby Buntrock is married to the Rev. Arnold Mueller and lives in Brenham, Texas. They have three sons. Margaret Chase is married to Elmo Capra and lives in Berkeley, California. They have two sons. Edwin Carlson married a classmate, Verna Mertz, and has three sons. They will make their home in Houston, Texas. Alice Johnson is married to Don Elliott, a grocer, and lives in Columbia. They have one daughter. Boyd Johnson is married to schoolmate, Francis Hinderks and lives in Sturgis, S.D. with their seven children. He is an Occupational Therapist at the Ft. Meade Hospital. Joe Johnson is married to Yvonne Fergenson and lives in Bountiful, Utah. They have four children. Narcille Jones is married to Welby Cox, a Supervisor for R.E.A. Express Line. They live in Houston, Texas and have two children. Darlys Reed is married to Robert Markin, schoolmate, and lives in Huntington Beach, California. They have three children. Blanch Rossman married Edward Heltzel and lives in Kirkland, Washington. They have one son. Cecil Roberts is married and lives in Las Vegas, Nev. Maurice Roettele married a schoolmate, Audree Hall and lives in Bellflower, California. They have four children. He is a building contractor. Geo. Wilke, Jr. is married to LaVila Fuhrman and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Irene Yeske is married to Joe Huff and lives in Beaufort, North Carolina. They have one daughter. Edwin Sharkey: No information received. CLASS OF 1942 In September, 1938, about twenty students enrolled as freshmen at Columbia. Over the years many of these departed and a few new ones joined us. On May 14, 1942, the following graduated: Ellen Buntrock Hazel Cole James Doris Nelson Ellie Schliebe Henry Wockenfuss Jr. Donna Dennert Jacqueline Hall Erling Podoll Ethel Weismantel The class published the first annual in four years, which was called "The Columbia Gem". "The Twirlers" were organized in 1942 with Miss Huettner as advisor. The Pep C's and the Columbia High School Band were organized in October, 1941. The band won third in the Class C music contest. Our class donated a mimeograph machine to the school. The class of 1942 is quite unique because none of them live at Columbia nor did any of them marry anyone from Columbia. The graduates were: Donna Dennert Carville, lives in Victoria, Texas. She and her husband are wholesale fishing tackle distributors. They have six children. Erling Podoll is married to Constance Keeler of Barnard, S.D. They live in Bismarck, N.D. and have three children. He is a Wildlife Biologist. Hazel Cole James was married in her senior year. She and her husband live in San Marcas, California and have five children. Hazel is a real estate broker and an eyagraphic Bible Lecturer. She has been lecturing for more than ten years and has spent some time in Europe and the Holy Land. Ellen Buntrock Hall lives in California and has one daughter. Ellen is employed as a bookkeeper. Ethel Weismantel married Connie Bakken and lives on a farm near Barnard, S.D. They have seven children. She has been township assessor for four years and is a Clerk for the Barnard School District. Jaccy Hall married Melvin Mack and lives in Hawthorne California. They have four children. Henry Wockenfuss, Jr., married Margarete, while serving in the Armed Forces in Germany. They have three adopted daughters and live in California. "Wockie" was Brown County Sheriff from 1953 to 1961. He has also returned to Columbia High School as a Commencement speaker. Ellie Schliebe married Howard Poe and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. They have five children. Ellie is employed by Nash-Finch Company. Doris Nelson Spencer lives on a farm near Claremont, S. D. and has one son. CLASS OF 1943 In 1939, those who enrolled as freshmen were: Marie Albrecht Eldon Neff Herb Buntrock Lucille Carlson Marie Daly Ralph Dunwoody Gladys Dobrick Marvin Graves Edwin Heidzig Francis Hinderks Betty Johnson Alice Zick Marie Kilpatrick Loretta Larson Fern Moule Esther Schliebe Darryl Weston Esther Warkentin James Wockenfuss Harley Schmidt Robert Smalley Our Glee Club won first place in 1939 for Class "C" schools in district competition and the right to compete at St. Paul in the spring of 1940. We placed second at St. Paul, Minnesota. As sophomores, our class was smaller as eight students did not return. As Juniors, we were joined by five students. A music band was organized and participated in two concerts and a music contest. Daryl Weston was elected Carnival King. In our senior year, Herb Buntrock was Carnival King, and Marie Daly was Queen. Lucille Carlson was our Valedictorian and Jeanne Mertz was Salutatorian. The graduates were: Herb Buntrock is married to Virginia Gross and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. They have three children. Herb served in the U.S. Army and is now a barber. Lucille Carlson is married to Victor Collins and they reside on a farm near Columbia. They have four children. Lucille taught school before she married. Marie Daly is married to Leslie Bain and they live at Frederick, S.D. Marie was a schoolteacher and her husband does veterinary work. They have five children. Ceva Hall lives in Gardena, California. Marx Herther married Freida Kolb and lives in Columbia, where they own and operate Herther's Store. Marx served in the U.S. Navy. They have three children. Frances Hinderks is married to Boyd Johnson and they live at Sturgis, S.D. Frances is a former school teacher. Boyd is an Occupational Therapist at Ft. Meade Hospital. Frances returned to Columbia in 1947 to teach grade school. They have seven children. Betty Johnson is married to Gerald Omland and they live in Overland Park, Kansas. Her husband works for the Morton Salt Co. They have six children. Marie Kilpatrick married Floyd Woods and they live in Richmond, California. They have two children. Loretta Larson is married to Maurice Lueb and lives on a farm near Ipswich, S.D. They have two children. Loretta was a teacher prior to her marriage. Margaret Lyons is married to William Ackerson and lives on a farm near Houghton, S.D. They have five children. Jeanne Mertz is married to Lyle Groberg and they live at Redwood City, California. Her husband is an electrical engineer. They have three children. Esther Schliebe is married to Carl Stensness and they live in Altadena, Calif. They have two children. Marian Tunby is married to Floyd Jacobson and they live in Portland, Oregon. Her husband is District Parts Supt. for International Harvestor Company. They have four children. Darryl Weston is a printer in Long Beach, California. He married Jean Becker and they have two children. James Wockenfuss married Vera Wandl of Germany and they have two children. James has made the Army his career and is a Captain in the Chemical Corps. He is stationed in Germany where his family resides. CLASS OF 1944 The graduating class of 1944 began with 17 freshmen. They were: Irene Buntrock Beverly Wahl Dorthea Seligman Mary Felix Delores Weifenbach Milton Schliebe Keith Hall Gordon Roettele Monna Becker Donna Weston Charles Schliebe Clifford Hall Willis Weismantel Beverly Smith Leroy Ogden Verne Tunby Bebe Lee Don Prunty and Harley Schmidt joined us in 1941 and 1942. Edwin Heidzig and Grant Nelson joined us in 1942 and 1943. Our class motto was "Success Be Our Destiny" and our colors were blue and gold. The carnation was our flower. Baccalaureate was held on May 21, 1944 with Rev. Bone giving the address. Graduation was held on May 25, 1944. Our diplomas were presented by the President of the School Board of Education, Mr. R. H. Dennert. Clifford Hall was Salutatorian and Beverly Wahl was Valedictorian. Carnival King was Clifford Hall and Carnival Queen was Beverly Smith. Our cheerleaders were Beverly Wahl, Donna Weston and Bebe Lee. Edwin Heidzig and Willis Weismantel were captains of the basketball team and Clifford Hall was student manager. Classmates that served our country were: Edwin Heidzig, Grant Nelson, Clifford Hall and Verne Tunby. One graduate, Clifford Hall, was killed while serving his country. The graduates were: Beverly Wahl married Ward Wallace and lives in Rockford, Illinois. They have two children. Beverly is the only teacher from our class and teaches 6th grade in Rockford. Her husband is an Accountant Industrial Engineer. Willis Weismantel married Arlene Kruse and they live on a farm south of Columbia. Willis is the only graduate to choose farming as an occupation. They have seven children. Verne Tunby married Mabel Schnaibel and they have five children. Verne is a Rural Mail Carrier at Houghton, S. D. Monna Becker is now Mrs. Van Guseghem and lives in St. Charles, Illinois. Her husband is a Core-Maker with the Moline Moleable Iron Co. They have four children. Donna Weston is married to Orin Fulbright and lives in Long Beach, California. Donna is a secretary for the Long Beach District Board of Realtors and her husband is an Oil Supt. in Long Beach. Irene Buntrock is married to Michael Healey and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. Her husband teaches school at Monroe Junior High. They have three children. Bebe Lee is married to Phil Gauchas and lives in Houston, Texas. Her husband is President of the Dixie Palms Glass Co. They have one daughter. Edwin Heidzig is married to Joyce Halstead and they have three boys. Ed is a Marketing Representative for the Mobil Oil Company in Fargo, North Dakota. Beverly Smith is married to Adolph Bohling and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Grant Nelson married Darlene Krage and lived in Minn. Darlene was fatally injured in a car accident and Grant has since remarried and now lives in Owatonna, Minnesota. He is employed at the Owatonna Truth Tool Shop. They have five children. CLASS OF 1945 There were 21 students who graduated from Columbia High School in 1945. They were: Mary Lou Boatman Archie Daly Verna Carlson Jean Everson Vera Carlson Robert Hinderks Helen Daly Donna Knecht Delta Heidzig Dale McCormick Delwood Kindschi Josephine Nelson Beverly Larson Roland Roetteles Joyce Mertz Theodore Wahl Arlene Olson Beven Roth LaVerne Weismantel Duane Weifenbach Ruth Johnson We had two students who transferred to other schools. Irene Borden graduated from Aberdeen and Marjorie Podoll graduated from Westport. Mr. Roy "Swede" Wahl was our Coach the year our team was runner-up in the Conference Basketball Tourney. It was decided not to print an annual that year because of the paper shortage during the war. Ruth Johnson and Robert Hinderks were chosen Carnival Queen and King. "Skip Day" was in Aberdeen, with a picnic dinner, movie and a steak supper. Joyce Mertz was Valedictorian and Delwood Kindschi was Salutatorian. Our class motto was "Tonight We Launch, Where Shall we Anchor?". Our class play was "People Are Funny". The graduates are: Mary Lou Boatman is now Mrs. Mary Schuelke and has three children. Mary graduated from Brookings College and is now a Registered Pharmacist at Daniel's Pharmacy in Aberdeen, S.D. Vera Carlson married Keith Ringgenberg and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have two children. Verna Carlson is now Mrs. John Knott and lives on a farm near Lebanon, S.D. They have one child. Verna attended college at Berea, Kentucky for one year and finished her schooling at Northern State. Verna is a Principal of the Lebanon School and teaches the third and fourth grades. Archie Daly is married to Helen Larson, a former schoolmate and lives in Aberdeen. They have three children. Archie served in the Army and then attended college at Northern State and Wahpeton, N.D. He is head foreman for Kyburz Construction in Aberdeen, S.D. Helen Daly lives in Aberdeen, S.D. and works for the Northwest Bell Telephone Company. Jean Everson is married to George Burns and lives in Vancouver, Washington. Delta Heidzig is Mrs. Del Bergamo and has two children. She lives in Aberdeen and is manager of the Aberdeen Office of KDLO TV Station. Roland Roettele is married to Jean Quam and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have four children. Robert Hinderks lives in Webster, S.D. and is manager of the Holiday Inn Motel. He is married and they have three children. Bob served in the Navy for two years and then attended college at Northern State. Delwood Kindschi lives in Marshall, Minnesota with his wife and two children. Delwood served in the Navy and was a graduate of the University of Vermillion. He is now a field representative for the Social Security Administration. Donna Knecht is married to Clare Johnson and lives in Columbia. Her husband is custodian at Columbia High School. They have three children. Beverly Larson is married to Leonard Odde and lives in Wahpeton, N.D. They have four children. Beverly taught school and also worked as a secretary. Dale McCormick is married to Vivian Herman, a former schoolmate. Dale works in the Homestake Gold Mine at Lead, S.D. They have twin sons. Joyce Mertz is married to James Smith and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. They have three children. Joyce graduated from the Business School at Chillicothe, Missouri. Josephine Nelson is married to Herman Bittner and lives at Chelsea, S. D. They have four children. Her husband is a Rural Mail Carrier. Arlene Olson is married to Arthur Neinhuser and lives in Sidney, Nebraska. They have four children. She is a registered nurse in Sidney and is also a graduate of St. Luke's in Aberdeen, S.D. Beven Roth is married and has four children. They live in Walla Walla, Washington where he is Chief Engineer of Radio Station KTEL. Beven served in the Army and took band training at Camp Lee, Virginia. He served with the First Cavalry Division Band in Tokyo in 1946 and was discharged in 1947. He graduated from Everett J.C., Washington in 1949. Theodore Wahl is married to Yvonne Hanson, a school mate. They have three children and live at Sand Lake Refuge, near Columbia, where Ted is Ref. Clerk. Ted served in the Navy and also attended college at Brookings and Indiana University. Duane Weifenbach is married and has eight children. Duane has made the Army his career and is a Sgt. 1/c in Indianapolis, Indiana. LaVerne Weismantel and his wife, Mary Jean, have two children and live in Columbia. LaVerne is owner of "Verne's Place". Ruth Johnson was married to Arthur Daly who farms near Columbia with their four children. Ruth passed away at the age of 31. CLASS OF 1946 Nine seniors graduated in May of 1946. We began with a freshman class of sixteen. Five of the original sixteen dropped out during the first year. In our junior year Bonnie Dennert left us to become Mrs. Forrest James of Houghton. They farm near there and have two children. In our senior year, Evelyn Cole left us to marry Ivan James of Houghton. They live on a farm near there and have two children. Evelyn received her high school diploma from Columbia through a correspondence course. She is employed by the First National Bank of Groton. The theme of our Senior Prom and Banquet, "A Dutch Treat", included little wooden shoes with our names burned into the side as place cards, tulips, windmills and an imitation pond. Bill Klitz's orchestra furnished the music. Helmuth Heidzig and Yvonne Hanson were chosen as our Carnival King and Queen. Evelyn Weismantel was our D.A.R. candidate. In our 1945-46 season, Columbia defeated Frederick 20-18 in consolation play at the Conference Basketball Tournament. In the District Tournament, Columbia defeated Claremont 30-22 in Consolation play. Two members of our class, Herschel Kemnitz and Helmuth "Pete" Heidzig, were selected to the All Conference Basketball Team. A North Central Baseball record was set in 1946 when Helmuth Heidzig struck out 19 men in 7 innings defeating Hecla 15-0. We also won the Baseball Tournament that year defeating Westport 1-0. On Skip Day we left Aberdeen by train to go to Redfield, S.D. We toured the high school and the Redfield State Hospital and School. We also took in a movie and then attended the Policemens' Ball. We stayed overnight and returned the next day by bus. For many, it was their first trip by either train or bus. The year 1946, showed "signs of the times" in skirts being worn just above the knees with sweaters or blouses and saddle shoes. The hair styles were "Page Boy or the Cap Cut". Some of the boys sported "key chains". Baccalaureate services were held on May 19 with the Rev. L.C. Benson giving the sermon. Commencement exercises were held in the Congregational Church with Charles E. Booth from N.S.T.C. as speaker. Yvonne Hanson was Valedictorian and Jean Hall was Salutatorian. The class motto was "In Ourselves Our Future Lies". Our class colors were green and gold and the American Beauty Rose was our flower. The senior class officers were: Herschel Kemnitz, Pres.; Alfred Larson, Vice Pres.; Helmuth Heidzig, Sec. & Treas.; Yvonne Hanson, Student Council Representative. Our junior class play was "When Sally Comes to Town" and our senior class Play was "Sound Your Horn". The graduates were: Jean Hall is married to Norman Wendt and lives in Redondo Beach, California. Yvonne Hanson is married to Ted Wahl, a schoolmate. They live at Sand Lake Refuge north of Columbia, and have three children. Yvonne attended S.D. State College and N.S.T.C. She was a secretary before and after her marriage. Herschel Kemnitz is married to Jean Hinderks and they live in Aberdeen, S.D. They have four children. He served in the Army and is the only member of the class to get his B.A. Degree. Herschel is employed at the Hub City Livestock Sales Pavilion. Evelyn Weismantel is married to Gerry Holdhusen and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. Her husband is employed by Butler Steel Buildings Firm. They have five children. She worked in the Columbia State Bank before her marriage. Alfred Larson is married to Doris Dennert, a schoolmate, and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Helmuth "Pete" Heidzig, and wife, Marian, live near Columbia. They have four children. Pete is associated with his father in the Meints Livestock Order Buyers Business. He also served in the Armed Forces. Helen Larson is married to Archie Daly, a schoolmate, and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. They have three children. Doris Kruse Ringgenberg is married to Wilbur Bohling and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Darline Krage was married to a former schoolmate, Grant Nelson. We regret that Darline passed away following an automobile accident near her home in Mankato, Minnesota. It is noted that five of the nine graduating seniors married schoolmates. We are claiming this as a record, percentage- wise. We observed our Tenth Anniversary at the Columbia Park with all but one member present. CLASS OF 1947 Sixteen freshmen began in 1943 at Columbia High School. They were: Duane Kindschi Marvin Werr Martin Weismantel Connie Everson Jean Hinderks Marjorie Weifenbach Charlotte Smith Shirley Vitense Colleen Hanson Amelia Felix Ardell Olson Mike Felix Janice Weston Maynard Ackerson Lloyd Dennert Vivian Herman During our sophomore year we were joined by Ivan James, Elmer Albrecht and Donnie Veske. At the end of the year they left, as well as Mike Felix, who left for the U.S. Navy; Amelia Felix, Janice Weston and Maynard Ackerson. Our Junior Prom theme was "An Old Fashioned Garden". Delores Zahrasa of Hecla joined us when we were Seniors. Marjorie Weifenbach was Valedictorian and Jean Hinderks was Salutatorian. Our class motto was "Today We Follow. Tomorrow We Lead". Our class flower was a carnation and our colors were black and gold. The baccalaureate address was given by the Rev. Olah Moore and Commencement address by M.J.R. McAnelly of N.S.T.C. The graduates of 1947 were: Martin Weismantel is married to Mary Lou Johnson and they live in Columbia. Martin is employed in the Columbia Bank and also has the Columbia Insurance Agency. Martin served four years in the Air Force. They have three children. Marvin Werr lives in Savage, Minnesota and is married to Marlene Meints. Marvin is in the contracting business and also served in the U.S. Navy. They have two children. Connie Everson is married to Shirley Wolner and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Duane Kindschi married Marilyn Morris and has two children. Duane served in the U.S. Army and has a M.S. Degree. He is teaching in Morris, Minnesota. Ardell Olson is married to Victor Meyer and they live on a farm near Sidney, Nebraska. They have five children. Shirley Vitense is married to Ben Dayton and lives on a farm near Columbia. Shirley attended N.S.T.C. They operate a hunting lodge north of Columbia. They have four children. Jean Hinderks is married to Herschel Kemnitz and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. She attended N.S.T.C. They have four children. Colleen Hanson was married to Virgil Stange and is employed at the Brown County Supt. of Schools office. She has two children. Marjorie Weifenbach is married to Russell LeMoreaux and lives in Woodland, California. They have four children. Charlotte Smith is married to Harvey Bohling. They have three children and live on a farm near Columbia. Delores Zabrasa is married to Wilbur Mankey and lives in Portland, Oregon. They have six children. CLASS OF 1948 The freshmen enrolled in the fall of 1940 were: Robert Hanson Dale Herman Francis Larson Eddie Weifenbach Frank Felix Nadine Roettele Maurice Miller Elaine Vitense Joe Rossman Kathy Shore Curtis Wockenfuss Arlene Kruse Milo Herman Phyllis Lile Those graduating were: Robert Hanson Francis Larson Frank Felix Maurice Miller Joe Rossman Nadine Roettele Elaine Vitense Kathy Shore Arlene Kruse Phyllis Lile The Junior class play was "A Pair of Country Kids". The senior play was "His Name Was Aunt Nellie". Our Skip Day trip was to Bismarck, N.D. Our class contributed to the new score board. Francis Larson served in the U.S. Army and is now farming near Columbia. He is not married. Robert Hanson is married to Lovila Jark and lives on a farm hear Stratford. They have two children. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He attended N.S.T.C. Frank Felix is married and has two children. He served in the U.S. Army. He lives in Arlington, S.D. and is a bank employee. Joe Rossman is employed by the All American Transport Co. in Aberdeen, S.D. He served in the U.S Army. Maurice Miller served in the U.S. Army and is now a buyer for the Montgomery Ward Co. in Chicago. He is married and has one child. Maurice received his B A Degree from N.S.T.C. and his M.A. from Greeley, Colo. Elaine Vitense is now Mrs. Frohling and they live on a farm near Hecla. They have five children. She attended N.S.T.C. and taught school before her marriage to Ernest Frohling. Nadine Roettele is married to Edward Bickel and lives on a ranch at Firesteel, S.D. They have two children. Phyllis Lile is married to Willis Krage and lives in Puyallup, Washington. Her husband is a garage mechanic and they have two children. Kathy Shore is married and lives in the Philippine Islands. Prior to her marriage, she was a Wave in the U.S. Navy. Arlene Kruse is married to Willis Weismantel and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have seven children. CLASS OF 1949 Eleven freshmen enrolled in Columbia in 1945. They were: Dean Johnson Allan Dennert Delbert Hillen Daryl Cole Billy Hedbloom Mary Lile Caroline Hiepler Bonnie Kemnitz Darlys Yeske Doris Dennert Dean Buntrock Dean Buntrock Bonnie Kemnitz and Doris Dennert were elected cheerleaders and served all four years. The school was proud of their baseball team which won the Conference Baseball title and a nice trophy. An exciting first year for the class ended with the production of "Calm Yourself", the first freshman class play to be given. As sophomores, we lost Dean Johnson, Caroline Hiepler, Billy Hedbloom and Delbert Hillen. The highlight of the year was the carnival play, "Bobby Sox". In our junior year, we gained two new classmates, Dale Johnson from Westport and Betty Bean of Barnard. The Junior Class play was "Look Out Lizzie". The decorations for the Junior-Senior Prom were elaborate and made the scene in the old gym one of the most beautiful in the history of the school. Dean and Doris were chosen by the Seniors to lead the Grand March at the Prom and also the Processional at Commencement. In the summer of 1948, Allan Dennert represented our school at Boy's State and Bonnie Kemnitz, to our knowledge, was the first girl to represent Columbia at Girl's State. The school picnic was held at Sand Lake as the Columbia Park was flooded. As Seniors, we were missing Darlys Yeske who moved to Barnard. Mary Lile was chosen Pep Club President and was also an outstanding girl athlete during her four years of high school. Bonnie Kemnitz represented Columbia High in the annual music contest at Aberdeen and won a first with her vocal solo, "Green Cathedral". Daryl Cole and Doris Dennert were elected King and Queen at the annual Carnival. Doris was selected as candidate in the D.A.R. citizenship contest and went on to win the Brown County award which made her eligible for the State Contest. Daryl Cole was elected honorary captain of the Columbia Comets basketball team. Allan Dennert, forward, and Dean Buntrock, center, were chosen Conference All Stars. This was the first year the Conference picked An All Star Team. Allan Dennert was Valedictorian and Bonnie Kemnitz was Salutatorian. Allan made school history at Commencement. When he received his diploma, he was the first of the second generation of Columbia graduates to do so. His parents, Robert and Lucille Dennert, are both C.H.S. alumni. The Commencement address was given by William Padley, an attorney from Gothenburg, Nebraska. He was a member of the first four- year graduating class in 1926. Bonnie, Daryl and Allan had been classmates in the Columbia School system all twelve years. After graduation, all the boys served in the Armed Forces. Daryl Cole is married to LaVonne Hochhalter and they have two children. Daryl is an Insurance Department Manager at Redfield, S.D. He graduated from S.D. State College with his B.S. Degree. Dale Johnson is married to Jean Mullaney and has seven children. Dale is a Project Engineer with the Highway Department in Madison, S.D. Dean Buntrock is married to Betty Jo Huizanga and has two daughters. He was a graduate of St. Olaf College and is now in the sanitation business in Chicago. Allan Dennert is married to Connie Reed and they have four children. He attended N.S.T.C. and also served in the U.S. Air Force. They farm north of Columbia. Doris Dennert is married to Alfred Larson and lives on a farm east of Columbia. Doris attended State College at Brookings, S.D. They have three children. Mary Lile is married to Chris Feickert and lives in Lancaster, California with their three children. Mary attended N.S.T.C. and taught school. She is now a clerk in a drug store. Betty Bean is married to Arthur Lent and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. with their two children. Betty is a hairdresser. CLASS OF 1950 The freshmen enrolled at Columbia in 1946 were: Joyce Buntrock Geraldine Weifenbach Merlin Tunby Doris Bohling Dean Johnson Fern Weismantel Marvin Kluck Arlyce Schaeffer Melvin Larson Darlene Davis Wanda Miller Beryl Melcher Shirley Rathert Bernard Shore Donald Smilloff Charlotte and Wayne Green and Michael Healy joined us in our sophomore year. During our junior year, Geraldine Dehne was with us and Bernard Shore transferred to Groton. Shirley Rathert was chosen as Girls' Stater and Merlin Tunby was named Boys' Stater. Joyce Buntrock represented us as D.A.R. Good Citizen. Our junior play was "The Elusive Bachelor", and was presented on April 21 and 22, 1949. The school band was reactivated during our senior year with Mr. Eldon Froke as instructor. Merlin Tunby and Geraldine Weifenbach were chosen Carnival King and Queen in October, 1949. Charlotte and Wayne Green transferred to Eureka, S.D. Commencement was held on May 14, with Mr. Ernie Gunderson as speaker. Darlene Davis was Valedictorian, and Joyce Buntrock was Salutatorian. Donald Smilloff was unable to attend graduation because a heavy rainstorm, a few hours before, had washed out the road by his home. Those who graduated were: Joyce Buntrock Darlene Davis Arlyce Schaeffer Shirley Rathert Beryl Melcher Donald Smilloff Geraldine Weifenbach Fern Weismantel Wanda Miller Doris Bohling Dean Johnson Melvin Larson Merlin Tunby Michael Healy Two members of our class have died since graduation, both in car accidents. Joyce Buntrock was fatally injured in November, 1953, and Merlin Tunby in December, 1963. Darlene Davis is married to Curtis Wockenfuss and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have four children. Arlyce Schaeffer is married to J.R. Poppino and has one son. They live at 17718 Scherginger Lane, Saugus, California. Shirley Rathert is married to Carl Nilsson and lives on a farm near Bath, S.D. They have five children. Beryl Melcher is married and has five children. Beryl is in the ministry and his address is: 305 E. Broadway, Ritzville, Washington, c/o Parsonage. Donald Smilloff lives on his parents' farm near Columbia, S.D. He has been the Assessor for the Columbia Township for several years. Geraldine Weifenbach is married to Orlan Bremmon and lives at Britton, S.D. They have seven children. Fern Weismantel is married to Harry Preston and has three children. They live at 1506 Squire Lane, Aberdeen, S.Dak. Wanda Miller is married to Eugene Edwards and lives at 1022 Sherrill St., Anaheim, California. They have three children. Doris Bohling is married to Lloyd Dennert and lives on a farm north of Columbia. They have four children. Melvin Larson and his wife, Janice, live on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. Dean Johnson is married to Janice Spencer and they have four children. He is a graduate of N. S. T. C. and is now Supt. of Building and Grounds at his Alma Mater. Their address is 1745 S. 4th St., Aberdeen, S.D. Michael Healy is married to Irene Buntrock and lives in Aberdeen. They have three children. Mike is a graduate of N. S. T. C. and teaches school at Monroe Junior High. CLASS OF 1951 Thirteen freshmen enrolled in Columbia on Sept. 2, 1947. They were: Arlen Hanson Myra Tunby Betty Yeske Marvin Yeske Donald Wright Marilyn Everson Doreen Burns James Richardson Dialo Schmidt Merle Larson Robert Vitense Ellen Shore Harley Kruse Betty and Marvin Yeske left us at the end of the year. The Good Sportsmanship Awards went to James Richardson and Marilyn Everson at our initiation party. Marilyn Everson and Doreen Burns left during our sophomore year. Marilyn rejoined us as Juniors and Connie Tuchek was a new student. Donnie left us during our senior year, which left the following to graduate: Marilyn Everson Ellen Shore Myra Tunby Robert Vitense James Richardson Dialo Schmidt Harley Kruse Arlen Hanson Merle Larson Our Senior Class officers were: Pres.-James Richardson; Vice Pres.- Dialo Schmidt; Sec.-Treas.- Ellen Shore; Student Council Rep.- Myra Tunby. Marilyn Everson was Valedictorian and James Richardson was Salutatorian. Marilyn Everson was chosen as D.A.R. representative. The Carnival King and Queen were Dialo Schmidt and Marilyn Everson. As juniors we presented our play, "Take It Easy". Our senior play was "The Colonel's Maid". The girls won the Conference Basketball Trophy at Hecla in March. The boys' team won a trophy at the Claremont Invitational Tournament and 4th place at the North Central Conference in Aberdeen. They also won 2nd place at the District at Claremont, S.D. We also witnessed the grade school boys win a trophy at the North Central Conference at Frederick, S.D. Baccalaureate was held on May 13, 1951 with the Rev. Olah Moore giving the address. Ralph Herseth, a C.H.S. graduate, gave the Commencement address on May 17, 1951. Our class motto was "Enter to Learn-Depart to Serve". Our colors were crimson and grey and the flower was the iris. On May 10, 1951, Columbia Community and surrounding districts formed a Columbia Athletic Association for the purpose of building an auditorium on the Columbia school grounds. By September, contracts had been awarded and a plea for workers and money had been made. They began pouring cement for the foundation and in December, the blocks were laid. The big beams were put up on the sides and across the top. In April, the Auditorium Women's Auxiliary was busy having food sales, parties and coffee breaks to raise money for a kitchen and the equipment. After eight months, more money was raised to put up the walls. A community auction netted $1,500. Tickets were sold on a 1952 Chevrolet, to be given away at the dedication of the Auditorium. A three-act play presented by Columbia Community Players marked the official opening of the Auditorium on January 29, 1953. The first basketball game was played in January; we were also hosts to the District Tournament. The Auditorium was officially dedicated on April 8, 1953. Marilyn Everson is married to Wayne Morgan and lives in Burlington, Washington. They have two sons. She attended the Aberdeen Business College. Ellen Shore is married to Lyle Boyce and lives near Shelby, Ohio. They have two children. Myra Tunby is married to Paul Michaud and has one daughter. Myra attended Aberdeen Business College. They live in Lincoln, Nebraska. Robert Vitense is self-employed in Columbia where he lives with his wife, Kathryn, and four children. Bob also served in the U.S. Army. James Richardson served in the U.S. Army and now manages a Red Owl Store in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He is married and has four children. He is a graduate of Michigan State University. Dialo Schmidt manages the Sexaur Grain Elevator at DeSmet, S.D. He is married to Margaret Kluck and they have three children. He served in the U.S. Army. Harley Kruse is employed by the Farmers' Union Station in Columbia. Harley is a bachelor and lives on a farm with his mother. Arlen Hanson is in partnership with Hanson Farms, Inc. and lives northeast of Columbia with his wife, Ramona, and one son. Merle Larson works for South Dakota Wheat Growers in Aberdeen. He married Yvonne Goetz and they have three children. CLASS OF 1952 Ten freshmen began school on Sept. 6, 1948. They were the following: Blaine Buntrock Margaret Kluck Jermitt Krage Bonnie Miller James Woolery Arlo Roettele Richard Spiegler Donald Weifenbach Beverly Weihrauch Jeron Zastrow Margaret Kluck left us when we were sophomores and Richard Spiegler joined the Army when we were juniors. The senior class officers were: Pres.- Beverly Weihrauch, Vice Pres.- Arlo Roettele; Sec.-Treas.- James Woolery. Student Rep.- Jermitt Krage and Student Council Rep.- Blaine Buntrock. Bonnie Miller was Valedictorian and Jermitt Krage was Salutatorian. Bonnie was chosen as Girls' Stater and also represented the school as D.A.R. Jermitt was selected as Boys' Stater. The Carnival King and Queen were Jermitt and Bonnie. Homecoming was held on October 12, 1951 and the newly organized six-man football team began its career. Columbia defeated Barnard 56-0, under the coaching of Bud Hurin. The boys had a busy and exciting year in basketball. We were runners-up at the Kidder, S.D. Invitational Tourney, Nov. 29- 30, 1951. Columbia won the first place trophy in the North Central Conference Tourney at Spafford Gym on December 13-15 by defeating the Hecla Rockets 55-50. The Comets won the district Tourney by defeating Westport 53-51. It is noted that thirteen years ago, in 1939, Columbia defeated Westport in the District finals. The Comets defeated Britton 34-31 in the Regional finals and won their way to the first State "B" Tournament. They placed sixth in the State that year. As juniors we presented the play, "One In A Million" on March 30-31, 1951. Our senior clay was "Zeke and Daisy" held on April 2-3, 1952. The basketball banquet was held in the Lutheran Church on April 8, 1952. Our Skip Day trip was taken to Minneapolis, Minn. for a weekend. The Junior-Senior Prom was held on May 9, 1952. Baccalaureate was held on May 18 at the Lutheran Church with the Rev. Carl J. Stapf as our speaker. Commencement was held in the Congregational Church on May 22 with Robert Thompson of N.S.T.C. as the guest speaker. Our class motto was "The Higher We Climb The Broader The View". The graduates were: Blaine Buntrock attended N.S.T.C. and served in the U.S. Army. He married Blanche Rozella on July 2, 1960, and they have two children. Blaine now teaches school in Bellcourt, N.D. Jermitt Krage attended N.S.T.C. and the University of South Dakota. He served in the Army Medical Corp and is now teaching in high school. He is married to Doris Yeske, a schoolmate, and they have a daughter. James Woolery is married to Patsy Edinger and are both employed in Aberdeen, S.D. Beverly Weihrauch is a laboratory technician and is married to Ervin Fossum. Her husband is a plumber and they live in Fargo, N. D. Donald Weifenbach is a foreman at the Thermo Plastic Inc. in San Carlos, Calif. where he lives with his wife, Anita, and their five children. Arlo Roettele attended the University of S.D. and has served in the U.S. Army. Arlo is Advertising and Sales Promotion Manager at Creative Group Inc. He lives at 5017 York Ave., Minneapolis, Minn., with his wife, Irene. Bonnie Miller is married to Marvin Yeske and lives on a farm near Columbia. Bonnie was a telephone operator before her marriage. They have four children. Jeron Zastrow attended Radio School and also served in the U.S. Army. Jerry is now a radio engineer and announcer for Radio Station KABR. He is married to Tamara Smith and lives in Aberdeen, S. D. with their three children. CLASS OF 1953 The graduates of 1953 were: Jean Arvidson Loren Buntrock Janice Hansen George Healy Jeanette Krage Willis Kruse Richard Nelcher Lynn Padley David Richardson Larry Spencer Joel Wilson Clayton Buntrock Donald Dennert Jan Hanson Mary Lou Johnson Orville Krage Kurtis Lile Marcella Olson Donald Pence Myrna Schmidt Mavis Vitense Doris Yeske We enrolled at C.H.S. with 25 students. During our sophomore year, we lost three classmates. Two of them moved away and Wilson Weismantel died in a car accident. We gained one student who was Donald Pence of Frederick, S.D. Lynn Padley was chosen as Girls' State and Joel Wilson as Boys' State Representative. During our junior year, a new Civic Auditorium was started. During our senior year, an annual was published for the first time in eleven years. Our new Civic Auditorium was completed and the District IV basketball tournament was held in it. Jean Arvidson was named as our D.A.R. representative. In 1953, our basketball team went to the State "B" Tournament in Huron. Jean Arvidson was Valedictorian and Mavis Vitense was Salutatorian. Our class was the first to hold the prom and graduation exercises in the new auditorium. The class Of 1953 was the largest class to graduate from Columbia School to date. Jean Arvidson attended Aberdeen Business College before her marriage to Gene Hamilton. Her husband is an Elementary Principal in Osseo School District in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They have two children. Clayton Buntrock attended St. Olaf College in Northville, Minnesota and is now working for the Washington National Insurance Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is married to Virginia Lee and they have two children. Loren Buntrock graduated from N.S.T.C. and is now a Credit Supervisor for International Harvester Co. in Fargo, N. D. He is married to Jane Cassels and they have two children. Donald Dennert graduated from N.S.T.C. and is now Supervisory Fiscal Assistant in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service in Park Falls, Wisconsin. He is married to Marilyn Spencer and they have two children. Janice Hansen is married to Melvin Larson and they live on a farm near Columbia. They have three children. George Healy is a U.S. Army Veteran and now works at Kolzman Aircraft in Long Island, New York. He is married to Delores Kaccane, an Elementary School Teacher. Mary Lou Johnson married Martin Weismantel and they have three children. Her husband works in the bank at Columbia, S.D. Jeanette Krage is married to Richard Baker who owns and operates the Jerry-Lynn Drive-In and Restaurant in Alliance, Nebraska. They have two children. Orville Krage is a U.S. Veteran and is now Interviewer in the Employment Security Dept. in Aberdeen, S.D. His wife, the former Janice Howell, works in I.B.M. in the Employment Security Department. They have two children. Willis Kruse is married to Darlys Wenck and farms near Columbia. They have four children. Kurtis Lile is a teacher in Irvington School District in San Jose, California. Richard Melcher works for Culligan Soft Water Company in Pierre, S. D. Marcella Olson was a bookkeeper at Thompson Yards before her marriage to Harold Brauer. They have four children and live on a farm near Sidney, Neb. Lynn Padley attended Aberdeen Business College and is married to James Hanson. Her husband is employed in the Internal Revenue Service in Aberdeen, S.D. They have three children. Donald Pence is employed at Verne's Place and lives in Columbia, S.D. David Richardson is a Design Draftsman for the Beckman Instruments, Inc., in Fullerton, California. He is married to Roselyn Ledbetter and they have two children. Myrna Schmidt is married to Gordon Mack and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. with their six children. Her husband is a teacher at Simmons Junior High School. Larry Spencer is a contractor and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. He is married to Arlene Weismantel and they have four children. Mavis Vitense is married to John Leif and lives in Huron, S.D. with their three children. Her husband is Instrument Man for the Survey Crew, Bureau of Reclamation. Joel Wilson is a farmer and lives near Houghton, S.D. Doris Yeske is working toward a degree at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. She is married to a schoolmate, Jermitt Krage, and has a daughter. CLASS OF 1954 Seventeen freshmen enrolled on Sept. 5, 1950. They were: Arlene Weismantel Shirley DeHoet Carroll Thompson Marlene Woolery Kay Lile Lila Richardson Grant Buntrock Robert Zastrow Jerome Wright Joan Gesling Joanne Wilson Geraldine Daly Darlene Swanson Anna Felix Frank Daly Robert Mertz Larry Karlen Geraldine Daly and Frank Daly were voted the best sports following our initiation. As sophomores, we lost Anna Felix but gained Ray Schliebe. Our highlight of the year was a one-act play, "He Tried With His Boots On" presented at the school carnival. Bud Hurin was our class advisor and he supervised a pheasant hunt. In the evening, a big pheasant supper was held at the Congregational Church basement. It was such a success, that we made it a yearly affair. Arlene and her parents went to California in our Junior year. Frank Daly was Homecoming King from our class. We were the first junior class to present our play, "Comin' Around the Mountain" in the new Auditorium on March 20-21, 1953. We were also the first class to decorate the new gym for a Junior- Senior Prom. The theme was "The Stork Club". As seniors, Arlene returned to our class. Darlene Swanson left and Mareta Hillen joined us. History was made in Columbia on October 3, 1953 when the hot lunch program went into effect. The cooks were Pearl Lyons and Hattie Gesling. We presented our senior play, "Mumbo Jumbo", on Nov. 18. Columbia hosted a Holiday Invitational Basketball Tourney on Dec. 21. We were also hosts to the District Tournament. We had an active Band and Glee Club, directed by Mr. Brusse. The Seniors gave a formal dance for all the schoolmates on March 5, 1954. We left for Skip Day on March 26. It was at a school board meeting held on April 13, 1954, that plans were drawn up to remodel the old gym into new classrooms. We attended Northern Day on April 23. The fourth annual Athletic Banquet was held on April 26. The boys participated in the N.C.C. Track meet on April 20. We presented our annual Spring Concert on May 6. Frank Daly and Larry Karlen were the first four-year lettermen in football to graduate from C.H.S. Senior class officers were: Pres.-Larry Karlen, Vice Pres.- Frank Daly, Secretary-Geraldine Daly, Treasurer-Joanne Wilson, Student Council Rec.-Lila Richardson. Arlene Weismantel was Valedictorian and Joanne Wilson was Salutatorian as well as D.A.R. and Girls' Stater. Larry Karlen was Boys' Stater. Carnival King and Queen were Ray Schliebe and Geraldine Daly. Robert Zastrow was Homecoming King. Duke and Duchess representatives were Jerome Wright and Lila Richardson. As seniors we chose "Always Forward" as our motto. Our colors were yellow and white with a yellow rose as our flower. On May 9 1954, Baccalaureate was held in the Auditorium. "Measure for Measure" was the sermon by the Rev. Olah Moore. The Commencement address was given by Chester Lind of Aberdeen on May 13, to the following seniors: Shirley DeHoet is married to Robert Buntrock and they live in Bath, S.D. with their two children. Arlene Weismantel worked in California where she married a schoolmate, Larry Spencer. They now live in Aberdeen, S.D. with their four children. Carroll Thompson is married to Richard Nickerson and lived in Orleans, France until 1958. They now reside in Great Falls, Montana where Richard is a Sales Rep. for the Anderson Corp. They have two children. Kay Lile is married to Joseph Dolan and resides at 1004 16th Ave., S.W., Aberdeen, S.D. Lila Richardson went to a beautician's school in Rapid City. She is married to Eugene Rottenbucher and they live at 948 Alta St., Longmont, Colorado with their five children. Joann Gesling is married to Harlowe Howe who manages the elevator at Andover, S.D. They have two children. Joanne Wilson attended Yankton College before her marriage to the Rev. Ervin Hummel. They live at 9616 Melrose Ave., Elkgrove, California with their three children. Geraldine Daly was employed at Daniels Drug Store in Aberdeen, S.D. prior to her marriage to Kenneth Webb. They live on a farm near Houghton, S.D. with their three children. Frank Daly joined the service after his graduation. He is married to Eileen Slaney and lives in Germany with their two children. Grant Buntrock is manager of the A.S.C.S. Office in Webster, S.D. He is married to Darlene Kruse and they have three children. Robert Mertz served in the U.S. Army and is employed in Aberdeen. He and his wife, Ruth reside at 917 S. Penn with their three children. Robert Zastrow is Manager of the Peavey Lumber Co. in Columbia. He is married to Nyla Martin, a former teacher at Columbia. They have two children. Larry Karlen was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands with the rank of Captain. He has been with the Marine Corp as a pilot for five years. Larry, his wife Donna Jensen, and two children live at 1350 Phyllis Ave., Mountain View, California. Ray Schliebe is employed by a Dairy Company. He is married to Rose Shipman and they have three children. They live in LaMirada, California. Jerome Wright served in the U.S. Army and is now a farmer near Columbia. He is married to Carol Fluke. Mareta Hillen is married to Eugene Hormann. Their address is Qtrs. 9, Carter Road, Schofield Barracks, APO 957, San Francisco, California. CLASS OF 1955 On September 4, 1951, sixteen freshmen entered C.H.S. They were: Jeanette Arvidson Paul Dennert Ervin Kruse Richard Thompson Ralph Buntrock Larry Hanson Margie Pence Forrest Vitense Carol Davis Joyce Heim Marlene Podoll Jerry Weifenbaoh Dennis Dennert Shirley Krege Minerva Richardson Robert Weismantel The Columbia High School band marched in the Gypsy Day Parade for the first time in 1951. Robert Weismantel left us in our sophomore year. Another student, Paul Dennert, was severely burned in an accident but recovered in sufficient time to complete the school year. As juniors, we maintained the enrollment of the previous year. Richard Thompson was chosen Boys' Stater and Carol Davis was Girls' Stater. Carol was elected as a U.S. Senator while attending Girls' State. Our junior class float won first prize in the Homecoming Parade. "Uncle Josh Perkins" was our junior class play and was directed by Mr. McMillan. We were also the first class to completely decorate the new gym for the prom. Our theme was "Moonlight and Roses". As seniors, we lost Joyce Heim, who moved to Aberdeen. Ralph Buntrock was elected class president and Paul Dennert as president of the Student Council. Marlene Podoll was Editor of the Annual. Ralph Buntrock and Minerva Richardson were chosen as Carnival King and Queen. Our senior class play was "Keep Moving". Royalty chosen at the Holiday Ball were Margie Pence and Ralph Buntrock. Members of the Senior Class were active in all school activities, participating in chorus, band, declam, basketball, football and cheerleading. We spent Skip Day at Clear Lake, S.D., with our advisor, Mr. Ervin Kusler. Valedictorian was Margie Pence and Salutatorian was Jeanette Zick. The Commencement address for fourteen seniors was given by Mr. Robert Chamberlain of Hecla, S.D. Margie Pence was Columbia's first Snow Queen. She was crowned by Miss Aberdeen, Marlys Schrieber. That same year, Larry Hanson won two purple ribbons at the State Fair with his shorthorn steer. Our team won the District Basketball Tourney at Columbia in Feb. This was our third District IV title in four years. Ralph Buntrock received honorable mention on the All State Class B Basketball team. Ervin Kruse was awarded a one year scholarship in engineering at South Dakota State College in Brookings, on April 23, 1955. Larry Hanson served in the U.S. Army and is now farming north of Columbia. He is married to Lana Yeske and they have one son. Margie Pence is employed by the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company. She is married to Ralph Buntrock and they have three children. They live in Aberdeen, S. D. Minerva Richardson was employed at the N.W. Bell Telephone Company in Aberdeen before her marriage to Donald Cassels. Her husband works for Dauby's Shop in Sioux Falls, S.D. They live at 805 S. Williams with their three children. Forrest Vitense served in the U.S. Air Force. He is a T.V. technician at R.C.A. in Aberdeen. He is married to Georgia Van Stone and they have one child. Dennis Dennert is a transport driver for Midwest Coast Trucking of Sioux Falls, S.D. He is married to Carmen Caldwell and lives in Spirit Lake, Iowa, with their two children. Dennis is also a Nat'l Guardsman. Ralph Buntrock is a graduate of Northern and is now a teacher and coach at Warner High School. He and his wife, Margie Pence, live in Aberdeen with their three children. Jerry Weifenbach is attending the Aberdeen School of Commerce. He and his wife, Lisa, and four children live in Aberdeen, S. D. Richard Thompson is a graduate of Northern and now works in Niagara Falls, New York. He is married to Karen Wilkins. Marlene Podoll is now Mrs. Oscar Oland and lives at 6151 W. Cheery Lynn Drive, Phoenix, Arizona. Her husband is a salesman for the Proctor-Gamble Co. They have three daughters. Ervin Kruse is a graduate of Northern. He is now teaching school at Claremont, S. D. He lives on a farm near Columbia. Shirley Krege is married and lives in Rapid City, S. Dak. with her husband and their son. Paul Dennert farms west of Columbia. He is married to a schoolmate, Peggy Daly, and they have two girls. Carol Davis is a graduate of Presentation College in Aberdeen. She is married to Seb Axtman who manages a National Food Store in Huron, S.D. They have two boys. Jeanette Arvidson is married to Donald Zick and lives on a farm near Ordway, S.D. They have four children. CLASS OF 1956 On August 29, 1952, fifteen students entered C.H.S. as freshmen: Warren Felix Marilyn Richardson Gary Sieber Deanna Dennert Donna Dill Kent Elliott Janice Spencer Donald Krege Owen Swanson Wanda Vitense Verl Ringgenberg Doreen Wright Jean Rathert James Hiepler Gary Olson Our class presented a carnival play which was probably the last one to be given in the old gym. Deanna Dennert and Gary Olson were elected to the Student Council. Doreen Wright was chosen Homecoming Queen. Warren Felix had polio and due to the loss of time in school, joined the class of 1957. During our sophomore year we presented our class play "Comin' Round the Mountain." Deanna Dennert was Homecoming Queen. Marilyn Richardson and Verl Ringgenberg were elected to the Student Council. Cleo Brekke and Arlis Hanson joined us as juniors and Owen Swanson moved away. Later in the year, Cleo Brekke also left us. Doreen Wright and Janice Spencer were elected to the Student Council. Gary Olson was Homecoming King. Donna Dill received a superior rating in the declamation contest. As seniors, we produced the annual under the guidance of Ervin Kusler. Janice Spencer was the Editor. Our Homecoming King was Donald Krege and this made a record for us. All four years at C.H.S. our class had a Homecoming King or Queen selected by student body vote. Arlis Hanson and Janice Spencer were selected Carnival King and Queen. Marilyn Richardson, Doreen Wright and Deanna Dennert attended the All State Chorus in Aberdeen, S. D. This was the first time Columbia was represented. Donna Dill was selected as our Girls' Stater and was also crowned Miss Columbia in the Snow Queen Contest. Marilyn Richardson was Valedictorian and Wanda Vitense was Salutatorian. Our Commencement speaker was Henry Wockenfuss Jr., a former graduate of Columbia High School. Marilyn Richardson attended Northern and taught before her marriage to Ronald Hoops. Her husband is employed by R.T.A. in Groton, S.D. They have two children. Wanda Vitense lives on a farm near Verdon with her husband, Leon Stange and their four children. Gary Sieber attended the Wahpeton State School of Science in North Dakota and also served in the U.S. Army. He is married to Karen Hart and they live on a farm north of Columbia. Verl Ringgenberg serves in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in California. He is married to Betty Buddenhagen and they have five children. Deanna Dennert attended the University of South Dakota and now works in a bank in Rapid City. Her husband, Ted Hanson, teaches at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, S.D. They have two daughters. Arlis Hanson served in the U.S. Army before his marriage to Arlene Kuebler. He farms south of Columbia. They have three children. Donna Dill is married to Joe Kuda and lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Her husband is a teacher there. They have three children. Jean Rathert is married to Merlyn Bach and they have two boys. Her husband is employed by a radio station in Pierre, S. Dak. Kent Elliott attended Northern and is now employed by the Northwest Bell Telephone Company in Aberdeen. He is married to Karen Vig and they have one daughter. Kent also served in the U.S. Army. James Hiepler lives on a farm north of Columbia with his mother and brothers. Janice Spencer is married to Dean Johnson and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. They have four children. Gary Olson drives a U. S. Mail Bus and lives in Sioux City, Iowa. He is married to Bernice Bartel and they have two children. Donald Krege is employed by the Northwest Bell Telephone Company in Lemmon, S.D. He is married to a schoolmate, Dorothy DeHoet. Donald also served in the U. S. Army and was a paratrooper. Doreen Wright is married to Jerry Dell and lives in Bath, S.D. They have four children. CLASS OF 1957 We began school on August 31, 1953, with 20 freshmen. They were: Marjorie Ringgenberg Keith Davis Bruce Zastrow Gary Buntrock Wayne Felix Lois Wright Janice Tollefson Kenneth Miller Robert Kruse Merlyn Olson Anthony Daly Marlys Mertz Arla Buntrock Richard Spencer Gerald Podoll Allan Weismantel Carol Weihrauch Peggy Daly Janice Krege Arlan Krege On August 30, 1954 we lost Janice Tollefson and Kenneth Miller but gained Warren Felix. As Juniors, we enrolled on August 29, 1955. We lost Arlan and Janice Krege but welcomed Quentin Stevens and Shirley Neubauer. On August 31, 1956, 123 students registered with 57 students in the grades and 67 in high school. As seniors, we boasted the largest class with 17 students. We lost Robert Kruse, and Quentin Stevens left us after the first semester. Dorn Hicks joined us in mid-term. As sophomores, we presented our play, "Billy's Coming" on Oct. 30, 1954, under the direction of Ervin Kusler. Our play during our junior year was "Deadly Ernest", given on March 23, 1955. Our sixth annual Homecoming was on September 28, 1956. Gerald Podoll was crowned King by Bruce Zastrow, Student Council President, and Marlys Mertz was crowned Queen by Peggy Daly. Our Carnival was held on Oct, 25, 1956. Tony Daly and Peggy Daly were crowned King and Queen. Eighteen boys were out for football with nine lettermen back. We won three and lost two games during the season. Tony Daly and Gary Buntrock were selected as Honorary Co-Captains of the Comets. New basketball suits were purchased and first used at the Columbia Invitational Basketball Tournament on December 17- 18, 1956. The Comets won second place, losing to Frederick by a score of 42-41. The Conference Tourney was held in Columbia on Jan. 16-18, 1957. Frederick again defeated Columbia in the finals by a score of 49-47. Columbia was host to the district Tourney, finally trimming Frederick 73-54. The regional was held in Webster on March 1-2. Corona defeated the Comets 67- 43 in the finals. Bruce Zastrow led the Comets in the season's scoring for the second straight year. Tom Hanson was high-point man for the "B" team. Keith Davis and Warren Felix were Co-Captains of the basketball team. The boys participated in the Dual Track Meet in Hecla and the Relays in Redfield. The girls were busy too. They presented their annual Band and Glee Club Concert on Dec. 6, 1956. They participated in the Region IV Music Contest in Aberdeen on April 4-5, 1957. The band won a superior rating and the Glee Club received an excellent. Keith Davis received a superior rating with his saxophone solo. Keith Davis and Marjorie Ringgenberg attended the Scholarship Recognition Day at S.D. State College. Both received pins and Keith also received a scholarship in Engineering. The Reader's Digest Association Award went to Keith Davis. As seniors, we presented our play, "Finder's Creepers", on April 25. Our Junior-Senior Banquet and Prom was on May 10, with Linda Zastrow as toastmistress and Mr. McMillan as speaker. Our senior class officers were: Pres.-Gerald Podoll, V. Pres.-Wayne Felix and Sec.-Treas.-Peggy Daly. The following awards were presented to: Valedictorian Keith Davis Salutatorian Marjorie Ringgenberg Boys' State Keith Davis Girls' State Peggy Daly D.A.R. Peggy Daly Duchess Lois Wright Duke Warren Felix Snow Queen Peggy Daly Homemaker of Tomorrow Marjorie Ringgenberg Kenneth Molum of Groton, S.D. gave the Commencement address on May 16 in the school auditorium to the following seniors: Keith Davis attended S.D. School of Mines, Rapid City. He is now employed by Univac in Minneapolis, Minn. Bruce Zastrow attended the State School of Science at Wahpeton, N.D. He is married to Berdette Craig and lives on a farm west of Columbia with their son. Gary Buntrock is manager of the S.D. Wheat Growers' Elevator at Frankfort, S.D. He is married to Marlys Mertz and they have two children. Merlyn Olson attended tho State School of Science at Wahpeton, N.D. He is married to Linda Zastrow, a former schoolmate, and lives on a farm near Columbia, S.D. with their son. Allan Weismantel served in the U.S. Air Force and is now employed at G.T.A. in Aberdeen, S.D. He is married to Joan Rowhr, a Columbia schoolteacher, and lives in Columbia with their two daughters. Marjorie Ringgenberg attended a Business school and is now employed in Washington, D.C. She is married to Henry Groover and lives at Box 537, Rt. 2, Stafford, Virginia with their daughter. Carol Weihrauch is married to Dallas Sombke and lives on a farm south of Ferney, S.D. They have two sons. Marlys Mertz is married to Gary Buntrock and lives at Frankfort, S.D. with their two children. Anthony Daly served in the U.S. Army and is now a carpenter in Aberdeen, S.D. He is married to Norma Mertz and lives at 217 10th Ave. S.W. They have two sons. Arla Buntrock is married to Robert Fuller and lives in Aberdeen, S. D. with their two children. Her husband is a teacher in the Aberdeen school system. Richard Spencer is employed by Larry Spencer as a carpenter and lives at 1729 S. Fourth St. in Aberdeen, S.D. He is married to Arlowyn Harn and they have two children. Gerald Podoll is employed by Northwest Bell Telephone Company in Watertown, S.D. He is married to Carol Kusler and they have one son. Wayne Felix served in the U.S. Army and is now employed by Aberdeen Motors. He and his wife, Virginia, and two daughters live in Aberdeen, S.D. Peggy Daly is married to Paul Dennert and lives on a farm near Columbia. They have two daughters. Shirley Neubauer is married to Roy Weismantel. They have three daughters and live on a farm near Bath, S. Dak. Warren Felix, a graduate of Northern served in Germany with the U.S. Army. He is married to Beverly Barry and will teach this fall. Lois Wright attended business school and worked in Washington, D.C. She married Tom Petroski and is now employed in Aberdeen, S.D. They have two children. CLASS OF 1958 As freshmen, we began high school on August 30, 1954 with twelve students: Roger DeHoet Allen Weifenbach Ronald Ringgenberg Linda Zastrow Linda Buntrock Darlys Karlen Monty Woolery Kenneth Daly Zoe Ann Dill Lana Yeske Marilyn Krage Nancy Daly A new form of sport was introduced in the fall of 1954, which was called "Donkey Ball". The farmers led by Emil Krage, and the city men, led by Supt. Parker, played basketball on donkeys. We were the second class to participate in the newly organized Homemaking class under the direction of Mrs. Florence Arnstead. As sophomores, we began school on August 29, with two additional students who were Eugene Spiegler from Barnard, S.D., and Carolyn Rothleutner of Douglas, Wyo. Zoe Ann Dill and Donald Krege were chosen to reign at our Homecoming on September 23, 1955. As juniors, we returned to C.H.S. on August 31, 1956, minus five students. Roger DeHoet returned to Houghton, S.D. to farm. Allen Weifenbach worked in Columbia and is now married to Ruth Voeller. Zoe Ann Dill returned to Minnesota where she later took a course in cosmetology. She is now married to Dan Helle and lives in Holt, Minn. with their children. Linda Buntrock became a licensed beautician. She is now Mrs. Gary Brietag and they live in Milbank, S.D. with their three children. Carol Rothluetner returned to her home in Douglas, Wyo. We presented our class play, "Star Crazy", on March 29, 1957. Darlys Karlen was Editor of the Comet. As seniors, Darlys Karlen and Ronald Ringgenberg were selected to reign over the Homecoming festivities on September 20. The carnival was held on October 24, and Darlys and Ronald were again chosen to reign. Our senior class play was, "Me and My Shadow", directed by Mr. McMillan and presented in the auditorium on December 7. Lana Yeske was chosen to represent Columbia in the Snow Queen Contest. Darlys Karlen won the District IV Wool Contest in Aberdeen and went on to Belle Fourche on Nov. 23, 1957. There she won the right to compete in the National Contest at Phoenix, Arizona, in January of 1958. Our boys had a very good basketball season, winning 22 games and losing 7. We won a trophy at the All Conference Tourney held at Columbia on January 15-17 by defeating Leola 62-47, allowing us to go to the Regional. We won the Columbia Invitational first place trophy in Dec. 1957. We were North Central Champions in 1957 and 1958 and also second team champions. Linda Zastrow was chosen to be Editor of the Annual which was completed in February. We dedicated our yearbook to Mr. J. C. McMillan in honor of his service to the students and the community. Our Skip Day was spent in Minneapolis on April 13. The Junior-Senior Prom and Banquet were held on May 2. The Spring Concert was presented on May 5. Linda Zastrow and Nancy Daly were the only two from our class to have perfect attendance for three of the four years in C.H.S. We chose, "We Finish To Begin", as our motto. Our colors were white and blue and our flower was the white carnation. Baccalaureate was held on May 11, with the Rev. Ham giving the address. Commencement was held on May 15, with Ralph Herseth, a former graduate, as our guest speaker. Our senior class officers were: Pres.-Ronnie Ringgenberg, Vice Pres.- Eugene Spiegler, Sec.-Treas.-Darlys Karlen and Lana Yeske was our Student Council Representative. The honors were awarded to the following: Valedictorian Darlys Karlen Salutatorian Nancy Daly Girls' State Linda Zastrow Boys State Kenneth Daly D.A.R. Linda Zastrow Snow Queen Lana Yeske Cheerleaders Darlys and Lana N.S.T.C. Representatives Darlys and Eugene The 1958 graduates were: Kenneth Daly is a graduate of South Dakota State College and is now living on a farm near Columbia. He is married to Karen Durheim and they have one son. Marilyn Krage is an X-ray technician and works at St. Ann's Hospital in Watertown, S.D. She is married to Donald Biegler and lives at 519 Fourth St. S.E. with their daughter. Eugene Spiegler is employed in a bank in Las Vegas, Nevada. He lives at 2625 East Tamapoh Ave. Nancy Daly went to business college and worked for K. O. Lee Co. before her marriage to Ronald Ringgenberg. They live on a farm near Columbia with their son. Linda Zastrow is a graduate of the Aberdeen School of Commerce and was employed by the St. Paul Fire and Marine Co. and the First State Bank of Columbia. She is married to Merlyn Olson and lives on a farm near Columbia with their son. Darlys Karlen is a graduate of Northern and became one of our few Alumni who returned to teach in her Alma Mater. Darlys lives at 101 S. 20th St., Benson, Minn. with her husband, Jerry Hess, and two girls. Her husband teaches school in Benson. Lana Yeske is married to Larry Hanson and lives on a farm north of Columbia with their son. Monty Woolery is employed at a service station in Glascow, Montana. His address is: Kolstad Trailer Court-Lot 16, Glascow, Montana. He was recently married. Ronald Ringgenberg farmed with his father prior to his marriage to Nancy Daly, a classmate. They live south of Columbia with their son. CLASS OF 1959 On August 29, 1955, twenty-one freshmen enrolled at Columbia High School. They were: Dean Daly Linda Meints Petrea Wright Dorothy DeHoet Ardyth Zastrow Kay Dennert Keith Weismantel Douglas Padley Barbara Felix Jerry Daly Dean Ringgenberg Tom Hanson Robert Davis Janet Mitchell Carol Weifenbach Clarice Krege Sharon Rathert Tom Howell Norma Mertz Rhea Dennert Robert Daly During our sophomore year, we lost Clarice Krege but gained Delmar Moench. As juniors, we lost Robert and Jerry Daly and Ardyth Zastrow. As seniors, we gained Sandy Andre but lost Sharon Rathert and Carol Weifenbach. In our junior year, we had five boys on the starting line-up in football. They were Dean Daly, Delmar Moench, Tom Hanson, Dean Ringgenberg, and Bob Davis. This was the year we won the Invitational and Conference basketball Tournaments. The five who started were Bob Davis, Tom Hanson, Delmar Moench, Keith Weismantel and Doug Padley. During our senior year, Barbara Felix was chosen as Miss Columbia. Kay Dennert was the winner of the D.A.R. award and was also Valedictorian. Rhea Dennert was Salutatorian. Linda Meints was chosen as our Future Homemaker of Tomorrow. Petrea Wright represented Columbia at Girls' State and Tom Hanson was selected as Boys' Stater. Our Carnival King and Queen were Bob Davis and Rhea Dennert. Homecoming King and Queen were Keith Weismantel and Norma Mertz. Tom Hanson and Dean Daly were co-captains of the football team which had a season record of eight wins and no losses. We received the Associated Press Trophy for eight-man football. In our senior year, we won the Invitational Tournament and also took the Conference, District, and Regional Tournaments and Placed fifth in the State B. Bob Davis, Tom Hanson, Doug Padley, Delmar Moench, Sandy Andre and Keith Weismantel participated in the State Track meet. Kay Dennert was chosen as our yearbook editor and her assistant was Rhea Dennert. The girl's Chorus won a Superior- Plus rating at the music contest and sang in the Grand Concert in Aberdeen, S.D. Skip Day was spent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. J.C. McMillan gave the Commencement address to the following seniors: Sandy Andre is employed by Terrace Park Dairy in Aberdeen, S.D. He is married and has two children. Doug Padley is employed in Vancouver, Washington, and also attends a trade school. He is married to LaVonne Pirnie. Thomas Hanson graduated from Huron College and is one of our few students who returned to Columbia to teach in his Alma Mater. He is married to Alice Dennert and they have two children. Kay Dennert is a graduate of Colorado State College and teaches second grade at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City. S.D. She is being married this summer. Rhea Dennert is a graduate of the University of South Dakota and is employed as a stenographer in New Jersey. She is married to Robert Davis. Linda Meints is a graduate of Northern and lives at 504 E. 26th St. in Cheyenne, Wyo. She and her husband, Allen Miner, are employed by Boeing Co. at the Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. Petrea Wright is a graduate of Northern and is now teaching at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City. She is married to Miles Campbell who is stationed in Germany with the U.S. Air Force. Petrea will teach in Germany this fall. Barbara Felix attended school in Minneapolis, Minn. She is married to Richard Halverson and they live at Farmington, Minnesota. Norma Mertz was employed by the A.S.C.S. Office in Aberdeen, S.D. She is married to Tony Daly and lives at 217 10th Ave. S.W. with their two sons. Keith Weismantel farms with his father near Columbia. He is married to Audrey Mertz and lives in Columbia with their two children. Delmar Moench attended Northern and now teaches in Minnesota. He is married to Ellen Rosenbohm. Janet Mitchell is attending the Aberdeen School of Commerce and will finish in June, 1965. Dean Ringgenberg served in the U. S. Air Force and is now employed by Martinizing Cleaners in Aberdeen. He is married to Lorie Schliebe and they live in an apartment in Aberdeen, S. Dak. Dean Daly farms with his father near Columbia. Robert Davis is a graduate of the University of South Dakota and is now stationed in New Jersey with the U.S. Air Force. He is married to Rhea Dennert. Thomas Howell served in the U.S. Army before his marriage to Betty Hegge. They live on a farm near Ordway, S.D. with their one child. Daulton Stowell is a graduate of Northern and is employed in Yankton, S. D. He is married to Rita Fetherhuff. CLASS OF 1960 Fifteen freshmen enrolled at Columbia in the fall of 1956. They were: Galen Gabert Audrey Buntrock Lyle Weismantel Neil Elliott Carol Krage Susan Moody Allen Ringgenberg George Stevens Dean Podoll Howard Richardson Ruth Buntrock Arden Fetherhuff Keith Milbrandt Lynette Olsen Kenny Sieber Gloria Ellis joined our class shortly after we had enrolled and George Stevens moved to Aberdeen. As sophomores, we lost Gloria Ellis and Neil Elliott. Our class sponsored a "sock hop" for the school. As juniors, Dean Podoll was no longer with us as he transferred to Hecla High; Karen DeRoos joined our class. Homecoming was held on Sept. 26, 1958 and our class won first place with our float. Our junior class play was "No Soap". We honored the seniors at the Prom and Banquet, using the theme, "Rendezvous of the Stars". On April 29, 1959, at 6:30 P.M., we witnessed the burning of our beloved school. We presented our play in the auditorium, directed by Mrs. Jordre. We experienced something new in our senior year as we went to school in the basement of the Masonic Temple. Music was held in the Legion Hall and noon lunches and extra activities were in the school auditorium. Our class officers were: President - Audrey Buntrock Vice Pres. - Kenny Sieber Secretary - Karen DeRoos Treasurer - Arden Fetherhuff Student Council Rep. - Carol Krege Student Council Pres. - Lyle Weismantel Our Senior Class play was "The Whole Truth", given in the auditorium on April 28. 1960, under the direction of Mr. Roehrick. This was the year Columbia had its first Clinic and was also the year that the Columbia Band took their first tour. On April 1, we took our Skip Day and drove to Minneapolis. Carol Krege and Kenny Sieber had perfect attendance all four years at Columbia High. The honors were awarded to the following: Girls' State Audrey Buntrock Boys' State Keith Milbrandt D.A.R. Ruth Buntrock Snow Queen Audrey Buntrock Homemaker of Tomorrow Susan Moody Homecoming King Lyle Weismantel Homecoming Queen Audrey Buntrock Honor Student Susan Moody Honor Student Keith Milbrandt Baccalaureate was held on May 8, 1960. Mr. Glenn Shevlin was our speaker at Commencement on May 12th. The graduates were: Audrey Buntrock attended Concordia College and is now a parochial school teacher in Palmyri, Missouri. She and Bill Papke will be married this summer. Ruth Buntrock is a dental assistant in Vermillion, S. Dak. She is married to Virgil Johnson and resides at 411 1/2 N. Prentis, Vermillion, S.D. Arden Fetherhuff is attending Northern State College in Aberdeen. He is married to Sharon Sehlepp. Galen Gabert is presently driving a truck for Lowary Livestock of Aberdeen, S.D. Carol Krege is married to Jerold Reed and lives on a farm near Bath, S.D. They have one son. Keith Milbrandt is employed at North American Aviation in the Testing Quality Assurance Division at Cape Kennedy, Fla. He is married to Joan Roehr and they have a daughter. He attended Valparaiso U., Ind. Susan Moody is a graduate of Valparaiso University and is employed by the Harris Trust & Savings Bank as Accountant in Comptrollers. She resides at Apt. 505, 6151 No. Winthrop, Chicago, Illinois. Lynette Olsen is a graduate of Northern and is now serving our country in the Naval Forces. She resides at BOQ 62, Room 317, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, c/o ESN Lynette Olsen. Howard Richardson is employed by Farmers Union Coop Association in Columbia. He is married to Gerry Voorhees and lives near Bath, S.D. Allen Ringgenberg is employed by Leo Kimball as an electrician. He lives on a farm near Columbia, S.D. He served in the U.S. Navy. Kenneth Sieber is now serving in the U.S. Army. His address is: Pvt. Ken Sieber, US 55775170, Box 328-4ETC-USACCES Abdn. Proving Grounds, Maryland. Lyle Weismantel is a graduate of S. D. State College and is now employed by the Aberdeen National Bank. He is married to Cheryl Johnson. We lost one classmate, Karen (DeRoos) Richardson, in a car accident on September 9, 1963. In loving memory of her; "The light of smiles shall fill again, the lids that overflow with tears, and weary hours of woe and pain are promises of happier years". CLASS OF 1961 We started school August 26, 1957, with twenty-one freshmen. They were: Paulette Podoll Audrey Mertz Galynn Gilchrist Dwain Buntrock Dwight Buntrock Helen Howell Helen Rathert Norma Wright Allen Hanson Carroll DeHoet Ronald Kluck Larry Neubauer Vonnie Karlen Dorothy Herther Muriel Vitense Lynette Felix Norma Weihrauch Alice Dennert Beverly Albrecht Robert Sieber Jerry Larson In our sophomore year we lost Helen Rathert, Paulette and Lynette, but Robert Prather joined us. We remained 18 in number in our junior year. Robert Kendall joined us for our senior year. We were active in Pep Band, Boys' and Girls' Glee Clubs and Mixed Chorus. Norma Wright, Alice Dennert, Ronald Kluck and Robert Sieber were chosen to attend All State Chorus in Aberdeen. A Band Clinic was held. When they were seniors, Vonnie and Gay reached the District Declam contest and Muriel went to the State Declam meet. Our boys won the Conference football tourney. Columbia won the Invitational Basketball tournament at the Civic Arena in Aberdeen. We won the District and Regional, giving our boys a chance to go to the State B Tournament where they won one game and lost two. Homecoming was on Oct, 7, 1960, with Galynn as Queen. Our junior play was, "Oh Charlie", directed by Mr. Roehrich. A speakers lectern was given to the school auditorium in May, 1961, by Mr. C.D. Padley in memory of his wife, Dolly. Galynn Gilchrist was Girls' Stater and Allen Hanson went to Boys' State. Alice Dennert was D.A.R. representative. Norma Wright was chosen Snow Queen. The senior class officers were: President - Alice Dennert Vice Pres. - Jerry Larson Sec. & Treas. - Larry Neubauer Student Council Rep. - Carroll DeHoet Our class motto was, "Today We Follow, Tomorrow We Lead." Valedictorian was Muriel Vitense and Alice Dennert was Salutatorian. Baccalaureate was held on May 21 with the Rev. C.R. Ham giving the sermon. Mr. M.D. Anderson was Commencement speaker on May 25. Jerry Larson served in the U. S. Army. He attended State School of Science at Wahpeton, N.D. He is now working at home on the farm. Robert Sieber was in the U.S. Air Force. He is married to Judy Rystrom and they have one daughter. They live in Lafayette. La., where he is employed. Norma Wright is a graduate of N.S.C. She is married to Dennis Monroe and they live in Aberdeen. She will be teaching in the Frederick, S.D., school system this fall. Vonnie Karlen attended N.S.C. and is teaching in Aberdeen. She is married to Lewis Moore. Audrey Mertz lives in Columbia with her husband, Keith Weismantel, and their two children. Dwain Buntrock has attended N.S.C. and is now farming near Columbia. Ronald Kluck is serving in the U.S. Army. Robert Prather farms near Bath. He is married to Paulette Podoll and they have one child. Norma Weihrauch attended Aberdeen School of Commerce. She is working for Western Land and Realty Ins. in Aberdeen. She is married to Byron Milbrandt and they have two children. Alice Dennert attended the Stewart School of Hair Styling in Aberdeen. She married a schoolmate, Tom Hanson. They live in Columbia and have two children. Galynn Gilchrist works in the Bureau of Navy personnel at Washington, D.C., where she lives with her husband, Anthony Burns. Dorothy Herther is married to George Bergh. They live in Aberdeen, S.D., with their two children. Beverly Albrecht is a licensed beautician. She lives near Ferney with her husband, Darrell Sombke, and their two children. Larry Neubauer is now serving in the U.S. Air Force and is located at Great Falls, Montana. Carroll DeHoet is stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., with the U.S. Army. He is married to Arlyce Jasmer. Muriel Vitense lives at Huron, S.D. with her husband, Bob Oles and their one child. Robert Kendall is married and lives at Sioux Falls, S.D. CLASS OF 1962 Sixty-six students enrolled in High School on August 25, 1958 with the following 16 as freshmen: Jerry Reed Rita Fetherhuff Gary Ringgenberg Bernell Olsen Thomas Moody Gary Stepanek Douglas Spiegler Eldon Gilchrist Diane Prather Gerald Moench Joyce Ringgenberg Karen Weifenbach Shireen Woolery Bonnie Johnson Ruby Richardson Rita Kimball As sophomores, we enrolled on August 31, 1959. Helen Rathert joined our class and Gary Stepanek left us. School was held in the Masonic Temple basement. Eldon Gilchrist was on the "A" basketball team from our class. As we entered our junior year, Thomas Moody and Helen Rathert had left us. We participated in the school band clinic. Our junior float won first place in the Homecoming parade on Oct. 7, 1960. Our junior play, "Oh Promise Me", was presented on Nov. 18 under the direction of Mr. Roehrich. Eldon, Jerry and Bernell were on the football squad and participated in eight games. Eldon was chosen as one of the "Ace of the Week" by the Associated Sports Writers on Oct. 27. The eleventh annual Homecoming was held on Oct. 5, 1961. For the first time, our band marched in the Gypsy Day parade at Aberdeen. At 3:00 P.M. that day, the band went to Simmons Field to enter Class C competition in marching and maneuvers. A winter band concert was presented on Dec. 18, 1961. Our basketball boys had a busy season again. On Dec. 28-29, they won the Invitational Tourney by defeating Barnard 50-40. The district tourney was held in Aberdeen. Frederick defeated the Comets in the finals, 61-47. Gerald and Douglas left in their senior year. On Oct. 20, 1962, four seniors were chosen to represent C.H.S. at the All State Chorus held in Huron, S. D. They were Rita Kimball, Diane Prather, Gary Ringgenberg and Bernell Olsen. Rita Kimball, Diane Prather, and Joyce Ringenberg were the winners at the local declam contest on Nov. 1. They entered the District contest at Hecla on Nov. 9, where Diane received an Excellent, Joyce - Good, and Rita was ill and unable to attend. Our senior play, "Off the Track", was presented in the auditorium on April 6. Our junior-senior Prom was held on April 14. Awards were presented to the following students: Valedictorian Rita Fetherhuff Co-Valedictorian Bernell Olsen Salutatorian Diane Prather Homecoming Queen Ruby Richardson Homecoming King Eldon Gilchrist Carnival Queen Diane Prather Carnival King Gary Ringgenberg D.A.R. Diane Prather Girls' State Rita Kimball Boys' State Bernell Olsen Snow Queen Rita Kimball Our senior class officers were: President - Ruby Richardson Vice Pres. - Diane Prather Secretary - Rita Fetherhuff Treasurer - Eldon Gilchrist Student Council Rep. - Gary Ringgenberg Student Council Sec. & Treas. -Joyce Ringgenberg Our class motto was, "With the Light of Today, We'll Explore the Path of Tomorrow." Our Baccalaureate was held in the auditorium on May 20, with the Rev. Johann Thorson as speaker. We were proud to have Kermit Wahl, a former graduate of Columbia, give the Commencement address on May 24 to the following seniors: Rita Fetherhuff attended Aberdeen School of Commerce and is now working in the American State Bank in Yankton, S.D. She is married to Daulton Stowell. Jerry Reed is married to Carol Krage and they have one son. They live on a farm near Bath, S.D. Gary Ringgenberg farms with his parents, Harley and Edna Ringgenberg, near Columbia. Bernell Olsen attended Rapid City School of Mines and is now employed by the Northwest Bell Telephone Co. Thomas Moody attended school at Concordia in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is now serving in the Marine Corps. Eldon Gilchrist attended Huron College. He is now farming near Columbia with his parents, Jack and Millicent Gilchrist. Diane Prather is an x-ray technician. She is married to Jay Rozzi. They live at Massapequa, Long Island, New York. Joyce Ringgenberg attended Aberdeen School of Commerce and is now employed by the Brown County A.S.C.S Office. She is married to Allen Beckler. Karen Weifenbach is married to Joe Hatzenbeller and lives in Aberdeen. Bonnie Johnson is a beautician and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ruby Richardson attended the Aberdeen School of Commerce and is now employed by Feinsteins in Aberdeen. Rita Kimball is married to Dennis Stange. They have two sons and live in Fargo, N.D. CLASS OF 1963 Thirteen freshmen started school in the Masonic Temple basement in 1959 because the schoolhouse had burned the previous April. Our class won first place in the Homecoming parade. In our sophomore year Joan Daly was elected Carnival Queen and Dallas Ducheneaux was King. In our junior year Joan Daly was chosen Girls' State representative and Allen Karlen was Boys' State representative. Lavonne Albrecht won the honors of being Valedictorian, D.A.R. Candidate, and Miss Columbia. Dennis Mitchell was Salutatorian. Joan Daly and Donnie Meints were chosen Homecoming Queen and King. Joan Daly, Marilyn DeRoos and Allen Karlen were selected to represent Columbia at the All- State Chorus in Huron, S.D. Graduates were: Allen Karlen married Deanna Bohling and works on a farm near Columbia. They have one child. Bernie DeHoet lives at home on a farm near Columbia. Raymond Miller farms near Columbia. He is married to Gail Hansen. Joan Daly is doing secretarial work in Minneapolis, Minnesota. LaVonne Albrecht is studying at St. Lukes Hospital to be an x-ray technician. Dick Mertz is attending college in Huron, S.D. Dennis Mitchell is attending college in Vermillion. Mick Gesling attends Aberdeen School of Commerce. Marilyn DeRoos is Mrs. Dennis Tople and lives in Aberdeen, S.D. Donnie Meints attended college at Huron and is now at home near Columbia. CLASS OF 1964 In the fall of 1960, eleven freshmen started their High School career. They were: Norma Weifenbach Allen DeRoos Marilyn Olsen Wilbur Albrecht Judy Kimball Donald Davis Bette Felix Deanna Bohling Ila Fetherhuff Linda Woolery Janice Gerhart We spent our entire year in the music room of the auditorium because of the crowded conditions at the Masonic Temple. There were ten students enrolled our sophomore year. Janice Gerhart had moved and started at Conde. Judy Kimball was chosen a cheerleader and also attended the District declam contest. Bette Felix was Sweetheart Ball Queen. Again, ten enrolled for our Junior year. Ila Fetherhuff transferred to Aberdeen, but Clarence "Skip" Larson, who previously attended Bath High School, became a member of our class. Norma Weifenbach and Don Davis were Carnival Queen and King. Deanna Bohling was chosen cheerleader. Marilyn Olsen was chosen Girls' Stater and Wilbur Albrecht went to Boys' State. Wilbur also went to All-State Chorus and was named to All-State Football. Marilyn Olsen and Judy Kimball were in the senior play. Our prom theme was "Garden of Dreams." We started our senior year with nine students. Skip Larson had transferred to Barnard. Later Linda Woolery transferred to Glasgow, Mont. Then we were eight in number. Class officers were: Pres.-Allen DeRoos, Vice Pres.-Norma Weifenbach, Sec.-Treas.-Bette Felix and Student Council Representative - Judy Kimball. Deanna Bohling was chosen a cheerleader and was also Sweetheart Ball Queen. Marilyn Olsen was D.A.R. representative, attended All-State Chorus and was also Homecoming Queen. Norma Weifenbach was editor of the "Comet" and was selected "Miss Columbia" at the Snow Queen contest. Wilbur Albrecht was Homecoming King and attended All-State Chorus. Our senior play was entitled "No Boys Allowed". On May 22, 1964, eight seniors received their diplomas. Norma Weifenbach was Valedictorian and Allen DeRoos was Salutatorian. Bette Felix received a $200 Scholarship from the Commercial Club to attend the college of her choice. Skip Day was spent in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. The Commencement address was given by Dr. Gordon Diedtrich. Donald Davis is attending college at Brookings, S.D. Wilbur Albrecht married a classmate, Judith Kimball. They have one daughter and live in Brookings where Wilbur attends S.D. State College. Allen DeRoos is attending Jamestown College, Jamestown, N.D. and plans to be a teacher. Bette Felix is attending N.S.C. at Aberdeen, S.D. Marilyn Olsen is a student at N S.C. at Aberdeen, S.D. Norma Weifenbach is employed in Aberdeen. Deanna Bohling married Allen Karlen. They live in Columbia and have a daughter. Judy Kimball lives in Brookings with husband Wilbur Albrecht and daughter. CLASS OF 1965 Eleven Freshmen entered the halls of C.H.S. in the fall of 1961. They were: Lloyd Buntrock Dan Collins Robert Karlen Lanny Krage Robert Krage Arlyce Jasmer John Richardson Lorie Schliebe Connie Whites Roger Wilson Neil Vitense Lanny Krage was named to the All Conference second team in football. During our sophomore year the class float won first place in the Homecoming parade. Tom Hanson, a former graduate, was a practice teacher for several weeks. Our basketball team went to the State B Tournament. Arlyce was elected a cheerleader. During our junior year the "C" Club, an athletic organization, was formed and members ordered letter Jackets. Bob Karlen transferred to Aberdeen for the second semester, leaving ten in the class. The class play, "The Antics of Andrew," was a big success. Five juniors, Connie, Lorie, Arlyce, Lloyd, and Neil were in the senior play. Connie Whites was elected to Girls' State and John Richardson was Boys' Stater. The Prom theme was "Magic Moments" and the class gave the banquet for the seniors. John Richardson was co-editor of the Annual. Our senior year found us with nine members - Dan Collins had transferred to Groton. Class officers were: Pres.-Connie Whites, Vice Pres.-Lloyd Buntrock, Sec.-Treas.-John Richardson. Lorie Schliebe was Student Council representative and also chairman of the Student Council. The class float won first place in the Homecoming parade. Homecoming King and Queen were Roger Wilson and Connie Whites. At the Sweetheart Ball, Lloyd was chosen Jack of Diamonds. The class play was, "Take It Easy". We were Proud to have two C.H.S. alumni as our senior teachers - Harold Nilsson, Class of '33, was our Superintendent and Thomas Hanson, Class of '59, was the Coach and taught English and Biology. Lanny and Robert made the All Conference team in football. Lloyd was the basketball team captain. The Rev. Frank Workentine gave the Baccalaureate sermon on May 16. George Rice, Attorney in Aberdeen, gave the Commencement address on May 21. Valedictorian was John Richardson and Roger Wilson was Salutatorian. Connie Whites was D.A.R. selection. The class colors were red and white and the red rose was chosen as the class flower. Our class motto was, "One Goal Reached But Many Beyond." Lloyd Buntrock plans to stay with his parents on the farm near Columbia. Arlyce Jasmer married Carroll DeHoet, who is taking his training in the U. S. Army. Robert Krage will attend N.S C. at Aberdeen. Lanny Krage plans to attend S. D. State U. at Brookings, S.D. John Richardson has chosen the U. of South Dakota at Vermillion as his school. Lorie Schliebe married Dean Ringgenberg in June. They are living in Aberdeen where he is employed. Neil Vitense lives in Columbia with his parents. Constance Whites plans to enter nurses training at Huron, S.D. Roger Wilson plans to attend the School of Mines at Rapid City, S.D. IN MEMORIAM Gerald Rathert 8/26/07 --- 7/5/33 Sylvia Tollefson 12/21/13 --- 3/8/39 Pearl Weismantel 8/27/14 --- 5/25/37 Lucille Daly 9/8/15 --- 12/19/55 Donald Clark 3/28/17 --- Date of death unknown Virginia Klepfer 9/7/18 --- 4/19/46 Howard Rossman 7/25/18 --- 8/24/41 Joyce Kilpatrick 6/29/22 --- 3/23/62 Clifford Hall 7/16/26 --- 6/11/46 Darline Krage 11/20/26 --- 6/22/58 Ruth Johnson 6/12/27 --- 6/28/58 Merlin Tunby 6/19/32 --- 12/24/63 Joyce Buntrock 12/29/32 --- 11/26/53 Karen DeRoos 4/5/42 --- 9/9/63 HOT LUNCH COOKS Pearl Lyons & Hattie Gesling----1953 Pearl Lyons & Hattie Gesling----1954 Pearl Lyons & Hattie Gesling----1955 Pearl Lyons & Hattie Gesling----1956 Pearl Lyons & Cecelia Fisher----1957 Pearl Lyons & Mabel Felix-------1958 Mabel Felix & Leola Carlson-----1959 Mabel Felix & Dorothy DeRoos----1960 Mabel Felix & Dorothy DeRoos----1961 Mabel Felix & Alvina Heipler----1962 Alvina Heipler & Elnora Krage---1963 Elnora Krage and Ruth Johnson---1964 JANITORS Arthur Kemnitz Matthew Chalcraft William Krage Herman Neubauer Grant Nelson Clare Johnson YEAR - HIGH SCHOOL YEAR - TEACHER - GRADE 1926-W.L. Linsten, Supt. 1926-Leone Tollefson 1-2 Florence Stevens, Jessie Cure 3-4 Mrs. Linsten, Clara Honzlik 5-6 Agnes Lorden 7-8 1927-Robert Haig, Supt. 1927-Leone Tollefson 1-2 Helen McAllister, Anna Mikkelson 3-4 Margaret Green, Clara Henzlik 5-6 Agnes Lorden 7-8 1928-Robert Haig, Supt. 1928-Miss Galehouse 1-2 Helen McAllister, Anna Mikkelson 3-4 Lulu Campbell, Vivian Gifford 5-6 Vivian Murphy 7-8 1929-Robert Haig, Supt. 1929-Miss Galeshouse 1-2 Esther Jones, Grace Oie 3-4 Cora Pederson, Vivian Murphy 6-8 1930-Geo. Dirksen, Supt. 1930-Edith Fellers 1-2 Esther Jones, Evelyn Nettum 3-5 Cora Pederson, Vivian Murphy 6-8 1931-Geo. Dirksen, Supt. 1931-Edith Fellers 1-2 Esther Jones, Evelyn Nettum 3-5 Cora Pederson, Vivian Murphy 6-8 Oscar Meyers 1932-Geo. Dirksen, Supt. 1932-Esther Herron 1-2 Esther Jones, Evelyn Nettum 3-5 Cora Pederson, Lorna Buntrock 6-8 Cyril VanCamp 1933-Geo. Dirksen, Supt. 1933-Hilda Heidenreich 1-2 Cora Pederson, Evelyn Nettum 3-5 Thelma Piltingsrud, Lorna Buntrock 6-8 Cyril VanCamp 1934-Myron Hoyt, Supt. 1934-Hilda Heidenreich 1-2 Cora Pederson, Evelyn Nettum 3-5 Thelma Piltingsrud, Lena Bittner 6-8 Lester Wahl 1935-Myron Hoyt, Supt. 1935-Hilda Heidenreich 1-2 Cora Pederson, Ina Glover 3-5 Thelma Piltingsrud, Lena Bittner 6-8 Lester Wahl 1936-Myron Hoyt, Supt. 1936-Margaret Erdmann 1-2 Cora Pederson, Ina Glover 3-5 Lillian Kropuenski, Harold Gramberg 6-8 Lester Wahl 1937-Arthur L. Loessin, Supt. 1937-Margaret Erdmann 1-2 Lillian Kropuenski, Ina Glover 3-5 Hazel Hummel, Harold Gramberg 6-8 Arthur Jones 1938-A. L. Loessin, Supt. 1938-Margaret Erdmann 1-2 Arthur Jones, Mrs. A. Loessin 3-5 Hazel Hummel, Carol Gunnison 6-8 Lillian Kropuenski 1939-A. L. Loessin, Supt. 1939-Miriam McClintock 1-2 Elmer Douglas, Mrs. L. Loessin 3-5 Donald Porter, Miss Quashnik 6-8 Elizabeth Daulton Janet Connell 1940-A. L. Loessin, Supt. 1940-Miriam McClintock 1-2 Myrtis Griffith, Mrs. Loessin 3-5 Gretchen Wismer, Glenn Pederson 6-8 Elmer Douglas 1941-A. L. Loessin, Supt. 1941-Irene Karlen 1-2 Gretchen Wismer, Mrs. Loessin 3-5 Myrtis Griffith, Effie Dickerson 6-8 1942-Julius Werle, Supt, 1942-Sally Hofer 1-2 Jeanne Olander, Irene Karlen 3-5 Ella Zambo, Effie Dickerson 6-8 Helen Huettner Harold Reidel YEAR - HIGH SCHOOL YEAR - TEACHER - GRADE 1943-M. G. Roach, Supt. 1943-Edna Gillette 1-4 Jeanne Olandern, Effie Dickerson 5-8 Annabelle Kelly Lois Johnson 1944-Reginald Krueger, Supt. 1944-Edna Gillette 1-4 Annabelle Kelley, Effie Dickerson 5-8 W.W. Trushenski Roy Wahl (Coach) 1945-Florence Hagstom, Supt. 1945-Edna Gillette 1-4 C. A. Birdsall, Olive Risdahl 5-8 Annabelle Kelly Kludt Roy Wahl (Coach) 1946-M. Ellen Howell, Supt. 1946-Anita Timmerman 1-3 Curtis Birdsall, Irene Sullivan 4-6 Dorothy Atkinson, Mrs. Olive Kelly 7-8 1947-M. Ellen Howell, Supt. 1947-Francis Hinderks 1-4 Robert Martin, Mrs. Pearl Green 5-8 Elinor Haire 1948-Robert Martin, Supt. 1948-Mary Dill 1-4 Elinor Haire, Mrs. Pearl Green 5-8 Elaine Brekke 1949-Robert Martin, Supt. 1949-Edith McCammon 1-4 Elaine Brekke, Mrs. Pearl Green 5-8 Elinor Haire 1950-Robert Martin, Supt. 1950-Edith McCammon 1-4 James Hurin, Grace Hall 5-8 Eldon Froke (Band) Gerald Nelson Darlene Pesicka 1951-Robert Martin, Supt. 1951-Edith Moes 1-3 James Hurin, Shirley Davis Ervin Kusler, Miss Rowe 4-5 Bernetta Stassen, Irene Sullivan 6-8 Elby Coy (Band) 1952-Robert Martin, Supt. 1952-Edith Moes 1-4 James Hurin, Irene Sullivan 5-8 Ervin Kusler Bernetta Stassen Elby Coy (Band) 1953-Robert Martin, Supt. 1953-Viola Sunderland 1-4 James Hurin, Irene Sullivan 5-8 Ervin Kusler Joyce Jones Wilfred Brusse (Band) 1954-Gordon Parker, Supt. 1954-Edith Moes 1-4 James Hurin, Irene Krage 5-8 Ervin Kusler Joyce Jones Wilfred Brusse (Band) 1955-Gordon Parker, Supt. 1955-Edith Moes 1-3 James Hurin, Lorraine Wylie 4-6 Ervin Kusler, Florence Arnstead 7-8 J.C. McMillian Wilfred Brusse (Band) 1956-Gordon Parker, Supt. 1956-Marion Eulberg 1-3 James Hurin, L. Bringelson 4-6 Ervin Kusler, F. Arnstead 7-8 J.C. McMillian Willis Fisher (Band) 1957-Glenn Shevlin, Supt. 1957-Marion Eulberg 1-3 Donald Blood, Mrs. E. Gunderson 4-6 Ervin Kusler, F. Arnstead 7-8 J.C. McMillian Willis Fisher (Band) YEAR - HIGH SCHOOL YEAR - TEACHER - GRADE 1958-Glenn Shevlin, Supt. 1958-Marion Eulberg 1-2 Donald Blood, Miss Dahme 3-4 Ervin Kusler, L. Bringelson 5-6 J.C. McMillian, F. Arnstead 7-8 Rollie Bunn (Band) 1959-James Jordre, Supt. 1959-Charlene Hoffman 1-2 Ervin Kusler, Mrs. J. Huber 3-4 George Birger, P. Hoenschied 5-6 Frances Jordre, Florence Arnstead 7-8 Rollie Bunn 1960-Geo. Birger, Supt. 1960-Janet Bryson 1-2 Ervin Kusler, Sharon Wheeting 3-4 Frank DeRoos, Joyce Gerber 5-6 Velma Becker, Darlys Karlen 7-8 Richard Moore Duane Roehrick (Band) 1961-Geo. Birger, Supt. 1961-Alta Fetherhuff 1-2 Ervin Kusler, Estella Erdmann 3-4 Frank DeRoos, Joyce Gerber 5-6 Richard Moore, Lois Davis 7-8 Duane Roehrick (Band) 1962-Stan Raabe, Supt. 1962-Alta Fetherhuff 1-2 Ervin Kusler, Estella Erdmann 3-4 Frank DeRoos, Nyla Martin 5-6 William Fuhrman (Band), Dennis Monroe 7-8 1963-Gus Kolb, Supt. 1963-Luella Lambert 1-2 Frank DeRoos, Estella Erdmann 3-4 Ervin Kusler, Nyla Zastrow 5-6 Harley Zephier, Dennis Monroe 7-8 William Fuhrman (Band) 1964-Arden Rizer, Supt. 1/2 yr. 1964-Luella Lambert 1-2 Emery Herring, Supt. 1/2 yr. Estella Erdmann 3-4 Frank DeRoos, Nyla Zastrow 5-6 Harley Zephier, Dennis Monroe 7-8 Carole Wilson William Fuhrman 1965-Harold Nilsson, Supt. 1965-Luella Lambert 1-2 Frank DeRoos, Estella Erdmann 3-4 Thomas Hanson, Joanne Weismantel 5-6 Ruth Workentine, Mary Kramer 7-8 Dennis Hollan The following is a copy of a letter sent to each alumnus, August 7, 1964. Dear Classmate: At a recent meeting of several Columbia High School Alumni, it was decided to form an Alumni Association. The main purpose of said Association is to plan a reunion of all Columbia High School graduates and teachers. It was decided to have a picnic at 4 o'clock on July 5, 1965, at the Columbia City Park for all alumni and/or husbands, wives, and families. Said picnic is to be catered and each one present is to pay for his own meal. All former teachers are to be invited. It was also voted to assess each alumnus $2.00 as a charter membership fee. Where both husband and wife are alumni, the $2.00 fee will apply for both. This money will be used for expenses incurred, such as printing, postage and etc. This membership fee is due now. Mrs. Ruth Zastrow is compiling a history of Columbia High School and would appreciate your returning the enclosed card to your class chairman or the Columbia Alumni Association. Please return the card if you plan to attend or not. May we please have your reservations for the picnic supper as soon as possible. We must know how many to plan for. All of us here are hoping to have a really grand reunion. President; Lucille and Robert Dennert-Secretary and Treasurer; and Ruth Zastrow (Mrs. Alvin)- Historian. All addresses are Columbia, South Dakota. If you have the address of any former classmates or teachers, please inform your class chairman. Sincerely, Your Class Chairman We wish to thank the following chairmen who have tried so hard to contact each graduate for history which was compiled for this booklet. Some classmates did not respond, hence our lack of information. Ben Buntrock Vera McCormick Smilloff Harold Richardson Ella Krege Weihrauch Lucille Wenner Dennert Helen Neff Zastrow Marguerite Fouts Hanson Edna Buntrock Ringgenberg Dorothy Holland Heister Myrtle Vitense Sieber Vineta Jackson Milbrandt Irene Karlen Krege Pearl Tollefson Wilson Wilma Weismantel Buntrock Esther Buntrock Herther Marion Buntrock Jasmer Ethel Weismantel Bakken Lucille Carlson Collins Beverly Schmidt Bohling Vera Carlson Ringgenberg Yvonne Hanson Wahl Shirley Vitense Dayton Arlene Kruse Weismantel Doris Dennert Larson Darlene Davis Wockenfuss Arlen Hanson Bonnie Miller Yeske Mary Johnson Weismantel Geraldine Daly Webb Carol Davis Axtman Doreen Wright Dell Shirley Neubauer Weismantel Linda Zastrow Olson Thomas Hanson Carol Krage Reed Alice Dennert Hanson Ruby Richardson Donald Meints Bette Felix Lloyd Buntrock This booklet has been published as a review of 40 graduating classes of the Columbia Public School of Brown County, Columbia, S. Dak. We dedicate this booklet to our parents, who for the past 82 years have made this school possible. It is dedicated to all of the 498 graduates who are living in our vast country and who now share in its success. It is also dedicated to those who have served in various important capacities during the compiling of this booklet. We deem it a great honor to share these Class Histories with all of you. Alumni Association Columbia, S. Dak.