Schools Gallery - Dawes County Journal
Front Row L-to-R: Dale Halbach, Linda McKinnon, Glenda _______ ? Gary Butler, Jimmy Thein, Delbert Bader, Gary Durham, Steven Masek, Gary Ritterbush, Melvin White, Cleo McDaniel, Barbara Gold. 2nd Row: Marilyn Verry, Don Witte, Gerald Raymer, Frank Snyder, Jimmy Nordstrom, Douglas Wollesen, LeRoy Keim, Stanley Grass, Joan Van Sant, Kay Olson, Karen Rice, Coralie Nixon, Darlene Belfany, and Mr. Curtis Thompson. 3rd Row: Bobby Lowry, Victor Convey, Melvin Littrel, Donna Harvey, Carol Cavaness, Cleo Steele, Allan Clark, Wayne Norman, Hilda Nielsen, Lloyd Dawkins, Joe Finley, Barney Huryta, Paul KillsCrow. Back Row: Barbara Barnum, Steven Scott, Larry Roberts, Mickey Megown, Janice Stout, Billy Thein, Monty Meyers, Richard Zuver, Judith Thompson, Georgia Myers, Sharon O'Connor, Collene Schell, Betty Jane. (Thanks to Jerry Raymer for sharing this photo!)
Assumption Academy Kindergarten (1957-58)
You can click on the above image to see a larger version. Thanks to Dave Schlickbernd for sending us this photograph! We're in the process of trying to identify all these student. Here's what we have so far... (Standing-L-R): Teacher Van Loan, Unknown, John Ryan, John Melton, Roger Lauder, and Dave Schlickbernd. (8 Seated L-R but only 7 notations): Diane Trabert, Unknown, Kathy Engel, Julie Grantham, Mary Phillips, Norita Faulk, Unknown ------------- By the way, we've created a separate photo gallery for Assumption Academy class pictures and activities. We hope you might share any you have.....or can help us add names for persons not yet identified. Thanks.Simply drop us an e-Mail. Thanks!
The 1958 Chadron State Eagles football team
Note: Click on the photo above for a closer look! This is the 1958 Chadron State College football team that won all of its games, and most of them by wide margins. In the front row, from left-to-right: John Van Kewkirk, LeRoy Cundall, Don Schmaderer, Don Overfield, Don Mathis, Pete Mirelez, Gale Ibach, Don Osborn, Lonnie Wickard, Bill Mowry, Roger Krening, Bob Pedrett, Jim Prell, Chuck McGaw. Second row, Head Coach Bill Baker, Athletic Director Ross Armstrong, Roger Nielson, Ron Mercure, Bill Groves, Junior Johnson, Virgil Meyer, Chuck Murray, Rex Jones, Dick Colerick, Guido Santero, Richard Deben, Jim White, Wally Sande, Orval Borgialli, Jerry Rowe, Assistant Coach Dudley Draxton. Back row, student managers Ron Pinney and Larry Lemons, Don Hanks, Don Mahlman, John McLane, Chuck Cogdill, Pete Beckman, Mel Stuckey, Don Parsons, Tom Blundell, Dennis Thompson, Roger Hengen, Fran Trenholm and Don Koralewski. (Photo courtesy of Con Marshall).
1931 principals of the three Chadron Public Elementary Schools
Even if you didn't have one of these ladies as a teacher or principal, they may well have been friends, neighbors, or relatives. In any event, their surnames may ring familiar to many area residents of years past.
...A Step up in transportation!
Public schools alum Larry Smith (CHS '54) remembers when the "new" bus (top photo) owned by Greyhound was acquired in 1953 to haul school groups to different activities. It was still chugging along in 1958 (below) when cheerleaders (L-R) Sandy Konrath, LaDonna Fox, Penny Shumway, and Judy Roberts proudly used the bus as a backdrop! You can read about Henry's Bus" on the Dawes County Journal website. (Thanks to John Miller for sharing these photos.)
CSC football coach Bill Baker (left) with Eagle end Tom Blundell
Tom Blundell, a native of Chadron, was selected the outstanding senior lineman in the Nebraska College Conference in 1958 and was named NAIA second-team All-American. CSC Homecoming to include 60-year reunion of undefeated football team One of the highlights of 2018 Homecoming at Chadron State College will be a reunion of athletes coached by Bill Baker 60 or more years ago. Now 90 and living in Tucson, Ariz., Baker and the CSC Alumni Association organized the reunion, which will primarily focus on Chadron State’s undefeated football team in the fall of 1958. The Eagles had to come from behind to defeat Southern State College of Springfield, S.D., 26-20 in the season-opener, but won all their remaining seven games by at least three touchdowns. While Baker, who was just 28 when he initially came to Chadron State to coach football and track and field in 1955, is still going strong and will serve as the grand marshal of the Homecoming parade Saturday morning, time has taken its toll on the ’58 team. Sixteen the 30 lettermen have passed away and only five of the remaining 14 have made reservations to attend this weekend’s reunion. However, five other football players that Baker coached as well as two outstanding sprinters from his track teams and a couple of basketball players from that era are planning to attend, along with at least two widows of football players. Baker says the ’58 team was made up of rugged, hard-nosed players who worked hard and got along well. Several of them played more than one position and saw action on both sides of the ball. Fourteen of them received at least honorable mention when all-star selections were made at the end of the season. After coaching six years at Chadron State, Baker was an assistant football coach nine years at the University of Wyoming and two years at the University of Arizona. He then was a pro football scout for 25 years before retiring. (Thanks to Con Marshall for this photo)
Minatare native Lonnie Wickard
Inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2005, Lonnie Wickard was a standout quarterback for the 1958 Eagles. He also handled the punting, but was needed for that only 23 times. His 42.8-yard average is still among the best in CSC annals, according to long-time Eagles Sports Information Director, Con Marshall, who was kind enough to share this photo. Con noted that Wickard and teammate Dick Colerick were co-captains and All-Conference players.
Kenwood School was built in 1921-22 for about $50,000.
Prior to its existence, Ward 2 students attended classes in a building on the Dawes County Fairgrounds. One news items noted that land for this school site was donated by State Senator Jimmy Good. He also had played a role in helping secure federal funds for construction of U.S. Highway 20 (called the "Blue Pole Highway) and helped champion funding for State Highway 19 (now U.S. 385) north and south through Chadron. When classes convened in the fall of 1922, the Chadron Public Schools system enrolled 825 students, which was an increase of 20 percent over 1921. The Kenwood School provided much needed classroom space and its addition to Kenwood was a big deal for Ward 2 – and Chadron.
Long-time Chadron Prep teacher and coach Archie Conn
The 1949 Prep yearbook, The Eagle's Tale" was dedicated to him. A 1933 graduate of Chadron State College, Conn returned to his alma mater to take over the coaching reins at Chadron Prep, where he established one of the most successful coaching stint in history. He was best known for his success in basketball where the Junior Eagles compiled a record of 247-33 with three undefeated state championship teams. During one stretch in the early 1950’s, their win string was 42 games in a row and later in the decade they won 37 in a row. In a day when one coach did it all, he had a highly successful football program with a record of 28-8-2 and a win streak of 21 and two undefeated seasons. After the college closed the high school, he remained on the college faculty and later served at the University of South Dakota-Springfield. He was presented Chadron State College’s Distinguished Service Award in 1976.
1949-50 Chadron Public Schools - East Ward 2nd Grade
Front Row (l-to-r): Unknown, Jim Saults, Unknown, Gordon Goodrich, Unknown, Jerry Linn, Charles Tuma, Dennis Parks, Roland Rapp, David Reaser Middle Row: Raymond Cottier, Dennis Warner, George Blundell, Jim Sandstrom, Joan Shaw, Raymond Atkins?, Bill Atchison, Unknown, Sharon Kay Coburn, Paul Kindig Back Row: Unknown, Unknown, Janet Homan, Sally Bauman, Jean Gatzmeyer, Sharon Konrath, Unknown, Lorraine Petrig, and Donald McDowell --------------------------------------------- (Photo courtesy of Jim Sandstrom) JS comments: 3rd Row (i-r) ?, ?, Janet Homan, Sally Bauman, Jean Gatzemeyer, Sharon Konrath, ?, Lorraine Petrig, Don McDowell Comment: kids that I recognized immediately were Jimmy Saults, Gordon Goodrich, Charles Tuma, Dennis Parks, George Blundell, Billy Atkinson, Sally Bauman, Jean Gatzemeyer, and Lorraine Petrig. On the back of this photo in my second grade printing are 15 names with 29 kids in the photo. The names are Sally, Phyllis, Jimmy, Jean, Kay, George, Mary, Donnie, Raymond, Raymond A., Phyllis B., Roland, Jerry, Billy, and Jim. As noted, I recognized Sally Bauman, Jimmy Saults, Jean Gatzemeyer, George Blundell, Billy Atkinson, and myself. From the third grade faces and names, I Identified Kay (Coburn), Donnie (McDowell), Raymond (Cattier), and Jerry (Linn) (although the Jerry could be Jerry Weymouth). I have good confidence that I identified them correctly. Since these kids were in the third grade photo, I believe there were in this second grade class – Mary is Mary Page Moss and Roland is Roland Rapp. I believe that Raymond A. may be Raymond Adkins, but he was not in the third grade photo. I have no recollection of Phyllis and Phyllis B. Other kids that were in the third grade photo that very likely were in this second grade include Sharon Konrath, Sheila Ewing, Dennis Pinkerton, Joan Shaw, Karen Hall, Jerry Weymouth (or Linn), David Reaser, Dennis Warner, Eugene Cornish, and Georgia Hunt. A very large class. Since Jean was in the class and you have contact with her, you might run the photo by her to see who she remembers.
Guido Santero was a 1958 Eagle player from Lewellen, Nebraska
Guido Santero was the tailback and played in the secondary on defense. He rushed 117 times for 807 yards and scored 13 touchdowns to spark the offense.
Chadron Prep at 2001 Nebraska High School Hall of Fame
Archie Conn, the head coach when Chadron Prep won Class C state tournament basketball championships in 1950, 1952 and 1955, was inducted into the Nebraska State High School Athletic Hall of Fame posthumously in 2001. During the ceremonies the three championship teams were designated Golden Anniversary Teams by the Hall of Fame. These Prep athletes and those who had been Prep students were in attendance. In front, from left, are Tom Mingus, Doug Wilson, Cal Clark, Glen Wyatt, Bob Armstrong, Franklin Clark, Charlie Snook and Barb Snook. In the back are Kenny Churchill, Hope Hampton Weaver, Jay Muma, Marion Shellhorn, Bob Buchanan, Jim Hampton, Jim Link, Danny Kuska, Dick Mingus, Bob Egly, Phil Williams, Gary Clements, Dave Roberts and Janet Redfern Adams.
Assumption hoopsters led the way in 1951-52
Friend Jim Sandstrom has again shared a bit of his archived history of Assumption Academy and Chadron.!
1950-51 Chadron Public Schools - East Ward 3rd Grade
(Photo dated May 22, 1951) Teacher (not shown): Mrs. Verna Hoatson Front Row(l-to-r): Janet Homan, Raymond Cottier, Jean Gatzmeyer, Juanita Sewell, Sheila Ewing, Gordon Goodrich, Dennis Pinkerton, and Georgia Hunt Middle Row: Dennis Warner, Jerry Linn, Charles Tuma, Roland Rapp, Sharon Konrath, Donald McDowell, Eugene Cornish, Sally Bauman, and Mary Page Moss Back Row: Bill Atchison, Joan Shaw, Kay Coburn, Saren Hall, Jerry Weymouth, David Reaser, George Blundell, and Jim Sandstrom. --------------------------------------------- (Photo courtesy of Jim Sandstrom)
We're still looking for school group photos! So you attended Belmont in 1931? Prep in 1959? Crawford in 1940? No matter the school – no matter the year. We hope you'll consider sharing your photos with Dawes County Journal. Contact us at galeymedia@gmail.com. If you'd like to get a closer look at the folks above who attended a "Gathering" of 1961 Chadron High School graduates recently (August 25, 2018), simply click on the image!
FRONT ROW (L-R): Russett Ann Tangeman, Richard Lenington, Mary Masek, Ernest Milburn, Mildred Zarr, Lawrence Denton, Irene Pugh, and Robert Olson. MIDDLE ROW: David Rice, Kathleen Higgins, Karen Sweigln, Robert Crawford, Eric Pokorny, Darlene Dau, Keith Schieldhaver. BACK ROW: Kenneth Maika, Bill Hallsted, Marilyn Morgan, Butch Sinclair, Janet Goodrich, Beverly Cronk, and Hildegarde Neilson. (Photo courtesy of Lawrence Denton)
1947-48 Chadron Public Schools - West Ward Kindergarten
Front Row (l-to-r): Sally Thornton?, Unknown, Maynard King, Unknown, Yoakum?, LeRoy Preble?, Unknown, Danny Patterson? Back Row: Unknown, Jim Sandstrom, Unknown, Glen Oak, Unknown, LeRoy Preble or Bruce Yoakum?, Linda DiTonto, Unknown. ------------------------------------------(Photo courtesy of Jim Sandstrom)
Chadron Assumption Academy Basketball Team - 1957
District Champions (Photo courtesy of Jim Sandstrom) You can click on the photo to select a larger image. Friend Con Marshall noted that the Panthers won the District Championship title four years in a row under coach George Shinker.
1951-52 Assumption Academy - 4th & 5th Grades
Front Row (l-r): George Bamsey, Danny Davis, Joe Meyerring, Joan Boeck, Walter Montague, Doyle Hucke, James Aylward, Tom Yeradi Middle Row (l-r): Lana Jean Callen, Carol Brownlow, Kay Lynn Hamous, James Crowe, Judith Bensen, Bob Sutter, Lawrence Farr, Karen Chamberlain Back Row (l-r) William Montague, Darlene Nozicka, Dorothy McGowan, Robert Bensen, Carol Seaholm, Jim Sandstrom, Mike Fay, Gloria Goffena. ------------- (Photo courtesy of Jim Sandstrom) JS comments: "Classes at Assumption were usually combined into two classes to a classroom and teacher, hence the combined fourth and fifth grade photo. Believe it or not I was able to identify 95 percent of the kids, but needed to look in other old time files to get the names of the others.)
A few Images from the Chadron Public Schools "Milestone"
Even though the technologies used in publishing this 1931 Yearbook are now more than 80 years old, the images are remarkably sharp. We found the name "Dorothy Putnam" written inside the front cover of this online Milestone.