Class History
CLASS HISTORY 1959-1960
Bright and early on the morning of Sept. 4, 1951, 51 freshly scrubbed-from-head-to-toe, excited “students to be” enrolled in the first grade of Park School. Of this number 23 are still enduring each other’s company. The girls of the loyal 23 are Sharon Lee, Cheryl Holland, Susie Beach, Diane Kisselman, Sandra Weber, Sharon Kay Nofts, Karen Stromberger, Mary Sue Rutz, Renee Stewart, Georgia Varra, Edith Walters, and Arlene Middleton. Their boy counterparts are Kenny Rutz, Kenny Zeiler, Dick Hergert, Harmon Claus. Charles Fagler, Bobby Ehrlich, Peter Alan Stoll, Melvin Jacoby, Ronnie Rutz, Larry Weber and Al Apodaca. During the next 9 years the original have been joined by thirty to make up the present 53.
We were patiently tolerated by Mrs. Coon and Mrs. Viegel in our first year of school, 1951 & 1952. Our boys surely got an early start at romance. Their favorite recess pastime was lining up the girls and picking their favorites. Incidentally, they’re still at it. Mrs. Coon was kept busy taping Dickie Hergert’s and Bobby Ehrlich’s mouths shut while Mrs. Viegel was constantly calling Mrs. Stromberger and Mrs. Rutz since Karen and Mary Sue delighted in crying and playing sick to get sent home. In a fit of rage Georgia Varra flung Ronnie Rutz’s hat in the mud because he wanted to play jump rope with the girls. To top it all off, Kenny Rutz and Kenny Zeiler crawled up the aisles and untied everyone’s shoestrings. After a year like that it’s no wonder that Sharon Lee left us at the end of the year.
Our first grade teachers happily passed us on to Mrs. Beach and Mrs. Austin for 2nd grade in the school year of 1952 & 1953. That year we’d calmed down a little bit but still kept the teachers hopping. One day, to the teacher’s dismay, Peter Alan Stoll thought recess was noon and went home. Later, while Mary Sue was trying to cheer up Sharon Kay by dancing with Sharon’s doll, she pulled off both the poor doll’s arms. Big help! This year Al Apodaca left us.
In the 3rd grade things were a little quieter. Our homeroom teachers were Mrs. Van Winkle and Mrs. Phillips. That year we had three new classmates-Dorothy Velasquez, Gudrun Kittle and Bert Martin. Sharon Lee must have felt lonely because she rejoined us that year. Kenny Rutz was sent to the office twice for sliding down the banister. Larry Weber had his share of trouble in spelling class. He just couldn’t get the hang of handing in his assignments. Bobby Ehrlich must have caught the banister fever because he got caught several times also.
In the 4th grade, under Mrs. Dutcher and Mrs. Oswald, things were rally hopping. We were joined by Jimmy Schneider and Al Apodaca returned. This year the two Kennys, Zeiler and Rutz, were back at their first grade antics. This time, however, instead of untying the shoelaces, they tied them to the seats in the auditorium. When the kids stood up, you can imagine what happened. Bobby Ehrlich was at it again. He scared Cheryl Holland half to death with a toy spider, so he stayed after school for many afternoons. Renee Stewart had to have a three-inch splinter pulled out of the place upon which she sits as a result of jumping off the merry-go-round.
CLASS HISTORY 1959-1960 (CONTINUED)
In the 5th grade, 1955 & 1956, our class sponsors were Mrs. Tandy and Mrs. Tozer. Alvin Hummels, Robert Caldwell, Kenny Strohman, and Ross Anciola joined our happy little group. This year Kenny Rutz was sent to the office for fighting. It wasn’t long before he was back for making stingers out of bobby pins. After getting a swat from Mr. Kinkade, he stayed in during recess and ate with (can you believe it?) Mr. Kinkade. Also in that year Robert Caldwell was sent to the office for a little education from the “BOARD OF EDUCATION” for throwing spitwads in spelling class. Kenny, alias “TROUBLE” Strohman, was sent to the office for spitting water and barking like a dog in the halls. He was also very good at ditching school by faking sickness and getting sent home, then showing up again as big as life in time to play. Evidently, he feels that what was good enough for the first grade should work in the ninth, for we understand he tried the same excuse as late as May 9, 1960. Sharon Lee got tired of us and left again at the end of the year.
For 6th grade, 1956 & 1957, Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Warner were our sponsors. Added to our class were Al Ickler, Mary Steen, and Norman Horst. Since we were new at junior high, we were too scared to do anything too bad or too funny. Our teachers didn’t shed any tears when they passed us on to our 7th grade teachers.
Our sponsors for 1957 & 1958 were Miss Brooks and Mr. Autrey. This year our new students were Ted Leber and Ronnie Miller. Also Sharon Lee realized the potential of our class and rejoined us. One day in English class Larry Weber tied a parachute on a poor frog and threw it out the window. What a mess to clean up!
Annetta Gratzl, Gary Hergert, Gus Plumb, David Kuhlmann, Dianne Swanson, Paula Reichert, and Joyce Martin were new students who entered 8th grade in the school term of “58 & ’59. Miss Whetstone and Mrs. Frantz were our class sponsors. During reading class Dick Hergert often exchanged jokes with Miss Whetstone. That was the year, too that Dianne Swanson came to school wearing high heels and promptly fell down a flight of stairs.
Karen Winter, Gail Tigges. Elaine McClure, Jean Martinez, Sesario Briceno, Ken Carlson, Georgia Holden, Alberta Ghesquire, Martin Mueller, Jannavie Lagunas, and Jerry Owen joined our class this year, 1959 & 1960. We also gained Ronnie Hamilton only to lose him in a few weeks. Paula Reichert moved away also.
Ronnie Miller spent his spare time by breaking his arm twice. Gus Plumb and Gary Hergert tried to cool off their soup by putting ice cubes in it. Mrs. McCall and Mr. Dudley sponsored our class and helped plan our parties. The first was a lot of fun that started by playing games and ended with dancing. The second party was a hay ride with no hay because Mr. Dudley has hay fever.
So we, the class of 1959-1960 leave junior high to go to senior high and hope we will have as much success and fun as we had in junior high. We leave our best wishes that you will have as much fun in the coming years as we have had in the past.
