News from the School

" A TOWN AND A HIGH SCHOOL WORTHY OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE"

THANKS TO KEVIN RICE FOR THIS ARTICLE.

THE TOWN OF NORTH KANSAS CITY IN MISSOURI IS SMALL EVEN BY MIDWEST STANDARDS. LYING JUST OVER THE MISSOURI RIVER FROM ITS MUCH LARGER NEIGHBOR KANSAS CITY, THE TOWN BOASTS A 2020 POPULATION OF LESS THAN 4500 RESIDENTS. THAT NUMBER IS DOWN FROM THE 1960 CENSUS WHICH REPORTED THAT NORTH KANSAS CITY HAD OVER 5600 RESIDENTS WITHIN ITS BORDERS. THE TOWN WAS FOUNDED IN 1912 AND HAS A TOTAL LAND MASS OF ONLY 4.61 SQUARE MILES.

TOWNS THAT SMALL ARE EVERYWHERE IN AMERICA, AND THEY ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THIS GREAT NATION. THE CITIZENS OF THESE TOWNS WORK HARD AND SHY AWAY FROM FLASH OR SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT.  ACCORDINGLY, THE TOWNS LIKE THAT CAN'T OFTEN CLAIM THAT THAT THEY HAVE IMPACTED AMERICA IN ANY TRULY IDENTIFIABLE WAY. THE SMALL TOWN OF BEDFORD, VIRGINIA LAYS CLAIM TO THE BEDFORD BOYS BECAUSE THAT TOWN LOST MORE SOLDIERS ON D-DAY PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN AMERICA. THE SMALL TOWN OF ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA, A SUBURB OF EVER- EXPANDING CHARLOTTE, NC IS KNOWN AS FOOTBALL CITY BECAUSE THAT LITTLE BURG HAS TURNED OUT MORE NFL PLAYERS, (OVER 20 PLAYERS) PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN AMERICA.

THE TINY CITY OF LIVINGSTON, MONTANA, HOME TO ABOUT 7000 PEOPLE, CLAIMS THAT IT IS THE HOME TO MORE PROFESSIONAL AUTHORS, PER CAPITA, THAN SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK CITY OR ANY OTHER WRITER'S PARADISE.

BUT, WHEN YOU RESEARCH NORTH KANSAS CITY AND ITS ONLY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL ON THE INTERNET, GOOGLE AND WIKIPEDIA CAN'T OFFER MUCH ENLIGHTENING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS UNASSUMING TOWN JUST NORTH OF THE CITY THAT IS THE HOME TO THE CHIEFS, THE ROYALS AND HALLMARK GREETING CARDS. 

THERE IS NOTHING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT NORTH KANSAS CITY THAT GRABS A READER BY THE HEART OR THE HEAD AND PROCLAIMS NORTH KANSAS CITY IS FAMOUS FOR ANYTHING SPECIAL. THE INTERNET DOES TELL US THAT THE CURRENT HEAD COACH OF THE OREGON DUCK FOOTBALL TEAM, DAN LANNING, HAILS FROM NORTH KANSAS CITY. THE INTERNET ALSO INFORMS US THAT THE CURRENT U. S. SENATOR FROM FLORIDA, RICK SCOTT, GRADUATED FROM NORTH KANSAS CITY HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT, DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB, BECAUSE SOMETHING SPECTACULAR HAS OCCURRED IN NORTH KANSAS CITY AND ITS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. THIS TOWN OF LESS THAN 5000 PEOPLE WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OR HOMETOWN OF FIVE SECRET SERVICE AGENTS WHO WERE ALL HIRED BY THE STORIED AGENCY IN THE EARLY 1970'S. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE SIZE OF NORTH KANSAS CITY, AND YOU CONSIDER HOW SMALL THE SECRET SERVICE WAS IN THE 1970'S, IT IS UNFATHOMABLE THAT ONE SMALL TOWN COULD HAVE PRODUCED FIVE OF THESE PATRIOTS. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING IN THE WATER IN NORTH KANSAS CITY. 

SO, LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK THE GOOD PEOPLE OF NORTH KANSAS CITY AND THE FACULTY AND STAFF OF THEIR EDUCATION SYSTEM WHICH BROUGHT THE FOLLOWING MEN INTO THE SECRET SERVICE.

LARRY GODDARD - EOD 1971
DON POOLE - EOD 1971
DON SCHNEIDER ( RET. ) - EOD 1971
LARRY SPIRL ( RET. ) - EOD 1971
STEVE WESTFALL - EOD 1974

THANK YOU, NORTH KANSAS CITY, AND THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FOR YOUR COLLECTIVE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO THE COUNTRY, THE SERVICE AND ITS PROTECTEES. OUR NATION AND THE AGENCY ARE BETTER FOR HAVING THE " NORTH KANSAS CITY FIVE " WALKING AMONG US.

Class of 1962's 60th Anniversary Reunion

Our 60^th class reunion was held on Saturday, September 10^th at Cascone’s Restaurant.    We had 70+ people, including 42 classmates, in attendance. Good food, good venue and a chance to renew old friendships.    A big thanks to all those in attendance that made it a great celebration.

The slide show that was played during the reunion has been added to our website’s home page under the heading “60^th class reunion.”  Find it on the left side of the home page (yellow menu area).

As we collect photos taken during the reunion, we will add them to the “60^th class reunion” tab.

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NEW:  A documentary on the history of the North Kansas City High school:

"A Northtown Construction Documentary: Remembering the Old and Embracing the New"

 

Click on the link below to view the documentary:

 

                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgmkPht-A20

 

 

You're Invited to the Hornet Housewarming!

 

The dedication of the renovated Main building of North Kansas City High School was held on Saturday, March 6, 2020. The event was well attended and people were free to wander the halls of the new building complex or explore the recently completed renewal of our historic nearly 100-year-old main building. 

The three-story main building now has elevators with a sky bridge connecting it to the new buildings on the west side of the high school complex.  There are no longer lockers for the students or wooden floors in the hallways and classrooms.  Floors are either title or carpet.  There are even large screen TV’s in each classroom and in many of the common areas.  Quite a state-of-the-art facility for the approximate 1600 students currently enrolled.

With the consolidation of all classes into this new two building complex the high school becomes a “closed campus.”  No more running to the Northclay or McElroy Dagg (remember it) building for classes.

Photos from the “house warming” can be viewed by clicking on “2020 House Warming.”  (Left margin of the Home Page.

 

 

See the pictures of our September "2019 tour" (left margin of the home page).

 

Also: KCTV5 covered a 98th Birthday celebration for Coach Leland O'Dell that was held at Paul & Jacks.  A link to the story follows:

https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/family-former-students-come-together-to-celebrate-legendary-north-kansas/article_694efc32-5465-11ea-a42a-5fdeb912aa48.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share