Confederate October 2018 - South High Schooldenversouth.dpsk12.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/... · 2018-09-27 · 2 South Alumni Confederate - October 2018 Alumni Board Meeting

1 South Alumni Confederate - October 2018

VOLUME 28 NO. 3 October 2018

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL1700 E Louisiana Ave.Denver CO 80210-1810

Alumni Offi ce: (720) 423-6067https://denversouth.dpsk12.org/community/alumni-association/

https://denversouth.dpsk12.org/ https://www.facebook.com/denversouthhigh https://twitter.com/denversouthhigh

Lafe Smith in VietnamLafe Smith in Vietnam

Lafe Smith in 1963Lafe Smith in 1963

South Veteran Honored for his ServiceBonanza Veteran Earns Hall of Fame RecognitionBy Kurt Liedtke Klamath Falls, OR Herald and News

continued on page 9

It has been many years since Lafe (short for “Lafayette”) Smith (63) served as an Army offi cer during the Vietnam War, and the experience has both infl uenced his commitment to the community he has called home for over four decades yet harmed him personally.For his service as an offi cer and his extensive community work, Smith was among a handful of individuals recently inducted into the 2018 Offi cer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, GA.

Smith grew up in Colorado but became familiar with the Klamath Basin working on his uncle’s ranch in Dorris each summer. He has called the Klamath Basin home for more than 40 years, running a business in Klamath Falls while operating a small 80-acre farm in Bonanza with his wife Peggy. While his time in the military was short, the experiences and lessons learned have applied to his life for decades, going from service to his country to

service to his community.

A call to duty

Smith retired seven years ago from the family business, Pacifi c Linen & Uniform Supply, but has not let up in his other calls to duty. For decades he and Peggy both have been active with Bonanza youth, overseeing the 4-H Twin Valley Sheep Club. Smith has been a 4-H and FFA leader for about 30 years and may best be known simply as “Coach Smith” after 30 years as the Bonanza High School wrestling coach. These days, he has stepped back somewhat, taking on an assistant role instead.

Smith was a successful wrestler in high school and had continued his athletic pursuits into college until, as he puts it, “I discovered beer.”

A marriage coincidence

His military experience was oddly timed, receiving a draft notice the same day he married Peggy. The couple had inexplicably

met earlier at the Klamath County Fair as Smith and his uncle came to the aid of Peggy and her father, residents of Alturas, whose vehicle had broken down on Highway 97.

“We talked for a bit, and when I got back in the truck, I thought, ‘wow, she was cute!’, but never thought I’d see her again,” laughed Smith. “We both ended up at Colorado State University. My uncle wanted me to get in touch with her to sell her dad some bulls, and it turned out her dad wanted her to get in touch with me to buy some bulls from my uncle…We never sold them any bulls, but we did get married.

Their fi rst daughter was born while Smith was under heavy attack for three days pinned down by North Vietnamese forces, learning about the momentous occasion two weeks later.


Alumni Board Meeting Dates

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month in the former ROTC rifl e range, now the Alum-ni Historic Room. Please park in the west parking lot and sign in at the main entrance.

MEETINGS ARE AT 10:30 A.M.-

2018

OCTOBER 172019

JANUARY 16 FEBRUARY 20 MARCH 20

The Alumni Board does not meet in the months of November or December.

Than

ks to

our

SH

AFI

Boa

rd &

Offi

ce

Staff

PRESIDENT

Gary Burkgren (59)[email protected]@southalumni.orgVICE PRESIDENT

Ken Dobrovolny (65)SECRETARY

Jamie Fitzgerald Mitchell (65)TREASURER

Cheryl McDermott Griffi th (60)MEMBERSHIP

Cheryl Work Martin (65)[email protected]

Liz Crosby Martin (65)[email protected]

Jim Thomas (45)Arbie Bowyer Thomas (55)SOCIAL MEDIA

Frances Tafoya (81)[email protected]

Bill Wiederspan (68)[email protected] LIAISON

Marvin Meek, LTCOFFICE

Carol Perry Scott (55)Irma Roth Vandepol (55) Jan Temmer Brooks (57)George Lyons (61)Ken Dobrovolny (65)TOWER CLOCK CARETAKERS

Mike Korn

Overdue Book Discovered

Book found in Dennis Sherrer’s mom’s attic

Check-out card signed byCheck-out card signed by

Henry Kulik, Dennis’ uncleHenry Kulik, Dennis’ uncleFirst page, book dated 1931First page, book dated 1931

Dennis Scherrer discovered an old

book in his mother’s old house

after all of the family members

had passed. It turns out that the

book, Star, The Story of an Indian

Pony, by Forrestine C. Hooker,

was last checked out from the

South library by his uncle, Henry

Kulik (36), in 1932. Sherrer said

his mother and other family

members also graduated from

South.

Sherrer said the book is in really

good shape and the pages

haven’t faded. “I’m not going to

return it, fi rst off , because I don’t

want to pay the fi ne, and second,

it’s a family keepsake that will be

handed down the generations

after me.”

Thank you, Dennis for sharing this

charming piece of South’s past.


At 84, the Bonnie Brae Tavern is the oldest restaurant in Denver owned and operated by the same family, as far as restauranteurs Michael and Ricky Dire can determine. At 62 and 53, Michael and Ricky are the third generation to serve original Italian recipes to the neighborhood — Michael’s children Teresa, Pat and Chris have already joined the crew as have the fifth-generation high schoolers, Tavia, Angelo, and Gianna.

Founded in 1934 by Carl and Sue Dire, both born in Colorado of Italian immigrant parents, the Bonnie Brae Tavern has been a welcome fixture in the neighborhood for — well, it seems like forever. My family discovered it soon after we moved from Hilltop to the Cory/Merrill neighborhood in 1950.

According to a brief history of the restaurant written by Michael and Ricky’s sister Angela, after the end of Prohibition, her auto mechanic grandfather Carl and his wife Sue decided to open a bar across the street from one of the driest neighborhoods in Denver. He invested everything he had in the empty piece of land In Washington Park, a scandal-ridden development that had gone bankrupt and would stand idle for a good many more. After opening the restaurant, Carl waited out the outrage of his neighbors, who just happened to be the leaders in the local temperance movement. In the end, a few of the teetotalers’ grandchildren ended up working for Carl, and the rest became good customers.

Carl and Sue worked through the Depression, often putting their sons to sleep on a mattress in the back of a Model A parked behind the restaurant, then driving home to North Denver after closing, only to return just a few hours later. The tavern survived, and they finally built an apartment above the bar.

Finally, by the time WWII ended, prosperity came at last and the rest, as they say, is history.

There have been some changes over the years — the cheeseburger pizza (ground beef, mozzarella and American cheese, dill pickles and onions) invented by Carl’s son Mike 15 or 20 years ago, for example — but the tavern feels exactly the same as it did when my parents brought my sister Jill and me for lunch after errands. There’s fresh paint and a new awning outside, Michael pointed out, but the bar and turquoise vinyl booths remain unchanged, bringing customers right back to “the old days” every time they enter.

How have they lasted 84 years? According to Ricky, it’s because of their deep roots in the community and because they stay true to the food served by their grandparents — the pizza dough and spices recipes are unchanged, for example. “We changed the marinara sauce recipe slightly one time,” Ricky chuckled, “and my grandmother noticed immediately! She had a fit!”

Carl passed away in 1982 and his wife Sue in 2012. The second generation is gone now, too — Hank died in 2012 also, and Uncle Mike just last year. Ricky has worked at the tavern 40 years, Michael for 35 after an 11-year stint at King Soopers. Retirement plans for the older brother? Michael chuckled. “I tell everyone that they’ll find me dead in the office someday.”

In a world that seems to change every minute, the Bonnie Brae Tavern is a welcome anchor to the neighborhood. Bartender Linda has been there 27 years and most of the kitchen staff ten to 18. The food is great, the atmosphere relaxed, the conversation at the bar friendly. How do they choose what stations to watch on the three TVs? “Easy,” Michael answered. “ESPN. When I started to work at King Soopers,

I was told never to talk about politics, religion or food stamps. We follow the same rules here.

Ricky agreed. “If the conversation at the bar gets into politics, I tell folks to shut up. They’re my friends, I can do that.”

Many of the South classes of 1968 and earlier plan events at the tavern, the brothers note, wondering if maybe the later ones find it easier to stay in touch on social media. But for those of us who ate pizza with our families, who came after football games, who came on dates, just being there again is a sweet reminder of days where life seemed less complicated, more about family and friends and good food. It’s a little island of happy.

Any special memories? Ricky started to laugh. “One of our customers sent a stripper to Uncle Mike for one of his birthdays in the mid-80’s. She was wearing a raincoat with not much on underneath and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and then opened her coat. Uncle Mike was so embarrassed, but I know he secretly loved it.”

Not all the memories are fond. When three-year-old Austin Strasser was hit by a car as he crossed the street with his family in front of Bonnie Brae Ice Cream in 2015, the tavern immediately led a fundraiser for the family joined by seven other businesses. Helping the community is a go-to for the tavern — they hold regular fundraisers for the schools and churches nearby. They’ve always supported South High.

How about any exciting catastrophes? Any bar fights or kitchen fires? “Well,” Michael said after some thought, “the ceiling caved in a couple of years ago. There had been condensation in the ceiling from the air conditioning pipes and part of the roof fell in just before opening.

Bonnie Brae Tavern– Still a “Little Island of Happy”By Sue Musgrove (65)

Bonnie Brae Tavern in the old days.Bonnie Brae Tavern in the old days.

Michael Dire, left and Ricky Dire, right, with Michael Dire, left and Ricky Dire, right, with the late Jim Wiste, former owner of the the late Jim Wiste, former owner of the

nearby Campus Lounge.nearby Campus Lounge.

continued on page 4


For 14 years the University of Denver has been the favored location for junior and senior English teachers from Japan to come and improve their English skills. The teachers visit schools as part of the program and for the last 13 years spent time at East High School. This year they visited South for the fi rst time.

The program is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, Sports, and Culture (MEXT) and was founded by Dr. James Terada, a long-time cross-cultural professional educator, with the intent of making English education more practical and improving the English proficiency of Japanese English teachers. Graduates of the program are now giving seminars to colleagues and have assumed school administration positions in Japan.

Twelve teachers, ages 30-45, came to Denver in July and left on Labor Day. They received extensive in-class learning in spoken and written English and benefitted from cross-cultural professional development by visiting South and staying in Denver residents’ homes.

This year the South Newcomers class and our Food Bank became part of their experience. They met with teachers to share best practices, stocked shelves in the Food Bank, and contributed to classroom learning in the Newcomers’ class. Helen Thorpe’s 2017 book, The Newcomers was required reading for the Japanese visitors.

Kip Cheroutes, co-founder of the program with Dr. Terada, and current program manager, was urged to consider South for the program through the eff orts of Jaclyn Yelich, director of South’s Food Bank.

Japanese teachers at the Food Bank and Food Bank volunteers

Japanese teachers helping at Food Bank

South Newcomers Program Has Global Reach

We cleaned up everything and patched the ceiling and opened an hour late.”

“Power outages are more and more challenging,” Ricky added. We cook with gas, so in the old days, if the electricity went out we just brought out candles and it was business as usual. Now, if the power is off, we are much more dependent on electricity for orders and credit cards.

Other changes to the business in recent years? “It’s really hard to find good staff,” Ricky said. “The pot industry, GrubHub, Uber . . . all have taken jobs away from us. Restaurant work is hard.”

Do they anticipate making any changes over the next few years? “Not really,” they almost

said in unison. “We want to keep everything looking fresh, but we try to keep the Bonnie Brae as authentic as it was at the beginning.

Although Ricky is the more gregarious of the two, it was apparent that these two are more used to listening and to serving their customers than to talking about themselves. They seem to thrive on consistency, on putting one foot in front of the other every single day to make each experience at the Bonnie Brae exactly as expected.

When asked about what they had personally benefitted from the hard work of running the tavern — other than being able to support their families and their communities — they had to think a bit. “I’m a better cook,” Ricky

finally said. “My grandmother, aunt and mother taught me so much.”

Michael thought a bit longer, then answered. “I’ve made friends,” he said finally. “Friends and neighbors.”

As I finished the second piece of cheeseburger pizza and asked for a box, Michael and Ricky headed back to the bar with their coffees. “If you have any other questions, give us a call. We’ll be here.”

Of course, they will.

Editor’s note: Six members of the Dire family graduated from South: Angela Dire Fontana (81), Ricky Dire (83), Carla Dire Capstick (71), Henry Dire (47), Michael Dire (41), and Michael Dire (74).

Bonnie Brae Tavern continued from page 3


Meet South’s Interim Principal

Bobby ThomasWhen principal Jen Hanson announced in

June that she wouldn’t be returning to South

for the 2018-2019 school year, there was an

urgent need for a replacement. Bobby Thomas,

an eight-year principal in the Denver Public

Schools (DPS) system, was named the interim

principal for this year at South.

Thomas, a graduate of Englewood High School,

with degrees from Metro State University, and

the University of Colorado, has stepped into

the interim principal role and has brought

extensive experience to the position. With a

BA in history and an MA in Special Education,

Thomas was a program coordinator with

Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, providing job

opportunities and resources for youth in

the area. He also taught special education at

Grandview High School. At Englewood High

School he coached and taught social studies

and served as dean of students and assistant

principal, then gained more experience before

getting his first opportunity as principal at

Rachel Noel Middle school in Denver where he

served for two years.

He proposed a new pathway school for DPS

called Legacy Options, but Summit Academy,

located on the former Loretto Heights campus

in southwest Denver, needed a high school

principal. However, because he had middle

school experience as a principal, Summit

expanded to include middle school during his

fi rst of fi ve years at Summit. The school later

expanded to educate students in grades 6-12.

Thomas said that being principal at South was

the only comprehensive high school job he

ever wanted and this year he got his wish. He’s

hoping the job will be permanent, as DPS will

be searching for a permanent principal. “I want

to be the principal at South in order to provide

consistency of leadership as long as the school

community will allow,” Thomas said.

One of Thomas’ main goals is to make sure

students have access to the programs they

need and that they feel challenged and

inspired. “I want all students to have the

opportunity to learn at every level and I want

all students, staff , and parents to feel proud

to be at South and enjoy their roles each and

every day,” he said.

Another priority is student safety. The school

has added another security guard whose shift

will cover later hours. In addition, Thomas

will be working with the community, school

district, and city to improve safety along

Louisiana Avenue. Construction of a stop

light at Louisiana and Williams was recently

completed.

Thomas has strong ties to South. His wife,

Lindsey Borrego Thomas, graduated in 1997

and her uncle, Larry Borrego, graduated in

1967. Lindsey’s mother and father also attended

South.

South Stats

1,779 students enrolled in 2018-2019

Full wait list did not get into SH for the 1st time

469 students participating in fall sports

Students belong to 65 clubs & organizations

55 countries are represented the student body

40 languages are spoken by the student body

AP

Bobby Thomas, South’s interim principal Bobby Thomas, South’s interim principal 767 students enrolled in AP and College level courses


by Gary Burkgren (59)Editor’s note: One of South’s oldest alumni traditions is the summer alumni baseball game and reunion held in June. Started by Alumni president Gary Burkgren (59) in 1996, baseball-playing alums gather for a game, a reunion, and recognition. The South Baseball Hall of Fame recognizes alums who played for South and who made baseball a major part of their lives.

A recent visitor to our alumni museum saw our Alumni Baseball Hall of Fame display and asked how many of the members went into coaching. I investigated and found that many of them did go into the coaching profession.

The following were South alums who became coaches: Dick Yates (44), Gene

Wurtz (45), Myran Craig (47), Don Day

(49), Willie White (53), Dick Hatcher (56),

Bill Foster (58), Mick Marsh (60), Harry

Buckner (60), Neil Hutcheson (60), Rex

Peters (South and TJ), and Wayne Snow

(64).

As head coaches, they won three state baseball titles for South, eight for Denver Kennedy, one for Arapahoe, and two state football titles for Denver Thomas Jeff erson (TJ). They also won city titles and went to state playoffs in baseball, girls’ softball, and football. Harry Buckner’s hockey team at Arapahoe won a Metro League Championship.

Many of them are members of the Colorado High School Activities Hall of Fame, the Colorado Coaches Hall of Fame, Denver Public Schools Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Umpires Hall of Fame, and were nominated for or named Coach of the Year.

Succeeding generations of coaches were inspired by Yates, Wurtz, and Day.

Dick Yates coached at South and Kennedy and won18 city championships, 11 state championships, and two regional championships. Many young men went into coaching because they played for Dick Yates. In his career, he was an assistant coach or head coach in baseball, football, and basketball.

The boys of summers past, front row, from left, Willie White (53), Bob Heid (57), Harry Buckner (60), Chip Berry (60), Rex Peters (59-60 South); row 2 from left, Wayne Snow (64), Barry Wyatt (59); row 3, from left, Gary Burkgren (59), Jim Westerberg (57), Denny Wyatt (60)

Bob Heid (57), left, and Rex Peters (59-60 South, 61-63 TJ) remember the old days.

From left, Gene Wurtz (46), Willie White (53), and Chip Berry (60) enjoy their day at the reunion.

Harry Buckner (60), left, and Wayne Snow (64), right, discuss batting strategy.

Gene Wurtz was on the South coaching

staff during the glory years of 1958-1960,

coaching baseball, football, and wrestling.

He also coached football at TJ and was a

college football offi cial.

Myran Craig was an outstanding baseball

player at South who was in the Esquire All-

Star Game managed by Babe Ruth and Ty

Cobb. He ended up teaching and coaching

at East. He was very involved in golf and was

a Colorado State Golf Association Director.

After Don Day became the head football

coach at TJ, their record was 56-5. One thing

that Don wanted players to remember was,

“Athletes of all ages should understand it is

a privilege to be an athlete.”

Coaching Legacy of South Baseball

continued on page 7


Coaching Legacy continued from page 6Willie White spent his career at Littleton High School coaching baseball and football. He fi nished his coaching career as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Willie White Ethics Award is given in his name every year to a recipient at the Colorado Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony.

Bill Foster coached in the Pony League, for the YAL Titans, and the South Legion team where his record in 1967 was 12-1. He lost a game to “the master” Dick Yates and said it was a valuable lesson for a young coach.

Mick Marsh had some really good things happen to him in 40 years of coaching, but he was not comfortable making a list.

Neil Hutcheson lived in Washington state and coached baseball, wrestling, and volleyball. He had conference champions,

regional state placers, and state champions. He was Coach of the Year for two years and won the Coaching Character Medal.

Rex Peters attended South but graduated from TJ. He coached football, baseball, and wrestling for 34 years at TJ and won two state championships in football. He went into coaching because he participated in athletics his whole life and strongly believes that athletics has a big part in the development of one’s life. He wanted to give back to the sport and help develop the young athlete. “It was a very rewarding experience and I loved the opportunity it gave me,” he says.

Wayne Snow provided private hitting instruction to high school and younger players and coached at Littleton and

Mullen High Schools. He still plays baseball in the Over Fifty League and was the fi rst player honored by the Over Fifty League Hall of Fame.

Honorary Rebel Bus Campbell was the pitching coach when South won the state baseball titles in 1958, 1959, and 1960. He also coached at Littleton High School, CU, DU, University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Iowa. He was a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays and other Major League organizations. When the Blue Jays won the World Series, the team awarded him a World Series ring.

The information for this article was given to me by the members themselves. For those who have passed I was able to retrieve some information from The Denver Post.

How much do you care about South and its students? If you care even a little, please renew your membership. We’ve made it easy. The form is included in this issue.

As mentioned in our last issue, more than 40 percent of the South High Alumni and Friends Inc. (SHAFI) budget funds projects that benefits South students. We have given over $18,000 to the baseball team, JROTC, the audio-visual department, the PTSA, and students who needed funds to attend prestigious summer programs at Harvard and Disney. We have been able to help South thanks to your generous tax-free donations.

Funding from the Denver Public Schools district for programs at South continues to decline for many reasons. As a result, the organizations that support South, including SHAFI, the PTSA, the Community Partners, and athletic boosters have their own fundraising eff orts to bridge the gap. That gap is only going to increase in the future. Your alumni membership of just $12 per year will help as well as any extra you are able to contribute.

The PTSA offers mini-grants to teachers for supplemental classroom needs, but they have now embarked on their own project to upgrade the College and Career Readiness Center (CRCC), classroom space dedicated to students’ life after South. As a result, fewer mini-grants will be available.

The Athletic Department’s teams raise money on their own, often visiting neighborhood merchants multiple times. Some, like the football team, do very well, but others, like soccer, are at a big disadvantage. The Athletic Department would love to upgrade the lobby at the entrance to the new gym.

We d i s c o ve re d re c e n t l y t h a t t h e instrumental music teacher, Kyle Dobbins, has made many purchases out of his own pocket. We would like to be able to help him out.

Many of you have made additional generous contributions through the years that enable SHAFI to support South projects. Your tax-free donations to SHAFI are very much appreciated, and we are very careful about how we spend your

donations. If you decide to donate to a specifi c area, such as athletics or the arts, please indicate that on the form.

The Alumni Confederate is our main way of communicating with you, although we have entered the digital age with a website and Facebook page. We hope you have enjoyed our triannual publication. But printing and postage is expensive and the only way we will be able to continue to provide this newsletter is with your membership renewals.

Renewals are due in October on the date indicated on your mailing label. We welcome gift memberships for your friends, or better yet, when you participate in a mini-reunion gathering, please encourage your friends and family to join SHAFI too.

If you live in the Denver area and have some spare time, SHAFI could use volunteers to help with reunions, mailing, data entry, and South events. We meet on the third Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the historical room except in November and December.

Please Renew Your SHAFI Membership!


The class of 1958 held their 60th reunion Friday and Saturday, August 3 and 4, 2018. A total of 81 classmates and 42 guests were in attendance.

The Friday events included a golf tournament at Kennedy Golf Course, a nostalgic guided bus tour of South Denver featuring all the elementary and junior high schools, and the downtown area with lunch at Capitol Hill B&B.

The afternoon concluded with an “ice breaker” at Piccolos Italian Restaurant.

A Saturday morning coff ee held in the South High courtyard treated classmates and their guests to a custom car show. The car show featured autos from 1915 to present day which have been restored by ’58 alumni. This was followed by a short tour of “Senior Hall” and the school auditorium.

The fi nal event was a reunion dinner held at

the Hilton Garden Inn on South Colorado Blvd

(see some of the classmate attendees below).

A display of collected memorabilia from our

three years at South allowed alumni to relax,

reminisce, catch up and renew friendships with

classmates and guests.

Sixty-three Does Fifty-FiveBy Sheri Peterson Goff (63)August 6th found the class of 1963 gathering for their 55th reunion at the Bonnie Brae Tavern on University Boulevard. We had so much fun there 3 years ago celebrating all of our 70th birthdays that we decided to return there for this reunion. 80+ people were present. Our guest of honor was Lexie Stegman, a graduate of South, now a student at CSU, who is our current scholarship awardee. She and her Mother,

also a graduate, came and met the members of our class. Lexie talked to us about her plans for a career in public relations and we all agreed that with her poise and maturity she has a great future in her fi eld! Our class has a matching program sponsored by a classmate and has raised $13, 350 since our 50th reunion and has helped 3 college students.

We did a fun feature called “Claim to Fame,” which included a Colorado jacks championship in the sixth grade, testifying before Congress for more research money for ALS as a suff erer of the disease, several Vietnam veterans, a designer of many Colorado highways and the head of the research team for the Shroud of Turin (Jesus’ burial cloth – shroudofturin.com).

Class of 1958 60th Reunion By Dick Webb (58)

Left: Classmates catch up while sharing the famous Bonnie Brae Tavern pizza. From left, Sheri Peterson Goff , Penny Field Fischer, Joyce Melichar Middel, Marlene Eckert Engleman, Ann Olson, Eva Czech Brandsma, Mary McCartney Aylesworth, Wilma Jahn Tebow, and Leslie Raymond Jordan

Middle: Dr. John Jackson of the Shroud of Turin team.

Right: Elmer Canady, ALS Advocate


He served a total of two years, 10 months, and 22 days in the Army as an infantry captain in Vietnam and Cambodia. During his service, he earned a Purple Heart, an Air Medal for 25 combat assault missions successfully completed, a Combat Infantry Badge, an Army Commendation for Valor and two Bronze Stars for Valor.

Smith trained at Fort Lewis, Fort Dix, and Fort Campbell until he qualified for officer candidate school at Fort Benning. At the time, 200 offi cers were qualifying each week to meet the war demand. Since 1941 more than 250,000 graduates from the school have served across all branches of the military.

Honoring the classmates

To honor the most remarkable achievements of those who have graduated, a small handful is inducted into a hall of fame at the military museum at Fort Benning each year. This year Smith was among 32 graduates selected. It was at the behest of his wife and a few friends that Smith agreed to attend the event, though he wasn’t sure why he was chosen.

According to Smith, the honor is supposed to be granted for those who went above and beyond in the call of duty, but for Smith, he believes it is for the service he provided to the community in civilian life applying lessons learned from the military that led to this honor.

“I still don’t think I deserved it, it meant a lot to me until I got there and everyone else had done so much more. I felt a little inadequate,” said Smith. “The gentleman in front of me was a co-Nobel Peace Prize winner for global anti-landmine eff orts and the one behind me had served as an advisor for three presidents. I appreciated the honor, but there were all these guys who did all this incredible stuff , and then

me.”

His military record may not have matched some of his induction ceremony colleagues, but according to Smith, they showed him tremendous respect for his accomplishments in life.

“I had guys coming up to me patting me on the back for all that I’ve done,” explained Smith. “I did things in the public carrying on lessons learned in the military about leadership and responsibility.”

“They said I had done so much outside of the military that gives credit to what I did while in the military, a lot of these guys who spend their whole careers do a tremendous amount but they move every three or four years so they can’t put roots into a community the way we have.”

It isn’t the honors Smith has received that he is most proud of, but what he was able to do for another soldier in recognition of their heroic action.

A surprise reunion

During one mission in Vietnam, one of his soldiers jumped on a hand grenade, smothering it with his helmet and absorbing the blast with his stomach, saving the lives of six nearby soldiers. Smith and others carried their colleague, who was near death, to an Army hospital, where doctors told Smith there was no way that the soldier would survive due to the severity of his wounds.

Smith nominated the soldier for the Congressional Medal of Honor, believing it to be a posthumous petition. The award was approved, which made Smith enormously proud.

Instead, surprise was the emotion Smith

experienced at a platoon reunion last year when the soldier who had smothered the grenade, John Baca, showed up at the event still very much alive with his Medal of Honor in hand.

His time in the military has affected him personally too. Upon returning stateside from Vietnam he was spat on and called a “baby killer” when he tried to enter a restaurant in Stockton, CA and chose to never wear his uniform in public again.

He didn’t talk about his military experience for many years and suff ered from nightmares and anger issues at home. Smith admits having been aff ected by his personal experiences in war, infl icted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), though it didn’t start to really bother him until after he retired because “I was just too damn busy to notice.”

Military honors aside, Smith is most proud of his family and the life he has led in Bonanza. All four of their children have gone on to earn Masters Degrees and make a huge diff erence in their communities.

Their oldest daughter works with Sky Lakes Medical Center, another is a teacher at Shasta Elementary School, a third is an agriculture teacher at Central Linn High School, and their son is the youngest school superintendent in the State of Oregon in Echo.

Both Lafe and Peggy remain active in Bonanza as 4-H leaders, proud of their accomplishments serving the community that they love with the same kind of motivated call to duty he first learned carrying a rifl e through the jungles of Vietnam.

“I like the small town atmosphere and friendly people,” added Smith. “I have really enjoyed my time here, it’s been a nice community to have kids grow up in.”

South Veteran Honored continued from page 1

South NewsSouth’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) team has won summer the championship two years in a row. RBI is sponsored by Major League Baseball to provide inner-city youth an opportunity to play baseball and softball while promoting the value of education. The team was recognized at an August Colorado Rockies game.

If you are a Denver Broncos fan, you know that Phillip Lindsay (2013), made the team as an undrafted free agent. He also scored his fi rst NFL touchdown in the season opener against

Seattle. He’s wearing No. 30, Way to go, Phillip!

Ryan Marini, South football coach, hosted a golf tournament at Denver’s Wellshire Golf Course in June to benefit the football program. Marini reports that proceeds from the tournament paid the salaries of two of the 11 coaches.

The South High Rebels Class of 2018 received the Eliza Pickrell Routt award. Colorado state elections director Judd Choate presented the award. Torie Wyman (18) and Sophie Cardin (18) received the Eliza Pickrell Routt award for

registering 85 percent of eligible classmates to vote. Sara Gebretsadik (18) received a 2018 Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medal for being an Emerging Community Leader. Sara was recognized for founding the Rising Rebels club dedicated to increasing students of color in AP honors and concurrent enrollment classes.

Hayley Breden, teacher, was honored by the Southern Poverty Law Center for her use of their Teaching Tolerance materials. She was also a keynote speaker at their convention.


Alums Gather for Mini-ReunionsSouth grads don’t need a class reunion to get together. All kinds of small groups gather, often in south Denver, to catch up with old friends. Are reunions no longer popular? We think not. Please send us photos of your mini-reunion gatherings.

Members of the Class of 1952 were Brownies in 1945. Donna Mayo Chadwick, right, middle row. Suzie Beresford Fullington behind Donna. Dorothy LeBaron Braun, far left, back row.

Some of the Brownies from the Class of 1952 seated, Suzie Beresford Fullington. Standing from left, Donna Mayo Chadwick and Dorothy LeBaron Braun. Ralph Silkensen also attended the mini-reunion.

Members of the Class of 1965 were in Brownies Troop 318. Cheryl Work Martin’s mom was the main leader. She had many assistants through the years. They met at the Washington Park United Methodist Church next to the school. They did a lot of singing with Janet Halbert’s mom accompanying and went on outings to Washington Park.

The Class of 1971 held a mini-reunion

in June. Attending the reunion were,

clockwise, 1971 mini-reunion, clockwise:

Jane Dutton, Linda Gross Coughlin Brooks,

Leigh Bradell, Sally Poertner VanBuskirk,

Marla Ofstad, Tere Brungardt Caswell,

Jan Hamilton, Cindy Reynolds Lentz, Jill

Hurley, Bill Lobb.

Brownies from the Class of 1965, from left, Karen

Morgan Rowley, Pam Rudolph Howlett, Linda Barlow

Shearman, Jean LeBaron Laverty, Cheryl Work Martin,

Pat Penix Bollacker. Not shown Jill Rhode Cassells.


South High School Class of 1965 Named

Scholarship Helps Make College Possible for

South GraduatesBy Denver Scholarship FoundationThe South High School Class of 1965 recently

partnered with the Denver Scholarship

Foundation (DSF) through the Named

Scholarship program to help make college

possible for graduates of South High School.

“We learned earlier this year that college

enrollment for the Denver Public Schools

(DPS) Class of 2017 was the largest in DPS

history,” said DSF Chief Executive Offi cer Lorii

Rabinowitz. “Amazingly, ninety-fi ve percent

of South High School’s Class of 2017 will

enter college this fall.”

In the 2018-19 school year, four South High

DSF Scholars will attend college thanks to

the generosity of the South High School

Class of 1965. The four Scholars are: Estrella

Damian, University of Denver, studying

English; Beriwako Dolaal, University of

Colorado Denver, studying Business; Holly

Fink, Colorado State University, studying

English; and Merhawi Tesfai, Colorado State

University, undecided. Three of the South

DFS Scholars are first generation college

students. DSF is so grateful for the kindness

of the South High School Class of 1965 in

helping to make college possible for these

DSF Scholars!

DSF is honored to repor t over 400

scholarships have been made possible

thanks to the support of generous donors

like the South High School Class of 1965.

DSF’s unique three-part program has been

nationally recognized for its eff ectiveness.

Through the College Access program, DSF

College Advisors provide advising and

other college access services in 14 Future

Centers which serve 21 DPS high schools.

DSF also provides need-based, renewable

scholarships to qualifying DPS graduates

to attend Colorado colleges, universities

and technical schools. Finally, through the

College Success program, DSF provides

ongoing support for Scholars throughout

their college career. If you would like

to continue the effort to support South

High School graduates in their pursuit of

higher education, you can make a donation

by check, credit card, or online. Denver

Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)3 public

charity. Your contribution is tax deductible

as provided by law.

Any individual may contribute to DSF. Checks

may be payable to Denver Scholarship

Foundation. Be sure to write “South High

School Class of ____ Named Scholarship”

in the memo line. Mail the check to Denver

Scholarship Foundation, Attn: Jessica Milnes,

789 Sherman Street, Suite 610, Denver, CO

80203.

Online donations may be made at http://

donate.denverscholarship.org/. In the

“Please use my gift as follows” section,

select “Named Scholarship” and include

“South High School Class of ______ Named

Scholarship” in the comment line.

For more information about the Named

Scholarship program, please contact DSF

Director of Development, Jessica Milnes,

at [email protected] or

303.951.4152.

Gift Memberships to SHAFIRecorded by Carol Perry Scott (55)Surprise! Surprise! Thanks to the donor, the following have been given a membership to SHAFI and will be receiving the Alumni Confederate Newsletter. Gift Memberships received as of September 15, 2018.

Donor Recipient

Pat E. Wooton Carlson, 1965 Arthur C. Carlson, 1967


It’s a known fact that many Coloradans don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Students at South are not in this situation, at least during the school year, thanks to the South Food Bank. Opened in 2014, the South Food Bank was added to the Food for Thought network of low-income area schools that provide sacks of nutritious food for students to take home over the weekend. Food for Thought receives donations from the Food Bank of the Rockies and distributes it to the schools.

Any South student can go to the Food Bank on Thursdays and fi ll a bag of canned goods, dried goods, and produce to take home to their family. On a Saturday once a month their families can come to South and bring home food as well. Last year the Food Bank served 130 students and their families. At last count this year, 150 students participated. Since South has open enrollment, students and their families come from all over Denver, and though demographics in the South area may have changed, use of the Food Bank has not decreased.

Jaclyn Yelich, parent of a South grad, Anna (2015), and her husband, Greg Thielen, started the Food Bank and run it out of Room 142. They share the classroom with Ryan Marini, the AP History teacher and football coach who doesn’t need the room on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons when volunteers stock the Food Bank and students come in to pick up food. In addition to desks and chairs, there are freezers, a refrigerator, and a large closet with shelves stocked with food donations from Food for Thought. We Don’t Waste, another non-profi t that collects produce from numerous sources provides fresh fruit and vegetables. The food they receive from Food for Thought and Food Bank of the Rockies, Yelich says, is as good as a full-service grocery store, and certainly better than 7-Eleven.

The PTSA and South High Alumni and Friends have donated cash for Yelich to buy other important items. Cash donations are always welcome and especially useful to support families during the holidays. Last year they delivered 14 boxes of food for

Thanksgiving and helped 45 families over the holidays. The South Student Senate conducts food drives and collects other necessities such as clothes and personal care items. The Food Bank has also received some community grants. They recently received 1,000 pairs of socks that were put to good use. Their budget is around $650,000/year.

Yelich has more than 45 volunteers from the community who help stock the pantry when donations are delivered on Wednesdays and who help hand out food on Thursday afternoons. Each student gets a recyclable grocery bag to fi ll with food to take home. They can select from non-perishable items, fruit, vegetables, milk, yogurt, bread, dried beans and seven kinds of rice. They get a chocolate reward when they bring their bag back the next week. Yelich estimates that they have given out a ton of non-perishables and 1,000 pounds of produce.

If you would like to donate to the Food Bank, please indicate that on your renewal form. Contact Jaclyn Yelich at 303-906-2569, [email protected] for more information.

South Food Bank– A Vital Community Resource

Jaclyn Yelich checks the pantry shelves on distribution day. Jaclyn Yelich checks the pantry shelves on distribution day.


If you want to meet a Rebel who has made

a signifi cant impact in the South Denver

community, get to know Dr. Paul Ramsey

(86).

When he lived in the 1100 block of South

Williams, he was a ball boy for the South

football team. His ultimate dream was to

play football at South which he did. He

was able to connect with the football team

many years later by providing projects

for their team building eff orts during the

summer through A Little Help, the non-

profi t which he directs.

With degrees from Abilene Christian

University, Texas Christian University, and

Iliff School of Theology, Paul is currently

pastor of Mayflower United Church

of Christ, where he has served for 18

years. Mayflower is the oldest church in

Englewood, established in 1904.

Wanting to have a larger impact on the

community, he was attracted to Washington

Park Cares, the Washington Park Senior

Citizen Center. He liked its mission of

connecting the neighborhood with helping

senior citizens thrive. From his experience

delivering the Rocky Mountain News as

a boy, he saw that he could help serve

some of those same seniors years later, and

created A Little Help in 2011. Major donors,

friends from South, provided support to get

the organization started.

The mission of A Little Help is inter-

generational, matching seniors needing

some assistance from volunteers of all ages

to meet their needs. It is now in six counties,

including Denver, Chaff ee, Delta, Larimer,

Jefferson, Arapahoe, and Adams. Simply

put, A Little Help provides transportation,

snow removal, yard work, check-in calls

and visits, care navigation, household help,

social and educational activities for seniors.

Among the more than 2,000 volunteers are

200 South students, including 40 players,

coaches, and families from the football

team and members of the soccer and cross

country teams. Others in the volunteer base

include Scout troops, church groups, and

civic clubs. The organization’s name grew

out of the need of neighborhood seniors for

just “a little help”. Any senior in the area can

participate in the program by registering on

their website, https://www.alittlehelp.org

or by calling their offi ce at720-242-9032.

People pay what they can afford for the

services, but nobody is excluded.

Paul attended DPS schools during the

busing era. He met people from all walks

of life and saw groups coming together

with school pride. “Everybody was going

in the same direction,” he says. When he

was in college in Texas he saw how siloed

the culture could be and wanted to make it

better. He felt that families that stayed in the

Denver Public Schools during busing were

committed to diversity. Parents became

close and dedicated to making sure their

children got a good education. He feels

that busing gave his contemporaries a more

realistic view of the world. That is why he

dedicated his life to community building,

using his time, energy, and leadership skills

to build an authentic community.

Paul has a daughter who is a sophomore at

South and he is glad that she can experience

South’s diverse community and get a sense

of being a citizen of the world and be a

contributing member of the community.

Rebel Off ers A Little Help for a Big Impact

Contribution CornerRecorded by Carol Perry Scott (55)The following people contributed to support SHAFI’s general activities and the Historic Room. Thank you! Your generosity is appreciated! These contributions were received as of September 15, 2018.

1955

Renee C. Harris Lampshire1968

Michael C. Ryan


In Memoriam Researched by Irma Roth VandePol (55), Recorded by Carol Perry Scott (55)Some of the notices may be several years old, but we print them on the request of reunion committees, relatives or friends. Please keep us informed by calling or writing the Alumni Offi ce at South. Please include the deceased’s maiden name and class year if known. This list was compiled as of September 15, 2018.

Historic Museum ContributionsBy Arbie Bowyer Thomas (55) & Carol Perry Scott (55)The historic Committee recognizes the following people for generously contributing South High memorabilia to the museum. If your contribution is not listed, please call Arbie Bowyer Thomas (55) at the Alumni Offi ce, 720-423-6067. The following contributions

were received by September 15, 2018.

Donor Item

Meindert Bosch, 1938 A memoir on 97 years: “Bridges Across My Life” by Meindert Bosch

Patra A. Stookey Attig Johnny Reb Annuals, 1963-65, 1967- 69, The Fifty Years Annual (All donated from an Estate Sale)

1964

Pamela K. Leaf Brabham

1965

David William Eichelberger Christine M. Jedrzejczak Olejniczak

1970

Margaret E. “Corky” Duckworth English

1972

Ann L. Lager DeVoe

1973

Vaughn K. “Kent” Roper

1975

John P. Lamberton

1978

John C. Chapman

Faculty

Howard M. Grater, Science, Mathematics, 1957-69

Francis “Fran” Ranney, Algebra, 1966-74

Eva M. Russ, Business Ed. 1955

Staff , Lunchroom

Marian Jostes, 1961-71Elizabeth Rahne, 1954

1934

Vivienne A. Dominick Ryan

1938

Jacqueline Wilken Northway

1939

Robert E. Snow

1941

Olive A. Taylor SchmidtJack C. Yost

1942

Peggy J. Bowser AndersonPatricia M. Parks Burne

1944

Mary L. Erb SouterArlen E. “Art” PattonElaine A. Smith HammondFloyd A. “Al” Vanderpool, Jr.

1945

Raymond A. HatchNancy J. Ward Westland

1947

Beverly O. EdwardsAlva M. Van Gorp Van Wyk

1948

Jean L. Thompson SundeenBillie J. White Green

1951

Myron G. Eckberg

1952

John W. Cross

1953

Sidney BidermanJanet L. Fleet Underwood

1954

Roy W. ApplegateJames W. “Jim” Graves

1956

Joan E. Chiles SchryverBarbara J. Konopka DolanJudith A. Patton Anderson

1959

Elaine R. Hahn HallLynn E. O’Neill Horstmann

1960

Forrest F. Carhart, IIISamuel G. Clothier

1963

Michael L. Manco-Johnson, MD


What’s in a name?Since SHAFI’s beginning back in the

1990’s, the alumni newsletter has been

named the Alumni Confederate, probably

because for 50 years, from 1931-1981,

South’s student newspaper was named

The Confederate. It’s now called The

Gargoyle.

The Johnny Reb as a mascot was

eliminated in 2009 by the Denver Public

Schools board and replaced by a griffi n.

The Rebel head mosaic in the front hall

purchased by the Class of 1965 was

removed after that. Neither event was

easily accepted by many alumni.

When one of the alumni volunteer tour

guides tried to explain South’s connection

to the Civil War, one ninth grader asked,

“What’s the Civil War?” Unfortunately,

such ancient history isn’t relevant to

today’s students. Explaining our Civil War

to succeeding generations, especially

refugees, could also be challenging.

Several alumni from the 1960’s have

asked us to change the name of the

alumni newsletter. The SHAFI board

voted in our last meeting to explore the

possibility of changing the newsletter

name, but we agreed that we would like

to get your input.

If you could fi ll out the attached ballot and mail it in with your alumni dues, we would appreciate your help. If your dues are not due

this year, please fi ll out the form below anyway and send it to the South Alumni Offi ce, 1700 E. Louisiana Ave., Denver, CO 80210.

You can also vote online via SurveyMonkey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BC6YDQ5 and on the South Alumni Facebook

page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/250520102059921/

No, the Alumni Confederate name should not be changed

Yes, I would like to see the Alumni Confederate name changed

_______________________________________________________ would be a good name

Comments:


SOUTH HIGHALUMNI & FRIENDS, INC.1700 East Louisiana Ave.Denver, CO 80210-1810

Address Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORGANU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDDENVER, CO

PERMIT NO.4004

Save the Date!The Classes of

1978, 1979, and 1980will celebrate a joint 40th Reunion

June 28-29, 2019Stay tuned for more details.

Class of 1959It has been 60 years!

Save the date: August 15, 2019

We are tentatively planning a 60th reunion luncheon at Columbine Country Club, Littleton, Colorado

Included will be a tour of South High School on August 14th followed by the luncheon at 11:00 on August 15th, 2019

$35 per person

We would like to have an indication of how many are interested in attending

Please indicate your initial interest before November 1, 2018 by email to

Richard Godfrey – [email protected]

or

Carolyn Wardell – [email protected]

Also: Please register for the reunion on classreport.com.

If both spouses attended South, they both need to register

Documents

Confederate October 2018 - South High Schooldenversouth.dpsk12.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/... · 2018-09-27 · 2 South Alumni Confederate - October 2018 Alumni Board Meeting