McPherson County High School Alumni Newsletter 2018

2018 Executive Committee President – Ed Sowders - 308-530-9236

VicePresident - Errol Waits - 703-525-4616 Secretary – Ilene Daly - 308-587-2413

Co Secretary – Rochelle Kemp - 308-587-2369 Newsletter and Address Chairman –

Gayle Neal – 308-587-2352

You and guests are invited to the

Annual Alumni Reunion

of McPherson County

High School

Saturday eveningMay 26, 2018

McPherson County High SchoolTryon, Nebraska

Meal 6:00 p.m.$15 per plate

Reservations required by May 21

Business Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Grand March - 8:00 p.m.Dance 8:00 to 11:00 P.m.

Refreshments will be available during the dance

Alumni Dues - $10 each memberGuest Admission $10 each

Membership and reservation form is found on the next to last page of this newsletter and may also be downloaded from:

http://mcphersoncountyalumni.weebly.com/

Facebook group: : McPherson County High School Alumni, Tryon, NE

Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament & Pitch Tournament

MCHS Commons Area 3:30 p.m.

Show up and have fun!! Entry Fee $10

Enjoy dancing to

Doug Powers and Top Shelf Country

Dance is open to public 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Public admission $10 per person

1968 English Class

�2Honored Classes

1928—all deceased Leola Miller AllenJennie Hill BartaClara Winters DalyIda Winters DalyWalter DalyMildred Callander DoudnaMabel David EllisEva David HaddyMervyn Jones

DECEASED SINCE 2017 NEWSLETTER Altha Newberry Hill Class of 1938 Died April 14, 2017Thomas Michael Ellis Class of 1963 Died June 6, 2017 Sanford Kay Neal Class of 1964 Died June 10, 2017 Renee Joyce Black Wilkins Class of 1950 Died June 23, 2017 John Denton Streiff Class of 1961 Died June 28, 2017 Earl Lamb Class of 1943 Died July 19, 2017 Eddie McClain Class of 1962 Died August 19, 2017 Ruby Moore Grubb Class of 1944 Died January 16, 2018

1938 - all deceased Lois Hatch ConnellAltha Newberry HillMaxine Lancaster NealHazel Tupper PaxtonMarion PinkertonLavada Tupper RodewaldJames Wilson

1948 Mary Shimmin Andrews - Dec.Alma Winters BullingtonVera Gragg - DecManley KramerAnna Arensdorf MelvinWilma Winters NealPauline French Nicholson - Dec.Loren Pyzer - Dec.Lila Neal Shimmin - Dec.Lila Pyzer Stoddard

1958 Shirley Haney Daigger - Dec.Ted DaiggerKatherine Pinkerton GoveDick HaskellPeggy Streiff HaskellGary JamesonCharlotte Hora LeedsDon MunsonHarold PinkertonMaudene Haskell SowdersBob Wilson

1968 Reva Cotton CoulterSusan Kinsman JohnsSheryl Connell KautzJean Snyder KempOtis Kemp - Dec.Dellas Leeds - Dec.Lynelle Ellis MillerMickey MillerDoug NealTerry PettitBob RodewaldDuane Schmidt - Dec.Penny Miller Nicholson

1978 Tom ArensdorfJanelle Snyder BlakeTeena Bullington - Dec.Clyta Kemp-AlexanderBrenda Nicholson CochranJess CochranAlan MillerRandy MusserRex Neal - Dec.Wayne RundbackRick Trumbull

1988 Becky Schmidt BrooksWill CoffmanCasey ConnellTheresa Black CraigJacquie Snyder GlaubitzJean Masters HulemCraig NealTrevor NealClint PettitScott Starr

1998 Jeremy ArensdorfArlis BlakeJohn BryantRyan CorrellTara Connell FosterDarla Arensdorf SautterTyler NealMike PophamToni Kemp PowersTim SchmidtTodd Schroder

2008 Ben CochranDuell ArensdorfPetar PavlovicArtur Bogo-BorowiczMeka MelvinAmanda MorganJalyn Starr TuckerAmy Waits Vietze

2018 Gentry BarnerValentin GlosCaleb GooseyFernand CardonaJacob OsekaJared Schultis

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A near century of high school education in McPherson County

September 24, 1917 an accredited high school was organized in McPherson County. It was to meet in the Odd Fellows Hall in the upper room. Before that time, some of the grade schools offered 9th and even 10th grade if the teacher was qualified. Beyond that, students would travel to other communities to complete a high school degree. Classes did not begin until October 23rd, because, after all the organizing it was realized that a teacher had not been engaged! Clara Woods, was then teacher contracted, and school began with students furnishing the class room with tables, chairs, and even books. The program they all studied was Normal Training. Normal Training was to prepare a student to teach in the grade schools. That class had a banquet at the end of the year in the Spring of 1918. In the fall, another teacher was hired and 10th grade added. By the third year there were so many students, they moved to the lower floor of the building so they could have two classrooms and an assembly room. By the fall of 1920 a building levy that had run over several years made it possible to finance the construction of the high school building which is south of the courthouse. That fall there were four grades offered and in the Spring of 1921 the first graduating class had commencement. That class consisted of Viola Dahlin Calhoun, Nettie Winters Ripple, Matilda Doyle Haney, Aubrey Warren, and Leo Cash. The one hundredth graduating class will be the Class of 2020. What should we do to celebrate? Information taken from the McPherson County History Book.

 Invitation from the class of 1968The class of 1968 is meeting on May 25th, Friday, 12:00-7:00 PM at the Hampton Inn, 200 Platte Oasis Parkway, North Platte for a noon meal catered by Dale and Peg Arensdorf. You may stop by to visit if you wish. If you’d like to eat with them, please let them know so you can be counted in the meal count.   308-534-4669 to let Reva know if you plan to eat or with any other questions. You can see how much of their prophecy came true:

Future Times from the 1968 AnnualAs I was passing over Get-There, a suburb of Tryon, I was stopped by a peculiar looking flying saucer full of my old classmates.Otis Kemp began, W-e-l-l. after I got out of high school I decided it was time to settle down and make the sheriff mad only every other night and now I’m the first dropout of the AA.Robert Rodewald got that sly looking grin on his face and stated shyly, I decided to raise my own football squad and train them on my father in-law’s ranch north of Tryon.Duane Schmidt informed us that he has discovered a new drug called DAS that is recommended as a beautiful woman repellent.Mickey Miller proudly stated that he has just set a world record for getting the largest number of people in his Volkswagen while going at top speed and turning corners on two wheels.Douglas Neal slowly stated that he single handedly solved the Viet Nam crisis and is now Commander in Chief of the WACS.Terry Pettit is now residing in Fort Collins, CO where he is raising petite, blond stenographers.Jean Snyder sophisticatedly informs us that her present occupation is a lexicographer and that she has made Webster obsolete.Sheryl Connell proudly stated that she is now foreman of the Ranch and has married a tall, dark, studious graduate of Wesleyan Bible Institute.Susan Kinsman hesitantly stated that she had broken her high school promise and had married a tall, dark, handsome pilot.Lynelle Ellis exhaustively let us know she has been busy swatting little Millers and cheerleading for her husband’s football squad.Reva Cotton, starry eyed, stated that after her hair had grown so long that she walked on it, she had cut it off and donated it to the National Wiglet Company. She is now distributing literature on how to grow long hair.We decided upon a class reunion in 2018 at the Old People’s Home in Get-There!

�4Tyler Neal Class of 1998

“YOU didn’t have a cafeteria?? WHAT did you eat??” was the response my 7 year old blond hair, blue eyed daughter said to me as I tried to explain to her that there was not a hot lunch program at McPherson County High School. The concept of having to “brown bag” your lunch was very foreign to her. I reassured her that Grandma Neal (Elnora Waits 1962) made sure I was well fed and purchased special groceries that worked well for a brown bag lunch.

This small experience as well with many others are very familiar with many of us that are MCHS graduates. Living and attending a small school in the Sandhills definitely didn’t have the amenities that many others were used to having growing up in larger communities than Tryon. Looking back at those times, I never felt like I missed out on things like a grocery store or a movie theatre. I think it actually made me a more rounded individual. My wife often comments that I can find some of the simplest things to entertain me and I quite often find humor in things that just don’t seem to be humorous. I always reassure her that I have not fell off my rocker, at least not yet, and that you just had to find entertainment in some of the simple things in life when growing up in Tryon, NE.

It is official, 20 years has gone by since my high school graduation. I have hit that point in my life where I am supposed to get the license plate cover that states I am an “Alumni” and officially declaring that I may now be “vintage” material. For me, this time is a time for me to reflect on the memories of my days at MCHS. I really can’t imagine a different high school experience honestly. MCHS was small enough that just about everyone had the opportunity to participate and excel in activities that they may not have been able to in a small school. My class went to state with our One Act. Believe me, it was not my acting talent that won us the opportunity to compete. I had 2 lines the entire play and I could mess those up almost every time. It was the talent of my classmate, Jeremy Arensdorf that carried us to the state competition. Even though I was born with two left feet, my talents were always noticed more in the athletic activities at MCHS, but my point is that I was part of something that I would never have been at a larger school. Our class found success in One Acts and it is a memory that I still have today.

For many of us, MCHS was not just a high school experience, but more a part of our heritage. Our grandparents were MCHS graduates, along with our parents, aunts and uncles and cousins. We grew up with family stories of those hallways and classrooms. The stories of sports team successes, harassment of MCHS faculty and the memories of their friends and life long friendships made. I know when I look back at my times at MCHS, I don’t necessarily think about the friends I made, but more of the family I grew up with. Yes, some were very closely related to me like my classmates Tim Schmidt and Toni Powers (Kemp). We don’t remember actually meeting each other. We were some what like siblings and we have been a part of each other’s life since life began for us. I still go out of my way to try to harass cousin Toni on at least a monthly basis. Our friendship and relationship as classmates is different than many just because of our family relation. Then there are other friends that may not be quite as closely blood related or possibly no relation at all and I would still to this day consider them my family. Every time I see Shareen Munson I have to go out of my way to give her the biggest hug I can. Her sons, Jody (1996) and Darrin (1997) were a couple of my closest friends. The Munson’s “open door policy” for their home made their place a common after school hang out for not just me, but many other kids at MCHS during our high school days. We found entertainment in some of the craziest and simple things and could almost put on our own comedy show. Shareen fed us and loved us like we were her own. I found the same policy with the Moore family. I spent summers working for the Moore Ranch. Don Moore attended every athletic event and his deep voice could always be heard over the crowd encouraging us to be the best we could be. To this day, their son Justin Moore (1997) is like a brother to me. These families, some blood relation some not, were my family at MCHS. Just another benefit of attending a small school in the Sandhills of Nebraska.

In retrospect, even though Tryon Nebraska lacked many amenities, big city lights and shopping malls of the big city, I believe our high school experiences were enriched with much more. Close friends, family, heritage, simple entertainment, the ability to find success in talents that may not be there was what shaped us and molded us into the individuals were are today. My wife claims that I could strike up a conversation with anyone today...the wall if it would just talk back, but I don’t think that talent is necessarily a bad thing. It just shows what kind of people us Longhorns are. We are just plain ole simple friendly folks that are always willing to greet people with a wave and a smile!!

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Once upon a time, 64 years ago, there was a girl named Peggy Streiff, from the “west end” of McPherson County who had graduated 8th grade from District 28, also known as the Starr school. High school was a BIG, scary place. Only knowing 6 – 8 of the 50 plus kids in the high school, she would have preferred to stay at home and groom her 4-H calves and milk the cows, but nobody else agreed. The recent completion of 13 miles of gravel highway and being enlightened by REA were huge milestones and a whole lot less scary that walking into the unknown of High School.

Once established there, she remembers band & chorus, school plays, organizing the Pep Club’s Concession Stand during home games, Mr. O’Connor’s geometry class, Mrs. Baker’s english class (and her corsages that were always worn with the stems pointing upward) and working on the Longhorn News. Of course there was Home Ec, but she would have preferred to take Shop Class. Possibly the most dangerous thing she did at MCHS, was the frequent “verbal disagreements” with Mr. Davis. Oh yes, and hanging out with Maudene and Shirley (another story).

After high school graduation in 1958, she finished accounting and shorthand courses at the School of Commerce in North Platte. In January 1959 she married “Chuck” Haskell. In 1960, they made a small down payment of the Rodeo Motel in Burwell Nebr. where this country girl learned “real business” (good people, weird people, making payments, making beds & cleaning bathrooms) while hubby hauled cows, pigs & livestock feed. In 1964, the first of their 3 children were born, Sheila Marie, Charles Streiff “Chip” and Janice Elaine. The motel was home until 1990 when it sold, and Peggy spent the next 12 years working her dream jobs, summers in the office & gift shop of Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park and winter months as a waitress.

In 2004, she helped start Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt® and was the General Coordinator for the next 12 “jaunts”, retiring in 2015. Both she & Chuck became involved with the Shriner’s organizations and between 2009 & 2014 they made several trips to officer’s schools and dozens of Shrine events. Finally, with both of them “retired”, the 28 foot camper trailer became their home for several winters. They like to say, “We headed to Salt Lake City to visit Chip and Janice, and traveled there by way of southern Texas and California and then home via Montana, and took 3-4 months to do it.”

Where have the years gone? A wise woman once said, “the older we get the faster time goes”. This was the same “Crazy” woman that would not hear of her daughter skipping high school to milk cows and groom 4-H calves! Guess this old girl is glad she was forced to face the unknown and experience the joys of it, for the last 65 years. They have been wonderful years.Peggy Streiff Haskell MCHS 1958

1957-58 Football

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I left MCHS in 1958, attended Nebraska State trade school  in Milford, then worked for Mathews Chevrolet in Mullen for awhile before I enlisted in the US Navy. After the navy, I settled in Colorado and was the welder for a manufacturing company until I was employed by International Business Machines,(IBM). After thirty years there I retired. While employed there I was awarded nine patents. I have been retired for twenty eight years now. My wife of twenty five years, (Kathy) and I collected and I restored several classic and antique cars. A year ago we had twenty four of them. We decided to downsize drastically. We have sold twenty three of them. They are dispersed around the US and several countries. We had an auction to sell most of our belongings, tools and equipment etc Then sold the property and moved to a resort community for residents over fifty-five. Dick Haskell Class of 1958

Class of 08

1948 Basketball team

Class of 78

1988 Seniors

�7Reservation Form

Names______________________________________________Graduation years____________________(If both, husband and wife are alumni members, please list both names and year graduated)

Address______________________________________City____________________State_____Zip______

E-mail____________________________________________________________________________

Membership Dues $10 each…………………………………………………….

Guest Admission $10 each……………………………………………………

Reserve _________ meals at $15 each……………………………………….

Checks for Dues and Meals should be made to: MCHS Alumni Association Money must accompany reservations.

Dues $__________

Guests $__________

Meals $__________

Total $__________

I am contributing to the MCHS Alumni Scholarship Fund. Checks for the scholarship should be made to: Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation $___________ If you’d like to contribute in memory of someone please include their full name and their date of birth and death. When you contribute $10 or more in memory of someone their name is written in the foundations “Book of Life”.

McPherson County Alumnus AssociationPO Box 51Tryon, NE 69167-0051

Keep your contact information up to date! We save on postage costs by sending the newsletter by email. Please update your mailing address and email address with me at: mchpersoncounty.alumni@gmail.com or PO Box 51 Tryon, NE 69167

If you are on Facebook, join the group McPherson County High School Alumni Just search for it in the search bar. Share memories and contact other alumni there.

Silent Auction! We plan to have a silent auction of donated items once again. Please

let us know in advance what you will donate so we can plan table space.

This fun activity depends on your donations and participation. Just put a note in your reservation or give Ilene a call with your items.

Please consider volunteering to be a member of the board. This group can only continue with your participation. A Vice President and Co- Secretary will be needed for the new year.

�8McPherson County Alumnus Association

PO Box 51 Tryon, NE 69167-0051

Return Service Requested

Chicken Fried Steak meal prepared by Kathleen Fisher

at 6:00 p.m. $15 each meal

McPherson County Alumni Scholarship The 2017 Scholarship was won by Kyon Neal. Kyon is attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

At the time of printing we did not know the 2018 recipient, but will announce the winner at our reunion in May.

1998 Seniors