Thanks for the Memories

Ron Causton: I enjoyed the way Mr. DeLaitsch dealt with behavior problems in his class. He never raised his voice, but would ask the student to come up to his desk to receive a library pass and an assignment for a 500 work report due the next day. He very seldom had to repeat this ritual with a student. Watching Corliss Huntley chase a PE. student around the track with a switch to motivate was quite entertaining. He was usually fast enough to catch the student and get him to behave more appropriately.

Jane Beckman: Our history teacher, Mr. Rossini, always telling us, "Clock watchers! Time will pass, will you?

Janis Dean Rott: "Doc" Raymond: The man who introduced us to numerous music pieces, drove his point home "tapping" his wooden dowel baton so hard on his stand the tip broke off and often sailed in the hair of the flute section. He gained the attention of the bass section when he lobbed blackboard erasers at them. We were apparently a difficult lot. He went to the trouble to get us also the modern music we longed for and more uniforms so more students could participate. He marched along side us on both frozen and sizzling parade routes despite his age and health. The band won trophies, but he was the one who inspired us.

Connie Elledge Wurmnest: vOne nice remembrance of the good ol' high school days is a little stuffed doll I have. It was made by Pat Fuller. Also, a poster size drawing of myself in my cheerleading outfit was quite a commemorative thing. The all-night grad. party at the Y on University Ave. was and has been a great memory. Saying farewell after that evening was like saying, "Till we meet again".

Barbara Fair Young: The dignity of the opening ceremony for assemblies; Talent show assemblies; Latin teacher, Miss Shapiro's Latin Club - Roman Banquets; Being in the play "Arsenic and Old Lace"; The encouragement from art teacher, Mr. Kappus.

Tom Foss: Summer football practice - Fitzharris wouldn't let us have much water. After practice we'd pile into a car and go to the A&W at Como for gallons of root beer.

Betty Grinnell Hostrawser: I always enjoyed the academic achievements at Wilson High School. Really loved the dances and extra-curricular activities.

Doug Holscher: I can barely remember last week's events much less 40 years ago except that the quality of the students impressed me then and now.

Carol Johnson Casperson: Ms Bowen standing in the gymnasium in her sweater, skirt and wedgies blowing her whistle!

Audrey Keefe Mitchell: Mr. Mastbaum's geometry class was pivotal in both my academic life and subsequent career. I recall his lectures (geometry lectures, that is) quite vividly. I especially recall the lecture on "Loci of Points", a math of motion concept. I also have great respect for and memories from Miss Shapiro's English class and Miss Fay's class. The growth they inspired may not have been manifested during the years at WHS but they did make a tremendous impact in the years that followed. Many memories include Deer Lake trips (THKSBHKSAS), Y-Teens, JA, Kanteen committee (THKSSM), WHS sponsored dances (THKSCNJG), BAND (THKSERMLB), and Raggedy Ann (THKSPF)!

Diane Klarkowski Kellerman: Singing in the choir with Ken Wenzel

Mary Komives Shearon: The journalism Conference at the U of M - my first opportunity to be on the campus from which I eventually received my BS. The journalism conference in Chicago. WOW! I will always be grateful to Mr. Ken Johnson whose guidance, support and faith in me and my skills inspired self-confidence and provided leadership opportunities that have helped me throughout my adult life. I will also always remember August 15, 1956. On that day, I decided to go to college to become a teacher. Classes started in two weeks. Miss Fay and Mr. Peterson took the time and energy to help me get enrolled in the College of St. Catherine. Miss Fay went to St. Kate's to personally speak for me. I had taken the on-the-job training track, so I did not meet the college entrance requirements. She talked the registrar into accepting me on the condition I didn't work during freshman year and that I made passing grades. She arranged everything to the point where the principal had to step into take care of records. Mr. Peterson, who didn't know that Miss Fay had visited St. Kate's, called to support me in my bid to be accepted. As the first member on either side of the family to go to college, I was a pioneer. My decision of August 15, 1956 has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Without the help of Miss Fay and Mr. Peterson, I may not have carried through on it.

Clyde Nelson: Performing in three operettas (Mikado, Fortune Teller, Babes in Toyland ) ; Playing Tom in "Babes" my senior year. -- Miss Midge in freshman algebra encouraging us to be engineers; I went to engineering school but did not complete it. -- Playing "speedball" in Mr. Huntley's gym class; we tackled and were tackled on the blacktop playground with no protective equipment. -- Going to school Winter Carnival house parties to raise money for our queen candidate. -- Jr. year I pitched all 12 innings of the Twin City baseball game and we won. The next day Mr. Peterson took me out of class to congratulate me and revealed that he was so excited that he forgot where he parked his car and walked the streets for some time before he found it. -- Roman dinners (ate with fingers) and Latin Club trips to Carlton College for conferences. -- City champs in basketball and Twin City game at Williams Arena; we lost by 20 points; our baton twirler almost burned down the arena at halftime show. -- Student Council convention in Hibbing. I remember when DICK KENNEDY HAD HAIR!!!!!!!

Sharon Nielson Gosiak: My most meaningful memory was Mr. Mastbaum taking me out of class, sitting on steps in hall and telling me we were both outsiders and to take the challenge of making this work as a positive for me.

Jim Peterson: Hope Miss Fay is in heaven! I hope.

Vern Peterson: Graduation

Al Polsfuss: I remember when my hair grew on top of my head, instead of my nose, ears, between my toes. I remember when I could feel a piece of food stack on the side of my mouth. Now my wife says you have your meal hanging on your hip. I remember when more then the first razor blade was sharp in the $6.00 pack. I remember when I could eat a hot dog and not have to buy interest in the Tums Co. I remember when I could look down and enjoy by $80.00 TENNIS SHOES!!! I remember when I took typing and made filling this application a lot easier.

Terry Rossi: Greatly appreciate retaining, over these forty years, friendships of Tom Foss, Jim Johnson, and Ron Causton.

Anita Shisler Johnson: My introduction to the man I married was in Mr. S. Mastbaum's geometry class. Mr. Mastbaum instructed the students to take a sheet of notebook paper, shred it into tiny bits and strew into the aisles. Happily we complied and gleefully we watched classmates Jim Johnson (and Terry Rossi?) crawl on hands and knees to clean up the mess. Jim claims to have forgotten the nature of his offense. I can only speculate: throwing spitballs? talking during lecture? undone homework? I wonder if anyone else remembers?

Jack Skrypek: Most thrilling for me was winning Bremer Foundation Scholarship to attend college. With the passing of time, I realize how good some of the teachers were, especially in math and science. Mastbaum, Mitchell, DeLaitsch, Fay, etc. My high school education served well in college. Fellow students were generally great - so may good memories, can't single one out.

Betty Sorenson Cloutier: One of my favorite teachers was: Mr. Rossini, he never pulled any punches. He would give us our assignment for the day and then step out of the room. We are thinking he is down the hall some place and when he would peek around the door and say, "O.K. you kids, shut up and get to work", surprised us, that he was so close after all. Over all, when I look back at my high school days, I thought I was fortunate to have such good teachers and because of them, I was rewarded in my business career which lasted 35 years. I also thought the Class of '56 was pretty great, too.

Karen Swanson-Booth: I remember the time in Mr. Zappa's art class, Terry Wolfort went out the window (2nd floor) and stood on the ledge and told him he was going to jump. Of course he didn't but Mr. Zappa almost had a heart attack. In our junior year after football game at Central High, 12 of us got into Dennis Twedt's Dad's old Dodge and went to Porky's.

Bill Thiets: Dick Morrison for being himself and taking the time to listen to problems related to being a male teenager growing up in the fifties. Dick had a unique way of getting to the heart of a matter with a few select questions and the insight to provide an answer that was concise, to the point and delivered with humor. Best of all, the answers weren't "parental" in nature.

Virginia Turi Nelson: I loved to sing and the operettas and Christmas programs were my favorites. The memory of Doc Raymond throwing a chair across the choir room will always be in my mind. Also Mr. Mastbaum telling me, "Ginny, shut up". He had a special way of saying it, especially when I was talking to George Johnson in the back row. The social life was great.

Anita Uherka Clingman: We had a great band which displayed its talents at many events; many talents in music, dancing and acting were presented at our assemblies in an auditorium that no longer exists. During my years of working at Wilson Junior High, 1975-1982, it was a surprise to find there were now classrooms in the area of the auditorium balcony.

Berit Villa Anfinson: I always remember our teacher, Tom Jessen, calling Jackie (Schauer) Grunklee, Bev (Nelson) Lau and I "The Three Musketeers".

Teddie Vorderbruggen Harper: Teacher Miss Fay said, "Keep your eye on the Gaza Strip". It was true then as it is now. I think of that so often.

Terry Walfoort: Mr. Morrison asked Ron Jensen and me to do a special skit for a fun assembly. We have about six guys and we did a ballet dance. People still talk about the display of culture.

Ken Wenzel: My years at Wilson High School were filled with great memories of faculty, classmates and activities. Being able to work on a reunion is only one way of giving back something to those persons who presented opportunities to me. I would only hope that the class of 1956 would appreciate what we had during those four years (as opposed to the peer pressure prevalent in today's society). We had it made. I hope everyone will share that at the 50-year reunion.

(Note: Please send your special WHS memories to audreyam@earthlink.net)