updated 03/26/2013
updated 03/26/2013
New Albin High School Class Reunions |
Reunion Held at New Albin School for Classes 1909 - 1935
Saturday, Oct. 4, a class reunion was held at the New Albin school for classes from the years 1909 up to and including 1935.
A large group of classmates were welcomed by master of ceremonies “Tat” Sires. Mrs. Margie Harris of Bluff Siding, WI entertained at the piano with many of the popular songs of the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s, before and during the dinner hour. Dinner was catered by Heimer’s of Waukon.Tables were decorated with the old class colors of purple and gold. Miniature graduation hats of purple with gold tassels adorned each place setting. Ruby Middendorf furnished many colorful gourds as centerpieces. A picture gallery of former classmates was on display. Mae Crowley greeted all classmates with the reading of a poem “Down Memory’s Lane” which was the theme of the afternoon. After a moment of silence for deceased classmates and those unable to attend because of illness, the group all joined in singing the song, “Memories.”
Letters were read from: Mrs. Orabelle (Fish) Allen, Port Orchard, VA; Mrs. Marcella (Steele) Claflin, Idaho Falls, ID; Mrs. Sylvia (Pottratz) Hegy, Lansing; Kay Kelly, San Francisco, CA; Raymond Gantenbein, Green Bay, WI; Arthur Poss, La Crosse, WI; Arthur Stevens, Burnsville, MN; Meta Fritz, Dubuque; Mrs. Rita (Reburn) Schuster, Indianapolis, IN; Mrs. Serena (Pottratz) Voelker, Milwaukee, WI; Mrs. Martha (Jordan) Zollner, Crest Hill, IL; Wilfred Higgens, Rice, MN; Kenneth Kelly, Hillsboro, OR; Mrs. Helen (McCormick) Burnett, Honolulu, HI; Duffy Kelly, Harper Woods, MI; Leota Kelly and Mrs. Marie (Kelly) Garrity, Austin, MN; Mrs. Erma (Woods) Schoening, Spring Park, MN; Mrs. Margaret (Burmester) Sievers, Kenyon, MN; Mrs. Pearl (Higgens) Stevens, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Cletus Collins, Spring Valley, MN.
The following prizes were awarded: Earl Morgan, New Milford, CT, coming the longest distance; Philly Steele, Waukon, the largest family; Dorothy (Healy) McFarland, Dubuque, the door prize; Ed Meyer, New Albin, class of 1909, the oldest classmate attending. Louis Thomson, Loveland, CO, oldest member of class of 1912, received a boutonniere. Carrie (Pohlman) Krzbietke, New Albin, oldest graduate of the class of 1915, was presented with a corsage from Marie (Kelly) Garrity.
Members of the class of 1930 were honored on their 50th anniversary and each received a gift. Those present from that class were: Wayne Kester, Davenport; Mrs. Vada (Yeoman) Deyo, La Crosse; Gladys Coughlin and Bernice Coughlin, Wauwatosa, WI; Mrs. Lillian (Meyer) Korn, Hastings, MN and Herbert Zarwell, New Albin.
Mrs. Mae Crowley, secretary of the committee, was presented a gift by the members of her committee. “Tat” Sires gave a short history of the town of New Albin and facts and figures on the building of the high school gym in 1954. Remarks concerning the early school days were volunteered by Carl Dresselhaus, former coach and superintendent of New Albin High School, Gladys Coughlin, John McCormack, Kathryn Rice, Roger Reburn, Herbert Hayes and Floyd Pottratz.
After group pictures were taken by Obert Johnson of Waukon, a film of the early days of New Albin was shown by Cleon Sires. It contained pictures of many classmates and also relatives of those attending the reunion.
Committee members were: Mrs. Florence Kinley and Mrs. Loretta Cassidy of Waukon; Mrs. Esther Beeler, Mrs. Gladys Dresselhaus, Mrs. Gertrude Darling, Mrs. Marcia Baechler, Mrs. Esther Dee and Mrs. Mae Crowley, secretary, all of New Albin.
Classmates in attendance were:
Louis Thomson, Loveland, CO; Blanche Hannifan, Royal Oak, MI; Mrs. Dorothy (Healy) McFarland and daughter, Dubuque; Mrs. Margie (Healy) Bollman and daughter, Dubuque; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Jordan, Chicago, IL; Mrs. Kathleen (Morgan) Owens, Maricopa, AZ; Mr. and Mrs. John (Helen Kelly) Montogue, Milwaukee, WI; Gladys Coughlin and Bernice Coughlin of Wauwatosa, WI; Mrs. Lillian (Meyer) Korn, Hastings, MN; Herbert Hayes and son Verlyn, Adel; Mrs. Florence (Waters) Kinley, Mrs. Loretta (Waters) Cassidy, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Mauss, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph (Philly) Steele, all of Waukon; Mr. and Mrs. Elmer (Ruby Sires) Middendorf, Caledonia, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Kester and Mr. and Mrs. Carol Dresselhaus, all of Davenport; Kathryn Rice, Wausau, WI; John McCormack, Bismark, ND; Mrs. Aileen (May) Collins, Mrs. Ann (Dolan) Pohl, Mr. and Mrs. Henry (Clara May) Van Heel, all of Minneapolis, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Imhoff, Des Moines; Mrs. Gladys (McCormack) Peterson, La Farge, WI; Roger Reburn, Cannon Falls, MN; Earl Morgan, New Milford, CT; Mr. and Mrs. Jack (Vivian Krzbietke) Sweeney, Lansing; Mr. and Mrs. Walter (Grace Gordon) Turner, Sparta, WI; Mrs. Dorothy (Gantenbein) Rogstad, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur (Delia Ghelf) Fredrickson, Mrs. Vada (Yeoman) Dey and daughter, all of La Crosse; Roland (Jack) Irons, Dakota, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Leo (Paddy) Kelly and Mrs. Florence (Kubitz) Irons, Charles City; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Harris, Bluff Siding, WI; Mrs. Lillian (Welper) Sires, Mr. and Mrs. Vernon (Gertrude Ghelf) Darling, Mrs. Marcia (Irons) Baechler, Mr. and Mrs. Les (Gladys Thimmesch) Dresselhaus, Mrs. Mae (Sires) Crowley, Mrs. Esther (Dresselhaus) Dee, Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Sires, Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Kubitz, Mrs. Beulah (Kester) Steele, Mrs. Evelyn (Krueger) Plagge, Mrs. Ruth (Imhoff) Marks, Marce Kelly, Ed Meyer, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Pottratz, Gladys Ryan, Mrs. Loretta (Ryan) Spinner, Mr. and Mrs. Gil (Esther Ryan) Beeler, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert (Helen Jordan) Zarwell, Mrs. Doris (May) Spinner, Nita May, Sara Smerud, Mrs. Caroline (Pohlman) Krzbietke, Mrs. Anna (Meyer) Pohlman, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. (Marian Ryan) Hartley, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Mauss, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond “Tat” (Gladys Zarwell) Sires, Mr. and Mrs. Ed (Betty Gantenbein) Smerud, Paul Meyer, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd (Bernice Meyer) Wild, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Meyer, and Earl Reiser, all of New Albin.
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Louis Thomson, 87, flew from Loveland, CO to attend the reunion at the New Albin school at New Albin Saturday, Oct. 4. He was a member of the graduating class of 1912. Monday, Oct. 6, he entertained the reunion committee and friends at Polly’s cafe. The guests were: Kathryn Rice, Wausau, WI, Mrs. Marcia Baechler, Mrs. Beulah Steele, Mrs. Esther Dee, Mrs. Esther Beeler, Mrs. Lillian Sires, Mrs. Mae Crowley, Mrs. Gladys Dresselhaus, Earl Reiser and Raymond “Tat” Sires, all of New Albin. Mrs. Gertrude Darling and Mrs. Susan Sommermeyer were unable to attend. Pictures were taken as a remembrance of the occasion.
~Allamakee Journal, Lansing, October 1980
~articles were contributed by Errin Wilker
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Classes of 1929, 1930, 1931 & 1932
New Albin High School Graduates Have Reunion
The New Albin High School was the scene of a reunion of graduates of the classes of 1929-30-31-32. After the luncheon at one o’clock, the class members and their wives gathered at the VFW Hall for their social hour.
Those present were: Mrs. Art (Humphrey) Johnson, Elkader; Mrs. Loretta Cassidy, Guttenberg; Mr. and Mrs. Elmer (Maxine Meyer) Troendle, Waukon; Bernice Caughlin, Milwaukee; Mrs. Elizabeth (Rouster) Lamb, La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Ed (Vada Yeoman) Deyo, La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Earl (Gertrude Reburn) Houlihan, La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. John Yeoman, Sparta, Wis.; Mrs. Gladys (McCormick) Peterson, La Farge, Wis.; Mr. John McCormick, Bismarck, N.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Mark Mauss, Waukon; Mr. and Mrs. Arne (Zeta Crowley) Anderson, Sauk City, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Merlin Higgins, La Crosse; Mr. and Mrs. Leo Kelly, Charles City; Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Gantenbein, Green Bay, Wis.; Michael Collins, Didge Center, Minn.; Allan Reburn, Harmony, Minn.; Alfred Kelley, Harpers Woods, Mich.; Walter Kelley, Austin, Minn.; Mrs. George (Marie Kelley) Garrity, Austin, Minn.; Cletus Collins, Spring Valley, Minn.; Leo Collins, Medford, Minn.; Mrs. Florence (Waters) McKinley, Harpers Ferry; Mr. and Mrs. Norbert (Evelyn Kruger) Plagge, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur (Ruth Imhoff) Mark, Mrs. Joe (Mae Sires) Crowley, Mrs. Marge (Kumph) Bina, Mrs. Doris (May) Spinner, Lawrence Ryan, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie (Gladys Thimmesch) Dresselhaus; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert (Helen Jordan) Zarwell; Mrs. Walter (Velma Smith) Mack, New Albin.
Deceased members of the class are Harold Bellows, Mary (Bakewell) Robertson, Alvin Sires, and Helen (Hausman) Hosch.
~newspaper clipping from my grandma's scrapbook, hand-dated 1970
~Contributed by Errin Wilker
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Reunion of New Albin Classes of 1936, 1937, 1938 & 1939
The class reunion of the classes of 1936, 37, 38 and 39 of the New Albin High School was held at East Side Hall on Saturday, September 8. Social hour was from 5 to 7 p.m., with the meal following. Master of Ceremonies Leon Hosch called on each classmate present for a brief comment. Gifts were presented to Mrs. Vivian Beneke of New Albin for the earliest reservation, Marvin Pottratz of Merriam, Kansas for coming the longest distance and Ernie Fruechte of Waukon for having the youngest child.
Those attending from the class of 1936 were Mr. and Mrs. Bud (Helen Weymiller) Campbell, Waukon; Mr. and Mrs. Orris (Connie Rossiter) Hegge, La Crosse, Wisconsin; Mr. and Mrs. Les Fink, Manchester; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kester, New Albin; and Mr. Peter Hartley, New Albin. The class of 1936 consisted of ?ve members, all of whom were present.
The class of 1937 originally had nine members. Six of those nine attended and one is deceased. Those attending were Mrs. Ellen (Colsch) Anderson, Mason City; Mr. and Mrs. Harry (Lois Kumpf) Schuldt, Caledonia, Minnesota; Mrs. Cyrus (Alice Caughlin) Hogan, Manchester; Mr. and Mrs. Harris (Shooky) Fink, New Albin; Mrs. Peter (Dolores Meyer) Hartley, New Albin; and Mr. and Mrs. Leon Hosch, New Albin.
The class of 1938 attending were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mauss, New Albin; Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Fruechte, Waukon; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Colsch, Sr., Freeburg, Minnesota; Mrs. Fay (Baechler) Wenzel, Chicago, Illinois; Mr. Joseph Reburn, New Albin; and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Moore, New Albin. The class of 1938 had 19 in the class, with six attending the reunion and one member deceased.
The class of 1939 had ten members, seven of which attended the reunion. They are Mrs. Vivian (Loeffler) Beneke, New Albin; Mr. and Mrs. Gerald May, Cedar Rapids; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. (Florence Meyer) Davis, Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Pottratz, Merriam, Kansas; and Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Fink, New Albin; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Sommermeyer, Mt. Pleasant. This was the first class reunion in 40 years for the class of 1939.
Letters were read from the following members unable to attend: Mrs. Leona (Schuldt) Doviak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Rev. Paul Jordan, Lowden, Iowa; Mr. Ed Imhoff, Corpus Christi, Texas; Mrs. D.J. (Stacia Bakewell) Quillin, La Crescent, Minn.
A dance was held after the program, with the music furnished by The Gemutlichkeit Band of Coon Valley, Wisconsin. It was decided to hold the next class reunion in 1983, with the following committee: Selma Riehm, Edward Colsch, Ernie Fruechte and Leon Hosch. The committee members for 1979, Selma Riehm, Ernie Fruechte, Earl Moore and Leon Hosch, wish to thank all classmates who attended, making it an occasion to be remembered.
~Allamakee Journal, Lansing, September 1979
~contributed by Errin Wilker
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Class of 1942
Class of 1942, New Albin HS, reunion photo 1990
CLASS OF 1942 HOLDS REUNION
The New Albin High School Class of 1942 gathered at the Cleon Sires home on Sunday, September 2, 1990, for an afternoon of reminiscing. A 6 p.m. dinner was held at the East Side Cafe. Tables were decorated in red and white, the class colors. The classmates attending were Elsie (Fruechte) Weymiller, Lucille (Schulte) Thompson, Betty (Gantenbein) Smerud, Robert Meyer, John Smerud, Philamanie (Rouster) Schutz, Marie (Jordan) Ellis, Glen Meyer, Cleon Sires and Bob Imhoff. Those unable to attend were Betty (Irons) Young, Lorraine (Hammel) Maerick, Monica (Hurley) Myhre, and Margaret (Reburn) Weymiller. The following members of the class are deceased: Steve Vichlach, Leander Leoffler and Rita (Smerud) Carroll. Other guests were Domalita Cerjon, Tony Cerjon, Ed Smerud, Rita Smerud, Bob Ellis, Bette Meyer, Iris Sires, Marcella and Nancy Alberti.
PICTURED:
Front L-R: Elsie (Fruechte) Weymiller, former teacher Domatila (Malloy) Cerjon, Lucille (Schulte) Thompson, Betty (Gantenbein) Smerud
Back L-R: Robert Meyer, John Smerud, Philamanie (Rouster) Schutz, Marie (Jordan) Ellis, Glen Meyer, Cleon Sires
~Source: Allamakee Journal, September 1990
~Contributed by Errin Wilker
Class of 1942
Class of 1942, New Albin HS, reunion photo 1992
The 1942 graduating class of New Albin High School met June 20, 1992, at the New Albin home of Mr. and Mrs. Cleon Sires. Class members attending were...
BACK L-R: Glenn Meyer, Marie (Jordan) Ellis, Robert Meyer, Philamanie (Rouster) Schutz, John Smerud & Cleon Sires
FRONT L-R: Margaret (Reburn) Weymiller, Betty (Gantenbein) Smerud, Monica (Hurley) Myhre, and Lorraine (Hammel) Moericke.
Those not attending were Betty (Irons) Young, Lucille (Scheute) Thompson, and Robert Imhoff.
~Source: Allamakee Journal, July 15, 1992
~Contributed by Errin Wilker
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