School: Owen H.S. Class of 1942 (25th Year Reunion – 1967)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Schultz, Olson, Hulbert, Jacobson, Ross, Weigert, Turner, Ortmayer, Beck, Sorenson, Edwards, Hennlich, Pudlas, Kallio, Makinen, Wilson, Boeldt, Pulis, Dearth, Tauches, Felbaum, Johnson, Mowery, Harris, Maki, Nixon, Peterson, Neitzel, Schlinkert, Sheets, Stark, Cavaleri, Powers, Bochnia,

---------Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 20 Jul 1967

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of their graduation from Owen High School, the Class of 1942 will give art work to decorate the Owen-Withee High School. The gift will be a memorial to Mrs. Masie Powers Johnson, public and school librarian for many years.

The Class of '42 held their reunion in Owen July 15, 1967. Activities began with an informal coffee hour in the afternoon at the home of Mrs. Toivo Kallio. Later the group toured the new Owen-Withee school building, with Mr. and Mrs. Bill Johnson as tour guides.

Highlight of their reunion was a banquet at the Meadowview Country Club, where about 50 former classmates and their husband and wives reminisced together. Master of Ceremonies at the evening program was Douglas Sorenson.

Special guests were the former teachers, Albert Schultz and Edward Olson, who recalled some memories of 25 years ago, and made some observations of past and present teaching..

Olson, presently a teacher in the system at Rhinelander, said that the Class of 1942 was his first teaching encounter with seniors. "You were an inspiring group of students," he said, "An you made a good impression on me to keep me in the teaching business."

Coach Olson said that the athletic record of that year was a miserable introduction to coaching. The football team lost 6, won 0, and tied 1, a record "that would force a modern coach to lose his job."

Albert Schultz, band and orchestra teacher for many years in Owen, said he thought that music meant more to the students of 25 years ago and that the performance of the musicians in a small school was quite remarkable. Schultz, who is bandmaster in Neenah, also works with many adult groups, and said, "The people in their 30's and 40's were a generation of good musicians."

Other former teachers who sent their greetings to the class by letter were Charles Hulbert, Beaumont, Texas; Everett Jacobson, Eau Claire; Mrs. Lee (Eileen Ross) Weigert, Oshkosh; and Mrs. Ronald (Marian Turner) Ortmayer, Janesville.

A local committee for the Masie Powers Johnson Memorial will gather art work in the months ahead to choose the school pictures from. The selections and presentation to the school will be made in the fall.

Members of the Class of 1942 are scattered today in nine states besides Wisconsin. Illinois is second to Wisconsin with five, followed by California with four. Class members who travelled the greatest distance to the reunion were Orlyn Peterson, San Francisco, California; and Mrs. Joe (Carol Johnson) Bochnia, Madison, Florida.

The committee for the 25th reunion were Gail Beck and Douglas Sorenson, Madison; Mrs. George Edwards (Jean Hennlich), Stetsonville; and Mrs. Toivo (Grace Pudlas) Kallio, and Mrs. Newell (Helga Makinen), Wilson, Owen.

Other out of town class members were as follows: Mrs. Charles (Doris Boeldt) Pulis, Waukegan, Ill.; Mrs. Martin (Clara Dearth) Tauchen, Dorchester; Mrs. Steve (Jeanette Felbaum) ??, Libertyville, Ill.; Walter Johnson, Franklin Park, Ill.; Mrs. Linwood (Martha Mowery) Harris of Stevens Point; Mrs. Aldon (Helvia Maki) Nixon, Oakland City, Indiana; Gilbert Peterson, Menomonee Falls; Bill Neitzel, Colby; Mrs. George (Bernadine Schlinkert) Johnson, Mt. Horeb; John Sheets, Unity; and Mrs. Joseph (Helen Stark) Cavaleri, Waukesha.