Greetings to Thorp Alumni

The Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI)
May 19, 2010
Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Dr. George Bogumill’s New Book

Following the 2009 Thorp Alumni Reunion, Dr. George Bogumill ’47 said he had written a book that he wanted to donate to the Thorp Alumni memorabilia collection; THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GEORGE PIERCE BOGUMILL, Memories of His First 80 years.”  This book will be on display at the 2010 Thorp Alumni Reunion.  It is a wonderful book that includes his upbringing in Thorp, his elementary and high school days in Thorp, memories of his family, and many other Thorp memories.  Many Thorpites will relate to Dr. George’s stories and recollections.  Below are excerpts from his book, the chapters that covered his years at Thorp High School.
 
Freshman Year 1943-44

 
I graduated from St. Bernard’s in May of 1943 and started at Thorp High School that fall.  Most courses were taught in the main brick school building, but others, dealing mainly with business and secretarial, were held in the old white wooden building that had been the original high school.  It was situated behind the newer brick building, which meant we had to run outside in the cold to get to and from classes. We all had to take physical education.  I do recall taking a course from Mr. Swanson who taught Ag subjects; the only thing I remember from this is that we learned how to caponize roosters. 
 
I went out for band and was starting to learn the tuba (much to the dismay of my mother), but the band director was drafted into the Navy so I never got very far learning music.
 
I joined the Forensics Club and had to learn and present a declamation to the entire student body at one point each year.   The subject had to be memorized and presented without notes and the more emoting one could do was a plus, especially if the declamation was supposed to be humorous.  It was a competitive process and we were judged and compared to our peers.
 
I went out for the football team, even though I weighed only 93 pounds.  Our conference was composed of small schools from Stanley, Cadott, Owen, Withee, Cornell and Neillsville.  Since many of the older students left for the service in the middle of WWII, teams were composed of 6 players, 3 linemen and 3 backs.  Anyone was eligible to catch passes or otherwise run the ball.  I don’t know if I got to play at all, but Coach was a believer in equal opportunity to get injured, so I probably did get to play some.  I tried out for junior varsity basketball but I was never very good (too small, too slow, poor shot, a deadly combination).
 
There was a time set aside each week for religious instruction. We were turned loose to return to St. Bernard’s for an hour or so of catechism class.
 
Sophomore Year 1944-45
 
This year was better because we had the freshmen to take the hazing we took last year.  Favorite classes were algebra and typing.  The latter was done in the old white building on old Royal or Remington typewriters (no electric typewriters in those days). We had physical education with new Coach Knudson, who loved to devise games involving a great deal of running, tackling, hitting the hard gym floor, all without the benefit of pads – many skinned knees and elbows and bruises.  The gym, attached to the main high school building, was built during the mid 1930’s.
 
I was elected secretary-treasurer of the sophomore class, but it didn’t amount to much because we had no treasury and I don’t recall any meeting at which I had to take notes.  It did put me in close contact with Dorothy ‘Totsie’ Amendt, on whom I had a moderate crush.
 
I again went out for football (at 120).  The conference had gone to 8 man teams – 5 linemen and 3 backs.  I played one of the 3 backs on offense and defensive back on defense. Everybody played both ways in those days.  Our team won 5 and lost 4. Again, I tried out for junior varsity basketball without much success for the same reasons as freshman year.  We played softball pickup games on the street, choosing up sides and being inventive as to where we put the bases, etc.  Bill Wagner had a basketball hoop mounted on a pole and we also played pickup games there.  No significant organized sports with parents involved.
 
I continue in Forensics Club again with declamations and extemporaneous readings.  We competed with other schools after surviving competition in our own school.  It was a good experience, although it was hard to conquer stage fright when one is the only one on the stage, especially when we went to Eau Claire to compete with other schools from the region.
 
Junior Year 1945-46

 
Classes included shorthand (I never got very good at it), advanced algebra, history and others I no longer recall.  I went out for football again at 125, played mainly defensive back (as slow as I was without pads, you can imagine what it was like loaded down with football padding).  This was the first year our conference changed to 11 man teams. We won 3, lost 3, one tie.  I tried basketball again, with same success as before.  We also had a baseball team that spring and I played various positions, started at 3rd base before finding my niche at 2nd base.  I didn’t have a strong enough arm to play shortstop or outfield.
 
Once football season was over, I joined the Mixed Chorus, along with several others of the team. We caroled in the halls before Christmas and between plays put on by the grade school kids.  We also put on a program in memory of Washington and Lincoln.
 
I continued in the Forensics Club in several competitions, but didn’t win any prizes.
 
I was the editor of the Cardinal, Thorp High’s monthly gazette for the January edition.  Editors were changed for each edition but remained on staff and contributed in various ways such as reporting on activities.
 
The junior class put on a play called “A Little Honey.”  I had a secondary role. We also put on the Junior Prom with the theme, “Rose Room,” a popular song at that time.  I know that I was quite involved with decorating the gym, and I know I went to the dance but I can’t remember who my date was. The dance was quite a success as I remember.
 
Senior Year 1946 – January 1947

 
My favorite class was history where we had a young teacher, although I also enjoyed trigonometry.  More English from one of my favorite teachers, Belle Laurent.  As usual, I often misbehaved during study hall.
 
Played football again at 137, was the starting quarterback on a single wing team. We had a new coach, Stu North.  I called all the plays in the huddle without help from the sideline since we had no way to communicate.  My function as quarterback was mainly to block for running plays and hand off the ball to our running back.  I was not involved in passing plays since we had another kid who could throw the ball farther and more accurately.  I played defensive back too.  I was knocked out cold on the first play of the season, tackling the league’s best running back from Cornell.  My cousin, Rich Polnaszek, was by backup, and he said he almost panicked when he saw me laid out on the field.  Fortunately, the fuzziness quickly passed and I played the rest of the game and season without further injury or incident.
 
I continued in forensics and mixed chorus.  We put on another play titled “A Case of Springtime,” in which I had a lead role as an 18 year old senior about ready to go off to college.
 
What was I like in those high school years?  Like so many teenagers I was a mixed up kid, brazen at times, confident of my scholastic abilities, but overall quite unsure of myself.  I could talk to girls and joke around with them, but I was quite bashful. This may have had something to do with dropping out of school between semesters to join the Army in January 1947, football season was over and I couldn’t make the basketball team. Also I was looking forward to adventure and I learned that the two high school credits needed to graduate were given at that time for basic training.  Along with good buddies “Doc” Schief, “Bud” Pitt, Tom Zarada (who was later killed in Korea), and several underclassmen) Phil Rundle, Don Boardman and Len Ebben) we signed up with the Army recruiter from Eau Claire.  I help Doc and Bud cram for English final exams which we all passed and thus completed the first semester honorable; thus ended my high school career.
 
George’s book will be available to view at the memorabilia display at Thorp High School during the All-Thorp Alumni Reunion weekend, July 2nd through July 4th.

2010 ALL-THORP ALUMNI REUNION RESERVATIONS

The invitation letter and reservation form for the Thorp Alumni Reunion has been sent to all Thorp alumni.  Reunion weekend is Friday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 4th.  Please get your reservation form in as soon as possible. The form also provides an opportunity to donate to the TAA Scholarship Fund and to order your 2010 Alumni Directory.
 
Contact information:

TAA, P. O. Box 75, Thorp, WI 54771
Email: thorpalumni@gmail.com
715-669-3698