Central High School Archives

January 10, 2012May 15, 2012

Cape Central Turns 100 in 2012

Cape Central High School, in all its forms, will be 100 years old in 2012. Despite what some people may think, I was NOT in the inaugural class.

Several of the high school newsletters had mentioned that Central’s librarian, Julia Howes Jogensen, had put together a book, Cape Central High School Centennial to celebrate the occasion. One of my first stops when I got to Cape this fall was the CHS library to see if they had sold out of the books. Fortunately, they hadn’t.

It’s a very nice, yearbook-style book with 120 pages of photos and stories about Central High School, from the very first days right up to the present time. The 1950-1960s eras are well-documented. In fact, I saw three or four of my yearbook shots in it.

How do I get a Centennial book?

How can you get a copy of the book? Go to the merchandise website.

Or, send a check for $50 made out to Cape Central High School (memo line: Centennial book)

Cape Central High School

1000 South Silver Springs Road

Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63703

Attn: Julia Jorgensen

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed looking through my copy. I noticed on the merchandise webpage that limited numbers of old high school yearbooks were available. I’m not sure if there are any left.

Photo gallery from the book

This is just a sample of some of the photos that are in the Centennial book. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the photo to move through the gallery. I’ll be bringing you current pictures of Julia’s new Central High School library in the next day or so. It’s nothing like the sterile, shushing study hall we remember.

December 31, 2011

Central High School Auditorium

Cape Central’s auditorium is still in great shape. Here are some photos taken in 2009, during the 2010 reunion and black and white shots from the 60s. I understand that the seats have been recovered since we were there. It also looks like carpet has been added to the aisles. A projection booth in the back and some serious stage lighting has also been added over the years.

Auditorium used for speech and debate

Contestants in the Freshman-Sophomore Speech Contest in 1963 pose. I recognize Bill Wilson, Linda Stone and Janet Zickfield.

Red Dagger plays were the biggies

The biggest events of the year were the Red Dagger Plays. Here’s a posting of two plays.

Photo gallery

Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left of right side of the image to move through the gallery. I see vintage shots of Tricia Tipton, Carolyn Pensel and Jim Feldmier, among others. One of the reunion shots has Bill East, Betty Rawlings and Terry Hopkins wandering around trying to find the gum they had left under the seats in 1964.

December 17, 2011

Phys Ed Relics from Two Centrals

What’s a fire pole doing in the new Central High School library? (I wonder how long the Pacific Street Central High students called our high school on Caruthers the “new” Central High School?)

Julia Howes Jorgensen, Central High School librarian, and I met to talk about running an advertisement for the Cape Central High School Centennial book. We’ll go into more detail about that, probably when I get back to Florida. With luck, I’ll be wheels-up Sunday and home by Monday night.

Anyway, there was this fire pole with some bunker gear on top of it over in the corner, so I assumed that had something to do with career day or the like.

Mrs. Jorgensen, Class of 1969, pointed to a plaque to its left: “Thousands of Central Students used this Fireman’s Pole to go from classrooms to the gym floor at Central High on Pacific Street from 1917 to 1963. Donated by the Class of ’54..”

She said that Coach Lou Muegge was known to stand at the base of the pole with his “Character Builder,” taking swats at students who lolly-gagged coming down the pole, who didn’t display the proper take-no-prisoners attitude or who just happened to be the last to slide down.

Bench from girls’ locker room

Outside the library, she had scrounged desks and other memorabilia, including this wooden bench from Central’s girls’ locker room. Even if the statute of limitations hadn’t run out, I wouldn’t admit to having ever seen it before today.

Here’s what’s happened to the Central High School on Pacific. It’s been turned into some of the nicest senior apartments I’ve seen anywhere.

October 23, 2011February 19, 2017

Class of ’61 50th Reunion

This weekend was the Central High School Class of 1961’s 50th Reunion. I crashed Saturday night’s shindig. When I left the house, I told Mother, “If you hear a disturbance call at the Country Club come across the scanner, it’s probably me getting tossed out for showing up uninvited and in jeans. (Click on any photo to make it larger.)

I’m doing WHAT?!?

Much to my surprise (and dismay), I found myself drafted into taking the class group shots, even though I protested that I don’t really do that kind of thing and didn’t bring along the right equipment. I guess I shouldn’t underestimate what you can do with a Nikon D40 and Nikon SB-600 strobe.

The photos aren’t up to Paul Lueders standards, but they’re better than I expected. I had to break the class into two groups because my lens wasn’t wide enough to get everyone in the same shot.

I’m not set up to make prints for sale, but if there’s enough interest, I’ll find someplace to put them where you can order reprints at a reasonable price.

Past reunion stories

Here are some other class reunion stories that have run on this blog:

Reunion photo gallery

I won’t even try to identify the folks in the photos. I’ll leave you on your own for that. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left and right side of the picture to move through the gallery. Please leave comments. (One technical note: if you return to the site, press Ctrl-F5 to make sure you see any new comments that have been left since your last visit.

Thanks to the Class of ’61 for making me feel welcome at your 50th.