Central High School students Archives

June 23, 2013May 7, 2021

Cafeteria: For Sustenance and Socializing

It’s fun to look at the faces in Central’s cafeteria in 1964, but it’s more fascinating to look at the variety of food on the trays.

I spot pineapple slices with cottage cheese and a cherry. The girl in the foreground has something on a bun, but she also has what might be two deserts and a Sealtest milk. Vicky Berry, second from left, has a copy of English Grammar and Composition just like the one on my bookshelf. I have to confess that I don’t open it any more now than I did then, but it’s comforting to know I COULD if I wanted to.

I hope that’s not a rolled-up gym suit in the middle of the table.

Is that Carol Klarsfeld actually studying?

I never saw Carol Klarsfeld with her nose buried in an Adventures in American Literature book like that before. She does not appear to be reading for pleasure. There is a couple in the background exchanging a meaningful glance. Or, maybe she’s just asking if he wants her desert.

Sealtest milk was a big seller

I’m surprised at how many students are drinking Sealtest milk. Some trays have two and three cartons on them. I can’t quite tell what’s on the tray in the right foreground. I see some form of desert, a biscuit, something that looks like beans and, maybe, a piece of chicken. I saw chicken bones on another plate, so that’s a possibility.

That’s Bonnie Strom on the left. I went K through 8 at Trinity Lutheran School with her.

This looks like a freshman table

Those boys look too young to be in high school. Gary Schemel is in the center of the background.

Cafeteria photo gallery

Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the side to move through the gallery. Identify the people if you wish, but I’d rather hear descriptions of what they are eating.

June 13, 2013

Syl Johnson Earns Suspension

From The Missourian: Sylvester Johnson, Cape Central’s football and basketball standout, fulfilled one of his greatest dreams – to wear Principal Dallas Albers‘ suspenders – at the recent basketball homecoming dance.

Mr. Albers, an inveterate suspenders-wearer, noticed Syl admiring the pants-holder-uppers at an assembly one day, so he made a “deal” with him: if the team won the homecoming game with Sikeston, Syl wouldn’t have to worry about his pants falling down at the dance – they would be securely held up by the coveted suspenders.

“Had confidence in my boys”

To make a long story short, Central did just that – and Mr. Albers, is shown here wearing a belt (“because I had confidence in my boys”) pinning the prize on the season’s high scorer.

Beth Barringer crowned queen

Miss Beth Barringer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Barringer of 1012 North Middle, was crowned Central High School Basketball Homecoming Queen. The queen and her court are, from left, Miss Mary Ann Sides, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Sides of 1403 Bessie; Miss Debbie Elfrink, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Elfrink of 1216 Butler; Miss Barringer; Miss Linda Stone, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Stone of 1744 Themis, and Miss Ruth Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Wilson of 527 Amethyst.

Escorts didn’t rate a photo

Serving as escorts were Brad Horky, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Horky of 1447 Broadway; Terry Robinson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Robinson of 1708 Montgomery; Mike Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel B. Johnson of 1301 Bertling; Richard Baker, son of Dwight Baker of 121 North Clark, and Sylvester Johnson, son of Mrs. Lula Mae Johnson of 910 Giboney.

June 6, 2013

A Pie Sale?

The negative sleeve said “Pie sale, but I couldn’t imagine a pie sale generating this big a crowd.

Well, it turned out to be either a piece of bad handwriting on my part (or a piece of bad reading). It actually said “pic sale,” as in “picture sale.” The Girardot yearbook staff was selling leftover photos after the final deadline was met, setting off a mad scramble.

My internal facial recognition software in woefully inadequate. Wife Lila and her yearbooks help put some names to faces – Jane Coile and Joe Snell, for two. The girl in the middle who is looking at the camera is driving me crazy. I know her face, but I can’t think of her name to save myself.

Please excuse the dust spots

The film was in pretty bad shape, so I gave up after getting most of the spots off faces. (Sorry for missing a spot on your nose, Margaret.)

There’s an interesting mix of students here. I think Rick Meinz, Class of ’64 is on the left, Joe Snell, Class of 65 has his back to the camera, and Margaret Randol and Bill East, Class of ’66 are on the right.

Photographic feeding frenzy

I can’t believe how many people showed up to look through the photos. Names I am willing to guess on include Diane Meystedt, Jane Coile, Bob Swaim and Susan Welker. You’re going to have to fill in the rest.

You can make the photos larger by clicking on them.

May 27, 2013May 28, 2013

Jump, Coach, Jump

“Central Coach Leon Brinkopf leaps aside as a wild throw gets by Fox third sacker Ron Williams in the opening inning of Saturday’s Sectional game at Jackson. Mark Kirkpatrick is the Central player clutching the bag after a head-first dive,” was the caption in the May 16, 1966, Missourian sports section. (You can click on the photos to make them larger/)

Central wins 8-0

The oft-postponed Sectional game between Cape Central and Fox (Arnold) got off the launching pad Saturday afternoon and the Tigers scored and 8-0 victory behind the one-hit twirling of Brad Horky. The game had been rescheduled twice because of the rain and the third attempt was only possible through the efforts of Lou Weiss, Jackson coach. Weiss and his crew labored throughout the morning to bring the diamond in shape for the game, wrote Charley Murdoch, sports editor.

Capaha Park, the scheduled site of the game, represented a lake in left field. Jackson has one of the best draining diamonds in the area.

Horky in complete control

Horky was in complete control of Fox and the first hit was not obtained until the sixth when Gary VanHorn sent one up the middle. He advanced to second an an infield out and was stranded. The rangy righthander struck out eight and did not allow a walk. He hit one batter in the seventh when Fox made its only serious threat to score.

An infield error and the hit batsman after one out was followed by another infield out as both runners advanced. The game ended as Ron Drinnin sent a fly to right field.

Weird first inning

A weird first inning started the contest as the Tigers scored two runs on three hits and three errors. Terry Robinson started it with a single to left. Mark Kirkpatrick put down a bunt and the Fox shortstop added an error. Mike Schuette put down another bunt to the third base side and all hands were safe. When Larry Kitchen sent one to short, another error followed. John Brandt bounced back to the mound, the fox hurler continued the bobble-the-ball game, and two runs were across.

Five-run fifth

Four hits, two walks and a sacrifice gave Central a five-run fifth and they were off and running to the title. Kitchen’s double served as the only extra base blow. Kitchen, Horky and Dan Beard each had a pair of runs batted in for the affair. Schuette, Kitchen and Horky each collected two hits.

This was a decent game for me, with plenty of pictures that met the rule of “show the face, the ball and the action.”

Your baseball and softball fix

We’ve done a bunch of stories about softball and baseball. Here’s a sample.