Old Classmates

I am posting a couple of pictures for my sister Marlene Hagen Martin. The first is Helen Thoring who was her best friend through school. This picture is confirmation I think and the year is 1948. If anyone knows where she is or how to contact her we would love to hear. So far the leads we have had have been dead ends. I believe her father was Antone Thoring.
The second picture is Robert Sogard in 4th grade!!! I bet even he doesn't have this! HA! I believe at the time Marlene was rather sweet on this guy and who can blame her!? Pretty cute picture there Robert!

Special Edition: AHS Homecoming - October 1967

Virgil Bleken - Class of '68

Virgil Bleken - Husband, father, classmate, and friend: the quintessential all-around good guy! He and his wife Paulette live out in Washington (the state). Virgil - when you see this - send or post additional information and a picture of you and your family.

I remember Virgil riding around on this tricycle - but I can't remember why or what the circumstances were. But I do remember there was a lot of laughing. I remember one time when Steven Holgerson cut his finger on a table saw in shop class. Archie sent Loring, Virgil, and I off to take Steven to the hospital in Williston to get his finger stitched up. On the way we had to stop in Appam so Virgil could get some cigarettes (he was very nervous and was smoking up a storm to calm his nerves). Once we got to the hospital, we were waiting around in the hall as the doctors worked on Steven when Loring noticed that Virgil was missing. After looking around, we saw smoke coming out around the door of a little janitor's closet nearby. Sure enough, when we opened the door, there was Virgil puffing away.

For a while, Virgil was a cross-country truck driver and often passed through Boise. On this occasion, we ate together and remembered to take a picture.

Tournament Preparations

I know all of you are busily digging through your old boxes and files for old Alamo and school day pictures and, because of this, haven't gotten around to posting stuff. So I've bought you a little more time by sneaking into Shirley's high school scrapbook. This is a dandy little piece from the Williston Herald. I don't know the date of the picture, but (from the back) I can tell you that beef was selling for 35-38 cents a pound. I'm guessing that this would mean it was the spring of 1968.

The Reunion of 2001

Here are some pictures of the All School Reunion held in July of 2001. I know you all have pictures of that widely attended event. So why don't we add some of your's to this collection. This set includes Rod and Diane Voeller, Loring and Marlene Johnson, Diane/Krystie/Shirley, and Norman/Shirley/Barry/Diane/Virgil.

Girl on Slide

Now this one was taken more than a few years ago of a young lady who would eventually graduate from AHS. I believe the picture is taken from the schoolyard looking toward the Landro house. The person on the slide is none other than Thelma (Landro) Lohse. I think its a neat picture. I hope the three boards that made up the slide were covered with tin; otherwise it could have been a pretty risky trip down.

Mixed Quartets

Lets give due honors to the Junior Mixed Quartet - probably taken in the spring of 1967? It looks like Warren was pretty happy. In fact they all look happy, as if they are sharing some private joke or secret. Oh Ike, Nancy, Diane, and Daryn - what were you thinking?




But it seems that the Senior Quartet was equally happy. Maybe David, Jane, Clarice, or Lewis can fill us in. When was this taken and who took the picture? What was the story and why not some stricture? (hey - what else rhymes with picture)

Ladies Aid November 1959

My most enduring memory of the Alamo Ladies Aid is all the meals they served. During halftime of sports events at the school, or periodic Smörgåsbords at the church, these ladies served wonderful meals to raise money for various charitable or community causes. I'm hoping that we will see some comments and posts about these responsible and hard working ladies! For example, whose house are they posing in front of?

Pictured here are from the back, left to right: Dorothy Egge, Mrs Kester, Muriel Otteson, Thelma Lohse, Melva Sogard, Ester Ruud (sp), Olga Sovik, Selma Weber, Magnold Skarre, Inga Anderson, Mrs Percy Ensruud, and Alma Monger.

Alamo: circa 1950 and 1966

I'm sure all of us have seen this photograph generously provided by the Alamo Farmers Co-op Elevator Company. It was in honor of Alamo's 50th anniversary in 1966.


This is an earlier picture of Alamo taken from the hills south of town. Hiway 50 is just a gravel road, so it must have been in the '40s or early '50s. Any better guesses out there?

Remember to click on the picture to enlarge it, and use the back arrow to return to the blog.

Greetings from David and Shirley (Lohse) Hagen

Shirley and I graduated in the AHS Class of 1968 and later, both graduated from the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks. We then moved to Austin, Texas, where Shirley got her first job as a Nurse Anesthetist. But she didn't like the bugs very well, so in the spring of '78, we moved to Boise, Idaho.

Shirley continued to work as an Anesthetist until she retired in 2004, when we moved from Boise to Riverton, Utah. We liked Boise very much and, in many ways, still consider it our home. Shirley's sister Marjory lives in Boise too.

I worked for Idaho Power Company as a Transmission Planning Engineer for many years, and then took a position with an energy marketing company during the Enron days. But that bubble finally burst and the marketing company closed up shop. So then I worked as an independent consultant for a couple of years before finally getting a 'real job' with PacifiCorp in Salt Lake City - where I continue to work today.

This picture was taken during Christmas. With us is our daughter Dasha, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and our toy poodle, Sammie.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our classmates and friends all the very best in 2007 and beyond. And we hope to read about (and hear from) each of you!

Ah, those good old days

As the next blog is about Archie dancing, I thought we should have a picture of him and Stella. Also included are Shirley and Mary (who will probably shoot me because of posting a picture of her with her eyes closed).

And here is a picture of Milton, Clark, and I on the occasion of my ?? birthday. In addition to being well dressed (at least for my part), we are dining on fine lollipops, the desert of kings. Yes, Thomas Jefferson had it right: the agrarian life is the is the keystone of civilization!

Watching Archie Dance!

Dennis Johnson sent me two pictures of some of us at a school dance and I guess we are all watching Archie Kouba dance. The first one is Barry, Lewis and I, the second one is Kristie Millard and the third is Dennis Johnson as a teenager. They were rather dark and I tried to lighten them in photoshop but not too clear either. But hopefully you can see them ok. If you click on the pictures they will enlarge.

1st and 2nd Grade - 1956-57

This is one of my favorite pictures and, coincidentally, has some of my favorite people in it. You may notice that Jane and I aren't in it. However, that was not because we weren't in the future Classes of '67 and '68, but because we were out-of-state at the time...

Yes, here we are en route to Tucson, Arizona, where my dad wanted to go for the winter because, as I recall, he had sinus problems and was told the dryer climate would help. The fact that it was warmer in the winter probably didn't affect his decision, even a little.
I don't remember what Jane did, but I took the opportunity to enroll in a bull fighting school and spent many happy hours practicing my technique.

But bull fighting all day was pretty tough, so in the evening I'd sit in front of the TV (yes, we actually had TV there in Tucson), drink a few beers, and watch Elvis Presley (I really do remember watching him on the Ed Sullivan show - quite a thrill). I'm sure those of you who witnessed my dancing skills in high school probably made the connection right away....

PS: Jane sent me this picture and claimed it was evidence that she put me through bull fighting school by driving taxi in Nogales. Hmmm? But what what I really want to know is, what was that lovely senorita whispering in my ear????

Musical Girls from 1966-67

What would be nice is if each of the young ladies pictured here would check in and post something about themselves today. I'm guessing that there have been some changes in the past 30 years, and we all have some catching up to do. While it is tempting to look back on those days and think only of the good times, it was also a time of emotional stress, and for all of us there were also times that weren't so good. But all of us made it through and, in one way or another, have become productive and valued citizens, and a credit to our small home community and the school that brought us together.
I wish recordings of the many songs that were sung back then had been made, and that we could add a sound track to these pictures. But it's not hard to close your eyes and think back to those days, and hear, however faint, the strong and earnest voices of our youth. We have roots, all of us, and these pictures bear testimony to the soil we grew from. And each of us carries deep within ourselves some small indelible record of those times - and that record has, in part, helped make us who we are.

What a great idea!! I am looking forward to reading comments and hopefully hearing from all you Alamo Grads!

I cant believe I was such a stud my freshman year!!!

Junior Band - early '60s

I'm sure by now you are starting to notice that many of these pictures have the same people in them. Of course that's because Shirley and I have collected pictures associated with the mighty Class of '68. It is my recollection, though, that there were other Classes - and that there may even have been pictures of those Classes (yes, Virginia, not only is there a Santa Claus, but they had pictures way, way back then). And we need to get some of those pictures posted. That means we need you to dig them out or to call your friends and relatives to help find them. If you can't post them, send them to me and I'll post them and then return them by mail. Just leave a message in the comments. Now, back to our regular programing.

Sports in Review

Lets here it for the Alamo High School Greenwave Cheerleaders!!
Rah - Rah -Rah!!
And what did they have to cheer about?

You guessed it - the stellar Junior Varsity Basketball team. Yeah!!!!!
Somebody out there has a picture of the Varsity team for this year (or any other).

Look - Look - Look!!!
Find that picture!
We'll add it to this one -
And have a mixture!

Ludefisk and lefsa,
Fatiman and cream.
All for Alamo
Stand up and scream!!!!

Freshman Class Officers - 1964-65

And here we have the Freshman Class officers from 1964-65. Seems like a long time ago. Krystie appears to be using an eraser to dust off Barry's fingers. I hope Shirley isn't trying to cover up an early bald spot. All in all, I don't believe Barry ever had it so good.

Name That Tune

Does anyone out there remember this occasion and what was being sung?
The actual picture is only about 1.25 x 1.75 inches - so its not real clear - but not bad either. I'm hoping that (eventually) all the singers will provide comments.

School Board Circa 1967

Here is a snapshot of the School Board circa 1967. Roy Dullum was the President, Orpha Hagen, Fred Deering, Orvin Monger, and Ole Holm were Directors, and Harry Millard was the Clerk. This must have been taken in the Teacher's Lounge.

Help This Site To Grow!!

If you are a graduate from Alamo High School, please send me your email so I can send you the officail invite to participate in this site. I guess if it doesn't begin to grow, it will mean there is little interest and we will then dismantle the site. Hopefully people will begin to contribute however as I think it will be so nice to know where everyone is at and to all go down memory lane together...email me at Jane@janefreeman.com so I can send you an invitiation.

Junior Band - 1966-67 School Year

Now here's a picture you don't see every day: the Alamo Junior High School Band from the 1966-67 school year. This original picture is probably worth the big bucks on Ebay. But I'm not selling!!!
Hey, folks. I'm running out of pictures, so you better start digging through those boxes out in the garage or down in the basement and find more to post. If you are unable to do it, I'd be happy to do it for you.

Grade Pep Squad

Nothing like a session with the grade school Pep Squad from 1957-58 to restore your school spirit and get the old blood pumping! Can't you feel the love? Here we see Mrs. Robinson, Diane Lohse, Shirley Jorgenson, Gayle Hagen, Lois Stordalen, Orlyn Egge, Martha Millard, Peggy Lohse, Marilyn Monger, Pamela Nygaard, Margaret Sogard, Jean Anderson, and Susan Sogard. Thank you, girls, I feel better already.

In this same school year, we find Mrs. Jenny's 1st and 2nd grade class. Mrs. Jenny was one of my favorate teachers. Certainly she inspired me to continue on to the 3rd grade!

Destructive Yearbook Editing

How cute, we say. Look at the Three Musketeers! (Shirley Lohse, Diane Monger, and Krystie Millard). But at what cost. In the cause of levity, Marvin Berg must lose his head, Krystie gets a haircut, and an otherwise fine class picture is defaced. Oh the humanity! Marvin - please forgive them for they knew not what they did!