ABOVE: Members of theFHS class of 1955. Front row, from left: Gerald Meyer, Bonnie Rabe Redenius, Phyllis Sisson Neppl, Ferdie Sieburg Sokkoloski, Beverly Suter Borntrager, Marlene Hoover Kuntz and Tom Mayberry. Back row, from left: Robert Meyer, Don Wohlrabe, Arlynn Lueth and Roger Smed.

FAIRMONT– Eleven members of Fairmont High School’s (FHS) class of 1955 gathered for its 70 year class reunion on Saturday. The last time the class gathered was 10 years ago.

Roger Smed organized the latest get-together and while it was his first time planning a reunion, he said he thought it was time to get reacquainted with as many old classmates as he could find.

When asked how he found contact information, Smed said, “I got the list of names from Partners In Education (PIE) in Fairmont and mailed out invitations to 68 classmates.”

There were 140 students that graduated from the class though Smed acknowledged that many have passed away.

Of the 68 that he contacted, he received responses from 29 of them and 11 showed up at the Best Western in Fairmont on Saturday, several with their spouses or other family members.

The majority of the classmates are still somewhat local with some in Fairmont and others in St. James, the Minneapolis area, Alexandria and Rochester.

At the time of their schooling, the high school was at 413 E. Second Street in Fairmont, which is where Veterans Park is now. The school later became the Junior High School after the Middle School was built.

Of those present, many who lived in town recalled walking to school, but some, like Arlynn Lueth, rode a bus in from Northrop.

As for classes, there were the typical math and English classes. Lueth said there weren’t many vocational classes back then. Beverly Suter Borntrager recalled taking a physics class to help for nursing requirements.

When it comes to extracurriculars, Smed said, “We had a youth center that was very popular. Very busy. Some did sports, baseball, basketball.”

In 1955 he said the basketball team went to state but lost to Austin.

Ferdie Sieburg Sokkoloski said she enjoyed going to watch games and that that was one of her favorite memories of high school. As for sport opportunities for her and the other girls, she recalled just half court basketball.

“There was maybe softball but I was so scared of the ball I would have ducked,” she said with a laugh.

Don Wohlrabe noted that not many students went out for sports like they did today. After school, some, like him, were in the band. He was a trumpet player.

Some students, like Tom Mayberry, went to work after the school day. Mayberry said he went to work for the mail room at the Sentinel and got out of school an hour early to do so.

A Sentinel article from 1955 on display at the reunion titled “Graduation Here Set for Weekend” reads:

“Twelve years of education comes to an end Monday night for 140 Fairmont high school seniors. The formal ceremony indicting the close of their high school years will come at 8:15 p.m. when Commencement exercises will be held at the high school auditorium.

Their last day in a Fairmont classroom will be June 3 when they pick up their report cards.

L.L. Cunningham , President of the Business Institute of Milwaukee and a counselor and staff member of the Dale Carnegie institute, will give the commencement address.

Lowell Meyer, vice president of the school board, will present the diplomas in the absence of Board president Albert Ness.

Baccalaureate for the seniors will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday. The Rev. W. L. Conradson, pastor of the Grace Lutheran church, will give the address and the Rev. Winston Wernecke, pastor of the St. John’s Evangelical & Reformed church, will give the invocation and benediction.

The public is invited to the baccalaureate, but tickets are needed for admission to the commencement exercises. Tickets have been passed out to seniors. Those who aren’t using their allotment of five have been asked to return the extras to provide tickets for classmates who need more.

J.W. LeFor, high school principal, said seats are at a premium.

“We’re so crowded the seniors don’t have a processional and recessional as they do in baccalaureate,” he said. “They will be seated on the stage.”

Cunningham’s speech, the presentation of the class and awarding of diplomas are part of the program. The mixed chorus will sing two numbers and several awards will be presented.

American Legion awards for the outstanding senior boy and girl will be presented by Edwin Larson, commander of the American Legion post, Attorney John Flynn will present the Arthur Nelson memorial scholarship; Mrs. Michael Garry will award the AAUW scholarship; William Small the KSUM scholarship and LeFor will present the other scholarships.

One of the special scholarships totals $500 given by a Fairmont resident who wishes to remain anonymous. It will provide $250 for a senior boy and a similar amount for a senior girl chosen by the faculty.

The Rev. Wernecke will give the benediction and invocation.”

After their high school graduation, it’s estimated that about half of the class went on to further education with many of the females going into nursing. Many of the students overall went on to become teachers.

“Mankato State was probably a college most of them went to because it was close,” Leuth said.

“A number went into the service,” Borntrager said.

Smed went to the University of St. Thomas where he got a degree in psychology and sociology and then he spent three years in the army, in Europe. When he got out, he came to work as an advertising sales representative at the Sentinel before continuing on with his career.

After high school Wohlrabe worked for a few years before going off to Dunwoody College. Then he, too, “received a letter from the President saying my services were needed,” and joined the service where he was stationed in Alaska before returning to Fairmont to live and work.

The 11 who gathered on Saturday spent some time catching up before they had lunch.

Lenny Tvedten, Director of the Martin County Historical Society, regularly has class reunion groups come through the museum for tours.

“I just had a 50th come through and I’ve seen some 60th but I don’t recall ever seeing a 70th class reunion,” Tvedten said.