The Thorp Courier

Thorp High School Alumni Letter

November 28, 2007

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Greetings to Thorp Alumni

In the October 2007 alumni column, the 1958 THA graduating class was highlighted.  The year 2008 will also mark 70 years since the THS class of 1938 graduated.

The 1938 Seniorian listed the following class officers: Stanley Glowacki, President; Raymond Kenney, Vice President; Ceona Soderberg, Secretary and Rose Glowacki, S.A.F. Representative.  Here are a few excerpts from their class history that are noteworthy:

“In 1934 we were freshmen.  Being freshmen is a very important occupation and made us feel and act like seniors until the Freshman Initiation Party, after which we spent most of our time being freshmen.  In the beginning there were 52 of us, but we lost four in the mid-season rush.  Nothing could stop us.  We joined all the clubs and sports.  Miss Slauson disciplined us; Miss Nooker indulged us; Miss Butler mothered us; Mr. Qualle awed us; and the state nurse examined us.  We tried in vain to have the dandelion as our class flower, and thought our motto ‘E Pluribus Unum’ was clever even though some of us were almost certain that we had heard it before.

In 1935 we were sophomores.  Three of us belonging to the Debate Club took part in the public debate on Socialized Medicine and went with a team to Chippewa, where we received a terrible beating and a great deal of valuable experience.  The biology class adopted a large collection of preserved frogs, skinned them neatly and made skeletons out of them, which they proudly displayed at the exhibit.  A few took Latin and stayed after school nights mumbling over conjugations and declensions while the rest of us learned to sew, cook, wash dishes and pound nails over at the other building.  We attended our first band contest and marched proudly in our new uniforms through three miles of Eau Claire’s muddy hills and dales and nasty, drizzling rain.

In 1936, as juniors, we found American History a required subject, so we all took it and studied it, at Miss Slauson’s suggestion.  At this time there was an epidemic of univex cameras which took deadly candid shots in the main assembly.  We took part in the usual activities.  Anabel Snyder represented the entire school in extemporaneous reading at the Cloverbelt League Contests.  Some had taken advanced algebra and seemed to be enjoying it more than seemed reasonable.  We started a class newspaper, ‘The Junior Sun, Light of the School’.  And of course there was the junior prom.  We had a candy sale to help finance it.

In 1937-38 as graduating seniors, we look back upon our last year as one full of achievement: extemporaneous reading and speaking, oratory and dramatic declam; wrote the Seniorian; produced a class play; had new subjects in the curriculum; chemistry, typing and shorthand.  We, with only 34 of our former 52 members, have been what we have been in school and so are leaving.” 

The Editor-in-Chief of the Seniorian staff was Clarice (Dolly) Warner. Associate Editors were Anabel Snyder and Irene Kulig.

In athletics, Mr. Lars Anderson was the coach.  Basketball was the main sport and Thorp had a record of 13 wins and 5 loses.  The team had two seniors; “Chet Zdrojkowski and Stanley Glowacki.  There were also three minor sports; boxing, baseball and football.

The Seniorian states, “Although this sport (boxing) is not very popular in Thorp High at the present time, it is increasing in popularity.  Boxing is a vigorous healthful sport; it increased the ability to think while under fire.  Boxing is a difficult game for inexperienced boys and no one should go out unless he has had sufficient training in defense.  Boxing bouts have been staged several times at the high school basketball games and have been approved by the public.  Boxing is one of the main exercises in gym.”

Mr. Anderson coached the baseball team.  The seniors included Henry Haas, Chester Zdrojkowski and Clemens Zdrojkowski.

“Football had been introduced for the first time last fall. Although no games were played the boys came out and had scrimmages behind the manual arts building.  Mr. Anderson introduced football because it had a long season.  It was hoped that in the future Thorp would have a football team to play against outside competition.”

(DID THEY EVER!)

For the students who attended Thorp High School in the mid-fifties, you will remember Mr. Tony Nuskewicz.  Mr. Nuskewicz taught in the math department and also helped out with coaching.  He died at his home in Green Bay on September 19, 2007, after a long battle with cancer, Tony was 86.  He graduated from Goodman High School, got his BS degree in education at UW-Eau Claire and his Masters from Texas A & M.  He also served as a Navy pilot during World War II.

REMINDER:  The 2008 All-Thorp Alumni Reunion will be held on the weekend of July 4, 5, and 6. All events will be held at Thorp High School.  Alumni memorabilia will be displayed on Friday, July 4th and Saturday, July 5th.  The Alumni Dinner will be held on Saturday evening at 5:00 followed by the alumni program.  A social hour will take place before the dinner from 4:00 – 5:00.  On Sunday, July 6th, the TAA annual meeting will be held at 1:00 – also at the high school.  Put these dates on your calendar.

Early in 2008, reunion details and registration forms will be sent to all Thorp alums.  Remember, you do not have to have graduated from THS to attend the reunion.

REMINDER: Alumni classes, who are planning class reunions in 2008, contact the TAA.  You can get class lists, addresses, phone numbers, labels, teachers’ names and addresses.  Simply contact the TAA at: P.O. Box 75, Thorp, WI 54771. 715-669-3698. E-mail at thorpalumni@gmail.com

REMINDER: Each year the TAA presents scholarships to graduating seniors of THS who plan to pursue advanced education following high school.  Five $500 scholarships are presented in May at the Senior Awards Night.  The 2007 TAA scholarship recipients were Marie Benzschawel, Matt Lewan, Sarah Van Slambrouck, Jennifer Vetterkind and David Alger.  Interest earned each year on the corpus of the TAA Scholarship Fund makes up; the scholarship amounts.  The fund has grown since its inception as a result of annual donations by Thorp alumni to the TAA Fund.

Contributing to the Scholarship Fund is one way an alumnus can give back to his/her high school. Each donation given is important, regardless of its amount.  If you are interested, please send your gift to the TAA, P. O. Box 75, Thorp, WI 54771.  Make your check out to TAA Scholarship Fund.