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50th Reunion Letters

From Stan Frear


Carol, thank you for your kind card with the fine photo of yours truly holding forth. Your class has a way of observing special occasions like reunions with flare and careful planning. I feel honored to be included in the festivities as this marks the second Banquet and Pig Roast I have attended.

It is good to see those I seldom see and see again those I often see - those who still live in or near Northfield. As I said in my speech, I have spent most of my professional and personal life here. My children were born in Northfield, went to school and one to college here. My granddaughter went to elementary school here and I have a host of old and dear friends who are still in or near by.

I appreciate having the class directory and class notes, which are so carefully kept and distributed. It is one of the more important ties we have, our high school years when we were vulnerable, still young and still learning what it's all about. I did enjoy my fifteen years of secondary school teaching but also my 24 years at St. Olaf, which set the direction for my professional life.

The reunion stimulated me to start watercolor painting again, something I have not done since my wife's death four years ago. The reunion was a stimulus to get out the paints and finish two watercolors of the North Shore, a favorite subject. Thanks for getting the creative juices flowing again, there's life in the old boy yet.

My very best to you and I look forward to other class notes as they become available.

- Stan

From Angela McEachran Moritz of Cape Girardeau, MO

Congratulations and thank-you for all the work you did to make this 50th Reunion a tremendous success!  Having no idea how much work or time you all spent working on it, I apologize for not being able to help.  I have been looking forward to getting together with classmates for a long time and fond memories of this really special occasion will last a lifetime.  I am looking forward to seeing you all again.

From Merle Jean Peterson Christenson of Yankton, SD

To all who helped with our 50th High School celebration – I had such a good time with all of you and it was so special!  I hope I did not offend anyone with my comments at the banquet, but remember high school with lots of fear and general unhappiness.  So it was especially special that we all got together.  It seems strange that 14 of our class are gone already, so I guess that is one reason I am writing to you all.  We have come a long way.  I wonder how many of our class feel the same way as I did.  I hope that we can come up with a plan to get together some more times in our lives now that we are adults.  Maybe all the offenses in high school will be over.  Anyway, thank you all for a really fun time and for working so hard at getting us all together again – I really appreciate it.

From Joella Grosser of Arizona, who left Northfield following 9th grade

 . . . Phyllis Finger had sent me the web site information for NHS.  I just loved reading everything, your bios and all.  I almost felt as tho I was there.  I wanted to invite myself to the reunion this year so badly and would have, if Mom wouldn’t have backed out on going.  The summers in Northfield from 6th grade to 10th grade were so much fun & happy times for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed the web site.  What a great job.  I read everything, all of the Bio's; it was wonderful.  And it was nice to learn that I'm not the only one that has lost my high school 22-inch waist! It was sad to read the names of those who have passed on   Thanks again for all your hard work on the reunion.

From George and Carol Mach of Starbuck, MN

Hi Carol, Fantastic reunion!  We liked the pig roast and dinner.  George is not a golfer but I would guess that's a good thing if one is looking at a two day event.  We thought the fall might be a good time such as September--not a lot of vacation and family conflicts then.

It would be nice to have a casual get-together yearly or every other year--such as luncheon or something like that for those who would like to attend.  Five years is good for a two day event.

You all did a great job.

From Don Malecha of Lonsdale, MN

Hi Carol, I agree that this was our best one ever.  Jane and I enjoyed it very much.  I would suggest having another reunion in five years, since we are all getting up in age.  I might even volunteer to help out in the planning of a reunion, if my help is needed. Thanks so much, Carol, for all the work you put into this web site and emails.  I for one appreciate all your efforts.  Thank you again.  Don Malecha

From Herb Fick of Northfield

Carol, I've been the village blacksmith at an antique power show all day. Something I think of as a good time.  Now I am treated to this website after being served a fine dinner on the deck, overlooking the pools.

What a marvelous effort.  You clearly have made a priority to identify a many people as you could.  I think your editing is amazing.  The whole class needs to know that we (Pat and Herb) consider it a great privilege be a part of this effort.  This is a wealth that is going to make it very easy to be grateful in church tomorrow morning.  Pat and I will do it again in a heartbeat.  In fact, last weekend the same sort of thing happened next door, and the pig roaster was just skidded across the street.  (OK I took it to the car wash to clean it first.)

It may be appropriate to let the school district know that this is what it looks like when a reunion is done right.

Many thanks,
Herb and Pat Fick

From Sylvia Chase, San Francisco

Thank you, Carol.  As always, you keep us in touch.  I think this internet offering might convince even Dr. Frear that the web has something for us all.  In the absence of the many things that his speech reminds us are no longer present in our lives, the computer is a place to come home to. - Sylvia

From Pat Temple Day of Randolph, MN (Dining Chair) 

You ALL did a great job of making everyone feel good about being a member of the CLASS OF '55!  I admire your talents and appreciate your hard work!

Marv, thank you for your leadership, patience and persistence in keeping us moving in the right direction!

Don, you were the perfect person for Master of Ceremonies.  You made everyone feel welcome.  Your students are fortunate to have a professor and mentor like you!

Carol, I think you are probably the key person who made possible a RECORD turnout.  Your computer and organizational skills got the message out loud and clear.  That made every thing else possible. [Karna Brewer and Chico were key to really finding the unfindable.]

Herb, Rieber, Jon and Marv, THANK YOU for your work in many areas.  First that comes to mind is securing and putting up the comfortable tent.  While enjoying GOOD food and company, I couldn't help pondering how you did it.  That roasted hog was delicious.  I think you should give the NGC chefs cooking lessons!  Herb, your name tags turned out great.  They were the best looking ones I saw at this all-school reunion.  Too bad they can't be saved until next time.  (I do still have mine.)

Chico and Ivan, thank you for your work on the hog roast and on locating class members.  (I know they appreciated it!)

Phyllis and Sonja, You are creative gals!  The decorations were beautiful and the program was poignant beside making my stomach hurt from laughing.  I never knew we had such sexy dancers in our class!  I still chuckle when I remember kindly Sonja saying"If you don't cooperate in this test, I'll take out my gun and shoot you."

Sylvia, your prophecy, besides being a LOT of fun, showed the talent and creativity that would enable you to become what many of the greatest news people consider "the best investigative reporter in the world."  I was glad Johnny Western mentioned that at the concert.  It shows that people, like Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers, besides we, your classmates, appreciate your gifts!