June 2009 Volume 1, Issue 1
N.C. Alumni Newsletter
North Central High School Alumni Association 509-466-3562 alanh111@comcast.net 1600 N. Howard, Spokane, WA 99205
Inside This Issue:
Teacher and Coach Herm Marshall Retires — page 2 Distinguished Alumni Honored — page 3. Class Reunion Information — page 4
North Central H.S. Celebrates 100 Years 1908 — 2008
On September 8, 2008, North Central H.S. marked 100 years of continual service to the citizens of Spokane. To celebrate its centennial, North Central opened it doors to alumni on Saturday, September 13, 2008. Historical material was on display, and rooms were available for each decade of returning graduates to gather and share memories of their high school days. Hundreds of NC grads gathered in the school gym for a program that featured entertainment by current students. Speakers during the program included Spokane Schools Superintendent Nancy Stowell, Spokane Mayor Mary Verner, and current NC Principal Steven Gering. Former principals attending the ceremony included John Rodkey, Richard Pelkie, and Sandra Fink. The open house was the culmination of a series of events at the school marking North Central’s 100th anniversary. On May 3, 2008, a special alumni performance of “The Doll Shop” was held in the theatre. A group of alumni, along with Mr. Rodkey, represented NC in the Lilac Parade through downtown on May 17. All members of the Class of 2008 wore centennial pins during graduation ceremonies on June 7. A North Central game at Albi Stadium on September 13 was designated “NC’s Centennial Football Game,” with many alumni in the stands to support the Red and Black squad. A committee of NC alumni, under the leadership of Katie DeBill, worked for nearly two years to make North Central H.S.’s Centennial Celebration a memorable one.
Join the North Central H.S. Alumni Association
The N.C.H.S. Alumni Association was founded in 2008. Our mission is to foster continuing fellowship among our members and assist North Central High School in its continuing mission. Won’t you join us? You can become a member by filling out the form on the back page of this newsletter and mailing it to the address on the form. For $5 annual dues, you’ll receive four quarterly copies of this newsletter and learn ways that we can pool our resources to support current North Central students. Together we can give back to NC for what it gave us during our high school days.
N.C. Alumni Newsletter
Page 2 of 4
North Central H.S. Alumni Association Council Members
Al Hanson Class of 1967 President alanh111@comcast.net Karen (Crull) Miller Class of 1968 Secretary kkjorose1@comcast.net Chris (De Lange) Krauel Class of 1978 Treasurer
christinekr@spokaneschools.org
Good News from North Central 2008-2009
• It was quite a year for the NC boys distance runners. In the fall the Indian cross country team won the city title, the state 3A championship (for the third straight year), and the Nike national championship race in Portland. The NC distance runners also played a key role in the state championship won by the Boys Track Team in the spring. • A reception was held at NC on May 20 to honor 26 students who are the first in their families to graduate from high school, go to college, or both. Guest speaker for the event was 2008 NC graduate Erinn Vann, who explained how substance abuse in her family nearly caused her to drop out during her senior year. With guidance from school counselor Kathy Blancher, she made it to graduation. • A real feel-good story at NC this year was that of senior Adrian Morris, who moved to Spokane from New Orleans after his family lost everything to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. At NC Adrian not only found success in the classroom and as a member of the NC track team, but also people who cared about him. “NC is the best,” said Adrian. “No matter who you are or what you did or what you went through, people understand. It’s the best thing about the school. People make you feel like family, like you’ve been here for years.”
Marylou (Edwards) Kinslow
Class of 1955 Milli McGetrick Class of 1955 Ron Geis Class of 1957 Sue (Doherty) Campbell Class of 1960 Pete Duffy Class of 1960 Marlys (Gorrell) Page Class of 1960 Bob Sleeth Class of 1961 Darlene (Pariso) Linahan Class of 1963
darlenel@spokaneschools.org
Banner Announces North Central’s Centennial
The banner above was hung near the building’s south entrance to welcome NC graduates to the school’s open house in September 2008. It remained in place through the 2008-2009 school year as a reminder of North Central’s 100 uninterrupted years of service to Spokane.
Herm Marshall Retires after 32 Years at NC
A reception was held in the North Central library on June 11 to honor Herm Marshall, who retired after 38 years in education. The last 32 of those years were spent at NC teaching physical education and coaching. Herm came to North Central in 1978 as boys head varsity basketball coach, a position he held for five years. In 1988 Herm started a 21-year run as coach of NC’s varsity fastpitch softball team. This spring he led the Indian girls to the 3A state tournament for the fifth year in a row. During his years at NC, Marshall also coached the frosh basketball, JV baseball, and frosh football teams.
Sharon (Wishon) Wynne Class of 1963 Marilyn (Moe) Deneke Class of 1964
N.C. Alumni Newsletter
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Libby, Taft, Keeling Honored As North Central Distinguished Alumni
Three N.C. graduates were inducted as “Distinguished Alumni” at a double student convocation in the North Central theater on May 13, 2009. Gail Keeling and Stanley Taft Jr. were there to receive their awards and address the students. Commander Scott W. Murdock, executive officer of the Navy Recruiting District in Seattle, accepted the award for NC graduate Vice Admiral Ruthven Libby, who passed away in 1986.
Libby, Taft, and Keeling bring to 38 the number of NC graduates who have been honored as “Distinguished Alumni” over the past dozen years. If you would like to nominate a worthy NC grad to receive the honor next year, please notify a member of the Alumni Assoc. Council (see p. 2).
After graduating from NC in the Class of June 1917, Ruthven E. Libby (above) enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy, from which he graduated third in his class of 700 in 1922. During World War II, he commanded Destroyer squadrons in the Aleutians and in the Central Pacific campaigns. He participated in the Wake Island raid and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. During the Korean War, Vice Admiral Libby led the U.S. delegation during peace talks in 1951-52. He retired in 1960. A 1964 NC graduate, Stanley Taft (above right) earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting in 1967 and Masters degree in Painting in 1969. He joined the faculty of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, in 1985 as a professor in the Department of Art. In 2003 he became Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Art & Planning at Cornell.
After graduating from NC in 1964, Gail Keeling (below) earned a BS degree in accounting and obtained his license as a Certified Public Accountant. In 1990 he joined Premera Blue Cross, and in 1996 was promoted to Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Spokane operations for the company. Gail has also served as a board member for a number of community organizations, as well as being a leader in Premera Blue Cross’s Corporate Responsibility effort in Eastern Washington.
Other NC “Distinguished Alumni” include: Dorothy Darby Smith Class of 1929 Don Eagle Class of 1936 Jerry Sage Class of 1938 Jerry Williams Class of 1942 Tom Perko Class of 1948 Richard Guy Class of 1950 Bruce Grandstaff Class of 1952 Phyllis Holmes Class of 1957 George Nethercutt Class of 1963
NORTH CENTRAL H.S. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION North Central Class Reunion Information MEMBERSHIP FORM
Name: _____________________________________________________ Class of (Year)_______________________________________________
Class of 1959
Sept. 11-12, 2009 Update your information at nc59reunion@comcast.net Reunion information will be mailed to you.
Address: ____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ E-mail Address: ______________________________________________ Phone # (optional): ___________________________________________ Receive newsletter via: E-mail_______ U.S. Mail_______
Class of 1979
July 31-Aug. 2 Call Sylvia Quellmalz at (509) 869-1049 or e-mail sylviaq17@yahoo.com for more information.
Send this form and $5 annual dues to:
Class of 1989
July 31-Aug. 1, 2009 To receive latest updates register at:
www.reunionswithclass.com
North Central H.S. Alumni Assoc. 1600 N. Howard Spokane, WA 99205
For more information E-mail alanh111@comcast.net Or phone: (509) 466-3562
E-mail ncpics89@comcast.net For more information
HISTORICAL PHOTO The first Red Feathers in the spring of 1938
Front Row: (from left) Jane Radkey, Jane Norden, Evelyn Partridge, Cleo Krebs, Princess Pat Boyle, Carol Patz, Phyllis Eaton, Nita Anderson. Back Row: Jane Watkins, Ruth Pyle, Cleo Gale, Gerry Moody, Director Elsa Pinkham, Gladys James, Marjorie Peterson, Lillian Frank, Jane Herrington.