Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

people the use of their hall. It was named the Raider
Den.
At that same time. a hot lunch program was begun in
the school.
The basketball team of that year was Jones County
Champions.
By the fall of 1944. faculty weddings and
engagements were rampant. The faculty changed from
week to week as teachers left to join returning
servicemen-husbands. or be married. During the
1940s. money was withheld from the teacher's
monthly paychecks to insure completion of teaching
contracts.
The hot lunch resumed in November at a cost of 15
cents per meal. Some students missed graduation
ceremonies and festivities because of induction into the
armed services.
New importance was given to the commercial classes
(bookkeeping and typing).
In the fall of 1944. St. Patrick's Parochial School
opened with four grades. The enrollment showed 15
children in first grade. 20 in second. 13 in third grade.
and 12 in fourth grade. It is possible that additional
students entered during the year. Four more grades
were added in 1945. offering Catholic education to
grades 1 through 8.
By the 1945-46 school year. under-20-yea.r-old
draftees were welcomed back to complete their high
school education.
The basketball team again claimed the WaMaC
crown. and were victorious over Monticello in the
sectional tournament. Anamosa continued to compete
against Cedar Rapids Wilson and McKinley High
Schools.
The high school Normal Training Program. designed
to train graduates for rural school teaching. was
discontinued in the 1946-47 school year.
In 1950. Prinicpal Warner Kirlin established the
National Honor Society. Its charter members were: Don
Yahnke. Norman Murfield. Larry Crockett. Charles
Metcalf. Jan Murfield. Viola Wigger. Carol Musgrove.
Marilee Kennedy. and Mary Ann Nickels.
The football team of that year won the WaMaC.
The Jones county basketball trophy belonged to
Anamosa in 1951.
At this time. the Eastern Iowa Band Festival was a big
event. including schools from all over Eastern Iowa.
The crowning of Eunice Stimpson (Conley) as Miss
Eastern lowa of 1952 was a source of pride and
excitement.
During this time. and into the sixties. many sport
banquets were held. The American Legion sponsored a
football banquet. and the Knights of Columbus honored
the basketball teams. These dinners were open to the
public. In December 1952. Forest Evashevski was the
speaker. Over the years. such notables as Sharm
Sheuerman. Ken Ploen. Bob Flora. and Tait Cummins
appeared. Buck O'Connor. popular and successful Iowa
basketball coach. made his last public appearance at an
Anamosa dinner. prior to his untimely death.
The Music and Drama departments cooperated for
such efforts as ‘The Mikado‘ and ‘H.M.S. Pinafore‘.
In 1954. planning began for a new elementary school
which was erected in 1955. The superintendent was
E.L. Johnson. The Board of Education was headed by
Ken Humpal and the members were: Peter Robertson,
Irvin Hovet. Presley Hanna. Verne Purcell. O.A. Rife.
Secretary: and L.D. Murfield. treasurer.
Another ‘A’ Club was begun for athletic letter
winners. References can be found for such a group in
the forties. so this may have been a revival.
The basketball team won a district tournament for
the first time since 1921.
In 1955. Anamosa was again proud to have another
Eastern Iowa Band Queen in Dixie Davenport.
An open-house for the new Strawberry Hill
Elementary School was held on January 29. 1956.
That spring. the Anamosa track team won the Class
B indoor Meet.
Anamosa grad. Don Norton. contributed to Iowa's
1957 Rose Bowl win. He went on to play as a
professional with the San Diego Chargers.
Because of the promotional film. ‘Small Town USA’.
the Anamosa school band represented the same at the
International Lions Club parade in Chicago July 9.
1958.
During the summer of 1958. three houses on N.
Garnaviilo St.. across from St. Patrick's Church. were
moved. This would be the site of the new St. Patrick's
school. The school dedication was held Nov.8. 1959.
The 1958-59 school year saw Jack Fisk beginning the
wrestling program. Though he didn't place, Tom Postel
was the first Anamosa student to participate in a State
Wrestling Meet. it was held at Iowa State Teachers
College. Cedar Falls.
The sixties began with a Quarterback Club which
sponsored buses for fans. and took the basketball team
to the Iowa-Illinois game.
Both the band and the glee club took Division 1
ratings in 1960-61 school year.
The Birk-Cavanaugh wing was added to the
Strawberry Hill school in 1961. The addition was named
in honor of Jane Birk and None Cavanaugh. veteran
teachers ofthe Anamosa school system.
ln the spring of 1961. Dean M.L. Huit of SUI.
presented a Phi Beta Kappa award to the high school.
The award is given to four schools whose freshmen
earned the highest scholastic records. The SUI
freshmen were: John Heefner, Sharon Mayberry.
Elizabeth Butschl. Martha Pearson. Richard Luett. and
Robert Godwin.
In the fall of I961. the first American Field Service
student. Bernd Schuerenberg. came to live with the
Howard Remley family. and to spend his senior year in
the Anamosa high school.
A vote in October 1961 allowed the districts of
Anamosa. Antioch. Back Oak. Brady. Cass Center.
Fairview. Hoosier Bend. Midland. Wagoner. Viola and
Wayne. to be a part of the Anamosa Community Public
School. Martelle was added in 1962. and the Anamosa
Community School District was formed.
Glenn Brostrom resigned in August 1962. and James
R. Poulter began an extended period of service as
superintendent.
Everett ‘Sonny’ Joslin placed third in the 1963 State
Wrestling Tournament.
In the fall of 1963. the first full-time lay teacher was
added to the St. Patrick's school faculty. She was Betty
Westhoif of Monticello.
Morley had merged with the Anamosa Community
School District in July 1963. lt continued as an
elementary attendance center until 1968. when the
building was sold to the town of Morley.
In 1964 the National Honor Society became the
Marjorie Stivers Chapter of NHS. in honor of Miss
Stivers who had sponsored the organization for many
years.
Roger Starr started the golf program in 1965. The
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