Students return for College High reunion of classes of 1947 to 1958

By Nancy Israel

Southeast Missourian

People from all over the country returned to Cape Girardeau for the College High School reunion of classes of 1947 through 1958 Friday night at the Osage Centre.

According to Paul Summers, class of 1952 and reunion committee member, 139 classmates and spouses gathered for the informal mixer Friday and 188 were expected for Saturday night's social and banquet. Classmates were coming from such states as California, Arizona, Mississippi and Texas, Summers said.

Tables were labeled with the years 1947 through 1958, which acted as a meeting spot for classmates. They also had on display copies of The Pow Wow yearbooks from those years, pictures and letters from some people who could not attend.

"College High School was a type of preparatory school that started as part of Southeast Missouri's Teachers College and was located on the campus," said Carl Armstrong, class of 1956 and committee member. It was a place where the college students could practice teaching and receive other training.

"There was basically two social groups of people who attended," Summers said. "Country kids and children of business professionals. Each grade level had about 40 students in it."

Dorothy Dolle Krueger Points said the reason she went to College High School was because her uncle was a professor at the college.

"Attending College High was a wonderful opportunity for students," she said. "They got some of the same benefits that were provided at the college. The kids got to do basically whatever was available in the college departments."

Jayne Jokerst of St. Louis attended College High for two years. "I liked it because it was small and felt like a family," she said.

Saturday night's schedule included a social hour followed by a banquet and a short presentation on the history of the school by Dr. Frank Nickell, historian from Southeast Missouri State University.

"It is a lot of work to put one of these on, but it is worth it," Summers said. "You get to meet so many nice people."

Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO