Brodhead High School - Red B Yearbook (Brodhead, WI)

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Salutatorian Address Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, America is but another name for opportunity. This is truer today than when Mr. Emerson said it. At that time, the West was opening up, industry was booming, and the age of mechanization was just getting a good start. Today we are conquering the atom, space, and our own environment. We are now graduating from high school. The world is at our doorsteps. I have many times heard older people say that they wished they were in our places and could witness and take a part in the great things that are inevitably going to come within our life-times. Americans have always been inventive. People of one or two generations past saw these inventions like the automobile and the airplane, that we take for granted, come into being. Now revolutionary developments are so common that we don't marvel at them much any more. With all of the space age developments in this troubled world, have we lost sight of the ideological things? Are we too materialistic? Some of us think too much about getting a high-paying iob so that we can buy cars and television sets and many luxuries. These things are iust fine. But, in history class we learned that materialism was one of the causes of the fall of Greece and Rome. Our forefathers fought for their ideals of freedom. They formed a country that is the greatest in the world. The American people know what free- dom is. We realize those ideals that Americans have fought for. If we cease to appreciate these freedoms, then our country will be weakened. If we do appreciate these ideals, then the American people are a greater weapon against oppression than any weapon of war. We feel that our high school has helped us to appreciate our country more and to realize the opportunities that exist. Our high school hasn't just given us plain knowledge. lt has helped us to develop strong characters, to form our ideals, to help mold us into indi- viduals. As our high school years draw to a close, the time draws nearer when we must put the things we gained in high school to work. ln future years there will be no Eisenhower, there will be no Dulles. We will have to fill their shoes and fill them well. Now is the time to prepare to be leaders. One does not have to be president. We need people who can take part in community affairs and fill jobs that do some good. lt is wise to keep some of these things in mind upon our graduation. Our high school has done a lot for us, but we must struggle to do more. We must continue to develop those things which our school has been developing in us so that our country and our way of life will survive. ---Carolyn Pree 57

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Valedictorian Address lndependence of manner and thought seems to have been at least partially stifled by the conformity of today's society. Too many people refrain from making up their own minds because they fear the disapproval of their neighbors. Where would our nation be today if our doctors, scientists, and engineers had all thought, l'll let someone else do the discovering, it's difficult enough for me to make use of these discoveries after they are made. Progress is made only by the independent thinkers who are using their time today to work toward a better tomorrow. Never do today what can be done tomorrow is an anathema to these men. lt could, and should, befor all of us. Resoluteness of purpose is a virtue to be looked for in the leaders of today and tomorrow. This resoluteness begins at home with parents who are independent and resolute themselves. Such qualities must be imbued in a person from the time of his childhood. Children must be encouraged to make their own decisions, with proper guidance as to the standards of right and wrong. Johnny should learn to ignore the crowd's ieering at his cowardice when he refuses to take part in cooning melons, or as a teenager, in beer parties. But where does such strength of purpose and mind come from? There is actually only one source of such strength, belief in a Supreme Being. This Being tolerates no interference with His plans. Often, little is understood of His motives. Sometimes they seem to foster evil, but always they are good. Believing in and trying to understand this Being should form an es- sential part of the individualist's life. Too often those people who express themselves publicly are ostracized for their courage. But of such courage is a strong nation born. This courage should be more prominent in a nation's leadership. A vacillating leadership will soon lead a nation to its destruction. Like- wise a populace with mercurial opinions, which is easily led by fiery-tongued rabble-rousers, will do little or nothing to keep a strong nation strong. As citizens, we must keep ourselves open-minded and well-informed, or else we shall suffer the bitter consequences. lndependence of thought and word often requires less courage than independence of action. A word may be soon forgotten or remain unheard, but the evidence of an independent action propelled by a strong will often remains to be felt or seen by the future. Columbus was often criticized for his vision and Picasso, the great experimenter, is misunder stood by many. Their criticized, misunderstood actions were and are actually expressions of an active, independent mind searching for release. This independence of action should be condonec and the individualist, for such he is more than enything else, regarded as a proper member of society. After all, where would our world be without such eccentrics as Einstein and Pasteur? Often such eccentricities as these men displayed are tolerated because of their perpetrator's genius, but why should not the individualism of the average, law-abiding citizen be treated as such? Conformity has become the reigning rule in American society. Individualism is on the declin- and can be restored only by a man's change in attitude in the United States. Individualism must be appreciated and fostered by the young people of today. Our scholars should be regarded as teachers, rather than squares, our painters as an elite, rather than as sissies, our educators as men rather than wardens in a iail without bars. Let us not follow their ideas like sheep. Let us evaluate those ideas. We must make our own decisions regarding them. In that way our own individualism of thought and action will be a big part in making and keeping- our nation strong. Like Voltaire l disapprove of what you say, but l will defend to the death your right to say it. Elzie Laube 56

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Senior Class History September l955, 58 students enrolled as Freshmen in B. H.S. Soon we elected Mrs. Cain, Mrs. Hurley, Mr. Keen and Mr. Uphoff as our class advisors and Dick Kneubuehl as our pres- ident. After our initiation by the Sophomores we were proud to see Karen Zimmerli elected cheerleader and in her fourth year become captain of the cheerleaders. Dirk Sveom received an A rating in the Freshman and Sophomore years in the State Forensics contest. Beginning our Sophomore year we chose Mr. Schumacher, Mrs. Cain and Mrs. Condon as our advisors with Ed Meichtry as our class president. In our Sophomore year we welcomed Carolyn Pree, Jack Stremick, and James Wells, but it was our last with Ron Jorgenson whom we miss very much. Begihning our year as upperclassmen we chose Elzie Laube as our president with Mrs. Cain, Mrs. Pautz, Mr. Schumacher and Mr. Keen as our advisors. This year John Maurer and Elzie Laube won A ratings in the State Forensics contest. John Maurer was also in the Senior class play. For the first time we placed in the Homecoming Parade with 3rd place. The theme of our float was We'll Unravel Argyle's Socks, Karen Zimmerli and Elzie Laube were chosen from our class as members of the National Honor Society. With the guidance of our advisors and much excitement, we made preparations for our Junior Prom. We chose Red Sails in the Sunset as our theme with Lewis Dalvit as our orchestra. Darlene Trezek and Ed Meichtry reigned as king and queen with Carol Wismer, Karen Zimmerli, Marjorie Ziltener, Sally Schultz, Gary Ringen, Dick Kneubuehl, Allen Olson, and Dirk Sveom as their court. The intermission party was held at the Paul Riese home and was en- ioyed by all. A Post-prom party was held at the E. U.B. church and Legion Hall to complete a very enjoyable evening. Entering our last year as mighty Seniors we elected Dick Kneubuehl as president with Mrs. Pautz, Mr. Keen, and Mr. Rockwell as our advisors. Reigning at our first big dance of the year at Homecoming was Ann Wheeler and Gary Ringen as king and queen, with Darlene Trezek, Karen Zimmerli, Gary Williams, and John Maurer as their court. For our forthcoming annual we chose Elzie Laube as editor assisted by Carolyn Pree, Dennis Olson as Business Manager assisted by Bonnie Hawkins, with Carol Wismer, Margie Ziltener and Ann Wheeler as typists. Our very helpful advisors were Mrs. Larkin and Mrs. Sveom. The Annual Homemakers Award was won by Pat Moore, with Karen Zimmerli winning the D.A. R. award. The Student Council was headed by Dirk Sveom as president. Our Senior Class Play Uncle Fred Flits By, a comedy, co-starred Ed Meichtry, Ann Wheeler, and John Maurer, with Sara Conway, Sally Schultz, Allen Olson, Jim Deppeler, Wayne Richards, Karen Zimmerli, Nancy Foss, Bonnie Hawkins, Judy Putney, Karen Branden- burg, Gary Ringen and Robert Dorr and was ably directed by Miss Preston. During the four years those representing our class in Basketball were: Don Olson, Dick Kneubuehl, Gary Ringen, Ed Meichtry, Wayne Richards, Dirk Sveom, and Ron Jorgenson. In the Senior year we had rotation of captains with Don Olson, Ed Meichtry and Gary Ringen. In football we were represented by, Gary Williams, John Maurer, Gary Ringen, Wayne Richards, Dirk Sveom, Ken Curless, and Ron Jorgenson. The team elected Gary Ringen as their captain. Sally Schultz was elected editor of the Cardinal in our Senior year and she did a fine job. During our Senior year we were happy to welcome Kathryn Cowell, Marvin Hanner and Dennis Shaw to our class. Band members who have represented us during the four years are, Karen Zimmerli, Carol Wismer, Gary Ringen, Ron Jones, Jim Deppeler and Elzie Laube. We were happy to see Elzie Laube chosen to attend summer Music Clinic at Madison in his Sophomore year. We are proud of the accomplishments of our class and hope these accomplishments might serve as goals for future classes to surpass.