Nebraska City High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Nebraska City, NE)

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Below: Three convicts from the Nebraska State Penitentiary (on the right) and their prison counselors provided a not-so-pleasant look of prison life to JoRene Cole’s English class on Dec. 3. Above: Peru State Student Teacher Miss Beth Propst was largely responsible for bringing the prisoners to Nebraska City. Miss Propst student taught in the English and journalism classes. Above: Betty Nienkamp forces a smile after she and Carrie Davis accepted the runner-up trophy during basketball districts. The Pioneers lost to Lincoln Pius X. who went on to the state tournament. You Heard it from a Pioneer 3

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Below: Senior Karen Johns works on the IBM display-writer which is on loan to the business department. Economy and winter were top concerns Many students arriving on the foggy first day of school on Aug. 24 were glad to get back to see their friends, while others were already wanting to get school over with. Students faced a few new changes at the beginning of the school year. One of the changes which the Seniors disliked the most was that everyone had to stay until 3:02 p.m., unless they were on work credit. Pep rallies were also often limited to the end of 7th period so they wouldn’t take as much time from classes. Three new teachers joined the faculty. They were John Minnick, English and journalism; John Schneider, a Nebraska City High School graduate teaching math; and Mike Fischer, instrumental music. Paul Stevenson rejoined the staff as a shop teacher after a year’s absence. Three new classes were also added this year. Geography, taught by Loyd Maskell; Physiology and Anatomy; taught by Bill Runkles, and Weight-training, instructed by Dan Ostransky. Students as well as teachers had a sobering learning experience on Dec. 3 when three convicts from the State Penitentiary in Lincoln came to talk with classes. The convicts discussed exactly what prison life was like. The economy was a major concern for all residents of Nebraska City with farm prices being low and several major local businessess closing their doors. The closings of the Morton House factory and the statewide closing of all Safeway grocery stores had a drastic effect on the Nebraska City economy. Many employers made cuts in employment and hours, leaving many adults, as well as students, jobless or finding less in their paychecks, (continued on page 4) 2 You Heard it from a Pioneer Above: Senior linebacker Chad Daffer pauses a moment during a football game. Daffer received a scholarship to play football at the University of Nebraska.

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Students see concerts and turn ‘preppy’ (continued from page 2) Despite the tight economy, students still found the money to attend many concerts in Omaha and Lincoln, such as Loverboy, Ozzy Ozbourne, Journey, and Foreigner. The local movie theatre continued to show many current movies, including “On Golden Pond,” “Endless Love,” “Neighbors,” and “Arthur.” In their spare time, students spent the hours “rocking with Z-92” or listening to all the “bumper to bumper music” on Sweet 98. Some popular songs included “Centerfold, by J. Geils, “Our Lips are Sealed by the Go-gos, and “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John. On television, “General Hospital” was probably the most favorite among soap watchers, followed by “All My Children,” One life to Live,” and “Edge of Night.” “Dallas” was still a popular favorite during prime time. In fashion trends, NCHS found itself turning “preppy.” Izod alligator shirts, wool skirts worn with kneesocks and flat shoes, and button-down shirts filled the halls during the winter and fall. Speaking of the winter, students also found themselves just trying to survive the terrible winter of 1982. Record-breaking temperatures of 30 degrees below zero and windchill indexes of close to 70-degrees below zero were common in January and early February. Thick layers of ice and snow covered the sidewalks and streets of Nebraska City for almost six weeks after Christmas, making driving virtually impossible, much less getting in and out of the parking lot. 1981-1982 may have been the year for Reaganomics and neutron bombs, but for all of us at NCHS, it was a spectacular school year. 4 You Heard it from a Pioneer Corey Orton struggles to gain control of a jump shot during a reserve basketball game against Plattevlew.