PLEASANT HILL – The 143rd Newton Alumni Banquet will honor the class of 1949.
The 2024 Alumni Banquet will be held on May 11, 2024, at 6 pm. To get your spring newsletter and invite, make sure the committee has your correct address.
Newton Class of 1949:
Judging Team Wins National Championship!
In October 1948, the general livestock judging team of Bill Schultz, John Jackson, and Arthur Miller, with Ag teacher Jim Rush accompanying them, won the National Championship in Kansas City.
Drivers’ education was first offered with a car furnished by the Miller Chevrolet Company.
The third Homecoming was January 15, against Elizabeth, and was won by Newton 53-36. Rose Deter was crowned queen, and her court consisted of Betty Schultz, Shirley Bowman, Barbara West, and Alyce Herkins. Their escorts were five varsity basketball players. The crown was carried by Vivian Niesley. The queen was selected by a vote of all grades 7 through 12 two weeks before the event, with all the senior girls’ names on the list. A second vote was taken with only the five finalist names. At Homecoming, the band formed a “Little Red Schoolhouse” in honor of the Alumni and played “School Davs” and “Buttons and Bows.”
School opened September 7, 1948 with an enrollment of 609. There were 81 first graders. The Fall Fair, October 27 and 28, featured the FFA-FHA play “The Funny Brats.” An O.S.U. 90-piece concert band performed on March 15; the senior play “A Case of Springtime’ a three-act comedy, was performed on April 8, and the junior play “Ann’s Evening,” a comedy, was held on May 7th.
A benefit was held on December 14, featuring WLW radio stars to raise $5000 to purchase lights for the athletic field. The lights were put up In May just in time for the Band Festival on May 13th. Newton hosted ten other bands totaling 600 members, and they were all served supper by the Band Boosters. At 8:00, each band performed a 5-minute show, concluding with all eleven bands playing together.
The following three students won superiors at the district music contest: Dale Grove, Tuba; Carolyn Berkebile, tenor saxophone; and Marjorie Hunt, tenor sax.
The basketball team finished the regular season 18-2, overall, 23-3, and won the Miami County
Tournament. Coach Carl Ferguson finished his fourth year as coach with a record of 89-12.
Wednesday, May 11, 1949, Doris Evans, 17, died of bronchial pneumonia. She had been seriously ill only one day. She would have graduated May 19th, Baccalaureate was May 15, Class Night May 17, and Graduation May 19th. The Valedictorian was Charlotte Hoover, and the Salutatorian was Joan Kirchner.
For the Board of Education, Harold Coppock became president, Rowland Deeter, V. Pres., with Roy Hess and Leo Sander added as new members. New teachers included Herbert Dershem, drawing; Kendall Falke, English; Herman Brown, Social Science; Anna Madams, music and English; Esther Rasor, fourth and fifth; Ada Burn, third; Juanita Bashore, second; Elizabeth Trembly, first and second; Mary Lynn Klopfer, first and Betty Hinz, first.
