Megan Sanderson
For The New Era
A lot of Sweet Home High School was unfamiliar to Eugene resident Otis Evans Saturday, as he toured the facility, but it brought back some good memories.
“Probably the best time of my life,” Evans said of his four years at the school before he graduated in 1951. He said he was involved in football and basketball and he loved the many activities and the friends that he made.
The only thing missing Saturday were his classmates.
“I guess there’s not too many of us Class of ’51 left,” Evans said.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Sweet Home High School opened its doors to alumni for an all school reunion that attracted hundreds of alumni, who were welcomed back for a trip down memory lane.
Danielle (Hay) Hanscam models her original, one of the original, Huskies cheerleader uniforms during a special reunion program held Saturday.
Attendees had the opportunity walk through a self-guided tour, where many spent most of the time looking at the class pictures hanging on the walls in the high school hallway. They also got a chance to walk through a Memory Lane exhibit, where the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation put together tables dedicated to each decade. Tables were decorated with old diplomas, yearbooks, newspapers, pictures, lettermen’s jackets, and athletic uniforms. Other shows featured classic cars owned by alumni and art and quilts created by former students.
Like Evans, Ed Nieman, also enjoyed his years at the high school. Nieman not only graduated from the high school, but also coached and taught English there for 31 years. His wife, Patti Nieman, who supervised the library and media services, also retired from the school.
Nieman was head coach of the boys’ basketball team, taking the team to the schools one and only – thus far – state basketball championship, in 1993. He said he loved the constant relationships that were developed with the students and athletes.
“There’s a lot of good memories,” Nieman said.
The reunion’s morning activities were followed by a program Saturday afternoon at Husky Field, emceed by alumni Greg Ego from the Class of 1973 and Steve Thorpe, a 1986 graduate.
Ego and Thorpe took the alumni through the 100 years of Sweet Home High School, remembering specific events and people, one of whom was Margaret (Nothiger) Morse, the oldest Sweet Home alumnus, who graduated with the class of 1928.
Morse said she enjoyed the reunion very much.
“It’s been wonderful,” Morse said. “Very enjoyable.
“I think it’s pretty wonderful. Of course, the city has grown a lot since we were here.”
Her house is still here though, Morse said. It’s the green one now located inside Trailer Villa.
She said she enjoyed her high school career, her favorite part being the home economics classes. She loves to cook and garden and still does so to this day. She now lives in Newberg. Morse received a special gift from SHAF in her honor.
Fredda Butler, Class of 1959, performed during the program, singing with other alumni. During high school, Butler was involved in choir, which was her favorite part. Her favorite teacher was the choir teacher, Mrs. Gates. Butler said she loved seeing old friends and catching up with one another.
“It’s been perfect,” Butler said. “I can’t say enough.”
Other performers included alumni Paul Rowton Jr., Tristan Nichols and former members of the dance team. The alumni dancers met three days before the reunion and put together a routine specifically for the reunion. The 2012 state champion cheer squad, along with individual state cheer titlist Taylor Thorpe, also performed.
Several special presentations were also made during the program. The class of 1961 made a donation to the Robbie Melcher Scholarship in honor of their fellow classmate.
Ben Dahlenberg, Burlon Miller and Shawn Anderson presented the original high school bell, refinished and painted, to be used as a spirit bell for football and basketball games.
The program ended with everyone joining in the singing of the Alma Mater.
Coreen Melcher, Class of 1965 and also one of the coordinators for the reunion, said it went very well. Melcher was unsure of the exact number of alumni that attended, because some did not register, but she said a lot of people came.
“We are very pleased,” Melcher said. “It was just great.”