Kelso High School memories: Other Hilanders or unspecified classes
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 7:08 PM PDT
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E-mail this articleCelebrating Kelso's 100th graduating class
Helen Hemrich, Barnes Elementary teacher, 1964-1987
(Mother of John Hemrich, Class of 1975)
In the article on Kelso High School’s 100 years, what happened to the Kelso High School Band’s being accepted to go to the University of Mexico’s band competition?
Tom Hall was the instructor and he submitted a tape of the band.
Kelso was one of 16 bands from the United States that was selected to compete.
Several of the parents were contacted to help raise funds to help pay for the trip. We began with the help of the Kelso High School’s Jazz Band. They played for several dances and the parents helped by selling snacks and food at the intermission.
Records of the band performing several numbers, including the numbers submitted, were sold in the community.
There were a total of 88 people who flew to Mexico — 72 students and 16 adults. Included in the students were three girls selected from the Kelso cheerleaders who could do the Hiland Fling. The adults were made up of parents and school district employees.
We flew from Portland to Los Angeles and then on to Mexico City, where we were met by a group of buses.
The hotel we were scheduled to stay at did not have enough room for us, so we were taken to a smaller hotel on the outskirts of town.
Just riding the buses was an experience. All the drivers knew was go fast, honk their horns and cut in and out of traffic.
Besides getting acquainted on the campus and practice, we had several interesting sight-seeing trips — a large museum on the campus, seeing and climbing the Pyramid of the Moon and seeing the old ruins that were built hundreds of years ago by the Aztec indians. It was interesting that the city is divided into color zones and we were told DO NOT go into the red zone. One day they took us by a temple where there were people crawling on their hands and knees from the gate to the temple, and to see the way lots of the poorer people lived in little shacks that they said held families from the elderly to babies. You would walk by people selling everything from food to their wares on the sidewalks. Once we even saw a whole pig being cooked on the open street. It was covered with flies.
One evening two adults took several students to a disco dance that was held on the top floor of a large hotel. When it was time to go back before curfew time, the students were rounded up and sent down to the lobby to wait. When Mrs. Hemrich, Mrs. Scharbono and the last two students started down the elevator, it got stuck between floors. The students in the lobby were instructed to go back to the hotel in a group and we got off and of course we were late. Mr. Hall was not too happy.
The competition among the bands was very strong. It was finally narrowed down to three bands and the last day there were a lot of nervous people.
Mr. Hall talked to all of us just before we boarded the buses. New York, Kelso and ... I don’t remember the other school ... each had to play two pieces. The first one was the Highland Fling and it was wonderful. Everyone gave them a big hand. Then the lights went out and they had to sit on the stage until they came back on.
The second number they played was the best that I had ever heard them play that piece.
Of course, we won the trophy and we all were treated to a meal the next day at a resort, like a country club. They served us lots of fresh fruit, salads and cold drinks.
The next day we flew to L.A. and on to Portland. Several adults and students missed school and work because of being sick.
As a school employee and a parent of a band member, I was extremely proud of the students. They represented the school, the Kelso community with dignity and were true ambassadors of our country, the town of Kelso and especially Kelso High School.
WE ARE KELSO!
Harry Price
My memory takes place at the Old Kelso High School football field on Allen St.
I played in a freshman game between Kelso and Cleveland High of Portland. Cleveland was ahead at halftime. Cleveland kicked off to Kelso and as the Kelso ball carrier ran by the Cleveland bench, a Cleveland player jumped off the bench and tackled him. Kelso was awarded a touchdown and the rest of the game is history: Kelso 33, Cleveland 7.
I played on that Cleveland team, and I can tell you that we were never hit so hard or so often by any other team. We had a sore, sad ride home filled with great admiration for that Kelso team.
Congratulations to the school staff and alumnus as they celebrate one hundred years of pride and performance. May the next one hundred years be as successful too.
Best Regards, Harry Price
‘Nellie’s mom’
My Daughter graduated from Kelso High in 2004, and the one person who sticks in my mind the most from her time at Kelso High is Mr. Stewart. I always thought Mr. Stewart was just the nicest person, and I am glad he was there at Kelso High when my daughter was in school.
Clint Willis
It was my freshman or sophomore year when Kelso first faced Tumwater High School in football. We hosted the first meeting between the two teams. The stadium was full, portable bleachers across the field were full, and people were standing all around the track. If I remember correctly, there were more than 7,000 people in attendance that evening. Unfortunately, Kelso lost the game, but I will never forget that game. In a town that loves football like Kelso does, it was the biggest moment to that date in my memory of Kelso Football.
Jack and June (Mitchell) Larson
The most memorable time for Jack was participating in sports, excelling in track doing the high hurdles.
Our best class together was commercial law. Mr. Schroeder would have his football players huddled in a corner discussing plays while the rest of us would “study.”
Jack and June studied right into matrimony. We married in 1941, raised our three great kids and still live on Pleasant Hill.
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