Pull out that old trunk or stash of old family photos and see if you can fill one of the gaps! Read on to get the “scoop” on this project.

As some of you know we are in the process of putting together a display system to recognize, and celebrate students past and present.  The system is made up of a number of components, the Trophy case, the Wall of Excellence, the Runner-up Wall, the Alumni Center and an electronic records center that will allow us to show case all manner of information about a student’s accomplishments over the years, whether it be an activity, sport, fine art, academics, or whatever it might be.

This in many ways is a huge and daunting task, but as they say “no pain, no gain”. We have a good part of the physical components of system put together but are awaiting a few additional parts that will not come out of production until the middle of March. We are working diligently in every spare moment to add data to the system, there is enough now so you can see the capabilities and what the potential is for the system. If you haven’t seen it, you should check it out the next time you are in the building, and if you like what you see, be sure and thank Mr. Wemhoff, as he has taken the lead on the countless hours of work it has taken to get it thus far. 

My specific interest and effort are in the historical aspect of the system. Thanks to everyone who searched their closet or storage area to find and loan yearbooks. We are hot on the trail of the last two yearbooks, 1979 and 1975, as soon as we have them in hand, we will be sending all of the yearbooks for the District off to be scanned, which will make them available on the touch screen. What we learned gathering the yearbooks, the first yearbook (as we know them) was produced for the District in 1955, there wasn’t a yearbook for 1956 as the company went bankrupt before it was produced. They did not do yearbooks in 1960, 1961, 1962 or 1963, not sure why.

The next thing we need assistance with are class photographs. The first graduating class for Fort Calhoun Community Schools was 1893. Our goal is to find photographs for every class from 1893 until present day. Since we have yearbooks from 1955 until present day, we have those years with the exception of 1960. For the years from 1940 until 1954, we need these years, 1952, 1946, 1945, 1942 and 1940. For the years from 1893 until 1939 it is easier to list the years we have, they are 1937, 1936, 1935, 1925, 1902, 1901, 1894, and 1893. If you have old photos please look to see if you have one of the missing years. We would greatly appreciate it ifyou would allow us to borrow and scan a photo from a missing year. Thanks to a document produced by students in 1933 (a history of the District) we have the names for each graduating class from 1893 until 1933 already in the system, now we just need photos!

If you have questions you can call or e-mail Jennifer Gepson, 402-468-5591, jgepson@ftcpioneers.org, or if you find a photo you are willing to lend so we can scan, you can drop it of Monday through Friday at the High School office.