HHS Alumni Tradition Carries Forward

The Saturday, May 28 annual meeting of the Harrison Alumni held in the Harrison High School auditorium was triple that of last year’s outdoor gathering at Harrison City Park. As per tradition, coffee hour was held for an hour prior to the official Alumni meeting.

The Harrison Alumni organization is the oldest in the state and emcee Anna Beadle Sharp encouraged attendees to invite their friends and classmates. Attendance keeps the Alumni organization going as well as provides funds for two scholarships each year.

The largest attendance was in the classes from the 1950s and 1960s. Beverly Merrill Trowbridge graduated the earliest in 1946. Lillian Hoard Leposky represented the class of 1948 and Mary Jane Yost Hilton, Barbara Holton and Mabel Davis Bucholz the class of 1951.

Nominations for the Wall of Fame are done through school administration and announced at Alumni. This year’s award winners were all in the Human Services category and they were Michael Becker, class of 1962, William Pifer, class of 1959 and Martin Weitzel, D.O., class of 1977.

Michael Becker was the only Wall of Fame recipient in attendance. Becker’s nomination cites his Air Force service from 1962-1964, Clare Police Department, including Chief of Police among his many other accomplishments. He is also a published author of the book “Word Not Bullets.”

He was visibly moved by his award.

“I would like to thank everyone for this award, and I want to talk a little bit about when I went to school here,” he said. “I really believe that the young people of Harrison that I grew up with gave more love to me than a man could ever deserve. The teachers were great here, and the adults throughout Harrison were great at that time. There was one teacher, Mrs. Morrison, who was my favorite teacher. She taught me to have courage. She made me get into the play. She gave me, in speech class, the ability to reach out for what you believe in and do the best you can. This school is one of the great schools. When I graduated there was so much love here. Keep that love burning because it makes your community of the best communities in the whole world. Thank you.”

Middle School teacher and Alumni volunteer Mick Haley presented the Charles Amble Scholarships to Hailey Cooper and Haydin Sims.

Cooper is the class of 2022 Salutatorian and scholarship funds will go toward her studies at Ferris State University in their Medical Laboratory Science program. She is the daughter of Matt and Mary Cooper.

Sims will be studying Sports Management at Alma College and running on their track team. He is the son of Bobby Sims and Brad and Stacy Carlstrom.

In other alumni news, the same evening the Class of 1962 held its 60^th Class Reunion.

The 7th Annual Hornet Swarm Party will begin at 3 p.m. July 16 at Trail's End Pub (Leota Bar). Past and current school staff and community folks who would appreciate touching base with the Hornet Nation clan are encouraged to drop by. If you have an old yearbook to bring, please do. A Taco Buffet will be available from 3-7 p.m. at $6 per person, or order off the menu, pay on your own.

The Class of 1977 will hold its 45th Class Reunion from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 13, at the Harrison Moose Lodge. It is open to other classes and alumni beginning at 7 p.m.

Nominations for the Wall of Fame can be found on the Harrison Community Schools website at harrisonschools.com.