Paul Grandy shared this link to a website containing Montpelier and Bear Lake High School yearbooks:

https://www.blhs.blsd.net/yearbooks-4c3f6ff1#

Linda Walker provided the following report on the 63 year and 64 year combined reunion of the MHS classes of 1959 and 1960:

The reunion was held on August 26, 2023 at the Ranch Hand Restaurant in Montpelier Forty nine guests were present, including spouses or other guests. We gathered at 11:00 AM for social hour, followed by a delicious buffet luncheon.  

Luke Kelsey, principal of the Bear Lake High School, was the keynote speaker and told of some of the achievements of the school. He talked about three areas:

Facility. They planted trees with the help of the students and laid sod in the back of the school. They made it a tradition at the end of the year to continue doing this kind of work.  They also worked on homes in the community.  They hauled a ton of dirt to fix up the football field and painted it using a robot, which also painted the numbers and letters.

Students and Academic. When Principal Kelsey first moved here 8 years ago, the high school had 290 students; now they have 365. Five years ago, they had $200,000 in scholarships; last year they had over $2 million. All curriculum is now on a computer; there are no textbooks. They submit reports to a teacher on the computer and get feedback on a computer. The kids work hard to get ready for the next step to go to college. 

Mr. Kelsey said that education is in good hands; they have excellent teachers.  They won the School of Excellence Award for the third time this year.  The state had a rule that all seniors must do a service project before they graduate.  They had to write a proposal, keep track of their hours, work with a mentor, and submit it to a panel.  The seniors complained about it but in the end, they were grateful they had a chance to serve this community.

The Student Council works hard, they do an extremely good job, and earned the Student Council Award in 22 out of 23 years.  They run the Toys for Tots project, raise money for kids, provide Thanksgiving dinners for families in the community, among other things. 

Athletics.  The high school athletics and academic departments have done a great job and have won multiple district and state championships in both areas.  Mr. Kelsey is especially proud of the good sportsmanship in all events. He said this year the football team won the first-ever state championship and mentioned Ryan Messerly as coach and that Ryan's father had played football during our time as students.

After Principal Kelsey’s presentation, we moved to a second room to continue the program, conducted by Nolan Phillips:

Slide Show.  Ross and Linda Stephens Walker presented a slide show “Over the Years” to show photos of the Bear Lake Valley and classmates through the years.  Linda explained that this was a show presented once before but has since been updated.  Most of it involved the class of ’59 because it was made before we started combining our reunions.

The last combined reunion with class of ’60 members is included in the update.

 A few people have asked if we could put this show on YouTube.  After some research, we found that we cannot because of copyright requirements.  YouTube has a rule that photos in the show must be taken by the person submitting them.  The historical pictures were taken from postcards or by photographers long ago.  If this rule is violated, we would be banned from submitting shows to YouTube.

Tribute to Teachers. Nolan distributed a list of our teachers and asked us to tell who was their favorite and why.  Those mentioned were Mrs. Staudacher, Mr. Abbott (twice), Mr. Munk (several times), Mr. Baker (twice), Coach Grant (three times), and Darwin Hayes.  In each case, classmates said how much these teachers meant to them and what a difference they made in our lives.

Legacy Project. Nolan thanked those who submitted write-ups about lessons learned since high school.  These were given to Mr. Kelsey the next day and are to be used in social science classes. He expressed appreciation and was anxious to read and study it.

New Chairpersons. The chairpersons for the 2025 class reunions are:  Class of ’59, Ross Peterson, with Carole Feinauer and Gail Dayton assisting.  Class of ’60, Rodney and Patti Wood. Thanks to the 2023 co-chairpersons, Nolan Philips (class of ’60) and his committee of Marden Phelps and Glay Homer, plus Linda Walker (class of ’59) and Carole Feinauer for putting this reunion together.

Class pictures were taken by Ross Walker. 

Social Hour

Banquet

Lynn Roderick provided the following history of the origins of Montpelier High School:

Montpelier High School had its beginning in the basement of Washington School located on the northeast corner of 4th and Clay.

The first high school class was organized in 1906 with Fred L Willis as the Superintendent.  Eleven students were enrolled in the first year.  They were Jennie Barrett, Finch Ridd, Myrtle Conley, Mabel Pearce, Marguerite Whitman, Harold Toomer, Cecil Hull, Earl Jonley, Forest Stuart, Neil Gee, Raymond Reese and Mildred Whiteman.

Morning sessions were devoted to high school work which met in the one basement room of Washington School.  Courses were the same for everyone, Algebra, English and Literature, Ancient History and Physical Geography.  All eleven students completed the first year course.

By 1906 a building was under construction which was being built on the playground area of what is now A J Winters Elementary school, adjacent to the Purple Sage property.  High school classes continued to meet at the Washington School during the second year, but two rooms were then needed to house the students.  Carl F Banghart served as superintendent, principal and instructor, with another teacher Miss Lois V Stoddard. There were 25 freshmen and ten of the original group as sophomores.  This year the students chose the colors, banners and the Bear mascot.

At the beginning of the third year students moved into the new building.  The faculty included H S Stevens as principal and Georgia Bassett and Harold Sanders as teachers. Only five original students remained in the junior year, Mabel Pearce, Jennie Barrett, Neil Gee, Raymond Reese and Mildred Whitman.

By the fourth year the building was completed and the student body was at 48.  Only two Mabel Pearce and Mildred Whitman were in the senior class.  These two received their diplomas in the spring of 1910.  Both had identical grades and graduation was held in the Montpelier Theatre.  Rev James Laughlin, pastor of the Methodist Church presided and Dean Elliott, President of the University of Idaho was the keynote speaker.
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Ann Kunz Anderson shared this letter that AJ Winters wrote to her grandfather, SN Kunz, regarding Ann's father taking time off from school to hunt deer. Ann's father is Donald Kunz, a graduate of the MHS class of 1938. Ann is a graduate of the MHS class of 1961.

"Have you ever really had a teacher?  One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine?  If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.  Sometimes it is only in your head.  Sometimes it is right alongside their beds." Ross Peterson quoting from Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie." Mitch Albom had been a student of Prof. Morrie Schwarz at Brandies.  Schwarz was diagnosed with ALS and they met on Tuesdays for  many months until the professor died.

Coach Charles M. Grant, Gay Grant, A.M. Rich, Ross Peterson and Mary Kay Peterson at the 2014 Reunion

Marilyn Wilcox and Rosanna Combs, Dance Review

Peppettes Circa 1958 Lion's Club Fund Raiser "Catch That Tiger"
Louise Erramouspe (60), De Anna Roderick (58), GayeLene Booth (59), Marcia Meek (58), Anne Stuart (58), Lions Club representative Clair Barrett, Elaine Spencer (59) tiger trainer, Julie Shepherd (58), Karen Sleight (58), Emma Lou Schmid (58), JoAnn Alleman (59), Linda Buhler (60)