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PITTSBURG —
They might have been the Horned Frogs, but instead they became the Southeast High School Lancers.
The Southeast High School class of 1962, first to graduate from the newly created school 50 years ago, celebrated their anniversary with a reunion banquet Saturday at the Lamplighter Inn, Pittsburg. Members of the class of 1963 were included in the event.
“High schools in Mineral, Weir and Cherokee were combined to create Southeast, with the building in Cherokee,” said Jerry Lomshek, class of 1962 member. “McCune kept its high school longer and joined the district later on.”
Marilyn Ascanio Leiker, class of 1962, noted that the schools had previously been sports rivals.
“All of a sudden we were thrown together to make a school,” she said. “It was a difficult task, but we had fun doing it.”
Jim Kastelic, class of 1962, said he went to school in Cherokee from first grade all the way through, but had no problem with the Mineral and Weir students coming in.
“I think the parents may have had more problem with it,” he said.
Lomshek agreed that the adjustment was probably harder for the parents than for the students. Many in the Weir and Mineral communities were not happy to see their high schools close.
“Kids from Cherokee had less distance to ride on the bus to school,” Leiker added.
The first order of business when that first Southeast High School year started was to come up with a school name and mascot. Bob Thomas, a 1963 graduate, remembers that process well.
“When the school opened we had the first all-school assembly and we were asked to give suggestions,” he said. “One was to call it the Coal Valley High School with the Miners as the mascots. Another was the Horned Frogs. But, after much discussion, we ended up as Southeast and the Lancers.”
Lomshek noted that the school is still in its original building.
“There have been additions built on to it,” he said.
There were 71 in the class of 1962, and 59 in the class of 1963. Attending the reunion were graduates from as far away as New York, California, South Carolina and Texas. About 50 percent still live in the southeast Kansas/southwest Missouri area.
At least two of them kept their association with Southeast for many years.
Larry Coltrane, a 1962 graduate, ended up teaching 36 years and serving six years as Southeast superintendent. His wife, Linda Lynch Coltrane, class of 1963, also taught in the district.
“I taught first grade for 28 years,” she said. “We came back in Larry’s second year out of college. He served as a teacher, counselor, principal and superintendent, and I’m very proud of him.”
Both attended school in Mineral before the schools were consolidated into Southeast USD 247.
They might have been the Horned Frogs, but instead they became the Southeast High School Lancers.
The Southeast High School class of 1962, first to graduate from the newly created school 50 years ago, celebrated their anniversary with a reunion banquet Saturday at the Lamplighter Inn, Pittsburg. Members of the class of 1963 were included in the event.
“High schools in Mineral, Weir and Cherokee were combined to create Southeast, with the building in Cherokee,” said Jerry Lomshek, class of 1962 member. “McCune kept its high school longer and joined the district later on.”
Marilyn Ascanio Leiker, class of 1962, noted that the schools had previously been sports rivals.
“All of a sudden we were thrown together to make a school,” she said. “It was a difficult task, but we had fun doing it.”
Jim Kastelic, class of 1962, said he went to school in Cherokee from first grade all the way through, but had no problem with the Mineral and Weir students coming in.
“I think the parents may have had more problem with it,” he said.
Lomshek agreed that the adjustment was probably harder for the parents than for the students. Many in the Weir and Mineral communities were not happy to see their high schools close.
“Kids from Cherokee had less distance to ride on the bus to school,” Leiker added.
The first order of business when that first Southeast High School year started was to come up with a school name and mascot. Bob Thomas, a 1963 graduate, remembers that process well.
“When the school opened we had the first all-school assembly and we were asked to give suggestions,” he said. “One was to call it the Coal Valley High School with the Miners as the mascots. Another was the Horned Frogs. But, after much discussion, we ended up as Southeast and the Lancers.”
Lomshek noted that the school is still in its original building.
“There have been additions built on to it,” he said.
There were 71 in the class of 1962, and 59 in the class of 1963. Attending the reunion were graduates from as far away as New York, California, South Carolina and Texas. About 50 percent still live in the southeast Kansas/southwest Missouri area.
At least two of them kept their association with Southeast for many years.
Larry Coltrane, a 1962 graduate, ended up teaching 36 years and serving six years as Southeast superintendent. His wife, Linda Lynch Coltrane, class of 1963, also taught in the district.
“I taught first grade for 28 years,” she said. “We came back in Larry’s second year out of college. He served as a teacher, counselor, principal and superintendent, and I’m very proud of him.”
Both attended school in Mineral before the schools were consolidated into Southeast USD 247.
