School Activities

Homecoming parade, 1950
[1950 Mohian]

Homecoming

Astrid Lindahl Becker (class of 1920) was named Mound Consolidated High School Homecoming Queen, and she rode in the parade.

Often it was not possible for students who took the bus to school to participate in after-school activities, since they didn’t have a way home. On at least one occasion, it was an advantage to be a farm girl. Marilyn Beal (class of 1941) said, "I used to have cattle in 4-H. They wanted to use one of my cows for one of the homecoming parades. They were going to put a sign in front about how they were going to beat that team. And they made a sign to hang over my cow, saying, 'This ain’t no bull.'"

There was a homecoming dance in the cafeteria and a bonfire. Students in the home economics classes did the refreshments after the game.

Homecoming dance, 1950 
[1950 Mohian]

Clubs: Fran (class of 1933) was secretary/treasurer one year in the Girls Athletic Association (GAA). Phyllis (class of 1939) was in the commercial club and the art club and competed in art at the Minnesota State Fair. Mona (class of 1946) was the vice president of Pep Club. Jane (class of 1948) was editor of the yearbook. Virginia (class of 1948) was secretary to her class every one of the years through senior high school.

Newspaper

The MCHS school newspaper was called "The Broadcaster." It was published once a month as a part of the local weekly newspaper, "The  Minnetonka Pilot." Marlys (class of 1946) said, "I worked on the Broadcaster. I wanted to be the editor, but I didn’t get it. We all had to write a piece, an entry. I wrote a gossip column with Inyce Kluge (class of 1945). It wasn’t too nice. Some of it was true, and some of it wasn’t. We alluded to ….  That was the first thing we all read."

Mary Lou (class of 1947) said, "The Broadcaster staff went to the Pilot newspaper office to get the paper printed. The Pilot staff set the type and ran the copies. The Broadcaster won an award when I was editor, and I was invited to a press convention in Milwaukee, but I got appendicitis and couldn’t go."

Working to beat the deadline
[1947 Mohian]

School trips

The American History class in 1921 took a trip to the State Capitol in St. Paul. "Our visit was timed so we could sit in on one of the sessions," recalled Mildred (class of 1921). "The state senator from our district, Mr. Turnham, hosted us."

Lillian’s (class of 1929) whole class of 29 students went to the Lyceum Theater in Minneapolis to see "Macbeth."

Debate and Declamation

There was some inter-class debating. Nancy S. (class of 1949) said, "We competed with other schools in Declam, as individuals. I memorized a story out of The Reader’s Digest."

MCHS Declamation Team, with coach Miss Gudrun Ness, February 1930
[Classroom Voices, p. 344]

Plays

There were always senior class plays, as early as 1921. The operetta alternated between high school and elementary students annually. Anfin (class of 1930) was in "H.M.S. Pinafore."

Operetta, 1925
[1925 MCHS yearbook]

Dances

In the early years, the junior class decorated for the seniors, for the junior-senior banquet. Mildred (class of 1021) said, "Our decorating committee decided to use marsh marigolds—a wayside wildflower—for our table vases. Even though we were still being transported in horse-drawn buses, most of us now had the use of the family car, white, usually a Ford. A wonderful memory. On school time we were permitted a trip WAY DOWN TO WAYZATA to pick the weeds."

Prom

In 1929, girls wore their best dresses, not long gowns. Florence and Grace (both class of 1933) remember their senior prom, held in the school auditorium, decorated by the junior class. By this time, girls were wearing long dresses: "Everything was in that school, in the same room where we had gym and everything else. It was a dinner, not a dance. Pretty much the whole class went. You didn’t have to have a date to go."

Mary (class of 1936) recalled, "We went down to the Hotel Del Otero after our prom."

"The music teacher, Miss Denzel, and another teacher, found you a partner to go to the Prom, if you didn’t already have one, and got you together," said Lois (class of 1938). "Our first one was at the school. Our last one was at the Hotel Del Otero."  Some students gathered lilacs to decorate for the prom.

Hotel Del Otero, Spring Park, Minnesota
[Classroom Voices, p. 350]

Grand March highlights, 1948 prom
[1949 Mohian]