Cape Central Turns 100 in 2012

Cape Central High School, in all its forms, will be 100 years old in 2012. Despite what some people may think, I was NOT in the inaugural class.

Several of the high school newsletters had mentioned that Central’s librarian, Julia Howes Jogensen, had put together a book, Cape Central High School Centennial to celebrate the occasion. One of my first stops when I got to Cape this fall was the CHS library to see if they had sold out of the books. Fortunately, they hadn’t.

It’s a very nice, yearbook-style book with 120 pages of photos and stories about Central High School, from the very first days right up to the present time. The 1950-1960s eras are well-documented. In fact, I saw three or four of my yearbook shots in it.

How do I get a Centennial book?

How can you get a copy of the book? Go to the merchandise website.

Or, send a check for $50 made out to Cape Central High School (memo line: Centennial book)

 Cape Central High School

1000 South Silver Springs Road

Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63703

Attn: Julia Jorgensen

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed looking through my copy. I noticed on the merchandise webpage that limited numbers of old high school yearbooks were available. I’m not sure if there are any left.

Photo gallery from the book

This is just a sample of some of the photos that are in the Centennial book. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the photo to move through the gallery. I’ll be bringing you current pictures of Julia’s new Central High School library in the next day or so. It’s nothing like the sterile, shushing study hall we remember.

 

5 Replies to “Cape Central Turns 100 in 2012”

  1. You sly dog, Ken. Well, that’s one way to get a book sold. Post a picture of the person back in the day! Thanks to Julia Howes Jorgensen, yet again, for doing such fantastic work for others to enjoy!

  2. In this group of photos the one labeled DRUMS is absent of any smiles. In SPANISH COSTUMES I see a couple smiles sneaking through. In MAJORETTES it’s smiles all around. Three photographs not too may years apart. I have some photos dating back to the 1850’s and I see a similar theme. Sometime around the 1950’s the photographer started allowing people to smile. My imagination?

    1. Dick, I’m not sure I completely agree with your premise about smiling, but here’s why you might be right:

      1. Earlier film speeds were substantially slower, needing seconds, if not minutes to make an exposure. You picked your expression and held it.

      2. Early photography was a Big Deal. No laughing manner, in other words.

      3. Candid photography didn’t really catch on until film, cameras and processing became common.

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