The class of 1958 enjoyed a great weekend for their 50th year reunion, held August 1st and 2nd, 2008.

The weekend started off with a Friday night buffet at Teen Town honoring their football players.

Fun for all was had with a trivia game which was a great trip down memory lane.

Saturday morning they had a tour  of their old high school (which is now the Middle School). There was lots of chatter as they reminisced, walking the halls and various classrooms.

The class of 1958 was the 1st Freshman class in the building, which was built in 1954.

The reunion ended with an elegant dinner at Vance Vineyard and Winery in Fredericktown. The theme for the evening was “Senior” memories. The class mates each shared a brief recap of their lives since graduation and a special tribute to their deceased classmates.

A good time of renewing old  friendships was had by all and they plan on having their 55th year reunion in 2013.

Memories

Written by Beth Yamnitz

Submitted by Joan (Dicus) Wulfert.

50 years how the time has passed us by,

It seems like just yesterday we walked the hall of Fredericktown High,

We yelled go Black and go Gold for our team,

We were the best fans though it did seem.

Teen Town is where we chose to hang,

Everyone was there amongst the old gang.

The memories, the joy, the friends we did share,

The laughter, the smiles, the tears of care.

Graduation Day came and we went our separate way,

Now we’re here to reunite on the very special day.

Some of our classmates before us have passed. So let’s pause a moment and remember them in prayer,

For them too we still care.

So enjoy your evening and make it GREAT,

For we are the class of 1958.

Don Pogue, Senior Class President of the FHS Class of 1958 gave a presentation, Friday night, at the Class Reunion, at Teen Town.

“Folks, as you know, I never played football,” Pogue said in his opening remarks. “Coach Anderson mercifully cut me from the team my freshman year - actually after the first week of practice. He’d seen enough and urged me to devote more time to my dad’s filling station, where, at 135 pounds, he knew I wouldn’t get hurt.’’

“Whether we played or not, everyone enjoyed the excitement of growing up watching Fredericktown football games. Certainly I did. I lived only two blocks from the old high school and grade school complex on High Street. As youngsters in grade school, many of us would watch high school football practices after classes. I remember watching classmates like Buddy Edwards, Charles Acreback, Harry Griffon and others who lived nearby.

“The football teams practiced at the old high school until 1954, when the new high school was built on south Main St.. That was cool as our stadium was right there behind our new school. In fact, we were the first freshman class in that new school. It’s now the Fredericktown Middle School and we’ll tour those halls after 50 years, tomorrow morning (August 2) at 10:00 A.M.

“Until the arrival in 1952 of Head Coach Don Anderson, football wasn’t too exciting around here. Historical records indicate that prior to coach Anderson, we lost more games than we won by a 2 to 1 margin. However, things changed fast. From 1952 to his last year in 1957 coach Anderson’s teams had a combined 39-13-4 record. Football fever had definitely hit our town. The local press coverage helped, thanks to Oliver Ferguson, the Democrat News Publisher at the time. He was a rabid football fan and the father of our quarterback Rich Ferguson.

“Remember how crowds larger than our entire town would pack the stadium during this period to see hometown heroes like Bill Priday, Buddy Mercier, Glen Forristall and our classmates face conference foes from DeSoto, Farmington Herculaneum, Flat River, Ste. Genevieve and Crystal City. As a spectator, it was always fun to run up and down the sidelines with my buddies on football Friday night. After we discovered girls we just cheered from the stands and watched them too!

“We do have a lot to be proud of when we review the accomplishments of our football teams of 1956 and 1957. It is great to have three of our classmates here tonight who played on both teams; Bob Bukowsky, Deryl Edwards and Dean Martin.

“Other starting players (not here tonight) include; Lee Shryock, Gary Lane, Bill Killian, and Bob Wagganer. Lee planned to be here, but had surgery in St. Louis and we wish him well. Also not here tonight are Homer Stacy, Joe Stevens and Bill Dowd.

“Players now deceased include: Richard Ferguson, Winfred McDaniel, Tom Parks and my childhood buddy, Charlie Acreback.

“Let’s review some stats and records from this period. It is important to note football games are played the year prior to graduation. Thus the 1957 football statistics are for our 1958 graduating senior class.

“Little did we know during our senior year that we were going to be rooting for a football team that was very special. Under Coach Don Anderson, as juniors, they were an integral part of the first Blackcat team to be undefeated in the conference. That’s the first since 1921, the year high school football started in our town. Also, they were part of the only two teams to go undefeated in the conference twice in their careers. In 1956, as juniors, they were 8-0 and Mineral Area Conference Champions. That year they ended up 9-1 (overall), winning one but losing the other non-conference game by one point to Sikeston, MO.. In 1957, as seniors, they were 7-0 and again conference champions. That year they ended up 9-0 with two non-conference wins. There has been only one other Blackcat football team undefeated in conference play since then and the only team yet to remain undefeated for the entire season.

“Victories during the 1957 season climaxed with games over two traditionally tough non-conference teams; Ste. Genevieve Valle High and Sikeston, MO. Sikeston came in undefeated and left with a 14-0 loss. This was the first time Sikeston had been held scoreless in 98 games. We traveled the following week to Valle, who was 7-1-1 and champions in their conference. We won this final game of the year in a hard fought 14-7.

“Our 1957 team was about as good as it gets. That year they scored a whopping 252 points or 28 points average per game and they still hold the all time record for the fewest points allowed in a season - less than a touchdown - 5.2 points average per game.

Team Records for the season:

1957 - fewest points allowed  - first all time - 47 points for a 5.2 average per game.

1957 - Most points scored - -4th all time - 252 points for a 28.0 average per game.

1956 - Total offense - 3267 total yards for an average of 363 yards per games. (2nd all time to 2007 with an average of 367.5 yards per game).

1956 - Yards rushing - 2650 total yards for an average of 294.4 yards per game.

(2nd all time to 2007 with an average of 298 yards per game).

Individual records:

 Rushing - Gary Lane - 1740 yards, 10th all time.

Passing - Rich Ferguson - 1307 yards,  7th all time.

Touchdown Passes - Rich Ferguson - 24, 1st all time.

Touchdowns - Bob Bukowsky - 21, 7th all time.

Receptions - Bob Bukowsky - 48, 3rd all time.

Receiving Yards - Bob Bukowsky - 1000, 1st all time.

Touchdown Receptions - Bob Bukowsky - 21, 1st all time.

Individual Records - Season:

Receptions  - Bob Bukowsky (1957) 31, 2nd all time.

Touchdown Receptions - Bob Bukowsky (1957) 12, 1st all time.

Receiving Yards - Bob Bukowsky (1957) 597 yards, 2nd all time.

“Another record, I believe, was that four players were selected during our senior year for All State honors. They were Bob Bukowsky - 1st team, Rich Ferguson, - 3rd team, and both Lee Shryock and Gary Lane; Honorable Mention. Bob was the first, 1st team selection in the history of our school.

“In 1964, Fredericktown’s league schedule expanded from nine to ten teams. In 1979, under Coach Charles Chambers, the team was district champions and undefeated at 10-0. However, they suffered a loss in the schools first play off game at the state level.  Although there hasn’t been another undefeated football team since, there’s promise ahead.

“In 2007, under Coach Shannon Henson, the Fredericktown High School Blackcat Football Team were district champions with a record of 9-1. Unfortunately, they lost their second game of the year in the state playoff. Henson reports many of his starting team returns this year. We wish them well and hope Coach Henson’s teams will be honored 50 years later as we so proudly do today!