The 90th annual Hopkins High School alumni banquet Saturday afternoon was highlighted by throwback references to the school’s first mascot and the resignation of President June Davis Krug.
Krug told the audience of about 200 people she was stepping down after serving 45 years.
“This is my last time,” she announced. “I’ve been doing this for 45 years. There’s nothing wrong… it’s just time for a change. Somebody’s got to step up now or it all falls on Pete.”
She was referring to 16-year Alumni Association Secretary Lee Dale “Pete” Arnsman, whom she said does most of the planning for the group year-round.
Arnsman told the crowd, “I’ve overleaded my plate and I really need someone to step in (to succeed Krug). I’m willing to help all I can.”
The surprise of the afternoon was launched by Frank Haffner, Class of 1947, who answered roll call with the mention that he was “proud to be a Blue Devil.”
More than a few continued the comments about being Blue Devils, which was the athletic teams’ nickname until the 1962-63 academic year, when it quietly was changed to Vikings.
Hopkins played basketba
ll, baseball football and track as Blue Devils from 1949 until the fall of 1962. There are differering explanations about why the mascot was changed. Some insisted that local churches were not happy with just positive recognition of a “Devil.” But Dick Herp explained that Hopkins in the fall of 1962 joined new league that already had Lawton, which claimed the nickname of Blue Devils, prompting the switch to Vikings.
Interestingly, a member of the Class of 1966, specially honored for its 50th reunion, included Linda Howard Leach, who designed the Viking logo, and Jim Newell, who played football as a Viking and went on to coach Hopkins on the gridiron for many years.
One alum, Max Miner from the Class of 1960, answered roll call by declaring to be both a Blue Devil and a Viking.
Margie Vollink Hawkins Hines once again was the oldest alum at the banquet, from the Class of 1941, but Dale Smith, Class of 1942, was awarded the traditional bouquet of flowers because Mrs. Hines already had taken home flowers two years earlier.
Twenty-six members of the honored Class of 1966 showed up, with the Class of 1963 represented by nine and the classes of ’64 and ’65 having eight apiece.
The youngest alum at the annual potluck was Jennifer Wrobleski, Class of 1991.
Arnsman, who always signs off at the banquet with the order “Class dismissed,” said last year’s banquet attracted the largest crowd ever at 201, but he wasn’t sure about the exact figure for this year.
PHOTO: President June Krug announced she is stepping down after heading the alumni group for 45 years.
Dale Smith, Class of 1942, was awarded the bouquet of flowers for being the oldest alum.
