Feb 2006

Comments 

Letters

One  of  my
other schools:

 Marquartstein,
Germany
 


 


 
My boarding school
& an ancient Map

Riggs High School  Pierre, SD

My high school made me stupid.

 


Harald and Dick. Widdoss (right)
(Photo Mark Simmons, 1963)



 Mark Simmons in S.L.C.  UT 2008

                                  When I attended Riggs High it was decided...

 


 


Me. 1963.Yearbook,
Gumbo.

   ...to Censor the Juniors' and Senior's biology text book by physically cutting out the section on human reproduction.  The class was taught by Jack Robinson.  We had text books with a censored Human Reproduction section. From that section all the pages -- had been CUT OUT!  I couldn't see what was censored so I did not learn any of that sex-stuff in that particular center of learning.  I had to rely on mail-order books (the Kama Sutra, for Christ's sake) to learn about those things!  And I also learned it in the back seat of my '53 Chevy; Linda Ann Thompson was my teacher and later my wife.

   ...to Fire the best and kindest librarian we ever encountered, Miss Audrae Euginie Visser, because she had a son (illegitimate?) who sometimes visited her at our school. That's how I heard the story.  She is the author of beautiful books, including Rustic Roads (1961) and Grass Roots Poetry (1991).  Ms. Visser became Poet Laureate of South Dakota -- from 1974 until 2001.  South Dakota's Riggs High School made me stupid.

Link    A similar thing happened 51 years later in Arizona: ArizonaHonorsBiology.com/. Riggs High School was ahead of its time!

 

Nowadays' (2006) South Dakota legislators might have had the same text books;  this is what not knowing about biology yields -- this is what faith-based  ideology hath wrought  :-(

 

 



AUDRAE VISSER  1919 - 2001

 


 
Audrae Visser

Death of an Old Farmer    

Out of this sunlit world you went today
Into that other world of peace and dark;
The wrens still trill their songs, the farm dogs bark,
The air smells good with new alfalfa hay--
All things you loved--but you have gone away,
Your spirit like a run-down clock now stark,
Refused another winding; thus we mark

Your end, which science could no longer stay.
Were you a humble man? You were not rich
Nor ruled those realms where high intriguings lurk--
And yet, I’d say you were a man of wealth;
In life you had your own respected niche,
And friends, a wife and children, honest work,
And almost to the last, your priceless health.

~  By AUDRAE VISSER     

 
 

 

Books by Audrae Visser:  (Amazon.com)

Grass Roots Poetry
Prairie poetry
Rustic Roads and Other Poems


 

 Letters

Subject: Audrae Visser
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006
Audrae Visser was my mother-in-law's cousin. Both were wonderful women. I didn't know Audrae was fired. Are you sure about this? Didn't they know about her son when they hired her? Audrae was Poet Laureate of SD until her death a few years ago.

I got a kick out of your web page.
Sincerely, Kathy

No, I don't know for sure if she was fired or not. That's what I heard, and like many things in life, we're asked to believe in crap that isn't true.

 

 

Subject: Re: Audrae Visser
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006
Hi Harald,

Thanks for responding to my message [...] Audrae and Gerry's mom were very close, so I got to know Audrae when she came to visit Alma and Robert. I know a fair amount about her, and would be happy to share it with you--I probably have an obituary somewhere. I'll look for it.

I don't want to intrude into your personal life, but I'm curious as to why you are so enamored of Audrae, especially after all these years. She was a wonderful woman, but I know she had "crushes" on some of her students. Were you by any chance one of those lucky fellows? You don't need to be angry if she were, indeed, fired, as she had a wonderful life after Riggs. There is life after high school, isn't there--and it is as good as we choose to make it.

Hope I haven't offended your sensibilities, but from the tone of your website, I'm not too worried!! I gather you're outspoken, as am I; more so since Gerry's death.

Take care,
Kathy

◄     Eva Olson
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2009
From: "Eva Hageman" <Eva.Hageman@dvusd.org>
Subject: Riggs High School

I think you must have way too much time on your hands to dwell on these two issues from our days in high school. I think we got a very good education at Riggs. We scored much higher on entrance exams to college than do students now. Do you really think that one chapter in a biology book makes or breaks the quality of your education? Had that chapter been covered would you have been smarter? The answer to both questions is "No." And, the school district knew that Miss Visser had a child. You are stirring up old rumors that had no basis then and still don't now. What you should do is come back to one of the reunions, visit with old friends and classmates and talk about the good times of which there were many! Quit dwelling on the negative, which in this case is really very minor. respectfully,
eva olson

Eva Hageman, MA, EdS
Nationally Certified School Psychologist
Deer Valley Reserve Psychologist
623-445-3783

"We scored much higher on entrance exams to college than do students now."
(Riggs High School has a lower scores now than it had in 1963?
... really? I maybe know what you mean, but did you say that right? :-)
From: "Mark Nellermoe" <footdoc@nventure.com>
To: <Nowscape@yahoo.com>
Subject: Harald the wicked
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009
X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook
◄     This guy, Nellermoe, DPM     ( 2 Stars  on Yelp in 2014) 
         NPI No. 1386733541;  Lic. No. PO00000507 WA

You sound so unhappy. So you think you were short changed by your alleged censorship. Grow up. Your education obviously was good enough to get you through life. You certainly would have faired much worse growing up in the places you glorify by your adventure pictures: Communist Russia and Red China. Do you think there in no censorship in those worker’s paradises?

Such brewing anger and hostility, you make me think of the storie's of those dudes who crack and end up aiming their deer rifles at playgrounds from a bell tower. Harald’s neighbors hear me; take his guns away before he pops a cork.

Sent by:  Mark Dale Nellermoe, DPM
1310 S Union AveTacoma, WA 98405-1907
3929 Bridgeport Way W
Tacoma, WA 98466 Ste#308,
Phone: (253) 627-4181
Riggs High School
Pierre, SD
Class of 1977
 

Do I think there is no censorship in the "workers' paradise" of red  China and communist Russia?    What a queer question to ask!    How many paradises exist, anyway?
 

 

Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
To: Mark Nellermoe
 Subject: Re: Harald the wicked

    You are mean to me for no reason, Mark.
You say that I am wicked, that I am childish, need to grow up, probably embrace communism and that I might try to kill my neighbors, for Christ's sake! Have you no class, no education, no tact?

Best Regards, if applicable.

After I pointed out to Nellermoe that he is mean-spirited and tactless for saying that I am wicked, that I am a coward, childish and that my neighbors need to be warned because I might try to shoot them. And He can't spell.

 

 

Subject: RE: Harald the wicked
Date: March 26, 2009

◄     Mark Nellermoe, Riggs High School graduate -- 
Really, if you can't take a malicious swipe, than stiffen your spine. I am standing up for my high school, where I have received a rather fine education, even with Jack Robinson as a Bio. teacher. I have no comment on your relative [sic] as I can have no knowledge of the incident. She seems to be a fine person; I even printed that poem as it struck a chord with me.

My intent was to off you an offence the like as yours to Riggs [sic].

What is the intent on that email trace? Is it in your nature, perhaps from days with The Company or are you trying to track me down to confront me?

He mistakenly thinks Audrae Visser is my relative. And He can't spell.

 

 

Subject: In Reflection
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009

◄     Mark Nellermoe, foot doctor.  After this DPM saw this web page, he "reflected"...

In reflection I believe I was rude and mean to you. I had no reason to treat you in such a manner as I did. I hope you will accept my apology for unkind words to you.

Best regards,
Mark Nellermoe

... He had to "reflect" to understand that he's rude and mean.  His care & spelling & grammar reflect, a bit, also. Maybe Eva Olson is right: "We [1963] scored much higher on entrance exams to college than do students now."

 

 

 What set me off to make this web page?...
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006
From: Harald Illig
To: info@pierreeducationalfoundation.org
Subject: This alumnus' contribution
Dear Mr. Brakke

Your letter invited me to contribute or pledge a financial gift to my alma mater. This is the school which censored, from our biology text book, the entire chapter on human reproduction, by brazenly cutting out all of those pages!
This is the school which abused our librarian, Miss. Audrae Visser, who later became South Dakota's Poet Laureate.

You should be ashamed to ask for money now.

Kindest regards,[If applicable]
 
From: info@pierreeducationalfoundation.org

I am very sorry that you had a bad experience at Pierre High School. I hope you understand that we had no control over your experience, and hope for nothing but the best for you, and our other alumni.
 
 Thank you for your note. Best wishes to you,
 
 Kim Brakke
 Pierre Educational Foundation
 www.pierreeducationalfoundation.org
 

Principal - Mr. Fugitt
Asst. Principal - Mr. Mutchelknaus
Terry Cummings -  Mrs.Cummings




 Links
    The Wall of Separation
    Riggs High Class of '63 Web pg.

According to its newsletter to alumni, the first,count them, four listed accomplishments in 2005 and 2006 of the Educational Foundation were:

  1. New logo
  2. New updated brochure
  3. Website
  4. New redesigned newsletter

 

 

 

There was a Class of '63 reunion in Pierre in 2023; Here are some pictures.    Here is the link.

   Top row, left to right:
          Dan Neiles, Jerry Big Eagle, Mark Simmons.

   Second from top row, left to right:
          Milt Morris, Nina Colbert Maxfield & Jerry McQuay.

   Third from top row, left to right:
          Marv Wise, Tinker Samco McKenna-Crawford,
          Al Freiberg, John Whitney (directly behind Al),
          Dennis Naasz & Joe Hanson.

   Bottom row, left to right:
          Ruth Ann Spicer Stenberg, Eva Olson Hageman Schultz,
          Maxine Otto Tessier,
          Vicky Hansen Milbrandt, Dick Lamster & Julianne Thomas

Thank you Sally & Joe for doing the heavy lifting
of putting on these shindigs for all these years !

 


Attended Reunion but not in group photo:  Carole Farries Geis, Harald Illig, Peggy Owens Rath


 

Sally & Joe Hanson, reunion event organizers, in 2023

Nina Colbert & Sally Hanson, 2023


Mark Simmons


Al Freiberg


Photo Al Freiberg  Tap to enlarge

 


Surbeck Center, Rapid City, SDSMT campus Sep 2023

 

 

   Links  
               Class roster of the class of '63
               My buddy Courtney Flateau (RIP), Class of '65;  His book, 1980 (Amazon).
                "Dakota Lullaby" by Albert and Gage (You Tube)
                SD Abortion
               SD Abortion

 

 ...for a booklet prepared by the 2008 Reunion folks:


Ft. Belvoir, Va.



At home 1988



3RD Armored Division "Spearhead".  Ft. Belvoir, Va.

file://vmware-host/Shared Folders/Desktop 2/@@html 10-31-2014 copied from HTTP/blk/images/21.gif

 

            

Something from my life in Pierre...


  Family ca. 1961.

 

802 West Pleasant Drive, ca. 1961.


  802 West Pleasant Drive, Pierre, SD. Mar. 2008.

 


The Husleys on Maple St,  March 2008


  802 West Pleasant Drive, Pierre, SD. Sep. 2023.

      802 W. Pleasant Dr, 1962.
      Oil painting, K. M. Illig    more...
 

 
EVA Hatch Star City, 10/2002

 

             Somethings from my life...


  Four generations - Richland, WA, ca. 1971  (Touch to enlarge)


(Touch to enlarge)

 



Classmate & buddy Frank Mellon - SLC, UT



Frank Mellon (left) and I, in my bedroom "computer lab",
Summer 1978.  (TOUCH to enlarge)

Link   Blackjack


Minox
 

This photo  of me was made the
day after my mother died in 1999, 
so it's NOT a happy face, but here
it is anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

Returning It

 

 

One bully who never has apologized to me... or to anyone else
whom he terrorized / wronged, I bet. Meet Mr. Mike Pellerzi.

I thought he graduated with us in the class of 1963, but no.
I see why he isn't in our yearbook, Gumbo...
He didn't make it thru the 12th grade on the first try.


Friends: Cindy Gibson, Gary Wallace, Sara Cease, Nancy Lemieux, Ken Abrahamson...
             16% of graduates from Mike Pellerzi's school like to Fish
             30% of graduates from Mike Pellerzi's school like Sleeping

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