Generations of YHS More than 140 years ago the Yankton High School (YHS) became the first high school in the Dakota Territory. Though the school has seen many changes over the years, it never waivered in providing an excellent education for children. Knowing that many generations have graduated from YHS, I was curious how families saw it change over the years. I was able to find four families to visit with about their tenure there. YHS has had various homes over the years. Per Lori Rust, YHS and the Yankton P&D 125th Anniversary Special Edition, the first high school in 1875 started out on Douglas Avenue and after being destroyed by a fire was moved to Walnut and 6th Street. The third school was opened in 1916 at Walnut and 7th Street, the current Walnut Village site, an auditorium added in 1927 and trades building in 1930. The school moved to its fourth location at 2000 Mulberry from 1958 to 1996. This building was converted to the current middle school when the fifth and current facility was built in 1996. Frohreich/Kussman Betty (Soukup) Frohreich, second oldest of five children, lived on a farm right outside of Yankton. After completing the 8th grade at a country school, she started at YHS on Walnut Street the same year as her older brother Bob who stayed home for a few years to farm while their father was ill. Despite their two-year age difference, they were often mistaken for twins. During Betty’s senior year, she met her husband DeWane at a harvest dance in Utica, SD, and the two married after she finished school in 1956. The couple, now married 58 years, have four children who all live in Yankton: Tim, Bob, Linda and Lisa. Betty chose to stay in Yankton near her family who is all nearby. When daughter Linda attended YHS on Mulberry Street, only a couple of Betty’s teachers still taught. After graduating in 1982, she started at USD though later opted to work full time when given an opportunity. She spent 17 years at Alumax and later landed at First Dakota National Bank where she has been for the past 14 years. She and Yankton native Randy Kussman married and had two children, Jordan and Jenna. Jenna graduated from YHS’s newest facility in 2010, 54 years and two buildings after her grandmother. She spent time in Lincoln and Omaha after graduation before coming back, now living in Crofton, NE and working at Unique Tan. After being away, she realized she wanted to be home near her family. Each generation took part in different extracurricular school activities: Betty in play scene preparation, Linda in gymnastics 18vHERVOICEvMAY/JUNE 2016 and track before teaching piano lessons while Jenna took part in the Pioneer Club. Mr. Schiller, an English teacher, was a favorite teacher of Betty’s. “He was good with the kids and you could talk to him and he could explain things. He was a good, good teacher,” she explained. She also enjoyed a shorthand class. Linda, like her mom, also loved learning shorthand and really enjoyed classes taught by Deb Welter. “I liked her classes because that’s what I really enjoyed doing,” she reflected. Curiously, Jenna asked, “What’s shorthand?” It shows how much things really changed over the years. Jenna really liked Mrs. Jill Mikkelson as a teacher. Linda and Jenna could count a handful of teachers that they had in common during their time at YHS. Homecoming changed over the years among the three, having gone from Arickara Days with a parade of floats crafted from chicken wire and paper napkins for Betty, an absence of a parade during Linda’s years transitioning later to Pioneer Days with a smaller parade for Jenna. Prom changed greatly over time as well. Betty attended her junior prom with her brother and her senior year with DeWane after obtaining permission from the school principal to take him because he was older and had been out of school for some time. Ladies donning long dresses and men sporting suits were entertained by a live band at the dance. Long dresses were still in style at Linda’s prom. Dress shopping wasn’t a big deal, many just wore what looked nice and re-wearing a bridesmaid dress wasn’t uncommon. By Jenna’s prom, there was an array of short and long dresses and dress shops even kept track to assure that nobody wore the same dress to the same prom. Dress shopping was fun but competitive. Prom spanned an entire day and could easily include getting hair done, group pictures with photographer, grand march, supper, prom dance, after prom party and group breakfast. Linda reflects on her hometown, stating, “I was born and raised in Yankton and I never had any intentions of leaving my RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE Carpet Cleaning • Upholstery Cleaning • Duct Cleaning • Power Washing • Auto Detailing • Janitorial 2 Rooms & Hallway $74.95 (up to 300 sq. ft) INSURED & BONDED REFERENCES AVAILABLE SERVING YANKTON & SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1994