Welcome High School - Part I
southern Minnesota, 7 miles east of Sherburn off Interstate 90
Years Represented: 1911-1933
The Welcome Historical Museum has preserved photos and information about the Welcome girls basketball team.
Photos include: 1911, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1931, 1933.
Team uniforms:
The 1911 team members are wearing dark tops, bloomers, dark stockings and several have ankle high shoes with heels. The tops have a letter "W" on the right arm. By 1917, the uniforms have changed to the white middie top with dark ribbons and dark bloomers.
Photo identification:
1911 - left to right - Mona Baker, Villa Wolford, Leona Clark, Ruth Holton, Ruth Grimsell, Hazel Baker, Iva Kitchen-Decker.
1917 - left to right - Ruth Gerbers, Hulda Hartung, not identified, Coach Rev. Thompson, Mae Aukofer, Leli Erschfeld, Dorothy Wolford, Celia Welcome.
Outdoor games:
One photo shows the 1917 team playing a a game outside. It is currently the only photo in these archives of an outdoor game in Minnesota. The boundary lines are marked on the grass with chalk. There are spectators with chairs. The Welcome coach is officiating and shown with a whistle in his mouth.
Historical book:
Peggy Lutz, Welcome Historical Museum, provided information from a book, "1890-1990 - Welcome, A Century of Memories." The section, "Education and the Welcome Schools," provided the following information: "1919-1929. Sports were added and as early as 1922, both the boys and girls had organized basketball teams. Basketball was played on an outside court to the east of the school. When playing against other schools who had outdoor courts, this was satisfactory, but when the team had to compete against those who played on indoor courts, it presented a problem. So, the old dance pavilion uptown was rented for basketball games. Later, when the town or community gym was available in the bank building, this was rented by the school.
"Basketball was played differently back then. Girls played on a court that was divided into three sections. Two girls played defense on one end, one played in the center of the court and the other two played offense on the other end."
Team uniforms:
The 1923 team continues the middie/bloomer combination with white athletic shoes. Uniforms have changed in 1931 to a v-neck, short-sleeved top and shorts. The uniform top has the team name across the front.
Photo identification:
1923: Hulda Housefled, Ruth Engstrum, not identified, Alma Schultz, Alma Wachwitz.
1924 - Front: Dorothy Schuelein, Laura Schuler, Erma Stahn, Malinda Wackwitz, Hulda Hausefelt. Back: Bertha Kakeldy, Blanche Grinager, Coach Jenny Olsen, Marie Landkammerer, Louella Wilkening.
1931: Front: Bernice Hanley Mead, Verlie Klusendorf Schuler, Lefern Hulseman, Luella Storbeck Plumhoff. Back: Adeline Roforth Roberts, Helen Folk Peterson, Svea Forsberg, Lucille Lehmen Borchardt, Velma Yost.
Peggy Lutz reported from interviews with local citizens that the Welcome School did not have a gymnasium until 1938 when it was added on. Prior to that, a "quanset hut" was used and was located under the water tower. The building was locally called, "the sheep shed." The ceiling was not very high so it was difficult for players to arch a long pass or shot for basket. The players would dress at the school and play the game, then return to the school to dress. It was a three-block walk. Transportation to away games was by the coach's car and family cars. Two teams played were Dolliver, Iowa and East Chain.
1933: Lucille Wetankamp, Evelyn Stello, Phyliss Hartwig, Amanda Schmidt, Lucille Lehman, Helen Folk, Louise Stello. Coach Svea Forsberg.
See Welcome II and Welcome III for photos.
Special note:
The history book notes in the section on Education, 1949-59, "In 1955, the student council decided to ban jeans, slacks and such for girls in the classroom. Dresses seemed to be more appropriate. A parental excuse would be honored."
Thanks to the Welcome Historical Museum for the history of the girls basketball teams.
Photos include: 1911, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1931, 1933.
Team uniforms:
The 1911 team members are wearing dark tops, bloomers, dark stockings and several have ankle high shoes with heels. The tops have a letter "W" on the right arm. By 1917, the uniforms have changed to the white middie top with dark ribbons and dark bloomers.
Photo identification:
1911 - left to right - Mona Baker, Villa Wolford, Leona Clark, Ruth Holton, Ruth Grimsell, Hazel Baker, Iva Kitchen-Decker.
1917 - left to right - Ruth Gerbers, Hulda Hartung, not identified, Coach Rev. Thompson, Mae Aukofer, Leli Erschfeld, Dorothy Wolford, Celia Welcome.
Outdoor games:
One photo shows the 1917 team playing a a game outside. It is currently the only photo in these archives of an outdoor game in Minnesota. The boundary lines are marked on the grass with chalk. There are spectators with chairs. The Welcome coach is officiating and shown with a whistle in his mouth.
Historical book:
Peggy Lutz, Welcome Historical Museum, provided information from a book, "1890-1990 - Welcome, A Century of Memories." The section, "Education and the Welcome Schools," provided the following information: "1919-1929. Sports were added and as early as 1922, both the boys and girls had organized basketball teams. Basketball was played on an outside court to the east of the school. When playing against other schools who had outdoor courts, this was satisfactory, but when the team had to compete against those who played on indoor courts, it presented a problem. So, the old dance pavilion uptown was rented for basketball games. Later, when the town or community gym was available in the bank building, this was rented by the school.
"Basketball was played differently back then. Girls played on a court that was divided into three sections. Two girls played defense on one end, one played in the center of the court and the other two played offense on the other end."
Team uniforms:
The 1923 team continues the middie/bloomer combination with white athletic shoes. Uniforms have changed in 1931 to a v-neck, short-sleeved top and shorts. The uniform top has the team name across the front.
Photo identification:
1923: Hulda Housefled, Ruth Engstrum, not identified, Alma Schultz, Alma Wachwitz.
1924 - Front: Dorothy Schuelein, Laura Schuler, Erma Stahn, Malinda Wackwitz, Hulda Hausefelt. Back: Bertha Kakeldy, Blanche Grinager, Coach Jenny Olsen, Marie Landkammerer, Louella Wilkening.
1931: Front: Bernice Hanley Mead, Verlie Klusendorf Schuler, Lefern Hulseman, Luella Storbeck Plumhoff. Back: Adeline Roforth Roberts, Helen Folk Peterson, Svea Forsberg, Lucille Lehmen Borchardt, Velma Yost.
Peggy Lutz reported from interviews with local citizens that the Welcome School did not have a gymnasium until 1938 when it was added on. Prior to that, a "quanset hut" was used and was located under the water tower. The building was locally called, "the sheep shed." The ceiling was not very high so it was difficult for players to arch a long pass or shot for basket. The players would dress at the school and play the game, then return to the school to dress. It was a three-block walk. Transportation to away games was by the coach's car and family cars. Two teams played were Dolliver, Iowa and East Chain.
1933: Lucille Wetankamp, Evelyn Stello, Phyliss Hartwig, Amanda Schmidt, Lucille Lehman, Helen Folk, Louise Stello. Coach Svea Forsberg.
See Welcome II and Welcome III for photos.
Special note:
The history book notes in the section on Education, 1949-59, "In 1955, the student council decided to ban jeans, slacks and such for girls in the classroom. Dresses seemed to be more appropriate. A parental excuse would be honored."
Thanks to the Welcome Historical Museum for the history of the girls basketball teams.
Welcome 1911
Welcome 1917
Welcome 1917 outside game