Castle
Report
Volume 3 Number 1
December, 2000




Castle on the Hill Association Mourns Loss of Owen Peters


Owen Peters, President of COHA this past year, died October 26 in Sioux City, Iowa. He was 76. Owen graduated from Central High School in June, 1942. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a pilot flying B-17 bombers.

After graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape architecture, he moved to Pasadena, California where he helped establish Erickson, Peters, and Thomas, later renamed EPT, Landscape Architecture.

About five years ago, Peters came back to Sioux City, Iowa to retire. He and his wife, Joy, built a new home in the Dakota Dunes Country Club. Both of the Peters became board members of COHA two years ago. He served as president from July, 1999 to July, 2000. He and his wife managed the COHA office on Friday afternoons. Last year, Owen was instrumental in starting relations with NuStyle Development Corporation, the company planning to make apartments in the Castle.

Peters was the landscape architect for hundreds of projects, including residential gardens, public parks, civic and commercial properties, planned residential communities, churches and schools.

His most prominent projects include the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, the Pasadena First Baptist Church, the City of Westminster Civic Complex, the Parker Hannifin corporate headquarters, Newport Beach's Linda Isle entrance and streetscapes and various projects at the University of California at Irvine.

The North Sioux City Beautification honored Owen on Sunday, December 10. He assisted the committee in their endeavors for a long range beautification program.

A city sign was erected in his honor.





NUSTYLE CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION

NuStyle Corporation gave us the best news in 28 years. Starting around Nov. 1, they will be remodeling the Castle and make apartments throughout the building. COHA will keep the auditorium and gym. Once remodeling is finished, the auditorium can be rented out and all income from it will remain with COHA.

NuStyle Corporation Sends Survey Team

A four member survey team arrived at the Castle on November 7th to begin the huge task of taking measurements of all the classrooms. Included in the team were an architect, construction superintendent, laborer, and the newly appointed project manager, Julie Stanveak.

Gary Olsen and Don Jensen gave the group a tour of the building before starting their project. They were quite impressed with the boiler room area which still has the old coal burning furnaces and the heat exchangers that were connected to a huge six foot fan to move the warm air throughout the building.

They decided to start at the top floor and work their way down. Since November is very cold in the building, they were only able to do the top three floors, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd, before calling it a day. Plans are to come back at a later date, preferably after a warm up period, to complete measuring the remaining parts of the building.




Project Hope Update

Project Hope Update "Project Hope" was initiated in the spring of 2000 to assist COHA in obtaining a handicap elevator in the Castle. According to the city code, the elevator was essential and paramount to any regular activities or remodeling in the building. Thus Project Hope (Public Obtainable Handicap Elevator) was launched and a total of $27,183.00 was contributed to this fund in the year 2000.

Currently this fund is set aside in a special account for future contributions and until such time it is needed.



Memberships Play Vital Roll

To all members: Just a reminder to check the date of your last membership renewal. If you do not have a record of your last payment, please contact the office either by phone 1-712-258-0626, e-mail COHA1976@aol or by writing Castle on the Hill Association, 610-13th Street, Sioux City, IA 51105.Memberships play a very important role for the Castle on the Hill. The Castle is alive and moving ahead because people continue to renew their pledges.






World War II Vets Receive Diplomas

Operation Recognition, sponsored by Sioux City Community School System and West High School, awarded high school diplomas to 12 veterans who entered the service before graduating. The ceremony was held in the high school auditorium with Superintendent Larry Williams as part of the official delegation.

Following is a list of veterans from Central high school:

Keith Adams             Elmer Hoffman
Lloyd Brown              Henry Holdenried
Gerald Cole               Izzy Rozen
Melvin Fox                 Max Rozen
Russell Haggerty        Vernon Tott
Donald Higgins           Harland Van Valkinburg

Two diplomas were presented posthumously to:

Harry Belding           Frederick Pace.

1950 Class Holds 50th Reunion at Castle


After a catered breakfast by Hy-Vee Food Store, class members enjoy remincsing of times gone by while at Central High School, and events that have taken place since graduation.



Class members assembled in the CHS auditorium for a greeting from the committee chairman before taking a tour of the building.


CWA MOVING OUT

The Communication Workers of America are leaving the Castle after being renters for 18 years. They were the first renters in the Castle in February 15, 1982.

CWA notified the association that they would be moving out the middle of February to their new location. CWA remarked that they have been proud to call the Castle their home these past 18 years.




GIFT SHOP SETS NEW HOURS

Shirley McLeod, Castle Gift Shop manager, has announced new hours for the gift shop. The gift shop will be closed until April 7. This is due primarily to the higher cost of heating and wintertime is usually a slow time. If you need assistance, please call 1-712-258-0626.








COHA Board Recalls Busy Times at the Castle

Looking back over the past year, it has been a very busy time. Activities, at the Castle, included reunions, tours, indoor roller blade competition, wrestling tournaments, a Renaissance Festival on the south lawn by West High students, Project Hope, and NuStyle announcement of restoring the Castle. Also Knights and Ladies Honor Roll was continued.




PROJECT HOPE

Last February, COHA began Project Hope which would help finance a handicap elevator at the Castle. We ended the project when NuStyle announced that they would take over and remodel the Castle into apartments.




CLASS REUNIONS

Last summer Castle hosted four class reunions.

In June, the Class of 1955 held their 45th reunion and on June 30 Sioux City Black Homecoming group toured the Castle.

In July, the Class of 1960 held their 40th reunion with a social hour in the gym. Also the last weekend in July, the Class of 1970 held their 30th reunion.

The 1950 class held their 50th reunion Sept. 22-24 with a catered breakfast held in the gym.




CASTLE TOURS

Tours of the Castle were given to individuals, groups of three to five, throughout the summer. Two people saw the Castle from Veteran's Bridge and just had to see what was inside this huge building.




RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

The West High School Renaissance Festival was held in June on the south lawn by West High students. This project raised money for organizations at West. Many booths were set up where patrons could try their luck at different games of skill to win prizes.




It was a full afternoon of fun and entertainment. A highlight of the festival was a belly dance by one of the students.


The Castle provided an appropriate backdrop for the day's activities.


INDOOR ROLLER HOCKEY

Siouxland "Y" returned to the Castle's gym for indoor roller blade hockey on October 21 and finished December 2. Practice sessions for the teams were held on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Team competition was held on Saturdays from 8 o'clock in the morning until 7:00 in the evening.




PLYMOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

Plmouth County Wrestling held three meets in the gym last year. Approximately 10 fellows make up the group and they wrestle for different trophies. A regular pro wrestling ring is set up in the gym.



PCW is a group of young men who promote wrestling tournaments in Sioux City and LeMars, IA. The group rents the gym for these tournaments and charges a $3.00 admission. Attendance at each meet averages 150 to 200 people.





PCW members do a warmup exercise before their contest in the old dungeon.



KNIGHTS AND LADIES HONOR ROLL

Knights and Ladies Honor Roll is in its second year at the Castle. K and L was set up to help with monthly expenses. This year we lost almost half of the members, probably they thought it was a one-year program.

We are still looking for new members who would be willing to contribute $10 per month that is tax deductible.




SIOUX CITY JAYCEES

Sioux City Jaycees once again held their haunted house during Halloween. Each year they begin working on the house in June and have it ready two weeks before Halloween. This was the last year for Jaycees to use the Castle for their haunted house due to the construction that will start in November.




FUTURE ACTIVITIES FORMULATED

PCW (Plymouth Championship Wrestlers) held their first meet on the year on January 20. Future meets are scheduled twice a month except for March and will continue through August. Siouxland "Y" will once again use the gym for indoor roller blade hockey in February and March. David Livingston held try outs for seven weeks in the auditorium for his movie "Crane." He is well known for his work with famous people in Hollywood. He has requested the use of the Castle as a location for the movie.




Past Items From:
The Record


The High School Record
April, 1895

A little iron,
A cunning curl,
A box of powder,
A pretty curl.

A little rain,
Away it goes;
A homely girl,
With a freckled nose.




These two lines that look so solemn,
Were just put in to fill the column.

The High School Record
May, 1895

Not far from the Missouri
From that brown and muddy river,
From that mighty rushing river,
High upon the "hill of knowledge,"
Stands a tall, majestic building,
Where boys and girls do gather
To obtain all knowledge taught there,
To learn languages and science,
To experiment in physics,
To digest all mathematics,
That they may in long years after
When in life, to battle, go they
Have an education splendid
Which will fit them for all places.
Train lads to be men of business
Train maids to be noble women.
Let us to this High School building
Give three cheers for its kind shelter
For the knowledge we have gained there
For the pleasures we have had there
For great lessons we have learned there
Let us yell now with huzzaing.






CASTLE GIFT SHOP

610 -13th Street
Sioux City, IA 51105
712-258-0626

TEE SHIRTS & SWEATSHIRTS
(prices below)
Castle on the Hill logo
Central High School w/school song on back
white, or gray only
Little Maroons w/Indian

ORNAMENT
24 carat gold on brass $13.00

PLAYING CARDS
Single deck-maroon w/school on front $ 5.00
Double pack - 1 deck white w/CHS in maroon
1 deck same as single $10.00

KOZIES
$ 3.00

12-pk NOTE CARDS W/ENVELOPES
$ 5.00

AFGHAN
$40.00
School in center, view of ea. side in ea. Corner

BAGS - sling or tote style
$12.95 in black, teal, natural

COFFEE MUGS $ 5.00
maroon or white w/picture of school

BUMPER OR WINDOW STICKERS $ 1.00
please specify which one

MOUSE PAD
w/night scene of school $10.00

T--shirts in medium, large, X-large
$13.00
in 2-x and 3-x $15.00

SWEATSHIRTS in medium, large, x-large $21.00
in 2-x and 3-x $24.00
both in white, maroon or gray except for items with song on them


Discover, American Express, Visa, Master Charge Accepted






Interested in joining the Castle on the Hill Association?

Select and "Print" the form below, and mail it in to COHA.






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