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THE FOURTH
CLASS TO GRADUATE
FROM PANTHER VALLEY |
Commencement exercises were be held Saturday, June 1, 1968 for 194 students of the Panther Valley
School District in the high school stadium, Lansford. The diplomas,
representing 12 years of successful elementary and high school education
were presented by president of the school board Robert Stianche.
The 100 boys and 94 girls in the class chose as
their motto, "In Ourselves Our Future Lies" and class colors
are gold and white, class flower, daisy and the school yearbook bears
the name "Black Diamond."
Class officers are Bernard Galgoci, president;
Walter Scheese, vice president; Mary Bales, secretary and Melanie Mongi,
treasurer.
"Every graduate here must learn how to
accept defeat, because when you go out into the world, you are not
always going to win. Learn to put first things first." This was the
advice of Rev. James S. Flora, pastor of the Church of the Brethren,
Palmyra, as he addressed the 194 graduates of Panther Valley High School
at commencement on Saturday evening. He also asked them to believe in
their God-given talents and have faith in themselves.
Honor awards for scholastic achievements were
presented to James Reese, plaque and cash award from the Panther Valley
Jaycees, to the outstanding junior citizen; $50 Savings Bond from Local
587, United Workers C.I.O., Bundy Tubing Co., known as the Thomas F.
Dougherty Memorial Award to the senior showing leadership, ambition,
brotherhood, organization and resourcefulness as selected by the
faculty, certificate as the outstanding teenager in recognition of
outstanding ability, accomplishments and service, also selected by vote
of the faculty and the National High School Award for meritorious
attainments in both intellectual and social values.
Marilyn Williams and Michael Vadyak, $10 cash
award to each as outstanding students of Latin, known as the
Monsignor A. J. Angelini Latin Award; Georgette Zaden, $25 award
sponsored by Joseph Vadyak for the outstanding student in art; Mary
Bales and Samuel Lesko, medals and pins for qualities of honor, courage,
scholarship, leadership, service and Americanism, known as the Coaldale
American Legion Auxiliary award.
Carol Holp, plaque for outstanding scholastic
achievement in commercial art from Vocational Industrial Club of
America; Barry Miller, plaque, outstanding scholastic achievement in
electrical construction from VICA and Nicholas Sparich, plaque,
outstanding scholastic achievement in data processing from VICA. Robert
Bockorick, plaque, outstanding scholastic achievement in carpentry from
VICA. Beth DeGatis, National Society of Daughters of the American
Revolution, award certificate for demonstrating qualities of
dependability, leadership, service and patriotism. Carol Ann Bryant, a
cup award as the salutatorian of the class and $50 Savings Bond from the
Panther Valley School District. Jay Dougherty, Bosch and Lomb Award in
recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of science.
Johanna Katchen, Reader's Digest certificate as
the valedictorian, a cup and $50 Savings Bond as valedictorian by the
Panther Valley School District, The B'nal B'rith Blue Mountain Lodge
Award, $25 bond, desire for learning and desire for scholastic
achievement, and the John F. Cerchiaro Memorial Scholarship Award, $100
to the student with the highest average for three years of high school
who intends to continue her education by attending college.
Thomas Kokura, certificate as outstanding
teen-ager in recognition of outstanding ability, accomplishments and service
as selected by vote of the faculty. Thomas Merman, a certificate in
recognition of his musical ability and books valued at $25 given in his
name to the school library by the Panther Valley Chapter of Unico.
George Pisanick, $10 award sponsored by Mrs. Catherine Dolan to the
outstanding pupil in Spanish. Monica Rajnic, $20 award by the Data
Computing Service to the highest ranking pupil in general
accounting and bookkeeping for two years.
Certificates of Achievement from the Carbon
County Area Vocational Technical School were presented to Melanie Mongi,
James Kassak and Timothy Midas for outstanding work in distributive
education. Nicholas Sparich, Patricia Reis, Rosann Morana, Frederick
Michalac, Michael Marek, William Mansberry and Monica DeLauretis for
data processing.
The awards were presented by John D. Williams,
high school principal and Francis J. Dolan, district
superintendent.
Johanna Katchen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
Katchen of Nesquehoning, gave the valedictory and chose the topic,
"Just Beyond the Horizon." Carol Bryant, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. John Bryant of Summit Hill, class salutatorian, spoke on the
theme, "The Choice is Yours."
Diplomas were presented the graduated by Robert
Stianche, president of the school board. Rev. Elmer H. Ludiam, pastor of
the Lansford Methodist Church offered the invocation and Rev. Paul
Barnyock, rector of St. Mary's Greek Catholic Church, Nesquehoning, gave
the benediction.
The long line of graduates walked from the
school to the stadium behind the senior school band and received a
standing ovation upon their entry into the stadium where commencement
was held. |
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Row 1: Jean (Welsh) Zellner, Monica (Rajnic) Lewellis,
Susan (Gazdick) Lynch, Sharon (Brode) Benack, Melanie (Mongi) Eames,
Mary Ann Davis, Beth (DeGatis) Reese,, Arlene (Gorka) Orsulak, Christine
(Chodur) Marek, Patricia (Pogwist) Reiter, LaRue (Gangaware) Pogwist and
Michael Guy. Row 2: Barbara (Garrett) Madea,, Marcia (Smith) Evans,
Michelle (Horvath) Kershner, Faithanne (Jones) Brown, Roseann Perbetsky,
Peter Castagnola, Samuel Riccardi, Margaret (Cattivera) Turrano, Debbie
(Gorka) Shoemaker, Libby (Kadlecik) Mussoline, Elizabeth (Miller) Earley,
Frank Guardini and Denny Creitz. Row 3: Jay Dougherty, Mary (Bales)
McKee, Julianne (Susko) Dampman, Susan (Feane) Miller, Carol (Holp) Burd,
Patricia (Rehatchek) Orsulak, James Biduck, Joseph Genits, Mark Sniscak
and Milan Skodacek. Row 4: Robert Speshok, Daniel Davidyock, Michaell
Steinhilber, Christine (Yurchak) Reiger, Donna (Smith) Seiwell, Charles
Whitehead, Robert Pavlik, Barry Miller, Thomas Ferrence and James
Evans.
Row 5: Charles Reehl, Joseph Kucan, Michael Marek and Richard Indrisek.
Row 6: Samuel Lesko, Ronald Berezniak, Paul Yaniga, David Marks, James
Reese, Thomas Mermon, Stanley Michalik, John Gawlik, Anthony Rutch,
Joseph Pogwist and Gary Ciganek. |
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pictures to enlarge---------- |
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pictures to enlarge---------- |
First Row: Susan Gazdick Lynch, Susan Feane, Pat
Rehatchek Orsulak, Christine Chodur Marek, Barbara Garrett Madea, Marie
Kubica O'Donnell, Patricia Pavlovich Bobeck, Christine Yurichek Rieger,
Marcia Smith Evans, Elizabeth Durak Aungst. Second Row: Mary Theresa
Fettos Bittle, Gail Fiorentino Chickilly, Jean Hosak Vanderhoff,
Michelle Horvath Kershner, Margaret Cattivera Turrano, Elizabeth
Kadlecik Mussoline, Roseanne Perbetsky, Elizabeth Miller Perham, Arlene
Gorko Orsulak, Marlene Kidda Rankin, Susan Kuba Behrman, Margaret Bynon
Kassak. Third Row: Linda Chickilly, Andrew Yurchak, Michael Marek,
Thomas Mermon, Charles Reehl, Anthony Rutch, Steve Williams, Nancy
Kubica Williams, Mary Ann Fedora McIntyre, Donna Smith Seiwell. Fourth
Row: Denny Creitz, Robert Simek, Dennis O'Donnell, Joseph Hollywood,
Paul Yaniga, Louis Lisella, Richard Indrisek, David Marks, James
Strauss, Joseph Genits,Joseph Salla. |
A
group photo wasn't taken at this reunion.
Our classmate Tina took these pictures. |
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