Student of Distinction

Katherine Fleischhacker (1922-2018) moved to St. Paul, Minnesota with her family when she was a tenth grader. During her first year at Central High School, she earned a Sophomore Honor Medal.

Year after year, she remembered choosing the toughest teachers. She excelled in her classes.

By the time that she was a senior at Central High School, her class shrunk from 1210 to 886 students.¹“Class History Days Gone, But not Forgotten.” Central High Times (newspaper), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2, 1939, page 1. In the June 2, 1939 issue of the Central High Times newspaper, several articles touted the accomplishments of the graduating class and listed Katherine as one of the outstanding scholars.

Katherine Fleischhacker, Senior Yearbook Photo, 1939²Unknown photographer. Katherine Fleischhacker. Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939.

Next to Katherine’s Cehisean Yearbook photo is a list of her high school activities and achievements:

• Assemblies
• Class Com.
• Girls’ League (a big sister service club)³Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1938, page 108.
• Girl Reserve (affiliated with the YWCA: girls sports, service projects and sellers of fresh doughnuts!)⁴Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939, page 75.
• Historical Society (one of the oldest groups at Central; open to straight-A students who then maintain files of Central students’ achievements)⁵Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939, page 58.
• Honor Roll with Distinction (grade average of 92 or better)
• National Honor Society (election based on scholarship, service, leadership and character)⁶Central High School. Program. Graduating Exercises Class of 1939. Original booklet owned by St. Paul Public Library in their Saint Paul Collection, June 2023.
• Sophomore Honor Medal (straight A’s as a tenth grader)

Graduate with Distinction

At the conclusion of her high school career, Katherine Flesichhacker was honored with twelve other seniors who had attained top academic honors. Central High School did not name a valedictorian or a salutatorian, but chose students with an average over 92 to graduate with distinction.⁷“They Graduate with Distinction.” Central High Times (newspaper), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2, 1939, page 5. The honored students and their three-year, high school averages:

• 95.16  Norman Albrecht
• 95.02  Margaret Kueffner
• 94.45  Katherine Fleischacker [sic]
• 93.50  Elsabe Luedke
• 93.41  Jeannette Amos
• 93.00  Bert Reizman
• 92.83  Irving Tillotson
• 92.81  Irving Gordon
• 92.73  Keith Peterson
• 92.58  Doris Bornkamp
• 92.55  Beverly Kaufman
• 92.20  Paul Hanson
• 92.07  Edith Pogoriler

On Friday, June 16, 1939, these 13 scholars marched at the head of the senior class to receive their diplomas at the Saint Paul City (Municipal) Auditorium.⁸Central High School. Program. Graduating Exercises Class of 1939. Original booklet owned by St. Paul Public Library in their Saint Paul Collection, June 2023.

Saint Paul Central High School Honor Pin⁹Katherine Fleischhacker’s CHS Honor Pupil pin owned by Patrick Blees, May 2023.

Scholarship Award¹⁰Unidentified Scholarship Award medal found in the same box with Sophomore Honor Medal and CHS Honor Pupil pin. Owned by Patrick Blees in May 2023.

SOURCES

• 1
  “Class History Days Gone, But not Forgotten.” Central High Times (newspaper), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2, 1939, page 1.
• 2
  Unknown photographer. Katherine Fleischhacker. Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939.
• 3
  Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1938, page 108.
• 4
  Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939, page 75.
• 5
  Cehisean. Central (St. Paul MN) High School Yearbook, 1939, page 58.
• 6
  Central High School. Program. Graduating Exercises Class of 1939. Original booklet owned by St. Paul Public Library in their Saint Paul Collection, June 2023.
• 7
  “They Graduate with Distinction.” Central High Times (newspaper), St. Paul, Minnesota, June 2, 1939, page 5.
• 8
  Central High School. Program. Graduating Exercises Class of 1939. Original booklet owned by St. Paul Public Library in their Saint Paul Collection, June 2023.
• 9
  Katherine Fleischhacker’s CHS Honor Pupil pin owned by Patrick Blees, May 2023.
• 10
  Unidentified Scholarship Award medal found in the same box with Sophomore Honor Medal and CHS Honor Pupil pin. Owned by Patrick Blees in May 2023.