I’m really grateful to Mandan Public Schools for giving us alumni the day. I read somewhere that they were surprised by the turnout, and I’m delighted to know that so many people were able to participate in the day.

There was plenty of swag available for purchase, and I heard the guys who were pressing t-shirts and stuff mentioning that there were far more people than they’d anticipated. They were making new product right then and there, and I hope they did well.

This is one side of an informational sheet available for visitors. While this side talks about the new school, it was the other side which had the kind of information which scratches the history itch:

Here are the details on the old building. I have friends who work for the school district who think that one or two of these numbers might be off by a year, but the whole list is definitely interesting. Some of these things occurred while I attended MHS, some just after. Many of things were news to me. For instance, they didn’t even have a gymnasium for the first seven years! I hope this image is legible. If not, comment below and I’ll make a PDF.

Then there’s the crown jewel: the sign for alumni to sign. I was one of the first, being an early bird. It got plenty of signatures throughout the day.

If this is your photo, let me know so I can credit you…or take it down at your request.

This is not my photo. I reappropriated it from Facebook, I think from the “Growing Up in Mandan” group, and I don’t know who to credit. Thank you, whoever you are! As you can see, plenty of people showed up for the day, and a good portion of them autographed the sign. This goes to show what a success the day was, and those responsible for the day deserve a mountain of kudos.

One final note: I consider myself a nostalgic and sentimental guy. One other thing I am is a guy who does a lot of self-examination and reflection. As I wandered the halls of good ol’ Mandan High, I perceived that I was there more out of curiosity than nostalgia. I had a wonderful experience at Mandan High, but I’m not going all “Uncle Rico” about it. It was nice to look around, fun to check out things forbidden to me when I was a teenager, and pleasant to walk those halls with people both far older than me and far younger than me in a moment of shared experience. Thanks again to Mandan Public Schools for giving us the day! It was really a great event and a nice gift to the people who attended MHS over the years.