Above / Prince Castle is among the memorable places classmates recall from their childhoods in Naperville. Since 2003, Fredenhagen Park has been located where the popular ice cream store with square scoops welcomed the community from 1931 to 1955 until the ice cream business changed its name to Cock Robin. Today Fredenhagen Park is graced with the Century Walk sculpture titled “Two in a Million,” depicting Grace and Walter Fredenhagen for their community connections and longstanding enterprise that created “one in a million” memories for nearly 70 years in the heart of Naperville. A story in the window display at the Fredenhagen Park Pavilion tells the history.
UPDATE, Aug. 24, 2019 / Mary Oran sent a picture of a photo that’s hanging in her nook that depicts memories of her 50th NCHC Class Reunion in September 2009.
Original Post, July 2, 2019 / The Prince Castle… Centennial Beach… Old Main… Pioneer Park… the Water Tower… the old Depot… The Kroehler Factory whistle… These pieces of nostalgia will be in the minds of the graduates of the Class of 1959 when they arrive for their 60th reunion set for Sept. 17-18, 2019, reunion organizers said recently.
The Naperville Community High School (aka the Naperville Redskins) group will gather at the Chicago Marriott- Naperville to reminisce about “old” Naperville, their family homes, and school antics.
Graduation on June 7, 1959, was hot, humid and stormy, but that didn’t bother the 150 seniors who marched to the band’s rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance,” noted Mary Ruth Oran who will arrive from California to attend the reunion.
(Classmates do recall, however, that some graduates were still suffering a bit from the ditch day trip to the Indiana Dunes, added Oran who is serving on the 1959 Reunion Committee.)
Now, seniors of a different sort, the NCHS Class of 1959 with 150 graduates will return from throughout the country, representing the fact that at least 80 classmates live outside of Illinois. A high percentage of the 59ers attended Naperville schools from the first day of kindergarten through senior year.
“Some will find their family homes in the historic district while others will discover the open spaces and farmlands they knew are now heavily developed,” Oran continued.
Others who lived in Green Acres will discover lots of changes, noted classmate Randy Radock.
Collectively, these reunion-goers are a treasure trove of Naperville lore. Their motto, “Above the rest we’ll always shine because we’re the Class of Fifty-nine,” will no doubt be heard in the halls of the Marriott and throughout the streets of downtown Naperville, organizers said.
Registration to attend the reunion is still in progress. The deadline is early August.
Submitted by Mary Ruth Oran for the NCHS Class of 1959. (PN File Photos)
Editor’s Note / PN was grateful to hear from Mary Ruth Oran (now a resident of California) and her fellow 1959 classmate, Randy Radock (a resident of Washington); and to learn they both receive the “Daily Square Scoop” online.
Oran emailed, “I thoroughly enjoy reading about my hometown. I still brag to people about what a great town it was to grow up in. I lived right across the street from the Catholic Cemetery, and my ancestors were among the founders of the town. One of the main reasons I no longer live there is I absolutely hate winter! Walking to Ellsworth School in my leggings is still vivid in my memories!”
