MARCHING TO THE 60TH - OCTOBER, 2013
This is the 6th and final installment of the origins and early Turtle History as recorded in the Turtle History Book by
Founder Bill (Bushes,Treetops) Trees.
After returning from a long dry summer, the Turtles gathered together fora “little fellowship” at Lake Carthage. In order to
ensure the success of the 1954 Kampus Kapers production it was decided to enter as many Tau Chimembers as
possible. At homecoming the Tau Chi’s decided to enter a floatin the parade. First prize went to the Turtles for their entry
“LET’S SHINE TONIGHT”, written on a huge star with Tau Sigma Chi on the bottom ofthe float.
Shortly after Homecoming the idea of the Tau Chi’s annually presenting a dance became a reality. The first dance, “THE
TURTLE CRAWL” was held on October 29, 1954 in the gym.
The Turtles football team again were the undefeated (two years) football champions. At the completion of the season an all
star game was held with the Turtles falling to the all stars 12-6 at our annual clash. (Annual clash is used because it seems
the Turtles are the winners of the league each year.
Warren (Diskie) Diskerud scheduled a intra school intramural football contest with the champions of the football league
from the University of Iowa. The Tau Chi’s were victorious, 19-0, and were heard to be screaming
“Bring on the Green Bay Packers” (not too loudly though).
Another outstanding play was presented by the student body of Carthage -- “TIME OF YOUR LIFE”. In the cast were
“Chief” Roessler, “Beard” Kassel, “Frog” Gohr and “Psycho” Wild.
During the progress of the year Dave Dumke, Les Schultz and Tom Bowersox were added to the membership.
The second “Anna Trip” occurred once again at the break for the spring vacation. Instead of staying at Johnson’s cabin
the group was entertained in a house by a friend of the Trees family, New members attending were
Tom Bowersox and Ellsworth “Waukie” Freyer.
The start of the 1955-1956 school year found the Turtles celebrating their 2nd anniversary on October 7th and they were
undefeated in the intramural football program again. This made the third year in a row the Turtles have show their
supremacy on the gridiron. ANOTHER TURTLE FIRST…We were unscored upon in three years except when Don (The
Bumpkin) Sheridan scored against us in the last minutes of the last game. We forgave him and made
him a Turtle later on.
There was another All Star game which ended in a 0-0 tie.
In the spring of 1956 the founders were graduating but there were 31 Turtle members now. All the founders would agree
that after three years of Turtledom, “A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL -- OH BOY!!! And now it is time to celebrate 60 years
of Turtledom as we continue on!
Don (Ace) Henderson, 1st Turtle President