Almost 340 alumni attended Centre’s all-school reunion July 1 at Herington Community Building.

Superintendent Larry Geist gave a history of the school and provided the invocation.

Centre was one of the first consolidated rural high schools in Kansas. In 1958, it incorporated Lincolnville, Lost Springs, Pilsen, Ramona, Burdick, and a year or two later, Tampa.

The district covers 256 square miles and includes portions of four counties — Marion, Morris, Chase, and Dickinson.

Brent Methvin read the names of all the schools that existed within the district’s territory, and alumni indicated whether they had attended them. He compared high school to landmarks in the countryside that guide future paths.

The classes of 1968 and 1973 each had the most in attendance, 19. Margaret Bina Klenda of Lincolnville and Larry Hartke of Emporia were recognized as members of the first graduating class, 1959.

One alumnus came from Washington. Anthony Rziha was the youngest alumnus, a graduate of the class of 2023.