Osterholz HS History
Opened: January 1979
Closed: 1992
School Mascot: The Blackhawk
School Newspaper: The Blackhawk Beat
School Colors: Black/Gold
On January 23, 1979, the doors opened for students at the newly constructed Osterholz High School in Osterholz, Germany. The school’s origin can be traced back to Bremen Enclave Dependent High School in Bremen, Germany. The school opened in 1946 as one of the six original high schools in Germany. Those schools were opened for high school aged children of military and Department of Defense personnel assigned to the European Theater. In the summer of 1948, Bremen closed and was replaced by Bremerhaven High School in Bremerhaven, Germany. Bremerhaven High School closed in 1979, giving way to the newly opened Osterholz High School, located in the Lucius D. Clay Kazerne Galrsted, some twenty-one miles away. There was an overlap between the closing and opening of the two schools. Of note, in the 1978-79 Osterholz High School yearbook, is a picture of a moving van with the caption “See, We Finally Made It”. The Osterholz High School complex included a five-day dormitory for high school aged students who lived outside of what was considered a reasonable commuting distance. The dormitory housed students in grades 9–12.
1978-79
Principal: Dr. Joseph Brooks
1979-80
Principal: Dr. Joseph Brooks
Assistant Principal: Mr. Terry Emerson
Notable Activities/Events/Accomplishments:
- Sadie Hawkins Day Dance
- Blackhawks Football Team were Benelux Champions
- Women’s Basketball team were First place Benelux Champions
1980-81
Principal: Mr. Joseph Jirik
Deputy Principal: Mr. Terry Emerson
Vice Principal: Mr. Royal Cadell
Notable Activities/Events/Accomplishments:
- Marshmallow Stuffing Contest
- The Student Council sold school supplies in the library and supply room, held bake sales, and sold raffle tickets as fund raisers. The council levied a 5% tax on fundraising activities.
- Blackhawks Football Team were Silver Division Champions
1981-82
Principal: ___ Weldon
Deputy Principal: Terry Emerson
Assistant Principal: Mr. Royal Cadell
Notable Activities/Events/Accomplishments:
- Faculty members, students, and military personnel combined to put on the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller
- Winter Concert by the band and chorus.
- Dinners by the Home Economics students for the faculty and families
- Christmas trees in classrooms
- First school-sponsored ski trip. Some fifty students participated on the weeklong trip to Leysin, Switzerland
1982-83
Principal: ___ Weldon
Deputy Principal: Mr. Terry Emerson
Notable Activities/Event/Accomplishments:
- School graduation was held on June 16, 1983
- Biology Club started at the school.
- Winterfest
- Drama Club presentation of “Little Match Girl”.
- Student sponsored buffet for faculty and parents
- Band and chorus sponsored concert featuring a German accordion orchestra and folk dancing.
- The wrestling team won the AA Championship.
1983-84
Principal: __ Weldon
Deputy Principal: Mr. Terry Emerson
Assistant Principal: Dr. George Marchelos
1984-85
Principal: Dr. John Del Santos
Assistant Principal: Dr. George Marchelos
Notable Activities/Event/Accomplishments
1985-86
Principal: Dr. John Del Santos
Assistant Principal: Dr. Edward Mantel
The theme for the yearbook was “A Year of Change”.
There was a change in the school administration: Principal Del Santos continued as principal but in addition was assigned as principal of the elementary school, including the annex in Findorf. Dr. Mantel was in his first year as assistant principal. A change in the curriculum: A JROTC class was added as well as a Driver’s Education Class, and a new course—Living in Germany—was offered.
Notable Events/Activities:
In October of 1985, OAHS students visited the onsite camera crew for the network show Good Morning America. The 7th and 8th grade classes created a welcome banner, and at the start of the telecast students waved to family and friends back in the U.S.
- The Student Council was very active during the year. The council approved another first for the school: the addition of the Powder Puff football game as part of the Homecoming activities. It also sponsored a Christmas Door Decorating Contest, organized the Black History assembly, and sponsored the second annual school carnival to raise funds for the Red Cross.
- The National Honor Society sponsored the Valentines Day Dance and the sponge throw booth at the carnival. It also raised funds for the Red Cross.
- The Drama Department performed the play Under the Sycamore Tree.
- During the Christmas season, the school conducted a food drive to assist families in need.
- Candygrams were prepared and sold for Valentines Day as a fundraiser.
- School Career Day was held on February 11, 1986. Thirty-three specialists from various fields participated.
- Fifty-one students were in the graduating class.
The sports teams at OAHS were young and inexperienced. During the ‘85-’86 season, the volleyball team had a new coach and very few experienced players; there was only one girl on the tennis team; the girls’ basketball team had two new coaches and only two players from the previous year’s team returned. It was the same with the wrestling team and cross country teams, although the cross country team surprised many with a record of 8 wins and 4 losses. Although the sports teams were not as successful as hoped, the Pep rallies were as spirited as ever thanks to the spirited cheerleaders and new school mascot, who appeared at games dressed as a Blackhawk. The cheerleaders helped in the formation of a new group, the school PEP Club, another change for the ‘85-86’ school year.
1986-87
Principal: Mr. Ron Miller
Assistant Principal: Dr. Edward Mantel
Assistant Principal: Mr. Lloyd Benjamin
This year’s dormitory housed approximately 70 students in grades 9–12. The dormitory had a weight room, cosmetology room, game room, library, computer room, study hall, and laundry facilities. There was a dormitory staff, dormitory counselors, and a Dormitory Council comprised of students to assist in the operation of the dormitory. Meals were served at the Bremerhaven Officers and Civilians Club.
1987-88
Principal: Mr. Peter Price
Assistant Principal: Mr. Edward Mantel
Notable Activities/Events/Accomplishments:
- Student Council Carnival. Proceeds from the carnival were donated to the Red Cross.
- The Drama Department presented spring and fall performances. Two of the year’s performances were the Shakespearean play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Christmas on Angel Street, a play that featured elementary and high school performers.
1988-89
Principal: Mr. Peter Price
Assistant Principal: Ms. Debbie Berry
Osterholz High School celebrated its 10th Anniversary during the 1988-89 school year. The yearbook staff wrote a letter to Mr. Paul Harvey, requesting that he write the introduction to the yearbook. Mr. Harvey’s radio broadcast reached millions of listeners and had a huge following among the American military and civilian population in Europe. The staff received a response that he was unable to comply with their request. They decided to use as the theme of the yearbook the well-known slogan from his broadcast, “And Now the Rest of the Story”.
The following comments are extracted as written from the 1988-89 school yearbook:
10TH ANNIVERSARY
January 23, 1979 Osterholz American High School opened the doors of its new building complex for the first time to students. This year OAHS celebrated its 10th anniversary as a DoDDS high school. The school not only has aesthetic beauty, but provides an atmosphere that is comfortable and relaxing. Many people tend to take the good things that we have for granted, like the school, and do not stop to appreciate and take care of it. Teachers, administrators, directors, all are striving daily to improve the school facilities, to provide better teaching skills, and produce students that can succeed a daily basis with skills needed…and to enjoy experiences while learning.
The last decade has shown many changes within the school. The number of students and teachers has greatly increased. Many more sports and organizations have been added as extra-curricular activities. Each department experiences growth and change each year. Within the walls of OAHS, the minds of the future are being nourished and enriched. These are the citizens of the future.
Congratulations! OAHS for the last 10 years.
The 1988-89 school year was a continuation of growth and refinement for OAHS. Mr. Price remained as school principal. The Student Council continued to sponsor events such as Halloween and Spring Carnival, Black History Month activities, Teacher Appreciation Week, and the Missed America Pageant where the boys competed dressed in bathing suits and evening gowns categories. The Music Program entertained students and performed for community functions throughout the year. The Drama Department performed plays such as The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds and Shapin’ Up Santa.
The school Booster Club provided immense support to OAHS. The club’s composition consisted of a group of devoted parents. They encouraged families to become involved in school activities. During the transition period of the closing of the school at Bremerhaven, their monthly meetings were rotated between Bremerhaven and Osterholz. They sponsored activities that spotlighted the school. This included organizing and sponsoring fall and winter sports banquets.
Krims Krams, the German name for knickknacks, was the school’s radio program. Its purpose was to inform students, teachers, and the school community about school events. Four students were responsible for the radio show which aired once a month on the local AFN station.
One of the newest school organizations was Dreams. Dreams was a literary organization that embraced creative expression. At the end of the year, the poems, stories, artwork, and other creative writings produced throughout the year were published in a literary magazine.
1989-90
Principal: Mr. Peter Price
Assistant Principal: Ms. Debbie Berry
The theme of the 1989-90 Blackhawk yearbook was “A Time to Remember.” The yearbook opened by capturing memorable events in the world in 1989 including the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. It then chronicled memorable events that occurred in the school during the school year through snapshots of “Moments in Time”.
Notable Activities/Events/Accomplishments:
- Selected band members performed at the DoDDS Germany Symposium for the Performing Arts.
- The school chorus performed for the elementary school and presented a community concert.
- National Honor Society members, in cooperation with the Red Cross, wrote letters to elementary school students from Santa. They also created an orientation video for new students.
- Drama Club plays included Blithe Spirit, Dragon Tale, and Alice in Wonderland.
- Future Home Makers Club of America participated in Worlds Food Day. Donations from the food drive were given to the ACS emergency food locker.
- Homecoming Dance theme was “A Touch of Class”.
- Girls’ volleyball team and Boys’ tennis teams were number one in their respective conferences.
1990-91
Principal: Dr. Richard Saddlemire
Assistant Principal: Mr. Michael Thompson
Notable Activities/Event/Accomplishments:
- Drama Club performance Man of the House and The Emperors’ New Clothes and a Christmas musical that included the elementary school students.
- Student Council sponsored activities: Back to school dance, Spirit Week and Homecoming activities, Christmas door decorating contest, Teacher Appreciation Week, Community Carnival, and the Missed America Contes and dance.
1991-92
Principal: Dr. Richard Saddlemire
Assistant Principal: Mr. Michael Thompson
The 1991-92 school year began with the usual student expectations. The senior class was looking forward to enjoying the benefits of their status as seniors and the underclassmen relishing their roles a grade level higher. During the year, the announcement was made that the school would close at the end of the year. The class of ‘92 would be the final graduating class of Osterholz High School.