Ulm HS History
Opened: 1981
Closed: 1991
Mascot: Marauders
School Colors: Red/White
Ulm high School was in Ulm, Germany, the birthplace of Albert Einstein. Ulm, situated on the Donau River, is a university town and is said to be one of the most picturesque cities in Germany. The school opened in 1981. The children residing in the Vorfeld housing area and those bused from Memmingen and Gunzberg comprised the student population. Mr. Gordon Gartner was assigned as principal. Ten students comprised Ulm’s first graduating class.
Ulm students readily participated in the established school organizations and clubs. Because of the schools’ small size, students in many cases were members of more than one club. Available clubs and organizations were National Honor Society, Computer Club, Cooperative Work Experience, Student Council, Model United Nations, Nova Dance Team, Ulm Band, TAG, Newspaper Club, and Yearbook.
The Student Council was continually active. At the beginning of the1983-84 school year, the council welcomed students with a back-to-school dance. They also sponsored the Sadie Hawkins Dance and decorated halls for the Christmas season. The following year the council participated in the Army Community Service food drive and raised funds to acquire the school’s Christmas tree and the purchase of campus benches.
In addition to the school clubs and organizations, Ulm students participated in activities such as the annual ski week in the mountains of Berchtesgaden, Germany, and the Outdoor Education Program at the Hinterbrand Lodge, also in the mountains of Berchtesgaden.
Sports teams were football, basketball, girls’ volleyball, cross country, track, wrestling, tennis, and boys’ and girls’ soccer.
The students at Ulm were excited about their interaction with the elementary school. This was the benefit of the smallness of the school and military community. Two pages of the 1983-84 yearbook highlighted the elementary school children in their classrooms and on the playground.
The theme of the 1984-85 school yearbook was “Us”. The feeling of the yearbook staff and perhaps the school was that the Ulm High School’s small size contributed to its greatness as a school. It enabled and sometimes forced the staff, students, and support personnel to become more involved in school activities. In the 1984-85 yearbook, the graduating class reflected on the activities that made the school year so memorable: the “Fantastic Voyage”, Homecoming ’83; “The Best of Times”, Prom ’84; and graduation.
Homecoming 1984 was remembered as an enormous success because of the overwhelming involvement of the students. The hall decoration award went to the junior class, the Powder Puff Game was won by the sophomores and juniors, and the senior class won the Spirit Award.
On October 30, 1985, a three-million-dollar construction project began that would add several classrooms, including an elementary music room and library and a video arts studio and photo lab. Included in the project were plans to renovate the existing building.
Due to the turnover of staff members, many new faces were visible in the 1987-88 school year. Gordon Gartner remained as principal, and Norman Jaffe served as assistant principal. The Drama Club, in its first year at the school, organized a school-wide talent show. Other activities included the school wide Share Christmas Drive that collected food items to be distributed to families in need, and the Sadie Hawkins and Halloween dances. Creative Connections and the Honor Art Society and Outdoor club were added to the school’s list of clubs. The Model United Nations delegation represented the island of Grenada at the 20th annual session at the Hague International Model United Nations. Ulm and the other delegates received a special treat by the visit of Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands.
Like students at other schools, Ulm students had their favorite “hang out” places at the end of the school day and in the evening hours. Student “night life” could be a stop at McDonald’s, Burger King, or Baskin Robbins. On Friday or Saturday evenings, the older students would frequent one of the local spots such as “LaCave.” Occasionally, a Friday or Saturday evening ended back at school attending a school dance.
The final Ulm High School yearbook, published in the 1990-91 school year, had as its theme “Rising to the Top”. The stated purpose of the theme was to encourage students to strive to their fullest to achieve in all their endeavors. To rise to the top in everyday life, to rise against racial barriers and normal expectations. To never give up. Activities continued to take place during the school’s last year. The Drama Club sponsored the school talent show, the parents’ night out was held at Wiley Gym and the girls’ basketball team was conference and tournament champions.
Ulm’s final graduation ceremony was held on June 8, 1991, in the downtown Korn Haus auditorium. Thirty-two students were in the graduating class. As it was in the beginning, it was in the end. Gordon Gartner opened the doors as principal and closed the doors as principal.