Zweibrücken HS History
Opened: 1970
Closed: 1993
The French began to build the airbase in Zweibruecken in 1951. The Royal Canadian Airforce assumed control of the building project when they arrived. The Royal Canadian Airforce operated the base until 1969 when they pulled its forces from Zweibruecken. The United States Airforce Europe (USAFE) took control of the property the same year. Zweibruecken HS was opened on the airbase in 1970. The main building contained nine classrooms and other rooms for specialty classes. Other classes and school assemblies were held in the base theater. The school was located next to the airfield and the roar of noise from jets as they took off and landed was deafening during the school day.
Mr. Arnold Goldstein was the opening school year principal, and Mr. Donald Boepel the assistant. The class of 1971, the first graduating class, voted on the school colors and mascot. The school colors were blue and white and the mascot, the trojan horse. Throughout the years the school had an active student council and newspaper staff. The 1991-92 student government group organized a Spirit Week, March Madness activity and started a teacher and outstanding student program.
The school offered numerous clubs, activities, and school sports. Students were exposed to numerous educational activities through school sponsored study trips.
- Annual Shakespearean trip to England where they spent a week in London and Stafford.
- Annual trip to the Model United Nations: The Hague
- Trip to East Berlin when it was under communist control. Students traveled to Berlin on a yellow school bus. The travel required them to pass through the established communist control points.
- Senior Class trip to England
- Annual Senior Educational Experience trip to Frankfurt
- TRIAD Program sponsored trip to Russia
- TRIED Program sponsored archeological study trip to Italy to learn about three archeological sites
Graduation ceremonies on occasion were held in the famed Festhalle in downtown Zweibruecken.
Zweibruecken Airbase closed in 1992; however, the school remained open until 1993. Students were bused that final year to a school surrounded by barbwire to keep them from going onto the empty base. The final senior class graduation ceremony was held on June 4, 1993, in the Pirmasens Kaserne base chapel.
In addition to Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Boepel other school administrators were principals, Dr. Richard Penkava, and Dr. Sandy Matthys, and assistant principals Dr. John Middleton, Mr. Tom Wilson, Ms. Gladys Archie, Ms. Patricia Cosby, Ms. Marjorie, Lewellen, and Mr. Dave Armstrong.