Working?     Not a great deal but manage to keep our lawn looking half-way decent.  Actually, I don't go out looking for something to do;  I think that's called laziness, isn't it ?

Retired?     Yes, for twenty-two years and enjoying every minute of it.  I wouldn't mind being a principal for about two weeks just to see if I could help some of these "modern" kids ! ! !

Career:     Principal for 27 years and superintendent for 12 years.  The former I really enjoyed; the latter was simply greed !

Interests:     A great deal of reading plus church work.  We do a small bit of travelling, and I watch a lot of sports events on TV.

Clear Lake memories:     Where do I commence?  Although it's been 37 years since leaving Clear Lake, I have kicked myself for not accepting the supt's job when it was proposed - after Mr. Berge left.  Every memory of C.L. is a positive one.  Of all the young people that I was pleased to know, none, and I truly mean none, could compare with the kids from C.L. !

COMMENTS IN A TYPED NOTE FROM MR. SMITH WITH HIS PROFILE..........   Although I don't own a computer, I would really like to hear from any of the former students who would care to liven the days of an old, old former principal.  Well, not that old maybe !!  I sincerely wish you luck in deciphering this badly typed note, and thank you again for remembering me . 

Memories from Former Students

This is Chuck Conroy (a.k.a. Axelsen), I want you to know that I credit you with the good things that have been part of my life. I tell anyone who asks, that if it wasn't for Mr. George Smith I never would have finished high school or amounted to much of anything. You might not remember me too well but I was the "Fonz" before there was a Fonz on Hapy Days. After school I became a Viet Nam veteran in the U.S.N. and achieved the highest rank I could in four years. I came back home, married and raised three boys. (there's a test you can't cram for) I have eight grandchildren now, through some second marriage deals that the kids came into the family too. They are all kids and need all the love that can be given. I'm a fabrication manager in a plant in Garner now and have about 55 good people working for me. We still run into classmates, I ran into Larry Mix today and Duane Hepperly last weekend and Mavis and Bob are always around somewhere. I hope this find you well and happy.
Thanks again for the life I have. Sincerely, Chuck Conroy
November 8, 2006 
..............................
Mr. Smith,  you are one of the people in my school career whom I will never forget.  I still don't know how you managed to keep some of us in line and still kept your smile and warmth.  I know you had to be frustrated with us over and over.  Thank you for being who you are.  I would sincerely love to see you again and visit - as adults.  You may not remember me, but Ken Friest and I came into school late on one or two occasions.

I now have a degree in music and teach piano and early childhood music and movement classes.  Bob and I have been married 41 years and have six children and a dozen grandchildren, with more on the way.  I love my involvement in church music.

Greetings!!

Rita Gardner Burghart
Pella, Iowa
..............................

Mr. George R. Smith
Principal 
Principal G.R. Smith's Message as stated above.

'The Lion's Tale provides a connecting link between the present and the memories of the past year at CLHS. On the pages of this annual are recorded the students and their activities.
As you read and remember, and as you look at the pictures in this edition, may you recapture some of the special moments and recall in memory your days at CLHS in 1962-1963.'
Name:          G. R. Smith
Address:     P. O. Box 1443, Wickenburg, AZ  85358
Phone:         928-684-9654

E-mail:         Centerpoint25@msn.com
Family email address:          See above

Family:   2 girls and a wife.  No. 1 girl is Pamela,
No. 2 girl is Cindy and wife is Arlene
Page Created
3 April, 2008
If you would like to add your memories of Mr. Smith,
please click here

Dear Mr. Smith,

I get a lot of emails from people, but let me tell you that yours meant more to me than any that I have received in many, many years.

When I see the name Charles and not Charlie I know it has to be from someone out of my past.  Only my mother, my wife when she is mad at me and someone out of my past is that name used.  I can't think of anyone that I would rather call me Charles than you.

I know you have either been emailed or visited with several class mates.  Your name has come up several times in the past few days. 

I got a call from Jim Wessels and he told me that you had called him.  I have been visiting with Paula McCray and Mavis Oredson the past few days and "up comes your name".  Paula even told me that you had said that you remembered the good classes.  If ours was good WOW, you had your hands full.  We all knew you did at the time believe it or not.

I wasn't in your office as many times as probably others, but I did make the trip a time or two.

Paula also mentioned that you feel like not staying in Clear Lake was a mistake.  Well I will tell you that whoever got you after us was darn lucky.

I was up to the high school shortly after the remodel job and visited with the principal of the high school then and he told me that you had been back to visit not too long before that.

Mavis and I have been working hard on this reunion.  We came across a picture of our 20Th class reunion and from my count there were 49 at that reunion.  My goal was to have 50 class mates attend this one.  If I don't get 50 I will get real close. 

If you watch our "rumbles" you will see that 13 of us just together with Juanita Tesene at PM park and Melvin Ashland will be in town the middle of July, so do I get to count them as attend es?

We have lost 8 out of our class in passing and we just found out this week that Ethyl Varisico was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a couple of weeks ago.   Not good to say the least.

When your name comes come Mr. Smith we always have good things to say about you.  Probably the thing that I remember the most about Mr Smith is the morning announcements and how good you looked in a suit.  I look at your picture in our annual and think good times. 
Even being a farm boy I guess I did do some things good in Clear Lake too.  At the last reunion I was voted least changed, but this time the committee decided not to do the most changed stuff.  I know one of the reasons was that they didn't want me to get the award 2 reunions running.

I am told by several, "well Charlie, you were always the class clown", is that good or bad?

I have been meaning to write this email for quite some time, but see it just takes a line or two from someone "that takes the time" to send an email and a way I go.  That must be the teacher in you coming out.

I even told my wife I need to email Mr. Smith and I think I will start it out by saying Dear George, but for some reason on my end George doesn't seem to work for me.  I think I am just going to stay with Mr. Smith because that fits better, at least from my perspective.

Please accept my poor grammar and punctuation in this email.  I do have spell check, so that part should be right.

You will now be part of my conversations with class mates this coming week as I can say "you'll never guess who emailed me".

Thanks again for being a great principal and just and all around "nice guy".  I and many others will always think of "our Mr. Smith, as one of those people.

Charles Zirbel

CLHS Class of 63

--- On Sat, 6/28/08, Dick and Arlene Smith <centerpoint25@msn.com> wrote:

From: Dick and Arlene Smith <centerpoint25@msn.com>
Subject: greetings
To: t_zirbel@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2008, 12:53 PM

You are a good organizer,charles. I don't know how you can be in so many places at one time; one day you seem to be in one place and another time somewhere else. Where do you find the energy? Have a great time with the reunion! G.R.Smith



Last Updated
2 May, 2009
"To all class mates, I want to share some high lites of A VISIT that Paula McCray, Diane Bonin and I had yesterday in Wickenberg, AZ.  (1 May, 2009)
The three of us made a trip to see our old high school principal G.R. Dick Smith.  His wife and Arlene retired to Wickenberg 20 years ago.  Dick as he now says we can call him is doing very well for being in his 80's.  Yes he has had some health issues, but his mind is sharp as a tack and when you bring up a name from any of the classes that he was principal over from 58 to 69 Clear Lake he remembers them.  He also touched the lives of other students in other schools too, but he says the 11 years that he was principal in Clear Lake were the best of his career. 
Paula, Diane and I spent about 3 hours with Mr. Smith yesterday and I know it was a BIG deal for the 3 of us and I think it was for Mr. Smith too.  He even bought our lunch.  46 years ago that sure was the furthest from any of our thoughts that someday our principal would do that for us.  We had the best time discussing a lot of people and a lot of things that happened to him and several students while he was our principal.
I for one will tell you that he was a man that I looked up to back then and that is not any different today.  If the world had more Dick Smiths in it, the world would be a better place to live.
Thank you Mr. Smith for all that you did for me and others in Clear Lake, IA.  You're the GREATEST and so is your wife Arlene.  We can't thank you enough for all you did for us and others.
God bless you.
Charlie Zirbel, Class of 63"
Back to 'Clear Lake Remembered'
Back to CLHS 1963
Mr. Smith was the Principal
at CLHS
from
1958-1969
I loved Mr. Smith.   What a GREAT Principal he was.  I will never forget the morning that he called down to Mr. Gillespie's room (Spanish I).   He said something (can't remember) and Mr. Gillespie replied in Spanish.    Mr. Smith came back with (spelled like he pronounced it)  Sigh Senior.    :-)   We all cracked up.   I don't know if he remembers that but I sure do.  Barb (Potts) Matson Class of 1960