St. John’s reunion brings 130 graduates

More than 130 graduates of St. John’s Academy gathered for a reunion at Colfax’s former Catholic school last weekend.

“It sure brings back a lot of memories from those tough old nuns,” said Martin Marler, a former student who still lives in Colfax.

“Oh, they weren’t as bad as we’d all like to make them out to be,” said Evelyn Hinnenkamp, a 92-year-old former St. John’s student.

Graduates gathered in the old school, now the St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, for two days of festivities and identifying pictures. The school operated under St. Patrick’s parish from 1915 to 1966, graduating 182 students.

One of those graduates was Jake Morton, who was later ordained as a priest and officiated over a special reunion mass Saturday night, flanked by former students Marler and Edward Hinnenkamp. Grads gathered together in the old school, rehashing their memories amidst pictures of the school’s various classes that were hung on the walls.

“It’s really been a great time,” said Susan Huber McGregor of San Francisco, one of the reunion’s organizers. “Almost too good at times.”