Evening star., 1945-01-13
James I. Bergman,
Four Others Get
Central High Awards

OeTLlIlcdteS OF QlStlnctlOn Tor l94S
were awarded to James r. Berry,
man, cartoonist for The Star, and
four other alumni of Central High
School at the 37th annual reunion
|of the schools alumni association
yesterday in the school auditorium.
Others who received certificates,
established in 1892 and since then
awarded to So persons, were Frank
G. Daniel, principal of Mckinley
High School, class of 1897; DR.. Mar
jorie Crittenden Horner, returned
medical missionary who served In
the Belgian Congo, class of 1929;
Pvt. Charles Negri, wounded patient
at Walter Reed Hospital, class of
1945, and Maj, Gen. Donald A.
Stroh, class of 1911.
Assistant Principal Richard K.
Brown, who acted in the absence of
Principal Lawrence G. Hoover. who
was i'll, introduced Charles E. Smoot,
president of the alumni group. Mr..
'Smoot made the presentations.
Guards of Honor.
Guests entered the auditorium
with guard of honor during gen.
eral assembly of the students. The
school cadet corps participated in
the ceremonies. Preceding the
awards, Mrs jeanette Bittner Kres-
sin sang, accompanied by Miss Reba
Will.
Hailing Mr.. Berryman's work for
The. Star as containing "a lot of
philosophy and amusement and
laughter Mr. Smoot recalled his
service to the Federal Bureau of In
vestigation at the time of the Lind
bergh kidnapping. A composite pic
ture drawn by Mr.. Bergman from
descriptions by persons who knew
Bruno Richard Hauptmann was
credited by FBI Director ]. Edgar
Hoover as an important factor in
Hauptmann's apprehension. Mr..
Bergman responded briefly and said
he believed those who chose him
for the honor were swayed by
charitable generosity"
Mr.. Smoot recalled that DR.. Daniel,
a graduate of Dickinson College,
class of 1901, was a colonel in the
Cadet Corps while at Central and
became principal of Mckinley in
1911. Replying, DR.. Daniel said he
had received the best part of my
education at Central" adding, Il
learned to love knowledge for
knowledge's sake"
Service in Congo.
DR.. Horner. graduate of George
Washington University in 1888, and
of George Washington Medical
School in 1887. served with her hus-
band as missionary to a territory
in the Congo in which $4,000 natives
depended on them solely for modern
medical assistance, Mr.. Smoot said.
DR.. Horner described Congo prob
lens and said The privileges of
going TO high school is a privilege
possessed by only comparatively
few people all over the world"
Gen. Stroh was graduated from
Michigan Agricultural College. class
OF 1915. and was commissioned a
second lieutenant. first in the Ma
rines and a few weeks later in the
Army Subsequently he was grad
uated from the Infantry School, the
Command and General Staff School
and the War College. In the present
war, he served in the Southern and
Northern Tunisia campaigns and in
Sicily and Normandy. One of the
produest moments of his life. Gen.
Stroh said, occurred when, as a.
student, Central Highs Company Al
won the cadet corps competitive drill
IS years ago.
Pvt. Negri entered the Army
March 81, 1943, from high school,
and went overseas in September,
l943. He landed on the Anzio
beachhead and was wounded while
in command of squad on combat
patrol. Mr.. Smoot referred to him
as symbol of many other boys
from Central" serving in uniform,
and presented the award as ''indi-
cative of good citizenship" Re-
spending. Pvt. Negri said: This is
the proudest moment of my life"