Less than a decade ago Glenwood School held its commencement exercise either on Flag Day or the Sunday nearest that date. Presently this event occurs on the Saturday just after end of the school year often near the end of May. On this day the students and staff show the parents, friends, Alumni and donors much of the students' achievements. All who attend are shown skill sets and leadership abilities of the students at Glenwood. Awards for being outstanding cadets or leaders are given to students that have worked hard and stood out amongst their peers. Glenwood also takes the time to thank its supporters and parents for another great school year.

Flag Day also holds a great opportunity for GSAA to hold its most highly attended meeting of the year. Glenwood allows us to hold a fund raising cookout for the guest and members of both the school and alumni. While we are firing up traditional grilled food and providing beverages we take the time to talk to parents and students about our group. After Glenwood has celebrated the year and we have fed the masses, we organize on campus for our meeting and discuss future plans with our members.

Flag Day is usually around the end of May through the beginning of June. The date will be posted on our site as well as Glenwood School's site. 

 

In 1948 Director Frederick G. Behrends presented the need for a summer camp to Delmar Koehler, the furniture Manufacturer. Mr. and Mrs. Koehler gave Glenwood School their heavily wooded 180-acre summer retreat located on Blaisdell Lake in Loretta, Wisconsin, near the Chequamegon National Forest. Fred Behrends visited camp staying at Faraway Cabin every year until his passing at camp in 1958. He enjoyed watching the campers having their summer fun at this beautiful location. Camp is an ideal place to enjoy archery, swimming, sailing, canoeing, fishing, boating, indoor and outdoor sports, Native American folklore, hiking, and evening activities that promoted teamwork and sportsmanship.

In the early days between 1949 and 1957 the Camp director was the School's principal George Millish. In 1958 the camp director was our shop teacher Bill Kalbac. (After leaving Glenwood in 1961, Bill continued to teach at summer camps in Colorado to this day.) The camp workers were the freshman and sophomores; the camp counselors were the high school juniors, seniors and alumni college students returning to work at camp. In those days the candidates for those jobs were many, In 1958 there were about 60 freshman and sophomores. However, with the 1958 arrival of Charles Ackerman, only four seniors survived to graduate in 1961. Even though this policy continued until 1991, Military instructor Ray Borgia directed camp until 1976 still using high school students. If you were a student from 1949 to 1958, you will want to take a look at the camp pictures for those years in our gallery. Is it any wonder that camp has such a high priority amoung our alumni?

Without a good number of high school students in later years, the school had to pay a high price to bring in workers and counselors from around the world. In 1999 camp director Mark Holstein began allowing the alumni to come to camp before the campers arrived to clean up the grounds and prepare the cabins and what ever was needed to be done to keep camp in tip-top shape. In 2004 Mary Behrends Gallagher, the daughter of Fred Behrends, came to camp with the alumni and visited the camp one last time. She was given the privalage of staying at her dad's olld cabin, Faraway. Her presence caused a few extra alumni to come up to work at camp that year.

Camp facilities include 10 cabins, a dining hall, gymnasium, lodge, health center, plus staff, guest, laundry, and storage and maintenance buildings. Campers pay only their regular monthly tuition. Camp Getschow staff includes the Camp Director, Program staff, Water Safety and Nursing staff as well as an international counseling staff, from the Camp America program, which helps Glenwood campers learn first hand about diversity and interact with people from many different cultures.

Camp has particular fond memories for most of our alumni. Each year they come up for a weekend get together to prepare the camp for the arrival of the campers from both Glenwood School campuses. Alumnus Bob McClain and his wife Rose now stay year around to care for the grounds.

Alumni Pre-Camp Weekend