Per the history of Bishop Ward written by Sister Maureen Craig, SCL, “Catholic High” in Kansas City, Kansas had been in existence at 1236 Sandusky since 1908, but the ever enlarging number of young people needing secondary education forced the Catholic community to look around for a better site. Despite the incredible hardships of 1929-30, the relatively small group put national differences aside and raised the money to build a new high school. Named after the pioneer Catholic bishop, John Ward, the new school was dedicated October 25, 1931, before a crowd of 12,000 citizens. The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth continued their commitment to the school at its new location, and Ward began to assume its greater prominence in the lives of the people of Wyandotte County.
Some 38 years later in the summer of 1969, the class 1970 was getting ready to commence our final year of high school. The school year was off to an eventful and promising start – Neil Armstrong had taken the first step on the moon on July 21, and then in August, Mariner 6 was sending close-up photos of Mars back to Earth. The world was literally opening up to us. Woodstock happened that August as well, and while the Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar” was the #1 hit that September, rock and pop music was changing rapidly.
We were one of the largest baby boomer classes along with our under classmen and that year enrollment soared. Split-shifts and “up” and “down” staircases became a part of daily life. Despite the crowded conditions, academic excellence and athletic progress continued to be Ward’s trademarks.
As we entered the doors of Ward that late summer of 1969, the stage was set for the special bond among the Class of 1970 that exists to this day. We developed such a strong esprit de corps with one another, and that camaraderie and mutual love and respect have gotten stronger year after year.
With this website, we hope to document and archive our history and share the fun times we had as classmates and for the last 45 years as alumni. Our legacy (and this website) is a work in progress, and we will constantly be adding more sections, pictures and highlighting our collective memories — so come back and visit the site often!
Class Flower:
Carnation (For Friendship)
Class Colors:
Black, White & Red
Class Song:
“We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place”
The Animals
Graduation Date:
Saturday, May 23, 1970
Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS
School Song:
For years in spirit we will be in your halls of Ward High
Our destiny is clear you see the goals to guide us by
So on life’s journey we will go with honor and with pride
Go on Ward High School to the sky
Go onward Black and White.
We raise our colors raise them high
And vow allegiance true
They’ll keep us in our battles all
and in our victories too
In praise of you our cheers resound
in praise our cries unite
Go on Ward High School to the sky
Go onward Black and White.
Cyclones-Class of 1970 