Mary Amacher
CHS 1950‐1988
Distinguished Service Award
Congratulations to Mary Amacher, one of our residents at Parkside Retirement Community, who will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award at the 2019 Aberdeen Central High School Hall of Fame Banquet in September.
Mary Amacher grew up in in Castlewood, SD and graduated from high school in 1946. She attended the University of South Dakota and graduated in 1950 with a Physical Education major. She was initially hired in the fall of 1950 by Superintendent Dr. John Rice to teach physical education, as well as math, science and social studies at Simmons Junior High School in Aberdeen, but after one week, she moved to teaching physical education at Central High School.
Along with the high school job, Amacher also taught elementary and junior high P.E. at Roosevelt Junior High School. Amacher also taught P. E. at Henry Neill Elementary, as well as Adams and Garfield, whose students were bussed to Roosevelt.
Along with her teaching duties, Amacher was advisor to the cheerleaders, girls’ athletic association, and drill team.
Amacher was a member of the SD High School Activities Association committee for girls’ athletics during the years 1967‐69. High school girls’ competitive sports were first being organized during that time period.
Amacher’s community involvement was very school focused; attending many school and sporting events. “Family is very important to me. During the summers my time was spent either working, traveling with parents, or going to summer school,” said Amacher.
She attended the University of Wyoming, Black Hills State and Northern State College for continuing education courses, and in 1967 received her Masters Degree from Northern State University in Guidance and Counseling. In the fall of 1970, Amacher’s career transitioned to guidance counseling at Aberdeen Central. Her duties increased and included National Honor Society, Post High College night, Boys and Girls State, and Awards Night (shared with the other counselors).
“Working with the students was a great experience,” said Amacher, “Many of the students I have worked with have done well.”
In 1988 Amacher retired from her duties at CHS. She found plenty to do, playing bridge and especially traveling. Her travels have taken her to many countries in Europe, Canada, the
Caribbean, and the Scandinavian countries, Great Britain, and around the United States.
“Then my health decided I should slow down,” said Amacher. “In 2006 I heard about the Alumni Room at Old Central. After talking with Lynn Hanson, I went to work there and found it to be a very rewarding experience. It was always a pleasure to attend class reunions and renew friendships with former students.”