One Final ‘Farewell’ to St. Cloud Technical High School

ST. CLOUD -- Several generations of St. Cloud Technical High School graduates gathered on the lawn of the school one last time Tuesday evening to say good-bye the school.

The farewell ceremony included speeches from alumni representing each decade from the 1940s through today.

Don Watkins graduated from Tech in 1954 and represented the decade of the 50s. He is also part of a four-generation Tech family.

My dad game to St Cloud when he was a young guy in his teens.  He graduated about 90 years ago, and his sister also.  My wife and I came here in the early 1950s, and met here, and graduated in 1954.  Our four children all graduated here.  And, we've had two grandchildren graduate from here.

He says while he has stayed closely connected to the school as a member of the alumni association, he is excited for the future in the new building.

I mentioned in my remarks earlier, I'm so excited about the new school and the opportunities.  These kids that left here a couple of weeks ago, this fall those two classes that move over there how exciting is that going to be for them after being in this 100-year-old building.

Over 33,000 students passed through the halls of St. Cloud Technical High School from when it opened in 1917 through the last graduating class in 2019.

The new Tech High School opens this fall. The old school has been turned over to the city and is expected to be remodeled into housing.