Hello PHS Alumni,

To all of you have donated to our Association we appreciate it. We still need your help! We can't operate without funds to administer the scholarships. It takes much effort to get these scholarships to the students who are pursuing an education or vocation after Peoria High School. So please keep considering a donation to the Peoria High School Alumni Association General Fund. We have no membership fee and rely solely on your generosity!

For you Golfers...registration is open. Please head over to our website to register. Any questions call the numbers listed on the page. Please register before going and selecting your option for golf. If you are mailing in a check please still fill out the registration form on the website. Registration close May 10th...Please support this event. It helps the Association help the the students.

The Athletic Hall of Fame is almost here. Tickets are available from the link below. It is important for the Alumni Office to know how many are attending. Everyone, including children, must have a ticket. Payment must be made in advance by 10 April 2024.

Remember:

• Keep us up to date on your address, email and any other changes
• Hit the "Sign up for email" button below
• You can check this email out on our Facebook page too!
• We'd love it if you would share this email and like our Facebook page
• Help us out and Donate!

If we have made errors in your name or there have been changes in your address, etc, please let the Alumni Office know and we will correct it!

Sincerely

Bill Robertson, Class of '78

President, Peoria High Alumni Association

Donate Today!

Golf Outing Registration is OPEN!

(until May 15th to guarantee a spot)

Join our Sponsors- Make a gift and support the Alumni Golf Outing

• David Vaughan Investments- $1000
• Peoria Charter Coach
• Agatucci's Pizza
• Bob Lindsay Honda
• CT Gabbert Construction

Athletic Hall of Fame Luncheon Tickets available for purchase

The Athletic Hall of Fame Luncheon is coming up April 27, 2024. Please follow the link to purchase your tickets or download the forms and mail it in!

*Remember purchase your tickets and info into the office by April 10, 2024.

*Everybody must purchase a ticket...including children.

Harold Ronk, Class of 1938

Ringmaster for the

Greatest Show on Earth

Harold Ronk was a 1938 graduate of Peoria High School. From 1951 to 1981 he entertained many crowds who attended the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. After High School he attended and graduated from Bradley University studying music and theater. During World War II, he served as a naval communications officer in the Southwest Pacific. He got his start in performing after the war in Washington DC. He was a baratone soloist who performed with the Presbyterian Church, with appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Gallery of Art and the Shoreham Hotel Supper Club, later known as Sigmund Romberg.

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In 1950, his future changed as he first stepped into the Center Ring at Madison Square Garden in New York City. For more than 30 years, he heralded the arrival of the Big Show in the Big Apple. He extended a circus welcome to presidential and military guests, political luminaries, sports celebrities and stars from the movie, stage and music world. He was applauded for his thrilling rendition of the National Anthem before each performance. For this, he received a special citation from the Circus Fans of America.

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Harold was one of the most colorful personalities in the entertainment world, known as the original Singing Ringmaster. He had a 30-year association with Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus. With his exciting baritone singing voice, he became the Legendary Voice of the Circus.

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Columbia and London Records captured some of his singular magic in their albums, A Day at the Circus with Mr. Singing Ringmaster, and Circus Spectacular.

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In 2001, he was inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame in Sarasota, Fla., and in 2004, he was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame in Peru, Ind. Retiring in 1981 to Canton, he made his home with his aunt, Josephine Mettler.

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Excerpts From Peoria Journal Star Obituary Aug 6, 2006

Thanks to NPR for allowing us to share this article. The article illustrates what a professional Harold Ronk was in over 30 years of performing.

Farewell to the Circus: Remembering a Ringmaster

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AUGUST 6, 20064:00 PM ET

HEARD ON ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

Debbie Elliott

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For three decades, Harold Ronk sang "Welcome to the Circus" in his operatic baritone for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey show. He died this week at age 85. Former clown Murray Horwitz recalls his colleague and friend.

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DEBBIE ELLIOTT, host:

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From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Debbie Elliott.

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(Soundbite of song)

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Mr. HAROLD RONK (Ringmaster): (Singing) Come to the circus and pack your cares away. Come to the circus...

Upcoming Reunions

The Peoria High Alumni Association is here to help. Upcoming reunions can be a busy time. The Association can help provide some of your classmates with information for the reunions. If you have listing of members of your class, the Alumni Association would be honored to take those names and load them into our database so we can reach out to them with school news and updates during the year.

We would like to thank all the classes that got together for this reunion season. If you know of others out there coming up please let the alumni office know what the plans are for your class. We recommend you visit the school for a tour!

Scheduled Reunions 2024:

Distinguished Alumni Nominations

The Distinguished Alumni Committee will start accepting nominations for those Alumni who are deserving of this honor. If you know of a worthy candidate to be nominated as a Distinguished Alumni that graduated from Peoria High School, please submit their name(s) with a detailed write-up. The write-up must have verifiable accomplishments and documentation to help the committee during the screening of possible inductees. The more information the better!

Nominations must be submitted to the Alumni Office. Selections will be made during the Summer of 2024 or before to ensure contact can be made to the inductee. If the individual is deceased, the committee will need family information. The Distinguished Alumni are honored at the "Gold Lion Luncheon" every two years at Peoria High School. The Gold Lion Luncheon is scheduled for October 2024.

Submit a PHS Graduate to be a Distinguished Alumni!

Looking for Current Events and Happenings at PHS?

Check out this link to see the latest for PHS Athletics and events. Be sure to go to the calendar tab and see the entire month. Get the scores and info! Go Lions!

Submit

Athletic Hall of Fame Nominations

• We would love to hear Alumni stories from your class! If you have a great story to tell about your teachers, experiences, athletics, coaches, love story, etc....please send them to the Alumni Office.
• We can also post short articles on your reunion.
• We would love to include them in the Lion's Pride and possibly print them here within our Monthly Emails.

For More Information:

​LaVerne Wilson

Administrator Alumni Office

1615 N. North St.

Peoria IL 61604

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309-682-4854