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Parker to raise honor wall

JANESVILLE — Parker High School plans to start honoring distinguished alumni, following the lead of the other Janesville high school.

Craig High School's Honor Wall began annual induction ceremonies in 2006. Nominations for Parker's first Distinguished Viking honors will be accepted through Jan. 6. The first ceremony will be May 20.

Assistant Principal Barb Dougal has been planning for that day for many months.

"I appreciate the model that Craig has set, and I long thought this was a good idea and why aren't we doing it?" Dougal said.

So, Dougal convinced then-Principal Dale Carlson to let her tackle the project. She attended a Craig induction ceremony, which reinforced her conviction that Parker should follow its rival's lead.

"It's one of those things; you have to do it. It's a great thing," Dougal said.

Craig has inducted alumni who graduated not only from Craig but also from the days when Janesville had only one high school. The original Craig building was Janesville High School until fall 1967.

Craig's first honorees were former Principal Kenneth Bick; John Paul Cullen of J.P. Cullen & Sons; Jane Blain Gilbertson, co-owner of Blain Supply and Blain's Farm & Fleet; U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold; and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan.

Dougal said Parker will stick with those who graduated from Parker exclusively. The first graduating class was in the spring of 1968.

"It's a courtesy (to Craig), as far as I'm concerned," Dougal said. "They've already established, and they've already used, Janesville High School. …

"We've been in business 41 years here, and we have plenty of people who have done great things for their country, for their community," Dougal said.

Dougal said she's been working with Craig Principal Mike Kuehne to get Parker's Distinguished Vikings Wall off the ground.

The Parker wall will recognize excellence in areas such as community service, government, education, athletics/entertainment, science, medicine, technology, business and industry.

A committee of staff, administrators, students, former staff and a parent has been appointed. The committee will meet in January to review nominations and pick two to six people for the first annual ceremony.

Nominees not recognized in May will be kept on file for possible future recognition, Dougal said.

The Parker expansion and remodeling project, completed this year, left an expanse of blank wall near the school's front office that will be used to hang the honorary plaques. Dougal said the space should be ample for many years.

"'Everybody is somebody at Parker' is a time-honored motto at Parker High School, and we hope the creation of this Distinguished Vikings Wall, along with the induction ceremony, will allow us to celebrate the life lessons of these distinguished alumni who have and will continue to inspire us," according to an announcement posted on the Parker Web site.