I am a graduate of Wahlert High School, Dubuque, IA. The school was opened in 1959 as a coed, Catholic high school, and was named for Robert Wahlert, a Dubuque philanthropist and founder of the Dubuque Packing Company, which made Plumper hot dogs and Fleur De Lis hams.
Dubuque Packing Company sold the marketing rights for the hot dogs and hams to Hormel, and the plant in Dubuque closed about 10 years ago (the plant was too old and inefficient to compete with other meat packers like Tyson Foods). My dad worked there from 1952 to 1992 when he retired. Not the most glamorous or enjoyable place to work, but it put bread on our family's table and enable us to have a roof over our heads for many years.all
In the 1970's Wahlert H.S. was known for it's boys' basketball teams and girls' volleyball teams, both of which went to the Iowa state tournaments several times in that decade.
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