Former junior high Principal Pogemiller to be inducted into Comet Hall of Fame

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Former Charles City Junior High School Principal Dwight Russell Pogemiller was selected to be posthumously inducted into the Comet Hall of Fame by the Charles City Community Excellence in Education Foundation.

Pogemiller, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 72, served as Charles City Junior High principal for 23 years.

The Comet Hall of Fame honor, presented since 2012, was created to recognize distinguished alumni or contributors who have brought honor to the Charles City Community School District through their achievements in academics, activities, athletics and performing arts. The 2020 inductees were Truman Manship, A.B.F. Hildreth and Lola Krumm.

Criteria considered for selection to the hall of fame include secondary and post-secondary achievements, professional or lifetime accomplishments and civic endeavors.

In years past, there has been a banquet, ceremonies and other events related to the Comet Hall of Fame induction, but that has been put on hold for the past two years because of the pandemic.

Sara Stewart of the Charles City Community Excellence in Education Foundation said the group hopes to get back into full swing next year.

Stewart said that in the near future, the organization will be changing its name to simply the Comet Foundation. There will be other structural changes as well, which the organization will announce in the coming weeks.

Pogemiller graduated from Iowa State Teachers College (now Northern Iowa) in 1948 after having taught at Lamont for one year on a war emergency certificate. He received his Master of Arts degree in school administration from the University of Iowa in 1954.

Pogemiller started his career in education as a junior high principal for 13 years in Janesville and two years in Centerville. From 1962 to 1985, he was the Charles City Junior High principal. He received the Educational Administrators of Iowa Special Recognition Award for over 30 years as a school principal. Pogemiller’s love for education was shared by his wife, Marlys, who served as the Charles City Junior High librarian for many of the years Dwight was principal. In 1984, Charles City Junior High School was chosen as one of the 14 schools in Iowa for Secondary School Recognition.

A lifetime member of the National Education Association and the Floyd County Historical Society, Pogemiller was also a 32-year member of the Charles City Noon Kiwanis Club, where he served as president in 1966, and an active member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, where he was a trustee from 1964 to 1969.

Pogemiller was an Honorary Chapter Farmer in the FFA and was instrumental in helping to organize officials for the CABA baseball tournaments. In 1982, he was honored with the Jaycees Distinguished Services Award. In 1984, he received the Rotary Club Vocational Services Award.

In typical years, the Athletic Booster Club, the performing arts staff and the Excellence in Education Foundation make final selections for the Comet Hall of Fame.

Included on the list of past inductees are members of the Charles City Fine Arts Century Club Hall of Fame, which joined the Comet Hall of Fame to honor people together in 2018.

Comet Hall of Fame inductees
2012: Phyllis Meyer, Dorothy Coacher, Dan Frudden, Sally Frudden, Donna Stewart.
2013: Leo Schula, Robert Eggert, Rhoda McCartney, Ralph McCartney, Jim Erb.
2014: Bill Fenholt, Charlie Hardt, George Lorber, Bill Burge.
2015: Doug Bengston, Linda Brant, Louis Koenigsfeld, Beverly Rasmussen.
2016: No inductees, transition year.
2017: Mark Sindlinger, Shirley Kelly, Doug Bengtson, Danielle Rippentrop, Gil White, Donna White.
2018: Tye Darland, Cathy Darland, Nathan Dishman, Al Hastings, Marilee Monroe, Jerry Newton.
2019: Greg Brunner, Austin Downey, Mike Duroe, Gary Schwartzhoff, Ralph Smith.
2020: Truman Manship, A.B.F. Hildreth, Lola Krumm.
2021: Dwight Pogemiller.
Fine Arts Century Club Hall of Fame: Bob Bourne (2014), Tim Mitchell (2014), Gene Martin (2014), Sally Robertson (2015), Janiece Bergland (2016), Doug Bengston (2017).