In the past week, I’ve been introduced to a really cool, and returning, South Milwaukee tradition: the Persian Market.
More details on the Persian Market below. The community is welcome to participate. Place your bids now here, or stop by for the live auction starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 13, at the High School Commons — followed by a student-run fish fry and the opening night performance of the South Milwaukee Theatre Company’s “Tuck, Everlasting.”
The City of South Milwaukee just added a couple items to the list: Mayor for a Day and a Ride in a Fire Truck.
Contact Ginger Culp for more information at gculp@sdsm.k12.wi.us.
Persian Market originated in 1961 from B.J. Kaminski, the psychology teacher at South Milwaukee at the time. The money raised from the auction would be used to purchase Christmas presents for the children at Southern Colony, a home for students with disabilities.
The first Persian Market raised about $100. However, as its popularity grew over the years, it went from a one day event to a two-day all-school event. Crowds turned out for the auction. Students and teachers would bid against one another, with some bids becoming very large as the auctioneers drove up the bidding prices. A conglomeration of items were up for sale, including blind dates, cakes, dinners, posters, grab bags, ski trip, pool party, and a page in the Baymist.
The Persian Market continued for 30 years, finally coming to a close in 1991. Years later, in 2007, it was revived by the Art Department to raise money for students with special needs, a scholarship for Art honor and resources for the Art Department. After a few years, the Persian Market went on hiatus…but it’s time for a comeback! In honor of the departure of one of Art’s finest, Rick Cartwright, we are reviving this grand South Milwaukee tradition once again!
The Persian Market live auction will be held on Friday, March 13, 2020 in the Commons beginning at 3 p.m. and will run until all items have been auctioned off… and then stick around for the FCCLA Fish Fry after, and the High School musical, Tuck Everlasting!
There will be online bidding ahead of the auction, and items will be posted via email AND social media (it’s a new era of digital Persian Market!). We are looking for any donations that can be auctioned off–favorites have been gift baskets, handmade artwork or crafts, food, baked goods, services, and trips, but we will accept just about anything that’ll bring in a buck or two! Donations should be delivered to the Art Department no later than the end of the day Monday, March 9…but the sooner, the better! We are deeply appreciative of the SMHS community’s support of this endeavor! We “bid” you good luck!!!
South Milwaukee Blog 
Mayor Brooks – just a correction. The musical is not a youth production. It is a High School theatre production.
On Fri, Mar 6, 2020, 9:41 PM South Milwaukee Blog wrote:
> Erik Brooks posted: ” In the past week, I’ve been introduced to a really > cool, and returning, South Milwaukee tradition: the Persian Market. More > details on the Persian Market below. The community is welcome to > participate. Place your bids now here, or stop by for the” >
Fixed!
How wonderful that they are bringing this back. It was such a memorable and fun event for me in high school. I remember that Miss Connie Uren used to make the most wonderful fudge and there would be such a bidding war for it. The excitement about the auctions and the money it raised was a source of pride to students.