Feb. 19 paper

MHS Alumni Stories 2009

Series 3……….Honor Years

1929 …………80 years

1934 …………75 years

Much of this research/articles/news comes from THE TIGER 1929 newspapers. It was an interscholastic paper founded in 1916 by OU. Tiger Staff members included: Everett Lockhart, Editor; Norma Lee Reynolds, Associate Editor; Lloyd Bex, Sport Editor and Ruth Riffe, Society Editor. Also on the staff were Vada Gentry, H. M. Doolen, Phyllis Byrd, W. F. Hearne, Rosa Chapman, Thaddeus Curtis, Vivian Boyett and Dorothy Arnett. Business Manager was Charles German; Russell Pierson, Assistant Business Manager; Ruth Conrad, Circulation Manager; Jack Jacobs, Chairmen of Operations; Staff: Dr. John Smiley, Bob Johnson, Jasper Bradshaw, Mrs. Zearl Lowe, Mrs. J. D. Moon and Anne Duffy. The primary purpose of this paper, at the request of the Alumni publication committee, was to remind the graduates of M.H.S. of the annual “Alumni Day’. It was intended for all alumni of MHS to receive a copy of the paper.

The Tiger, April 30, 1929: Mangum To Have New Gymnasium was a big article with an architect drawing of the old gym still standing today on North Penn Avenue in Mangum. “MHS was soon to have one of the best gymnasiums in SW Oklahoma. Bonds, amounting to $50,000, had already been voted and the contract let to architects Butler and Butler of Oklahoma City and Lubbock, Texas. The contractors are Sampson and Sampson of Lubbock. Two stories were planned and a roof made partially of tile and the balance of ten-year guaranteed composition. The east end would be an enormous stage with a basement directly beneath it. The stage would be a practice basketball court and was to be raised about 5 feet from the main floor. The stage would be large enough to accommodate the Masonic Order”.

“Immediately in front of the stage would be a main basketball court which would be about 45 x 90 feet. This would be of hardwood with the baskets hung in such a way that they could be removed and the building used for an auditorium. The floor was placed on a concrete base with underpinning of the floor sunk and hardwood fastened to it to keep from buckling. The sides would have stepped bases for permanent seats used by spectators. These seats were to be opera chairs and fastened down. On the front of the playing floor would be raised seats in tiers for the spectators and with a balcony over it. The balcony was put on hold on the sides since the seating capacity would already hold 400 people. Beneath the stage would be lockers and shower rooms for boys and girls. The rest of the room would be used for manual training and a kitchen for home economic classes. The main floor would seat 1200 people for auditorium purposes”. Note: Butler and Butler, (Forest & Milton) were also members of the MHS Association.

Mangum Daily Star Sun. April 9, 1933: Homer V. Heatly, a 1909 graduate, served as Father of the Class of 1929. In 1914, Homer V. Heatly served as President of the MHS Alumni Association. Homer was an outstanding football and baseball player in high school. He farmed and entered the military in 1918. Due to an awful accident, a death certificate was issued by the U. S. authorities and sent to his family in Mangum. Luckily, Homer lived and in 1919 married Katherine Stafford. In 1924-25, the Heatlys were engaged in cotton business at Wellington, Texas; they returned to Mangum in 1927 where they remained. He and Katherine were

class parents of the 1929 graduating class.

Mangum Daily Star Sun. April 9, 1933: Virginia Hamilton graduated from MHS in 1916. She graduated Blackwood-Davis Business College and then taught in the Mangum schools three years before marrying Pete Boyle in 1919. In 1926, Virginia was secretary of the MHS Alumni Association and in 1929 she served as President. Virginia’s legacy to the association is the “beginning of the Memorial Fund” and the “Attendance Cup”. She was “Big Sister” of the Senior Class of 1933 in addition to her regular duties as manager of the Border Floral Company, Mangum. Other Alumni officers for 1929 were: Emma Turvy Northcutt, Secretary and Assistant Secretary was Anna Fritsche, ’29, also employed by The Mangum Star. A new publicity committee was formed with twelve members. The Class of 1929, Mangum Star, May 17, 1979, celebrating their 50

th reunion, consisted of 40 graduating students: The

twenty senior boys were: William Oliver Finley, Jr., J. W. Hearne, H. Winter Reynolds, Bodie Wilson, Russell L. Pierson, Arthur Sweet, Lacey Noble, Charles Doyle Stiles, Denver W. Jones, John Hayes Moore, Weldon Odell Murphy, Raymond Rust, Lloyd James Bex, James Edmond Check, Charles Alexander German, Will F. Hearne Jr., Gus Conrad, Davis Funderburk, Lonnie Ison and Terry McCarty. The twenty senior girls were: Edna McAlexander, Emma Faye Wilhite, Pauline Briley, Bonnie Ruth Riffe, Geraldine Young, Nettie Elizabeth Atwood, Anna Fritsche, Geneva Alice Groom, Cora Anna Hill, Dorothy Arnett, Lafon Banks, Alma Overby, Norma Lee Reynolds, Evelyn Shaw, Dela Madge

Smith, Frances Elizabeth Moffeit, Alice Mae Anschutz, Mary Margaret Stultz, Zada Katherine Warlick and Ilo Banks.

Lloyd Bex was the Valedictorian; Weldon Murphy, Salutatorian; Geneva Groom, W. O. Finley, Jerry Young, and Gus

Conrad were all honor students. These honor students each had a GPA well over 4.0. Baccalaureate was held in the First Methodist Church with Rev. D. S. Pooser giving the sermon. Commencement exercises were held May 16 and the Principal, Homer S. Reese and L. G. Crittenden, President of the Board of Education, presented diplomas. Correspondence with Anna Fritsche Hunter in 2006: “In 1929, when I graduated from MHS, the Alumni Association had a parade, following initiation. My sister, Clara Fritsche, Class of 1916, was at that time head of the designing department of C. A. Reed Crepe Paper Mfg. Co., Williamsport, PA. She came to Mangum for graduation and designed and supervised the work to make this “baby carriage” float for the “baby” class of the alumni. Mrs. Homer V. Heatly, Class Mother, “pushed” the carriage. Denver Jones drove the “roadster” and Anna Fritsche (held a baby bottle) while Geraldine Young and Pauline Briley sat in the front seat. Girls in the class followed behind the float. (Photos were attached). Ms. Hunter is working on a story for this writer and it will appear in the Alumni Edition of the local papers in May. In a telephone conversation and a note by mail in 2008, this writer visited with another 1929 graduate who lives in Oklahoma City: Mr. Russell L. Pierson. He has a resume’ stretching a foot long which has appeared in several alumni editions over the years. Since 1992, he’s had several honors one of which has him inducted into the National Radio/Television Farm Broadcasters “Hall of Fame”. In 1993 and 1994, he was President of the Sirloin Club of Oklahoma; in 1998, he was named Oklahoma State University’s “Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus” and in 1999 he was president of the Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association. He was happily married for 67 years to Oklahoma State University’s Aggie Queen who “is now in heaven”. Mr. Pierson said he was too busy last year to work with me (he has an office at the state fair and was very busy) but this writer is expecting to hear from him anytime to complete this story. Look for it in the Alumni Editions in May. As of Jan. 2009, this writer is e-mailing with Anna Fritsche Hunter, 1929 Grad, and has talked by phone and had correspondence with another 1929 Grad, Russell Pierson of Oklahoma City. Ms. Hunter writes on a regular basis. They are both an amazing piece of

Alumni history for which I’ll forever be grateful.

1934……Celebrating 75 years

The Mangum Star-News, May 17, 1984, devoted several full pages honoring the Class of 1934 graduates; there is also a composite picture showing all members of the class. As with so many other classes, there is NO yearbook found for this year. A 1923 Yearbook is the last copy this writer has found for the 1920’s and 1938 is the next yearbook published by the schools as far as we know. Thus, for fifteen years, we have to rely on news paper coverage, mementoes kept by record keepers and/or families to furnish history. Forrest Wright, long time civic leader in Mangum who died in 2008, wrote at length about his class; his wife, the late Mildred Harris Wright, was also a graduate of 1934. Forrest reminisced about many topics: FDR’s New Deal; the Superintendent of Schools, Homer Reese; the faculty of the new school year: Hawthorne Grade School, Nina Davis, Principal; Edison Elementary, Mrs. Belle McCrumman, Principal; Junior and Senior High: Floyd Hayes, Principal; Salaries for the teachers, not including Mr. Reese, ranged from $75 to $100 per month and Oklahoma University president, W. B. Bizzell, announced there would no tuition for the school year. There were 1300 students enrolled in the Mangum ISD. Cotton prices climbed to .09 cent per pound and inflation was feared. Greer County had received an approval for $400,000 in work projects which included a new bridge south of Mangum, a new $200,000 Federal Court Building and Post Office, and graveling all highways through out Greer County took place. These projects were designed to put money into the pockets of many unemployed and needy families in Greer County. Streets were lined with cars and wagons on the last Saturday in September and businessmen reported the best volume of business since 1929. Victor Wickersham was the court clerk; he announced seven

marriage licenses were issued over the weekend. The cost to gravel Highway 34 to where it intersects Highway 66 West of Elk City was $30,000. Fire destroyed Graham Variety Store on North Oklahoma Avenue (today this is the Whirlpool Dealership). All three Mangum banks insured their individual depositors with $2500 FDIC insurance. Dr. Border’s airplane ambulance crashed near Childress, Texas, killing pilot Paul Powell and two passengers. Lovett’s Frniture would sell anyone a three piece living room site for $85.00. Mr. Wright laments about many many statistics of the time but there’s not room for it in this article. Their daughter, Hayden and husband, Rev. Wendell Harris live in Mangum. picture sent of Mildred and Forrest Wright taken in 1953. The composite lists the 1934 seniors in this order under their picture: Top row, left to right: June Wicker, David Northcutt, June Dodson, Clay Northcutt, Gladys Earl Fullen, Weaver Creed, Mary Jo Crittenden, Charles Overbey, Sue Ellen Evans, Ted Johnson; Second row: Nivelton Tidmore, Mildred Harris, Forrest Wright, Virgil Gilliam, Harris Albert Smith, Wanda Holland, Floyd Sooy, Margaret Sooy, Earl Presley, LaVerne Johnson Third row: Margaret Singley, Howard B. Pickard, Mary Louise James, Harper Orth, Geraldine and Maxine McCaleb (twins), Leroy Akers, Charlene Fluty, Bernard Lowe, Mary Sue Lowe, Matilda Lou Short Fourth

row: Willa Jean Riley, Nola Pearl Sweet, Lois Tidmore Braswell, Gladys Atwood, Ola Smith, Cleo Ledbetter, Capitola Conrad, Doris Reeves, Lola Pearl Willis, Juanita Barnes, Some class statistics were: Bert Bratton, president; Margaret Anne Garrett, valedictorian; Veda Casey, salutatorian; Class sponsors: Mary Hall and Theo Powell; Class parents: Mr. and Mrs. John Nelson; the average school attendance for the seniors was 97% the first six weeks of school. Football Queen(s) were the McCaleb Twins………….yes, two queens.

School Board Members: Carl Armstrong, Ray Babb, Darrell Ewing, Victor Wickersham, L. J. Minor and Revis Ponder. Marion J. Northcutt, referee of the State Supreme Court, was selectd to give the commencement address; he was Class of 1912 and an uncle of two seniors, David and Clay Northcutt. Rev. C. E. Wilbanks, pastor of the First Baptist Church, gave the baccalaureate sermon on May 13.

These are the names still current on the Alumni Roster Rolls: Lola Pearl Willis Ashmore, Oklahoma City; Twins, Maxine McCaleb Hill, Abilene, Texas, Geraldine McCaleb Shultz, also of Abilene, whom this writer heard from last year. Also on the list are Dr Charles Overby, Michigan; Juanita Barnes Pitts, Sanger, CA, and Cleo Ledbetter Savage, Oklahoma City.

Alumni Officers of the MHS Alumni Association in 1934 were: Winston Yeager, 1924 Grad, President; Bradley Sue Pigg, V-President; Secretary, Florene Lindley, ’30; Laura Pearl Slaton, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer was Henry “Bo” James ’27. Mrs. Charles Evans became an honorary member of the Alumni Association with the graduation of her fifth child, Sue Ellen Evans. Next series will include Honor Classes of 1939 and 1944. Researched by Alumni Historian, Joy Hall Grant, Class of 1957.