MHS ALUMNI STORIES 2010
8th in a 10 Part Series
1970 AND 1975 HONOR YEARS
The Class of 1970, Celebrating their 40th reunion this year, published a yearbook making life
much simpler for the Historian. The Yearbook had an outstanding cover showing the High School Marquee, The Tiger Mascot, two flags and the ‘new’ Mangum High School in the back
ground. The Editors were: Celia Blake, Linda Lenaburg and Ann Sappington. The ‘Annual” was dedicated to Don Sparks, advisor. This is a very comprehensive ‘annual’ covering grades seven
through twelve. A special thanks is due Ms. Tracie Holt-Mayabb who allowed this writer to make copies of her yearbook for history purposes.
There were fifty-nine seniors in 1970 as shown in their Class Composite. Class Officers were: Joe Griffis, President; James Blondell, V-President; Celia Blake, Secretary and Vicky Martin,
Treasurer. Academic Honor Students were: Nancy Tinsley, Susan Brignon, Nancy Lenaburg and
Gary Davidson; Others honors bestowed on students, recorded in the Yearbook were: Annual Queen, Linda Lenaburg; Band Queen, Jimmie Kay Coffman; Basketball Queen, Vicky Martin;
FFA Sweetheart, Ann Sappington, Football Queen, Celia Blake; Glee Club Queen, Nancy Tinsley; Key Club Sweetheart, Janie Veach; All Around Girl/Boy, Vicky Martin and Jim
Keating; MHS Favorties, Celia Blake and Jim Keating; Oklahoma Boys and Girls State, Delwin Allen, Tom Goodman, Joe Griffis, Jim Keating, Celia Blake, Sharon Patton, Nancy Tinsley, Ray
Stover and Jerry Struck.
1970 Seniors:
Delwin Allen Pam Bell
Lanny Bilbrey Celia Blake
Carolyn Blanscet James Blondell Susan Brignon Jackie Cayton
Marcelia Chadwick Jimmie K. Coffman
James Craig Gary Davidson Jennifer Duffy
Juanita Ferguson Sherry Fails Rusty Fisher
Lella A. Fowler Tommy Goodman II
Donna Griffin Joe Griffis
Warren Griffis Brenda Hart
Belinda Hartwell Tracie Holt-Mayabb
LaCreta Johnson Jimmy Keating
Linda S. Lenaburg Phil Lowry
Marsha McElroy Vicki Martin
Janis Maxfield Don A. Miller Marsha Miller
Tommy Morrison Gary Nippert Gary Osborn
Carla Parks Sharon Patton Tonya Patrick
Jerry Pence Allen Reagan Dale Rogers
Steve Rosenbaum Robert Ross Shelley Ross
Ann Sappington Holly Scott
Debra Skaggs Mike Skalicky Sue Ann Smith
Donna Smoot-Bock Kay Stock Ray Stover Tim Stover
Sheila Stowe Gary Struck Gary Taylor
Larry Thompson Nancy Tinsley
Janie Veach Leeann Wade
James Woodruff
Mangum ISD School leaders included: Superintendent of Schools: Virgil Francis; High School Principal, Ray Hogan; Class Sponsors: Don Sparks, Ruth Sanger, Katie Reeves; Board of
Education members were: Jim Howard, Lester Blake, Virgil Francis, Jim Garrett, Willie Rogers, Bill Greer and Mrs. Balma Brignon was the Clerk. Class Parents were Mr. and Mrs Jerry White.
The High School faculty included: Monroe Chadwick, Counselor, Jim Ed Bull, Jean Callahan, Allen Covalt, Johnny Crabb, Helen Deaver, Linden Haygood, Garland Roper, Patsy Falk, Don Sparks, Gladys Paxton, Katie Reeves, Ruth Sanger, Chloe Jones, LeRoy Stout, Frances Moore,
Janell Smith, Margaret Stout, Norma Edwards. Superintendent’s Secretary was Mrs. Aline Savage; Mrs. Betty Patton was the Federal Programs Secretary and Mrs. Connie Bull served in
this position for the second semester.
MHS Alumni Association officers were: President: James P. Garrett, Class of 1939; V-President,
J. Elmer Castle, Class of 1917; Secretary, Doris Avery-Nelson, Class of 1949; Assistant Secretary, Margaret Wharton-Caffey, Class of 1949; Treasurer, Marie Swoboda, Class of 1923; Assistant Treasurer, Edward R. Norman, Class of 1943 and Historian was Aline Parish-Savage, Class of 1943. Printed on the invitations was the following information: “Mangum High School
has a beautiful 703-seat auditorium and a modern fieldhouse-gymnasium, the result of a
$550,000 bond issue voted overwhelmingly by its patrons. There will be an OPEN HOUSE for all patrons and Alumni on Friday, May 22, 1970, (Alumni Day) from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. You are
invited as MHS proudly displays these new facilities.
The 1970 banquet, held in the ‘new Edison Gym’, was attended by 475 graduates according to the Mangum Star, May 25, 1970. Dan Staton, Class of 1964, received the serviceman’s plaque for coming the longest distance (Colorado); The Class of 1945 captured the attendance award
with 51% present for their 25th gathering; Walter Crisp, Class of 1940, received the man’s award for traveling the longest distance (Salinas, CA); and three ladies from the Los Angeles area tied
for distance awards: Frances Nelson Holland, Class of 1929; Jane Hunter Heatly Holton, Class of 1917 and Jan Norris Kirkpatrick, Class of 1955. A reception was held at the Hotel Franklin
following the banquet.
Two generation families were recognized at the banquet. Each of the 1970 grads had two parents who were also MHS grads: Mayme Patterson Thompson (1925), Barbara Thompson Blake
(1947), Lester Blake, (1941) and Celia Blake (1970); Gladys Wicker Scott (1919), Jewett Scott, Jr. (1949) Twila Arms Scott ( 1951) and Holly Scott, 1970.
1975…………………..35 years of celebrations
60 seniors walk the stage
This Class of 1975 had a ‘white’ Yearbook embossed with orange art work. This writer was able to purchase this book from the Old Greer County Museum. It covers seventh through twelfth
grades. Although pages were missing, the vital parts of history were available. The “Annual or Yearbook Staff” consisted of: Editor, Fred Terry; Co-Editors, Patty Opperude and Cindy
McMinn; the Advisor was again Mr. Don Sparks. In the Foreword, a tribute was paid to Mr. Don Sparks for his help. There was a Table of Contents making it easier to find information quickly
in the book of 152 pages. A very neat feature of the book is the double page lay-out with the Seniors gathered around the Tiger Athletic bus at the Liberty Bowl stadium.
School leaders were: Superintendent, Travis Slaton, East Texas State Graduate; High School Principal, Floyd Gibson, Southwestern State University graduate; Director of Federal Program and Counselor, Mr. Monroe Chadwick; Junior High Principal, Jim Ed Bull, MT Central State
University; School Board members were: James Calcote, Jim Howard, Barbara Matthews, President, Warren Herndon, and Clyde Smith, V-President; Clerk was Mr. Balma Brignon.
The school faculty included; Bernice Addy, Joe Bell, Jim Ed Bull, Helen Deaver, Norma Edwards, Johnny Crabb, Glenn Hardin, Patsy Falk, Linden Haygood, Chloe Jones, Kathie
Linders, Jack Jerman, Mike Jones, Betty Patton, Gladys Paxton, Mike Riley, Danny Vaughn, Don Sparks, Garland Roper and Diana Storm.
Academic honor students: Patty Opperude, Elizabeth Moon and Pat Toole. Class officers: James W. Smith, Jr., President; Pat Toole, V-President; Shirlene Bowman Griffis, Secretary-Treasurer;
Honors bestowed on students: Annual Queen, Cindy McMinn; Band Queen, Merle Smith; Basketball Queen, Pat Toole; Football Queen, Sheri Adkins; MHS Favorites: Pat Toole and
Tyler Price; Oklahoma Boys’ and Girs’ Stae: Mike Avery, Mary Gonzales, Tyler Price, Joe Mac Silk and Ray Moffeit, Mark Clark, Cindy McMinn, Chris Stone, Sandra Maddox and Bob Toma.
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Parsons were Class Parents.
The MHS Alumni Banquet was held May 16, 1975, in the ‘new Edison School’. MHS Alumni Officers were: President: Beth Thompson-White, (1953); V-President, Louise Boyd-Price
(1953); Secretary, Doris Avery-Nelson, (1949); Assistant Secretary, Celia Blake-Nippert (1970); Laverne Wallace-Lanford (1948); Pete Boyle III, (1939) and Kay Morgan-Staton , (1965). Josh
Drake Jr., Class Parent of 1953 Class, led the Pledge of Allegiance and Bill Greer, Class of 1945, gave the Invocation. The Theme of the Banquet was “Show Boat”.
Note: A copy of the Banquet Program-Menu was given to this writer by Wayna Duffer-Lee; Wayna (Class of 1953) donated fifty years of Banquet invitations and/or mementoes to this
Historian for safe keeping. What a wonderful contribution to Alumni history. Many thanks to you Wayna. It needs to be noted that Wayna has not missed a banquet since she graduated in
1953, fifty-seven years ago. Wonder if she will be able to brake the record which was held for years by Nellie Power Stultz-Davis, Class of 1906, who hadn’t missed a banquet in 66 years as noted in the May 1972 Mangum-Star-News. Ms. Nellie was a life-long Mangum resident. The major difference in a feat such as this is the fact Wayna does not live in Mangum and makes a
great effort to get to Mangum each year, traveling several hundred miles. Ms. Stultz-Davis died in 1981. Mrs. Wayna Lee has been a loyal life-long Tiger supporter and still is today. With luck,
she’ll be arriving in Mangum May 2010 for the 100th celebration of the MHS Alumni Association.
Sixty-two seniors
of 1975 were:
Sheri Adkins Mike Avery
Shirlene Bowman Cynthia Boyle
Gene Boyles Jr. Elizabeth Byrom
Mark Clark Dale Clayton
Donna Cossey Benji Davis Erma Davis
Mary Ann Davis Farland Dindy
Lynn Ellis
Vernon Falkner Tavia Fletcher
Laquita Fronterhouse Mary Gonzales
Greg Greer Cindy Harless
Leah Hart Quentin Henson
Clarence Hopingardner Wanda Hunter
Kim Kelley Danny Leamon Ronald McDuff Cindy McMinn Lillie McNutt
Sandra Maddox Jeff Mardis
Jack Merritt Jr. Ray Moffeit
Elizabeth Moon Patty Opperude Andrew Owen Lauro Palacios Larry Parsons
Tyler Price Donna Scott Larry Sells
Teddye Sibley
Joe Mac Silk Jerry Skinner
James L. Smith James W. Smith
Dana Snow Chris Stone
Margaret Thompson Pam Thompson
Fred Terry Bob Toma
Patricia Toole Thomas Trout Wade Walker
Kenny Warlick Serena Weaver Charles Wetzel Susan Williams
Terry Williams Doug Woodell
Note: Three seniors featured in the yearbook moved during their senior year: Debra Chambless, Alicia Fuentes, and Mark Watkins.
The Golden Anniversary Edition in The Mangum Star-News, Dec. 4, 1975, was a huge one page ad headlined: THE MARCH OF PROGRESS!! THE CITY OF MANGUM
CONGRATULATES THE MANGUM DAILY STAR ON YOUR FIFTY YEARS OF GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENTS. In 1937, Dr. Fowler Border was the City Mayor; Jasper
Bradshaw, City Clerk; Raymond Willis, City Manager; Dick Barnett, Commissioner of Utilities; Jack Jacobs, Commissioner of Streets and Lee Caffey, Police Commissioner. October 13, 1937, was the original newspaper article. The Mangum Star ran excerpts of many papers celebrating
events back to 1887 which was considered the first fifty years of early settlement in and around Mangum and also the first year of a recorded school which was held in a dug out southwest of
the courthouse today.
Series nine (9) will be a two part series: The classes of 1980 and 1985 and Part B will cover Classes of 1990 and 1995. Any additions or corrections to any pieces of this history will be
welcomed. Please contact me at [email protected] or 580-782-5107. History isn’t complete until it is correct. That is hard to guarantee but every
effort will be made to preserve the history as correct as possible. The School Web Site, maintained by Bob Bratton, always enters any changes or corrections sent in throughout the year.
Researched and compiled by Historian, Joy Hall Grant, Class of 1957