Our Senior Year

If you have any photos to submit, it would help spruce up this page.

The Class of ’57 had a goodlooking bunch of Majorettes, and they marched in the 1957 Rodeo parade through downtown, leading so that the band would know which way to go.

Had them then…

…Still do.

According to custom, the lower classes throw a farewell party for graduating schoolmates, calling it the “Aloha Prom”. We participated in same, for the class of ’56, with the Bob Simmons Orchestra playing, in that eloquent ball room known as the Boy’s Gym, May 18, 1956. Once we got those holier-than-thou highs-choolers out of the way, our class became kings and queens of the world…majestic seniors all. Now it
was our turn to rule over the lower classes, hoop and holler, throw parties, and start to worry that it was only a year before the horror of either work or higher education hit us upside the head. Not to worry, planning for and going to
dances was a big help. One annual dance was the “Bronco Whirl”, a fancy affair, honoring the football team, whether they deserved it or not. At left is a ticket to one of these dances. This one happens to be for the 1955 shindig, on account of I don’t have anything more up to date to show you.

The Fall Graduating Class

We of the fall class had a Banquet, sort of. Was on a balmy January 12th, in the back room at Alabama Catering Service,
way on the other side of town. You may recall it was quite expensive…$3.50 or something like that. Bobby Holton was the toastmaster (must have used punch, or iced tea for that); Bob Taylor delivered an after dinner speech, and John Kirby sang us a song. We had Chicken, and Rib Steak, which tasted like chicken. But, one of our banquet committee guys had pull, and he got a vegetable plate (for $1.75). Ah, the good old days.

Probably nobody remembers it, but the guest speaker at the fall class Commencement was pretty famous. Who was it? Tell you later. Commencement was held on the 25th of January, in the school auditorium. Lots of fancy speeches…by Honor Graduates, Jeanine Williams and Annelle Panzram, and a vocal by our departed friend, Ronnie Worsham. The band played “Marche Militaire”, “Look for the Silver Lining”, and
“Pomp and Circumstance”, with a lot of pomp and instruments, Mr. Lewellyn, directing. The speaker was Jack Valenti.

 

The Spring Graduating Class

The Spring graduating class of ’57 got a little fancier…. Houston Club, Sylvan Beach… High class stuff back then.