Mountaineer Heritage Park Blog

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT - DECEMBER 1, 2011

2011-12-01T23:44:00.000-06:00

The Executive Board of the MWHS 50 Year Club has voted to continue renovation of the Home Economics Building at Mountaineer Heritage Park.

Do I have a "way to go" or it's about time"?? Let us tell you the work that has already been done.

New roof and new windows installed
Grounds graded and retaining wall built to prevent future drainage problems
Adjacent open-air amphitheater restored and in use
Next step - asbestos abatement bids taken, contract to be awarded
Future use of the Home Ec Building - Office space for the 50 Year Club and large meeting rooms for rent by community organizations and individuals for meetings, reunions, weddings, receptions, and the like to generate revenue for the Club
Note: This is a renovation to period project, not a restoration to former classroom functions

We are calling for your help to see this project to completion. A challenge has been made by Janna Chandler McDonald, Class of 1958. She has given $25,000.00 in memory of her husband, Roy McDonald, also Class of 1958, toward this project.

Now it is time for the General Membership of the club to pitch in to bring this project home. With Janna's challenge in mind, we are asking you to consider an end-of-year donation or pledge toward this project. Any amount you can give is greatly appreciated. Mail your check or pledge to the 50 Year Club with the notation "Home Ec Building Fund." We will give you periodic reports of funds received and progress made. If you have any questions, call the office and we will respond.

"Envision this time as a period of growth, leadership, contribution, and leaving a legacy - living Life with a Purpose." - R. E. Mason

JOHN S. MURPHY, JR., Veteran Tribute

2011-11-12T12:41:00.006-06:00

As many of us still have our veterans on our minds and in our hearts today, I want to share with you the story of one of our own.

A Mineral Wells High School graduate from the class of 1958, John S. Murphy, Jr. began his long career with the U. S. Air Force in the Reserves in 1961 after spending some time in the Texas Army National Guard. He was commissioned a 2^nd Lt through the Air Force ROTC program at Texas Technological College in 1964, and went on active duty beginning in July of that year. He then completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and was awarded his pilot wings at Reese AFB, Texas, in August 1965, followed by B-52 Stratofortress Combat Crew Training.

His first assignment was as a B-52 pilot with the 26^th Bomb Squadron at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, and after completing F-105 Thunderchief Combat Crew Training, he served as an F-105 pilot with the 34^th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from February to October 1968.

Capt Murphy served as an instructor pilot with the 3500^th and 3501^st Pilot Training Squadrons at Reese AFB from November 1968 to August 1971, and then completed F-4 Phantom II Combat Crew Training before serving as an F-4 pilot with the 469^th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai AFB from November 1971.

On June 8, 1972 he was forced to eject over South Vietnam while flying a Tiger Fast FAC mission, and was taken as a Prisoner of War by North Vietnamese forces. This was his second shoot-down, having been forced to eject over Laos during an earlier Tiger Fast FAC mission on February 10, 1972, and being rescued the next day. After spending 293 days in captivity, Capt. Murphy was released during Operation Homecoming on March 27, 1973.

He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and then served as an F-4 pilot with the 32^nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Camp New Amsterdam in the Netherlands from Sept 1973 to June 1976, followed by Air command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

Maj Murphy's final assignment was on the staff of Headquarters U. S. Air Force in the Pentagon, where he served as an Air Operations Staff Officer with the Tactical Division in the Office of the Deputy Director for Combat Readiness, Directorate of Operations and Readiness, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, from June 1977 until he resigned his commission in the Air Force on June 15, 1978.

John and Jo McCloud (Class of 1959) have been married since 1959 and have 3 children and 8 grandchildren.

His 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross w/Valor Citation reads:

Captain John S. Murphy distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight as an F-4E Forward Air Controller in Southeast Asia on 30 April 1972. On that date Captain Murphy repeatedly led strike flights into lucrative warehouse and storage complexes despite deteriorating weather and intense antiaircraft fire. Remaining in the target area for over four hours, his directions, under extremely trying circumstances, were responsible for the destruction of eleven warehouses and large amounts of supplies with no friendly losses. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Captain Murphy reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Thank you for your service, John, and your love of country; and we also thank Jo for her faithfulness and courage, holding your beautiful family together until you returned.

Capt. Murphy with his F-105 Thunderchief in 1968

JOHN S. MURPHY, JR.

Major O-4, U.S. Air Force

Texas Army National Guard 1957-1961
U.S. Air Force Reserve 1961-1964
U.S. Air Force 1964-1978
Cold War 1957-1978
Vietnam War 1968, 1971-1973 (POW)

SOURCES:
John S. Murphy, Jr., Veteran Tribute, http://www.veterantributes.org, accessed November 12, 2011

Mineral Wells High School Yearbooks, 1958, 1959

In Appreciation of Those Who Serve

2011-11-11T00:22:00.001-06:00

On this eve of another Veteran’s Day, I would like to take a moment to reflect upon the service of the men and women who have served our country in our Armed Services here and abroad.

Mineral Wells High School has many names on that honored roll of Veterans who have defended our freedom and represented our country over the years. Many have husbands, wives, fathers and mothers who served. Many have children that still serve.

We express our appreciation to the Mineral Wells High School Alumni and their families who represented us in every branch of the service.

Photo from 1945 MWHS Burro

Charles Dwayne Carter - 1939 - 2011

2011-10-26T20:42:00.001-05:00

Charles Dwayne Carter

November 29, 1939 - October 23, 2011

The 50 Year Club and the Class of 1959 lost a beloved friend Sunday when Charles Carter, age 71, passed away at his home in Mineral Wells, Texas. He was an active member of the club as are his sister and brother-in-law, R. E. and Neta Carter Mason.

Charles was a member of the American Legion, as well as the 50 Year Club. His Class of 1959 were inducted into the club in 2009. The above picture was taken during the class reunion dinner that year. Charles owned and operated Carter Station in Mineral Wells.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, October 26, 2011, at the Southside Church of Christ in Mineral Wells. His burial followed in the Fairview Cemetery in Millsap. His family received visitors from 6:00-8:00 P.M at the Baum Carlock Bumgardner Funeral Home on Tuesday evening.

Charles was the son of Paul and Merdell Rhodes Carter who preceded him in death. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law: Noel and Patsy Carter, sister and brother-in-law: Neta and R. E. Mason, longtime companion: Nancy Hawkins and family, all of Mineral Wells, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister: Oreta Vincent, and nephew: Ricky Mason.

So many will miss you, Charles. May you rest in peace.

SOURCES

PICTURE:
Archived digital format belonging to MWHS 50 Year Club, taken 2009 at annual reunion and induction of MWHS Class of 1959

Some information taken from obituary posted on Mineral Wells Index

"Highpockets" - In Memory of Ricky

2011-10-22T15:55:00.001-05:00

"Highpockets"

In memory of Ricky

1955 - 2006

Walk to Defeat ALS

Our son, Ricky Mason, lost his battle with this horrible disease, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, May 24, 2006, at the age of fifty, leaving two beautiful daughters, ages ten and nine at the time. It was in his memory that every member of our family, except one - nineteen of us - participated in the Fort Worth Walk to Defeat ALS on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011. R. E. had called Ricky "Highpockets" from the time he could walk, and that is what his girls chose for the team's name.

Members of his graduating Class of 1974 and close friends of ours joined the team and walked with us. Since our team raised more money for ALS than any other team there - $8,903 - Ricky's daughters, Carter & Bailey, got to cut the ribbon and our team led off the walk.

It was such a great day for such a great cause!

Neta Mason

SOURCE:

PHOTOGRAPH

Fort Worth Walk to Defeat ALS "Highpockets" team, digital format belonging to Neta Mason and sent to Judith Richards Shubert October 22, 2011

"PEACH" at Weatherford Public Library

2011-10-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

I recently was contacted by Christy Bellah, PEACH Cataloging Librarian of the Weatherford Public Library who said she had just come across my blog, Genealogy Traces. Finding that I have a lot of family ties to Parker County on my blog, she thought I would be interested in hearing about an exciting project at the library. They recently received a grant to allow them to digitize and make accessible online, historic documents, photos and oral histories relating to Parker County history.

She invited me to a public meeting October 6 where they presented exciting news about a grant funded project the library will be undertaking between now and August of 2012. The project is called “Preserving and Expanding Access to Culture and History” or “PEACH”. Staff unveiled this project and sought to enlist the assistance of all those community organizations that are involved in chronicling, collecting, organizing and preserving the history of Parker County.

As Dale Fleeger, Director WPL stated, "Weatherford Public Library (WPL) has long been one of the repositories of books, documents, pictures and other collections of family, city and county histories. Now with a grant WPL received we will move the preservation of these materials from traditional to next generation – digitizing these items for long term storage. The grant will also allow the library to catalog each item and make these items available to the public through the library’s public access catalog."

To learn more about PEACH and this exciting project, contact the Weatherford Public Library at 817.598.4160.

The PEACH Project is made possible by a grant from the U. S. Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) under provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

SOURCES

PHOTOGRAPH:

Belden, Dreanna L.. Parker County Courthouse, Photograph, April 14, 2006; digital image, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth13090 : accessed October 08, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.

LETTER:
email from Dale Fleeger, Director, Weatherford Public Library, 1014 Charles Street, Weatherford, Texas, September 29, 2011 to Judith Richards Shubert, bscrooge@charter.net

Selling Sausage on a Stick & Cold Drinks at Crazy Water Festival

2011-09-30T18:00:00.004-05:00

Gearing up for the most exciting festival ever, the festival partners and area and civic church groups are specializing in everything "Crazy"! According to their website they have an incredible amount of community support this year. It promises to be the CRAZIEST day of the year!

The festival features live music, street art, beer garden, children's area, and much more.

There will be a car cruise Friday night, September 30th, starting at 5:30 at the MWISD administration office, 906 NW 5th Ave., cruise will go East on Highway 180 to the Dairy Queen and loop back around, ending at the Old High School. No charge for the cruise. Live music and concessions at the amphitheater from 5:30 - 8:30.

The car show is hosted by American Veterans and sponsored by First State Bank.

Please contact the 50 Year Club and let them know if you can help sell sausage on a stick and cold drinks Friday night. We need your help!

SOURCE:

Crazy Car Show logo The 31st Annual Crazy Water Festival

PHOTOGRAPH

MWHS Amphitheater, Digital format, original taken by James Blaylock

Dubart Clark & Sharkey Crane

2011-09-23T12:49:00.034-05:00

Dubart Clark and Sharlmayne "Sharkey" Crane

Dubart and Sharkey while dating during the late 40s

Sharkey approximately 16 years old and Dubart 18 years old

Sharlmayne "Sharkey" Crane

Mineral Wells High School 1950 Junior Class Photo

1950 Queen's Court with Junior Court Representatives

Princess Sharlmayne Crane & Prince Don Clark

Carlton Dubart Clark

Mineral Wells High School 1945 Junior Photo

1946 MWHS Swing Band

Kenneth Williams, Norman Hines, Bob Lane, Jimmy Gooch,

Perry Nelson, Raymond, Harbin, Don Waller,

Tom Suite, Wayne White, DUBART CLARK, Bert Dyson,

Jarvis Ford, Don Cruce, and Katherine Greenwood

1945 MWHS Band

Dubart Clark on 2nd Row 3rd from Right

Carlton Dubart Clark and Sharlmayne "Sharkey" Crane graduated from Mineral Wells High School at 602 West Hubbard: Dubart in 1946 and Sharkey in 1951.

As you can see from the photographs, Sharkey was a beautiful young lady. She was chosen to represent the Junior class as Princess in the Queen's court in 1950, along with Prince Don Clark. Don Clark is the brother of Dubart. There were five siblings: Berneece, Charles, Dubart, Don and Jann Clark.

Dubart was very active in the band. In his Junior and Senior years he is found in the yearbook photos above. He is shown in the "Swing Band" in his Junior year of 1945. His son, Earl, said he believed his dad was in second row, fourth from left. He was a trumpet player.

Dubart's parents were Alvin Troy "A. T." and Leona Clark. A. T. was a barber who had a little shop next to Skeet Walton's.

Sharkey's parents were Earl Everett "E. E." and LaBelle Crane. Dubart named his son, Earl Clark after E. E. Crane.

SOURCES:
PHOTOGRAPHS
Earl Clark, son of Dubart and Sharlmayne Clark, Digital format, electronic submission.

1945, 1946, 1950 MWHS Yearbooks, property 50 Year Club, Digital scanned format by Bob Shubert 2010.

1959-60 Key Club at MWHS

2011-09-21T18:57:00.002-05:00

FIRST ROW: Billy Ansley, Bill McQueary, Jackie Ingle, Bob Samuelson, Tom Shaw, Don Moore, Roy Reynolds, Ramsey Horton, Kenneth Scott

SECOND ROW: Mr. Carlton Dubart Clark, Tommy Murphy, Bobby Mann, Jodie Scharnburg, Jimmy Brewton, Tubby Daves, Neil Kidwell, Tommy Bailey, Mac Davis

THIRD ROW: Frank Waddy, Jack Shelton, Cal Arrott, David Visentine, Tommy Key, Clyde Copeland, John Breidling

Carlton Dubart Clark, B.S.

Texas Christian University

Taught World History Mineral Wells High School 1959-1960

"The Key Club, as does its sponsor organization, the Kiwanis Club, embraces the ideal of service - to the school, to the community, to the nation.

One of the main events of the year was the Texas-Oklahoma District Convention held in Dallas, which the whole club attended.

The Key Club was also in charge of the second annual Carnival Day held on April 1. Other activities were a Leadership Banquet and a Parent Banquet."

Taken from The 1960 Burro

Mineral Wells, Texas

SOURCE:

1960 MWHS Yearbook, property 50 Year Club, Digital scanned format by Bob Shubert 2010

"Ballad of the Baker"

2011-09-21T12:14:00.006-05:00

Yvonne Smith Vaughan - 2011 Coming Home Queen

2011-09-17T10:59:00.006-05:00

Yvonne Smith Vaughan - MWHS Class of 1947

2011 Coming Home Queen

Escorted by Husband Bob Vaughan

Yvonne Smith Vaughan

Yvonne Smith - MWHS Class of 1947
Tri-Y '46-'47
Yell Leader '46-'47
Officer Home Eco. Club '44-'45
Bible '43-'47

1947 Yell Leaders
Elizabeth Massengale, Bunky Hunt, Mac McCain
Butch Turner, Ralph Bigham, Yvonne Smith

1947 Majorettes
Marilyn Glenn, Bert Dyson, Carolyn Robbins, Phyllis Griffith
Bettye Kelley, Pat Eichler, Marian Lewellen,
June Liles, Margaret Hines, Peggy Wooldridge

Snaps Here and There
Is That Yvonne in the Lower Right "Snapshot"?

SOURCE

Pictures:

Vaughan, Yvonne Smith, Digital Format, original taken and owned by Judith Richards Shubert,
September 2011

1960 MWHS Yearbook, property 50 Year Club, Digital scanned format by Bob Shubert 2010

Coming Home Queen to be Presented at Homecoming

2011-09-14T11:35:00.000-05:00

The annual Mineral Wells High School Homecoming Parade is Thursday, Sept. 15, beginning at 7 p.m. The parade will be led by grand marshal U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Willie H. Casper, Jr. The theme this year is “Our Time to Shine” and demonstrates the perseverance and strong will our students possess on and off of the football field. The parade will begin from the usual starting point on North Oak Avenue at 7 p.m. and finish at Miller Stadium, where Col. Casper will speak to the students.

Then on Friday a homecoming pep rally will be held at the high school at 10:34 a.m. The Rams will take on the Hawks from Iowa Park that night at 7:30 p.m. The 2011 Homecoming Queen, Coming Home Queen and princesses will be presented at half time. All alumni are encouraged to attend any and all of these activities.

This year will be the first time the 50 Year Club has been asked to select a Coming Home Queen from our membership. She will be presented at half time and presented to you here in these pages afterwards.

Partial List of Items to be Auctioned Friday, June 10th at Annual 50 Year Club Reunion

2011-05-17T16:06:00.000-05:00

Betty Vaughan Kidwell, Class of 1942, has donated a hand quilted, queen size Butterfly quilt,

Morris Gresham, author, Class of 1958, has donated two of his books.

Frontier Trails has donated a Chuck Dehaan print.

Class of 1961 is making up a basket filled with great items: an autographed copy of Sioux Ficke Seibert’s Images of America:Mineral Wells; an autographed copy of the cookbook, A Taste of Palo Pinto County by Joe and Sherry Maddox; CD, Used Cows by folk musician Raf Seibert; Set of 12 brass ornaments from the Rotary Club.

The class of '59 is donating a Gourmet Basket.

Class of '46: Patsy Weaver - Latest Edition of "Time Was"

Joyce Sturdivant, artist - Oil Painting

Willie Mae Hubbard - Sportsman's Quilt

Pat Wadsworth - Class of 1956 - "Quilting Queen Bee" quilt (machine quilted)

Jimmy Walker - Class of 1951 - Hand carved "Guardian Angel"

Texas Frontier Trails - Chuck Haan signed, numbered print "Goodnight - Loving Trail"

(The club has had it professionally framed) Beautiful! Has a Certificate of Authenticity.

1962 Opening of Youth Center

2011-05-03T17:52:00.001-05:00

This was found in a box of clippings donated to the 50 Year Club by a graduate of the class of 1962. There was obviously a second page to the reprint of this article, but it was not around. This may answer some questions about where some of us spent so much time after the Jaycee Youth Center was opened.

Click twice on the first image and then on the next image in order to be able to read it.

The second and last piece of the news clipping was found in a box of items donated by one of the 1960 class members during the reunion June 2011. Thank you!!

Laura Wallace - 2011 Teacher of the Year

2011-04-14T14:13:00.000-05:00

Teacher Hall of Fame
Mineral Wells
2011 Teacher of the Year Named

Laura Wallace, B. A.

University of Texas

Teacher of English and Latin

Mineral Wells High School

from

1958 Burro Staff
Mineral Wells High School

Dear Miss Wallace,

    Many years ago a gardener tenderly planted an orchard of seedlings. With careful nurturing, the seedlings, by spring, developed into small, sturdy plants.

    During three more winters and springs the young trees grew. Some had needed pruning to curb undesirable growing characteristics; others, however, had been provided with careful attention to enable them to survive.

    As her young trees came to full maturity, weathering both winter storms and summer drought, the gardener thought, "These are fine and productive, but I can do even better with the next seedlings entrusted to my care."

    So it was with you, Miss Wallace. Seeking always to inspire the highest personal and scholastic standards in your pupils. You were never satisfied with mediocrity. Throughout your teaching career, you held firmly to the belief in the worth of the individual.

    Although you were certainly a bulwark of both the English and Latin departments, we of the BURRO staff, because of your many years of your untiring devotion, painstaking effort, and unswerving loyalty, feel that you are especially and unforgettably ours.

    So, Miss Wallace, we respectively dedicate the 1958 BURRO to you.
With affection,
    The 1958 Burro Staff

1962 Class Plan to Greet 1961 Class in June

2011-04-04T11:29:00.000-05:00

From Left: Gene Waddy, Gerri Weldon, Sam Weldon, Lynn Tompkins Waddy

Linda Carol White Moore, Melody Joy Tuggle Carrol, Mary Louise Walker Bowman,

Nancy Martin Buzbee, Dianne Carter, Theresa Glidewell Crosier,

Kay Stone Cox, Judy Richards Shubert, Linda Gabriel Draper, and Barbara Nevil

We had a fantastic Reunion Planning meeting Saturday, March 27, 2011, with 1962 Classmates at the Country Club. As you know we will be the Greeters for the MWHS 50 Year Club Reunion this summer. Many things were discussed and planned. We are getting our ducks in a row.

Kay Stone Cox has graciously agreed to head up our Class of 1962 Scrapbook committee that will be for 2012. Linda Carol White Moore will be checking on red t-shirts and name tags. Lynn Tompkins Waddy will check on a building for a get-together for our class after Friday evening's registration and maybe a tour thru the Old MWHs (our Jr. High)...more details to follow. Theresa Glidwell Crosier is gathering info about motels/hotels and brochures from the Chamber of Commerce. Kay and Delores Ayres will get decorations for our registration table.

Assigned classmates to registration table for Fri evening & Sat morning. Hope we have enough 1962 Classmates to line the walls to give the Class of 1961 a royal welcome into the 50 Year Club on June 10th - 11th. Mark your calendars!!!

Other things discussed were concrete angels for our classmates on the loss of a loved one. We have started a fund for this purpose. Also discussed the possibility of starting a scholarship fund for a graduating senior of MWHS....

All in all it was a very productive meeting. Attending: Theresa Glidewell Crosier, Kay & Skip Cox, Carol White Moore, Mary Louise Walker Bowman, Delores Bolton Ayers, Dianne Carter, Melody Joy Tuggle Carroll, Sam & Gerrie Weldon, Bob & Judy Richards Shubert, Linda Gabriel Draper, Lynn Tompkins Waddy, Barbara Nevil, Gene Waddy (on crutches/broken foot), and Nancy Martin Buzbee.

Nancy Martin Buzbee

1962 Class President

Jabo's Combo

2011-01-04T15:58:00.000-06:00

TOP: Burton Parks, Roy Burns, Eugene Anastas, J. R. Burns

FRONT: Jimmy Burns, Clay Glover

Who can measure the passion of a young man’s heart? Why do some choose basketball, others choose golf, reading or poetry? How does the seed get planted? How does it pierce a young man’s spirit, begin to grow and become so important that he must do it, even if it means a period of separation from those he loves and who love him?

Part of the seed was planted on the day Dad Burns brought to the house at 212 Southwest Fourteenth Street a guitar and mandolin. Sonny immediately claimed the guitar because it was larger, the strings had a wider range, and it didn’t hurt the fingers as much as the mandolin did. The guitar was going to cause Sonny plenty of pain, but he could see past it to the joy. After a few instructions about chords and strings from Mom, Sonny took off on the instrument and never looked back. He practiced until he got blisters on the tips of his fingers, but he continued playing. The blisters burst, and the pain got worse, but he continued playing. His blistered fingers bled, but he continued practicing. He would sleep with a bowl of water by his bed to cool his burning finger-tips, but he kept playing.

In about a week, the blisters began to turn to calluses, and within two weeks, he had a set of calluses he could strike a match on. He could play for hours without pain. He could bend the strings to his will. They would respond with amazing sounds—chords, melodies, songs old and new. The guitar became Sonny’s constant companion. Anywhere it was permitted—and especially where there was anyone who knew something about the guitar he didn’t know. All of a sudden, church became a really fun place to go. It held guitar players like Stanley Rushing and Glen Albin to imitate. There were chords coming from the piano and organ to be matched.

After about a year of learning from these friends, Sonny saved up money to buy an adaptor which he could place on the guitar and plug in to the amplifier. Stan moved away about this time and the position of lead guitar came open. Sonny was ready for it.

Only problem, we didn’t have monitors or sound men to keep everything in balance. The amplifier was out front and you had to play it loud to hear yourself. Most of the time it wasn’t a problem, because the people at the church sang so loud that it made no difference how loud an instrument was. It just gave them an opportunity to sing louder.

During offertories and solos, it could be a bit of a problem. After all, weren’t the soloists supposed to be heard over the guitars? But, as a rule, the people at the Mineral Wells Church of God were tolerant of the sonic excesses. They had seen it happen before. They were sure he’d grow out of that stage, just like the others over the years who had learned to contribute to the instrumental ensemble.

‘Course, they had never had a Sonny on the guitar before. Sonny perceived very rapidly that if you weren’t playing lead guitar, it was a lot like not being the lead dog on a sled team. The scenery never changes. The lead guitar could control tempos, styles, and the emotional character of the music, and—therefore--the service.

Sonny had found his niche, and he wasn’t going to give it up lightly. He loved playing gospel music in church. He loved playing country music on the front porch next door at Homer Glover’s—the virtuoso mandolin picker. But there was something in the air in the mid-50’s. Blues singers like Jimmy Reed were breaking into the main steam with the rough, gravelly emotion-filled voices and guitar licks that could make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight out. When Chuck Berry played “Go, Johnny, Go,” it raised a bar for Sonny that would never be lowered.

In the meantime, Elvis was staying at the “Heartbreak Hotel.” Jerry Lee was ablaze in certain parts of his anatomy. Pat Boone lost his baby, and almost lost his mind. Elvis and Jerry Lee had been raised Pentecostal, but the church scene couldn’t hold their shakin’ and bakin’, rockin’ and rollin’. Sonny’s young heart resonated with this new revelation of high spirit and raw emotion. He looked for kindred spirits nearby where this energy could find expression and found it—where else—with a Pentecostal friend, Billy Woodruff. The Woodruffs were friends with Mom and Dad, from our frequent visits to the Pentecostal Holiness church across from where Aunt Jewel Faye lived at the time. Sis. Woodruff (we always called her Sis. Woodruff, since we knew them through the church) had an unusual tic. If you pointed at her, she would have to say what you said, exactly as you were saying it. No kidding! Billy demonstrated this to us several times. To show they weren’t kidding, he would throw in a cuss word now and then and she would say it exactly in time and style with him. Then she would grab a fly-swatter and go after him.

Billy was a strapping young giant with a handsome head of flame-red hair, an Elvis-like vibrato, a jumbo guitar and a white sport coat. It was a match made somewhere in the spirit world, if not in heaven. Billy played a respectable thumping jumbo second-guitar and loved to sing. Sonny wanted lead guitar, so during his developing years, he was quite content for Billy to sing lead vocals while Sonny played lead guitar. With such an enthusiastic, talented pair, it wasn’t hard to attract other gifted performers to their group. They found Burton Parks, who they converted from accordion to piano. Burton was a slender, medium-tall young fellow with a full head of black hair, thick eyebrows, and heavy beard. He was easy-going, which was good for Billy and Sonny.

They discovered that Clayton Glover, so impressive in the Mineral Wells High School marching band drum line and all-state drummer with the jazz band, wanted nothing more and nothing less than to be able to use his full set of drums with guitar amps turned up loud enough to match his most thunderous dynamic levels. Clayton was phenomenal. He was one of the best trap-set players I ever knew. We knew he was good, but we had no way of knowing just how good at the time. We knew he was ten times better than anyone in Palo Pinto County. When he went to play in Vegas, it confirmed our estimate of his abilities.

Norris Bailey, Clay Glover, J.R. "Jabo" Burns, Burton Parks, Billy Woodruff

BILLY WOODRUFF & The Starlighters

played the "BIG D" in Dallas w/Sid King, Jerry Lee
and many more Rock 'n Rollers....1955!

Jerry Lee did the Whole Lotta Shakin!

SID KING IN 1955 .... THE BIG "D"

Eugene Anastas was recruited to play sax. He was a good-looking kid in that Greek/Italian fashion. Medium height. Stocky. Mature-looking beyond his years. He could improvise over any theme Sonny gave him, and he could wail on “Blue Moon” in a way that just pulled your heart out. They went through a couple of yakety-sax virtuosos, but I remember Eugene because he was in the group when I started playing for them later.

The group called themselves “Billy Woodruff and the Starlighters.” (Lead singers always get their names listed separately. It was only later that Sonny thought about this.) They had no bass player at the time, so they utilized Norris Bailey to keep the steady low chords on the guitar.

Unfortunately for Sonny, Dad chose just then to take another of his tension-releasing odysseys. Dad could only stay in one place for so long. About a year. Then the pressure that built up gradually through the year got to the explosive point. We would come home from school and find all the furniture out at the side of the road with a home-made sign announcing “Yard Sale.” The couch might go for $10.00, the love seat for $5.00, the kitchen table for $$.00 and the chairs for $2.00 each. As soon as Dad had enough gas money to get to his prescribed destination, he changed the sign to “Free Stuff,” threw the clothes and linens into the car trunk, and we were on our way.

This never particularly bothered Mom. She knew Dad needed to get away, and she knew it wouldn’t be more than a few months to a year before he was ready to come back to Mineral Wells. It was an adventure--of sorts. A change of pace. When we were smaller, it was the equivalent of a vacation. Later, I used to wonder why we didn’t just take vacations like everyone else, instead of moving away for a year. But, I have always been glad for all the places we went and stayed long enough to get acquainted with the area.

This time, though, there was some serious dragging of the collective feet by the Burns boys. Roy and I were playing football with the junior high team. Sonny was on the freshman squad at the high school, but more than that, his heart was with the embryonic Starlighters. Rehearsing and playing with his rockabilly buddies was the one place in life where he was free. Free to express himself through the wildest guitar licks he could devise, invent, create or imitate. Free to turn up the volume until his chest bones throbbed with the beat of Clay’s drum while his guitar-possessed spirit soared among the asteroids.

He wasn’t going to take this move lightly, but he could find no workable alternative from the time he got home and found Dad selling the last stick of furniture until the ’55 Ford was loaded and Dad was honking the horn for us to get in. So, sulking and stomping, Sonny climbed into the back seat with Roy and me. Larry sat between Mom and Dad in the front seat. Dad pulled the gear lever down in first, and with a light screeching of rubber against asphalt and the mild roar of the V-8 engine, we were on our way to—Abilene.

Abilene! Abilene was only 110 miles from Mineral Wells. But it might as well have been a thousand for a kid with no car, who was leaving his heart on the floor of the Starlighters practice “studios.” In today’s jargon, the Starlighters would have been called a garage band. But nobody in the band lived in a house with a garage, so it took extremely tolerant parents to let them flail away at full volume. Clayton’s dad worked the second shift, so his house was usually available. As often as not, they practiced in one of the churches, either the Mineral Wells Church of God or Billy’s Pentecostal Holiness church. The churches were rarely locked. They both had a small P.A. system, and the group could always break into a gospel song if the pastor came around.

Roy and I were able to put our disappointments aside fairly easily when we found we were going to Abilene. Abilene constituted the home of James Alec Grady Walker, our Granddad--a great guy. A fun person. This couldn't be too bad. Besides, we were getting beat up pretty good in football. Especially me. I only weighed 120 pounds, and the coach liked to put me blocking a 200-pound behemoth. I was one of the few who would go at him full tilt, because I was used to fighting my older brothers, and I had picked out this boy’s weaknesses. The coach wanted to make a man out of the behemoth. In the meantime, he hadn't noticed that while this guy was becoming a man, I was gradually becoming hamburger. So, I could take this move. Maybe I could make the basketball team.

Sonny sulked and pouted most of the way to Abilene, until he found out that Pete and Della, Louis and Helen had already moved there. Some big construction was going on in the area, and a lot of painters were needed. Enter Pete, Louis, and Dad.

For Sonny, this meant that Walter Dean and Guy would be there. They were both in high school, and were pretty hip characters. Between them, they had a collection of blues recordings (and I do mean the twelve-inch vinyl records of the time) of every black artist on the market. We moved into a rent house on the North side of Granddad, and Pete and Della had moved into a rent house on the South side of Granddad. Sonny almost forgot his disappointment for several weeks as he listened over and over again to every recording in Walter Dean’s collection.

It affected his guitar playing. He had to be able to match any sobbing, sighing, wrenching line from Jimmy Reed or Chuck Berry. His singing voice took on the unmistakable gruffness and emotional character of the black man singing of abuse, lost love, poverty and despair. He felt he could empathize.

Once he essentially mastered the black man's blues, including the ability to improvise lyrics over a 12-bar pattern, the old longing for the Starlighters came back with a vengeance. He needed a place where he could throw himself into this kind of music. Playing at the local Church of God in Abilene didn't get it, because nobody quite “got” his style. The only bright spot at the church was a friendly young lady who owned a buff two-tone green 1952 Chevrolet. It was sweet. And so was she. But not sweet enough to hold the full attention of a young man who wanted to play rock-and-roll. And no one at the high school was up to speed in that arena.

So, while Roy and I warmed the bench at the basketball games, Sonny set about convincing Mom and Dad that he would be better off back in Mineral Wells, practicing with the Starlighters. He tried the logic that the Abilene High School academic program was so different from Mineral Wells High School that he was finding it difficult to make the adjustment. Yeah, right! It progressed through the usual grumpiness, complaining and fussing with everybody about everything. It eventually migrated to a place where his adventurous, rebellious nature could really express itself--the 1955 Ford V8, a pretty hot car. Dad had a way of breaking in a car so that it ran with the very best. If it didn't run, Dad wouldn't keep it.

Dad liked to make the needle on the speedometer disappear from time-to-time when on a good straightaway. I don't ever remember being passed while Dad drove. It went against his competitive spirit. Whatever nature Dad repressed somehow expressed itself fully in Sonny. He basically felt it was his duty to double any speed sign, whether in a straight-away or on a curve. I particularly disliked the curves. I didn't trust the tires, and I didn’t like trusting my life to the mechanical quality of a car. There was a roller-coaster sort of road out to Phantom Lake near Abilene. One dip was particularly abrupt, and the gouges in the asphalt were sufficient evidence to me that you could take this road too fast. As I look back on it, I suspect that most of the gouges were due to Sonny's 110 mile-per-hour approach to the 30 mile-per-hour dip. The Ford would bottom out with a shower of sparks and gravel. Then it would go airborne at the top of the next rise. Sonny had learned--through trial and error--that if you hit the rise at the proper speed, the car would sail through the air for several seconds, then come down as gracefully as the snow-skiers in the Olympics. This was the original Scream Machine! I take my hat off to the builders of the 1955 Ford. It survived incredible abuse, and Roy and I got a lot closer to the Lord.

Roy recalls the day Sonny had the car at Abilene High School when an ice storm laid a couple of inches of ice on all roads and parking lots during the school day. Sonny took the opportunity to put on an "ice show" for the students. While other students made the way carefully to their cars, not at all sure they would attempt to drive home on the ice, Sonny ran to the Ford and flew down the center lane of the parking lot. He gave the steering wheel a hard turn, and the Ford spun round and round as it continued to move forward the length of the parking lot. The gravel and grass at the edge of the lot allowed the car to stop safely. Sonny seemed instinctively to know the limits of the car, the conditions of the road, and the weather. Sometimes I thought that Sonny’s driving was a metaphor for his life-style. Fly along, hell-bent for leather, then pull up at the brink of disaster just like James Dean diving out of the car just before it flew over the cliff in "Rebels Without a Cause." One thing for sure, he kept his guardian angel busy. I am sure Sonny’s angel received some unprecedented awards for protecting him during those years, along with an occasional tongue-lashing for not being able to control him.

"Jabo" Burns, Clay Glover, Burton Parks

It didn't take too many phone calls from school counselors, pastors and neighbors until Mom and Dad received a special "epiphany." Sonny would be better off back in Mineral Wells playing guitar in a rock band than terrorizing the nice people of Abilene! By this time, Sonny had gotten Burton Parks to invite him to stay at his home with his folks in Mineral Wells. The Starlighters could be a band once more! Mom recalls that she got Mrs. Parks to promise that she wouldn't let the boys play for dances. Somehow that clause in the contract quickly got covered up. Moving back to Mineral Wells didn’t remove Sonny’s adventurous spirit in the automobile. According to Clayton, “J.R. would take us all out to some muddy roads south of Mineral Wells when it rained and he'd do figure-eights down the road. That’s when I learned to pray at an early age!” Sonny accepted the invitation to stay with the Parks family, and he got a job selling shoes at Poston's Dry Goods on North Oak. He had fallen in love with a new Fender Stratocaster guitar--a pearl-white solid-body cut-away to allow reaching those extra high notes so essential to the lead rock guitarist. The honey-blonde fingerboard was so narrow I couldn't play it after playing a standard guitar, but the closer strings meant faster moves for Sonny. It was a beauty that set the standard for a new breed of instruments. Mr. Parks generously co-signed the loan for Sonny to have this marvelous instrument. It became Sonny's mistress, his confidante, his mouth-piece, his servant, his master.

The Starlighters enjoyed considerable success throughout North Texas by the time we returned from our Abilene "vacation." The guys were regulars on the Big D Jamboree in Ft. Worth appearing with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Trini Lopez, both of whom became super stars very shortly afterward. Sonny still remarks about Jerry Lee's saxophonist’s ability to play while rolling across the floor. Trini offered Jabo (as he preferred to be called by this time) a job playing guitar with him.

Jabo began to itch to express himself vocally as well as instrumentally. If one could play lead guitar and sing lead vocals... well, the possibilities were endless. By the time we returned to Mineral Wells, Roy had mastered the bass fiddle, the bass instrument of choice for rockabilly and gospel music. I bought Glen Albin's golden cut-away Montgomery Ward guitar and amp for $75. I saved for it at the rate of fifty cents an hour, thus it represented 150 hours of work. I could buy quite a guitar for a month’s wages these days.

In the meantime, Roy and I found we were still too short for basketball, too small for football, and too slow for track and girls. It made it easier as well as necessary to throw ourselves into our music more intensely. Music was not just an escape from, it was an escape to--to friends making music in rehearsal, to friends making music for audiences large and small, to making new friends who were affected by our music.

Roy took over the position of bass player at the Mineral Wells Church of God after Bob Culp left town for Washington state. Bass fiddles aren't the easiest instrument to haul around, and there was always the chance that the Culps would return. We didn't feel comfortable taking the bass out of the church, although we did it from time to time for church programs, so we began looking for alternatives. Roy found out that one of Dad's cousins had a fine old double-bass stored in a rent house. He would be happy for Roy to use it. At last, an instrument Roy could play country music and even rock-and-roll without feeling guilty about using as he had with the church instrument. An instrument we could carry anywhere we wanted to play.

Billy had to do his six-month stint with the National Guard, so Sonny took this opportunity to make his move. He wanted a bass fiddle so he recruited Roy. Norris was getting more involved and having more success with high school football, so Jabo recruited me for rhythm guitar. He recruited Eugene Anastas on sax. And he pulled Burton Parks and Clayton Glover. He dropped "Sonny" and picked up "Jabo" full time. I think it was Clayton who came up with "Jabo's Combo" for the band's name.

We were ready to rock and roll! Here's the way it usually worked. We had no record player at the house, so Jabo would save money from his work at Poston's Dry Goods. He would transfer two or three dollars into quarters and take his break at the pool hall located under J C. Penney's. He would put a quarter in the juke box, push the button with the number he was wanting to learn, and write down as many words as he could catch. He would play the song four or five times until he had all the words and the melody were ingrained in his memory. Then he would listen to it three or four more times to pick up the music arrangement--especially the lead guitar licks.

By that time, the serious pool players were cussing and hollering, "Get that #%*@&^ kid off the juke box. He's driving us cazy!" But the manager, who liked Jabo and admired his determination, would quiet them with "Cool it, boys. He'll be finished soon. Let him be." Clayton has a slightly different version of this anecdote! He writes, “Jim, you know that quarter that J.R. was playing the juke-box to learn songs with? Well, they told me that it was a quarter with a small hole in it with a strong string attached to it. He would put it in, the record would start playing and Jabo would pull the quarter back out. He was slick like that.” I tend to lean toward Clayton’s memory on this one!

Jabo would come home saturated with this new song. He would grab his guitar, make sure he could do everything just right, then he would teach the song to Roy and me, and give suggestions on how he wanted us to do it. We would get busy practicing. By the time Burton, Eugene and Clay came over, we would be sure to have our part mastered so we wouldn't be seen as weak links who were tolerated just because we were brothers of the band leader.

Jabo was good at getting gigs, and Clayton was a great PR man. We had a group picture made for our poster. All of us wore white sport coats and shiny black polo shirts except Jabo, who wore a dark suit and white shirt. He was the leader. Jabo always sucked his cheeks in to make his face appear thinner, and he made his lips pout a little. He would make sure at least one strand of hair fell across his forehead. "Drives the girls crazy," he said.

We typically performed on Friday and Saturday nights. If we didn't have a Saturday night rock 'n' roll engagement, we would play country music at a community center in Graford or at a remodeled barn on the other side of Cool. Cool, Texas, once made it in a Ripley's "Believe it or not" column because of its steam laundry with the name “Cool Steam Laundry.” Friday was most often the North Oak Teen Club. It was a great place for teens to hang out. There were hot dogs, soda, games, and dancing to the music of Jabo's Combo. We were paid a percentage of the attendance fees.

Our best money was made at graduation parties on the base. A contact person would contract with Jabo to play from 7-10:00 in the evening for a specified rate. The combo was popular, and who wanted a party to end or go to canned music at 10:00? Jabo's contract had a clause that required doubling the original fee for each hour after 10:00. We would often play until 11:00, and many times until 12:00. We sometimes made more money playing rock 'n' roll in one evening than we made all week at our day jobs.

Utilizing Jabo's juke-box method of instruction, we developed a pretty impressive repertoire. Some of our favorites included:

Whole lotta shakin'

You win again (the news is out)

Great balls afire (Larry's personal favorite)

Crazy arms

You know that I love you (honest, I do)

Run/hide (you got me runnin')

Better get some insurance on me, baby

Johnny be good

He'll have to go

Four walls

Run, Red, Run (novelty tune)

Wake up, little Susie

Blue moon (Eugene's sax solo)

Honky-tonk

Raunchy

Sweet bunch of daisies

Poor people of Paris (My instrumental solo)

Sixteen Tons

Young love

All shook up

Teddy bear

That'll be the day

Young love

Love me tender

Almost lost my mind

Heartbreak hotel

Party doll

Love letters in the sand

Heartache by the numbers

Stagger Lee

Yakkety-Yak

The blues numbers were always hits. Jabo could scrape out the pain of the blues in the gravelly vocal style he had learned from listening to Walter Dean's collection of blues singers. He could do it with the best. Somehow, you felt he was vocally scraping the leavings of life from a pan someone had already gotten the best from, and nothing was left but the hurt (Run/hide). At other times, it was unrestrained celebration (Johnny Be Good). The fans loved it! Roy and I were known for our Everly Brothers numbers. They were fun. They were about the teenager's life.

Our routine at the clubs was to play forty-five minutes of rock 'n' roll, then take a fifteen-minute break while the PA system played recordings. It became a game for the girls to try to get Roy and me to dance. Remarkably, we resisted for most of our tenure with the Combo. We were there to make music, not to dance. But, secretly, it pleased us that through music we could attract friends in a way that even the athletes could envy.

Sonny was careful to protect Roy and me from the “world.” When he was younger, he told us that if anyone ever tried to get us to smoke, to tell him and he would beat the stuffing (I am cleaning this up) out of them. But, Clayton didn’t have quite the same experience: “J.R. and Eugene took me out to the Brazos River at the age of seventeen for the purpose of getting me drunk. Then they dropped me at my step-father’s home and I had to sober up before he came home from work at 11:00 that night. My first time--puking, crying, there are scars still on my brain!” He continues, “J.R. and Billy told a bunch of girls at one of our teen-age dances that the drummer had never been kissed, and the girls wanted my phone number, but back then my step-father was too poor to have a phone.” Saved from the throes of iniquity by abject poverty!

The three of us—Sonny, Roy, and I--were in high school for a couple of years at the same time. Roy and Jabo took the slower route with the "Distributive Education" plan, where they went to school for half a day and worked half a day. As a result, everybody at Mineral Wells High School knew the Burns Boys. There was a fad one year--the high school girls would go by Poston's Dry Goods to buy a pair of white tennis shoes and get Jabo's autograph on the shoes!

Those were fun times. Maneuver that bass fiddle into my '50 model Ford (no easy task), load up the trunk with guitars and drums, and head for the teen club. The girls took their cues from Elvis' fans and would scream at the band during the "right" moments. I heard one girl holler, "Spit on me, Jabo!" I don't know if he obliged or not. The peak of the frenzy came during the last music set of the evening. While playing a big instrumental break, Jabo would give a signal. He and I would throw our guitars behind our heads without missing a beat. Roy would position the bass fiddle across his lap. Burton stood up at the piano. Eugene laid back across the piano bench with his sax. Clay went crazy on the drums. This was just the warm-up. At the precise emotional and musical moment, our guitars went straight up, Roy spun the bass like a top, and Clay bounced his sticks spinning high into the air and caught them behind his back. The fans would be delirious!

That always worked well with the teens. It didn't always work out with the adults at the Moose Club. The Moose Club dances had a great setting. We were on the eighth floor of the Crazy Hotel (later called the Carlsbad). The ballroom was possibly twenty feet high, surrounded by windows that went almost from ceiling to floor. We played our set in front of one of the windows. The big window framed Clay's drum set-up. You could see forever. This particular evening, Roy and I noticed that one of the Moose (Meese?) clubbers had seemed to take a special appreciation for Clay's drumming. Clay was an incredible drummer, and though a bit shy in person, when playing rock he had a signature vocal cat-call he would make from time to time. This clubber brought Clay several drinks during the evening. It was a clear liquid and had a lemon slice on the lip of the glass, so Roy and I assumed it was lemonade.

We noticed that Clay seemed to be really enjoying the evening. His cat-calls were more frequent and a bit more enthusiastic than usual. He tried a few more drum licks and seemed eager to take additional opportunities for drum breaks. When the big, big moment came, Jabo and I threw our guitars behind our heads without missing a lick. Roy crossed the bass over his lap. Burton stood up at the piano and Eugene laid back across the bench. Everything was going well. Clay was building his crescendo. At the peak moment, the guitars went up, Roy spun the bass, Clay gave a cat-call and ricocheted his spinning sticks into the upper reaches of the magnificent ball room. He had miscalculated significantly. The drinks were not lemonade, but vodka. Clay reached behind his back to catch the sticks as always. He had never missed. This time, Clay caught nothing but air as his stool fell over backwards, taking Clay with it. The sticks sailed gracefully through the huge window and landed on the street eight stories below. It was a climactic ending to our gig, alright, but not the one we had planned!

Those were formative years. Jabo's combo was a large part of our teen years. We continued playing country music on fifth Saturdays. And Sundays, we were a gospel quartet at the Mineral Wells Church of God or at a Sunday afternoon gospel singing. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish one setting from another. I guess that went back to my Sister Alexander days, when I wanted to sing "Roly-Poly" in church.

It was instructive to note people's response to music, whether in church, country music barn, or teen club. They always responded. They were either for or against. They entered in or were pulled in to the music. I recall how the teens could get caught up dancing to "Honky-Tonk," one of the first rockabilly tunes to feature a driving bass, balanced by searing licks from the treble. Jabo would nod to us to keep playing. By the third run-through of the song, the chaperones were literally having to escort couples from the dance floor who had overstepped the bounds of propriety kept by the parents club. Jabo just smiled, winked at us, and kept playing.

On the other hand, I observed how the folks at the country barn gigs could light up with sheer delight at "Wildwood flower" or go for their beer at "Four walls."

At church, when we sang "Heavenly Love" or "He's already done" people stood and raised their hand in worship, often crying and shouting for joy. I was amazed at the power God had given music. In my heart I determined that, though I would always have a good time playing and singing all kinds of music, and I would always appreciate what I learned in the Combo, this life-changing music was where I wanted to go.

But, I'm just almost positive I've heard Mom Burns play "Down yonder" for the Sunday evening offertory. Bro. Mitchell said he always got a bigger offering when Mom Burns played a fast song.

Written by Jim Burns, MWHS Class of 1961

brother of J. R. "Jabo" Burns, MWHS Class of 1958

and Roy Burns, MWHS Class of 1959

Source:

Jim Burns, DMA, Professor of Music, Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee,

Copyright belongs to Professor Burns.

I received this email from Jim Burns on January 4, 2011 and wanted to share it with you.

Hello, Judy, and Happiest of New Years!

I would be very honored for you to put the story on your blog and web-site. My class was the class of 1961, although I graduated in the summer of 1960 and worked to save money for college. Thank you for your interest. I had fun pulling it together. I talked with J. R. and Roy about some of the details before they left us, and I was pleased that they liked it. Those were fun, formative times. Let me know when it's up.

Best wishes,

Jim

PS Last year, the Mineral Wells Church of God gave me the bass fiddle we used in our escapades. I treasure it. I play it from time to time with a couple of ensembles, and I always feel my brothers' hands on the neck of the bass, playing along with me.

Together We Can Do It!

2010-11-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

Mountaineer Heritage Park Brochure
Designed and Donated by
Chris Travis, managing partner of Sentient Architecture, Austin, Texas
and Printed and Donated by Bill Bennett
Bennett’s Brazos Printing, Mineral Wells, Texas

ATTENTION PLEASE!

URGENT LETTER FROM THE CLUB PRESIDENT

Dear Club Member,

Two years, ago, when the 50 Year Club was deeded the property by the MWISD, new roofs were installed on all 3 buildings. Rock work and a new stage were completed on the Amphitheater. A new rock retaining wall behind the Home Ec. Building was built, new windows were installed in the Building, and a new rock walkway was laid on the south side to the front porch.

The “50” Year Club was rolling, anticipating grant money.

Grant and foundation fund applications have been denied for the renovation of our Old Mineral Wells High School. In order to preserve our memorabilia, we have to hold on to the property which we own -“MOUNTAINEER HERITAGE PARK” (High School, Little Rock School House, & Home Economics Bldg.). In order to do this, we must have help with the everyday expenses such as office supplies, utilities (electricity, telephone), insurance, and grounds maintenance.

The Home Economics Building (Art Center) is closed at this time. It needs a new interior, restrooms, wiring, floor tile, etc., for an estimated cost of $100,000. This will make it a very nice building for the Art Club as well as rental income for various events. It will also be the meeting place for the 50 Year Club Executive Board. The Little Rock School House is leased to the Mineral Wells Historical Society.

Of course, the larger plan, renovation of the Old High School, is still in place and we will continue to have fund raisers and search other avenues for monies ($4,000,000+) to help make this happen. But, for the New Year, the work on the Home Ec. Bldg. will be our goal, with your help.

Chris Travis, managing partner of Sentient Architecture, Austin, TX, designed and donated the enclosed brochure and Bill Bennett, Bennett’s Printing, printed and donated 5000 copies to the Club. If you have a chance, please thank Bill and Chris for their interest.

I am asking you to please read the brochure, think about the historical buildings in Mineral Wells that have already been demolished and, if you are interested at all in helping preserve our historical property, please fill out the form, place your donation in the supplied addressed envelope and mail it today. WE NEED YOUR HELP! I believe you will put your shoulder to the wheel and LET’S DO IT – THE MOUNTAINEER SPIRIT!!

We are a 501 ( c ) 3 Club; you will receive an acknowledgement for tax purposes. Please consider the 50 Year Club when preparing yearly tax write-offs, royalties, estate planning, etc. Legal assistance is available.

Thank you,

R. E. Mason

Skip Cox - Baylor 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee

2010-11-03T11:02:00.000-05:00

T. C. "Skip" Cox

Baylor 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee

Athletic Trainer / Administrator 1973 - 1991

On Friday, October 22, MWHS 50 Year Club member T. C. “Skip” Cox was inducted into the Baylor University Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2010 Induction Ceremony was held in the Ferrell Center on the Baylor Campus in Waco.

Baylor President, Judge Kenneth W. Starr, welcomed the guests and inductees and said some special words of thanks to Cox for bringing so much to the university during his long tenure there.

After graduating from Mineral Wells High School in 1960, where he had served as the athletic trainer during his junior and senior years, Cox attended the University of North Texas. After graduation he began his career in training athletes in earnest. Cox, in 1973 went to Baylor University from North Texas, served as Baylor’s head athletic trainer from 1973 to 1984, then worked first as an Assistant Athletic Director and later as an Associate Athletic Director from 1984 to 1991. Selected to Southwest Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Mineral Wells (Texas) High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, Cox trained more than 7,800 student-athletes and mentored more than 260 undergraduate student trainer/managers during his distinguished career.

In the late 1980s, Cox helped bring about facility improvements to Baylor Athletics by raising funds and by designing state-of-the-art facilities, including the Ferrell Center, Floyd Casey North End Zone Project, Ferrell Baseball Field and Baylor Track Renovation.

He is married to the former Kay Stone, a 1962 MWHS graduate, and they have five children and fifteen grandchildren. Skip and Kay live at Possum Kingdom Lake.

Athletic Trainers, 1960

Skip Cox and Charles Talley

MWHS Seniors in 1945

2010-10-20T14:56:00.000-05:00

Mineral Wells High School

Senior Class of 1945

Graduate Ken Clary & Wife Carolyn

2010-07-25T22:41:00.000-05:00

Kenneth W. Clary, Sr. and wife, Carolyn Jean Hall

shortly after their wedding on June 11, 1960

in the Palo Pinto Methodist Church

Kenneth is a member of the MWHS Class of 1955
and a member of the 50 Year Club.

The Clarys celebrated their 50th anniversary in June 2010 and their children hosted a party for their parents at Coffee Creek RV Park south of Mineral Wells. I understand it was a wonderful party and I was so sorry I couldn't make it after Ken so graciously invited me and my husband to stop by.

Carolyn’s parents were Bob and Ethel Mae Elliston Hall. Kenneth’s parents were O.T. and Jewell O’Bannon Clary, both of Mineral Wells.

Ken and Carolyn raised four children, Ken Jr. and wife Karol, of Irving, Texas, Robert Kevin and wife, Lynn Ellen, of Richmond, Texas, Keith and wife, Diana, of Allen, Texas, and Janet Kiplin and husband, Cliff Warren, of Magnolia, Texas. They have six granddaughters and two grandsons.

Ken worked at Southern Airways at Fort Wolters Primary Helicopter School, Executive Aircraft Service in Dallas, Qualitron Aero in Fort Worth and Mac Helicopters in Houston. He owned his aircraft repair shop at Hobby Airport in Houston for six years and flew his Cessna 172 to work for five years from their home in Waller, Texas.

Ken retired from his last job with the Federal Aviation Administration at Love Field in Dallas as an aviation safety inspector inspecting aircraft, mechanics, charter flight’s and doing accident investigations.

Ken and Carolyn live in Garner, Texas, and own and operate Back Acre RV Park. Ken also had a live radio bluegrass show for two and-a-half years on QXFM 88.5 Radio the Ram in Weatherford which he recently admitted to me he really missed.

Ken recently sent me a copy of a song I know you'll love to listen to again. He says the "harmony makes my heart tender." I may not have the exact copy he sent me, but I think Johnny Cash and the Carter Family do a pretty good job. Click on the YouTube link below and enjoy the harmony of the gospel that will take you back in time, and yet is still so relevant today.

YouTube:
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?

SOURCES:

http://mineralwellsindex.com/lifestyles/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV211l4170UPICTURE:

Kenneth W. Clary, digital image, Original owned by Kenneth W. Clary and emailed to Judith Richards Shubert for use in this blog.

A Sampling of The Pages of 1945 Burro

2010-07-16T09:24:00.000-05:00

World War II affected everyone in our country. Those in Mineral Wells were no exception. It was a time of hardship and sacrifice and it found its way into the yearbooks of MWHS. There are several things about this little 1945 book that seems to say to me that the school was "making some sacrifices" when they published it.

The first thing that stands out is the typeface used on the pages, and then the pages that are dedicated to honoring our military. The wonderful maroon cover is adorned with an emblem of our flag and the bald eagle.

Mineral Wells High School

1945 Yearbook

"The Burro"

These are just a few selected pages from one of the donated 1945 yearbooks belonging to the 50 Year Club. It has no name inside and I have not been able to determine who the original owner was or who gave it to the club. Please click on the pictures to make them larger. You may even see one of your ancestors there!

Pictures of the Senior Class of 1945 to come!

Pages from 1960 Class Scrapbooks

2010-07-09T14:01:00.000-05:00

MWHS Class of 1960
Scrapbook

Just a sample of some of the pages from the 1960 Scrapbooks put together for that class by Kay Cox, Nancy Buzbee, Carol Stuart, and Judy Shubert, all members of the 1962 class. There was such a great response to the request for pictures, bios, etc., the class ended up with 3 large scrapbooks!

Yearbook Preservation

2010-06-29T14:27:00.000-05:00

Yearbooks are in the process of being placed in protective enclosures.
Most will be stored in heavy-duty custom four-flap enclosures. These heavy-duty four flaps allow insertion and removal without damage. The acid-free, lignin-free board gives long-term protection and is 10 point sandstone archival board with a 1/8 inch spine score for thin items.

Some of the more fragile yearbooks are being placed in Polyethylene Zip Bags that are:
• Soft 2 mil polyethylene made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
• 100% recyclable
• Passes P.A.T. (Photographic Activity Test)
• Chemically stable
• Transparent
• Waterproof
• Contains no surface coatings or additives
• Premium Zipper snaps open quickly and easily
• Reinforced side seals to ensure bag doesn't split when opened or filled
• Superior clarity

Beginnings of the 1960 Scrapbook - as Told in Pictures

2010-06-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Memorial Set for Pat Simmons

2010-06-18T12:49:00.000-05:00

A memorial service for Pat Simmons will be Wednesday, June 23 at 2:00 p. m. at the First United Methodist Church of Mineral Wells. There will be no graveside services - the family will receive visitors immediately after the service in the church parlor.

June 15, 2010

Pat Simmons

Mineral Wells Index

MINERAL WELLS — Pat Simmons, 76, died in Mineral Wells on Monday, June 14, 2010, after a brief illness.

A memorial service will be at First United Methodist Church of Mineral Wells, with details pending.

He was born July 15, 1933, in Vernon, Texas, to Onie and Eva Simmons and was a resident of Mineral Wells for over 50 years, where he was a high school teacher, coach and later a mechanical engineer for Centron Corporation.

Pat graduated from Oklaunion High School, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth and had additional post-graduate work in Physics at the University of Texas and Colorado State University.

On July 30, 1954, he married Sara Duncan in Valley View, Texas.

In 1954, Mr. Simmons taught and coached at Joshua High School then moved to Mineral Wells High School, where he taught Math and Science and coached football, basketball and baseball from 1956 until 1968. He started the baseball program at the high school, and had many successful teams in his coaching career.

In 1968, he worked a summer job at Privitt Plastics, which later became Centron Corporation, and that summer job turned into a 40-year career as a mechanical engineer. While at Centron, he engineered and developed their major product, fiberglass pipe, and received a patent for the joint design. In addition to the pipe design, he also designed and developed the process and machinery for manufacturing the pipe.

Mr. Simmons was a member of First United Methodist Church of Mineral Wells and was a former Mineral Wells ISD School Board member, as well as serving on other community organizations. He was recently inducted into the Teacher Hall of Fame by the MWHS 50 Year Club.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sara Simmons, of Mineral Wells; his mother in law, DeLois Duncan, of Mineral Wells; a son, Paul Simmons and wife, Susan, of Wichita Falls, Texas; a daughter, Christi Simmons, of Dallas; a sister, Donna Remus, of Fort Worth; a brother, Ronnie Simmons, of Vernon, Texas; granddaughters, Amy and Bonnie Haley, of Austin; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mr. Simmons was preceded in death by his parents; and one daughter, Linda Haley.

The family would like to thank Dr. Ty Gore, Dr. Ed Evans, Robert Waddy, the staff at Palo Pinto Nursing Center and all the friends who visited for their kindness and compassion during Pat’s illness.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to a favorite charity.

Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home

Pat Simmons Loses Battle with Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease

2010-06-14T16:05:00.000-05:00

Coach Pat Simmons

Mineral Wells High School

1960 "B" Team Football Coach

Picture taken from the 1960 Burro

We hope he knew how much his students loved and revered him. I hope he was able to feel that love in the unprecedented outpouring of nominations for him to be included in the Teacher Hall of Fame and selected as the 2010 Teacher of the Year. Coach passed away this morning, Monday, June 14th after being inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday morning, the 12th. It's funny how things work. After a call went out to the alumni and those whom he taught during his days at Mineral Wells High School letting them know of his grave condition, the 50 Year Club secretary told me "the nominations are really coming in!"

I didn't know him as well as so many others and did not have a class under him. But I was there from '59 - '62 and he was an amazing, joyful presence at MWHS. I pray that his wife and family will find peace and God will grant them His grace needed at this time.

Judy

Pat Simmons - 2010 Teacher Hall of Fame

2010-06-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

Teacher Hall of Fame

Mineral Wells

2010 Teacher of the Year Inducted

Pat Simmons, B. A.

Texas Wesleyan College

Teacher of Physics, Algebra and Geometry

Athletics Coach

Mineral Wells High School

1960 Grads Show Appreciation

2010-06-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the members of the MWHS '60 Class members who attended the 50 Year Club annual reunion and induction. Their enthusiasm and appreciation to me as Historian and to their scrapbook committee is appreciated so much! The scrapbook committee was Kay Cox, Nancy Buzbee, and Carol Stuart. And the number of items that class has donated to the 50 Year Club recently, including this weekend, was unexpected and appreciated.

I expect to have further news and postings about the 1960 grads and their involvement with the Mountaineer Heritage Park.

Nominations For 2010 MWHS Teacher Hall of Fame

2010-06-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

Nominee: Winnie Fiedler, American History

She was absolutely the best teacher I ever had. She knew her topic. She knew how to teach it. She imparted a desire for learning. She took no prisoners! She was absolutely wonderful, and I endeavored to pattern my teaching career after hers, even though I didn’t teach her subject. Sue Ficke Seibert, MWHS Class of 1961

Nominee: Jewel Primm, English

I'd like to nominate Jewel Prim who taught English and Literature. She was an outstanding teacher who provided many students (including myself) with a firm foundation in English grammar and literature. Thanks to her, I received advance standing/placement upon entering The University of Texas and was given credit for Freshman English without having to take two semesters of basics. The skills she taught also helped me in other college courses and later in my business career. As a homeroom teacher, she also offered invaluable council and encouragement to her students and taught us to value good manners, honesty, decorum, and ethics. Bill Ansley, MWHS Class of 1961

Nominee: Laura Wallace, English

Miss Wallace was a hard task-master, but she drilled English into her students in a way that lives with us today. She was probably not my favorite teacher during my Senior year, but her words will stay with me as a senior adult. She knew her subject very well and truly wanted her students to appreciate the English language and literature -- even if she had to force-feed it to us. Jan Gambrell, MWHS Class of 1955

Nominee: Pat Simmons, Physics, General Science, Athletics

Coach Pat Simmons was my PE coach. When my brother was killed in a car wreck on November 16, 1963 he was very helpful in my overcoming the grief. Carol R. Wright, MWHS Class of 1964
I did not have Coach Simmons as a teacher/coach while in school. He has been such an inspiration to our class for being in attendance to all of our class reunions. I know he still attends as many MWHS games as he can. He still is an encouragement to me with that great smile he always has for you. I know he is very ill at this time and this could be such a boost to him. It will let him know many of his students are there for him and supporting him as he did us. Darlene McCuan Hopkins, MWHS Class of 1964
Composure, compassion, morals – he modeled the way to live. He was my athletics coach. T.R. Dean Daniel, MWHS Class of 1964
Coach Simmons taught me physics so well that I did not have to take 1st year physics at Texas Tech. He was thorough, and his intelligence and dedication in the classroom were second to none. I was also lucky enough to play for Coach Simmons my junior and senior year at MWHS. His coaching skill, his patience, his dedication and his interest in each of his players was as inspiration to everyone that played for him. In my opinion he is exactly the type of teacher that should be included in our hall of fame. I count myself as a very lucky person, to have known Pat Simmons, to have learned from him both in the classroom and on the court and to consider myself as his friend. I implore you, as Coach Simmons clings to life to consider him for this honor. Everyone that Coach Simmons touched in Physics, in PE or as a coach is a better person for having been associated with him. John W. Rupley, MWHS Class of 1965 and a member of the 1965 Sports Hall of Fame Basketball team
Coach Simmons has done everything and more to be desrving of this honor. He was my basketball coach and physics teacher and excelled in both areas. He continued to strongly support MWHS even after he went into the private sector. He is so deserving and I think it would mean so much to him. Ken R. Kessler, MWHS Class of 1965
I was a student in his Physics class in 1963-64. In the summer of 1963, Coach Simmons took me to a symposium on nuclear physics at the University of Texas sponsored by Texas Power and Light. I had never been to a college campus like UT before so I was really impressed and a little scared. I don't remember much about the symposium, but I do remember Coach Simmons kindness and generosity in giving me this opportunity. I did not appreciate at the time the special effort it took for him to leave home, drive to Austin, and chaperone a teenager for a week. Thank you Coach Simmons for giving me a great week that opened my eyes to many new possibilities. Steve Tipps, Graduated MWHS 1964
Coach Simmons was a major influence in my life both in the classroom and on the basketball court. His love of knowledge, high standards of personal conduct, and the way he treated all his students and players with fairness and respect were truly inspirational. He served as a mentor to me before I even understood what that term meant and I have carried lessons leaned from him throughout my life. He came across as a humble man but all who were around him for very long knew of his inner strength and determination to do his best and have us do the same. Phillip Teague, MWHS Class of 1964
I had Coach Simmons for Geometry and Athletics. In both areas, his insistence that I give my best effort led me to successes I would not have otherwise achieved. The math skills I learned helped me achieve higher scores on college and graduate school entrance exams than I otherwise would have. The life skills he helped me with serve me every day. Mike McCall, MWHS Class of 1965
Coach Simmons taught me Algebra. Encouraging, patient, an excellent teacher, coach, and as the years have passed, friend. Becky Hendrick Hull, MWHS Class of 1965
Coach Simmons was a constant inspiration to all those he coached and who knew him. Benni McCloud Konvicka, MWHS Class of 1965/66
Taught me Physics. Coach Simmons is a most deserving nominee! Coach Simmons possessed a unique and compassionate way of motivating both in the classroom and in sports. As a basketball player, he worked me hard, and I loved him for it. Bob Helterbran, MWHS Class of 1965
I want to vote for Coach Pat Simmons. Keith L. Boyd, MWHS Class of 1969
He inspired me to be the best in the classroom, on the basketball court, and in life in general. Steve Dean, MWHS Class of 1965
As most of the students in MWHS Graduating Class of 1966, I called him Coach Simmons even though I never had him as a coach. Coach Simmons was my Algebra I teacher. Math was never my favorite subject and definitely not my strong suit but he was always one of my favorite teachers. His patience and kindness with my difficulty understanding all those X's and Y's is something I'll always remember. There was never a time when I felt embarrassed or intimidated to ask a question and believe me there were lots of questions. He did his best to teach me the course that year but the self confidence he instilled in me has been a life long lesson. As the years passed by, I would see Coach from time to time, always greeting me with that familiar warm smile and genuine caring way of his. Never failing to ask about me and my family. Pat Simmons is a special person, exceptional teacher, caring friend and so deserves to be honored in the Teacher Hall of Fame. Neda Jo (Lee) Vines, MWHS Class of 1966
My name is Jim Vines, graduating class of 1966, MWHS...Mr. Pat Simmons ( Coach ) instructed me in varsity basketball...I lived at Ft. Wolters where my father served as a U.S. Army transportation officer...I was one of six children living in military duplex quarters...I was not fortunate enough to have the finer things that those that grew up in the city had, and often felt the ridicule of being an "outsider"; just a military kid...I was shy and often stayed in the background, afraid to speak for fear of being made fun of...One day prior to a practice, Coach Simmons took me aside and asked if I were alright...Coach had noticed an unusual quietness in my personality...I tried to hide my feelings but those "crockadile tears" made their appearance...Coach asked me to come with him and we preceded toward the girls locker room for privacy...On the trip across the gym floor my thoughts ran wildly with the anticipation of being humiliated for being emotional...Coach and I sat down on a bench and he asked me to take a deep breathe...Unexpectedly he put his arm around me and gave me such an assuring look of "its ok"...we talked about the more important things in life such as education, respect for parents, and finding a place in my heart for the Lord...Coach said I was being challenged to become strong through the adversities I was being faced with, such as not being popular, not having grown up in the town, and not having what others had...Coach asked only that I love and respect my parents and have faith in the Lord's direction for me...before we parted the locker room, Coach said he "very proud of me"...That moment has remained with me until today...I wasn't a starter on the team, however, Coach took the time to instill confidence and pride in me that has guided me to where I am today...To this day whenever I see Coach at different venues around town, Coach stops me and inquires about my life and family, talks a little basketball and brags on his golf game... He does this with everyone...The values he has taught us all, from the classroom to the court, define him as someone very special and deserving of recognition as Teacher of the Year...One doesn't always have to open a book to teach...Coach is not doing very well these days in respect to his health...I know soon he will be with our Lord...I also know there will be a spot on his bench for me when I join him one day..Jim Vines, MWHS Class of 1966
I would like to nominate Coach Simmons for MHWS teacher hall of fame. He was a favorite of the Class of 1962, & I believe coached my son, Shawn, also. Prayers for the family. Melody Joy (Tuggle) Carroll, MWHS Class of 1962
I’d like to submit my vote for the Mineral Wells Teachers Hall of Fame. I would like to vote for Coach Pat Simmions. Debby Walker Kratky, MWHS Class of 1969
Coach Simmons is one of the most loyal, dedicated, hardworking, determined and caring people that I have ever known. He demanded excellence in his students and players, and was always prepared to go the extra mile to make sure his students achieved that excellence. He was the epitome of a gentleman...I mean a gentle man. When I think of a legend like John Wooden, I think of our own legend, in our own time, Pat Simmons. He is every bit the great man that John Wooden was. He made every function to which he was invited. Reunion, celebration, marriage, birth, funeral ... whenever one of his ex students was involved and wanted him there, he was there. I would consider it an honor to nominate Pat Simmons for Teacher of the Year honors. Skip Cox, MWHS Class of 1960
I would like to vote for Coach Pat Simmons. Patricia (Pat) Ann Turner, MWHS Class of 1969
I nominate Pat Simmons for Teacher Hall of Fame, MWHS. Pat has influenced and made a difference in the lives of many people, especially as a couch and teacher. He deserves this honor more than any person I know. Carol Lee Hopkins, MWHS Class of 1960
I would like to vote for Pat Simmons. Susie O'Quin Rice, MWHS Class of 1969
Please put Pat Simmons in as my vote for the teacher hall of honor. Bobby Brassell, MWHS Class of 1969
My vote is for Coach Pat Simmons. Bill Fortney, MWHS Class of 1968
Pat Simmons...vote yes for me. Gary Staggs, Class of 1968
I wish to nominate Pat Simmions for the MWHS Teachers Hall of Fame. Jerry Hamilton, MWHS Class of 1969
Please nominate Coach Simmons. He was a great coach and a wonderful man. I visited him today and he truly deserves this award. Bobby Mann, MWHS Class of 1961
I would like to nominate Pat Simmons for MWHS Teacher Hall of Fame because he is just a great person, and a fine coach. Donald Masterson, MWHS Class of 1960
It's with a great deal of pleasure for me to nominate a teacher for the Hall of Fame that is truly qualified. He taught, coached and was an excellent role model. He is Pat Simmons and really deserves this honor. Thank You. Dan Pope, MWHS Class of 1960
My vote is for Pat Simmons. Clifton Withers, MWHS Class of 1970
I would like to put Coach Pat Simmons’ name up for the teachers hall of fame. I do not know of any one that deserves it more. Thank you. James Scott, MWHS Class of 1961
I would like to add my nomination for Coach Simmons for this year's Teacher Hall of Fame for the MWHS 50 year Club. He was my General Science teacher during my first year at MWHS. Mr. Simmons was an excellent role model for me and all his students. I know how he is well respected by all this associates and peers. He is an outstanding example for anyone - as a father, husband, teacher, coach. His dedication and commitment has helped everyone who had the pleasure to know him. I realize there may be many other worthy teachers that deserve this award. However, considering his past record and his current health condition, I know it would mean a great deal for both him and his family to receive the award.I also think 2010 is the right time to recognize this great man. My thoughts and prayers are with Coach Simmons and his family during this time. Thank you. Billy Pendergrass, MWHS Class of 1961
I would like to nominate Coach Pat Simmons for the Teacher Hall of Fame for the MWHS 50 year club. I graduated from MWHS in 1960. Coach Simmons was not that much older than our class when he taught at MWHS. He was a wonderful role model for students and displayed a great deal of integrity which helped mold a lot of character in many of his students. I think he would be a wonderful addition to the Teacher Hall of Fame! Margarett (Martin) Renfro, MWHS Class of 1960
Please cast my vote for Pat Simmons for Teacher Hall of Honor. Thank you. Kathy Upham, MWHS Class of 1969
I was in Pat Simmons’ Homeroom. Caring, positive attitude. A great Christian example. Mary Pratt Greene, MWHS Class of 1964
I had Pat Simmons for Science and Football. Pat Simmons was a great role model. A fine Christian man.Tom Greene, MWHS Class of 1964
I cast my vote as a graduate of MWHS for Pat Simmons. Thank you. Kristine Gish Russell, MWHS Class of 1969
I would like to vote for Pat Simmons. Kathy McQueary Stewart, 1969 MWHS Graduate
I'm emailing you my vote for Pat Simmons for Mineral Wells Teacher Hall of Honor. Thanks so much!Sharon Ward Maitlen, MWHS 1969 Graduate
I vote for Pat Simmons for the Hall of Fame. Thanks. Missy Kearby Polasek, Class of 1969
I would like to submit my former teacher and friend, Pat Simmons, as MWHS TEACHER OF THE YEAR. Coach Simmons was a great teacher and coach and always had everyone's best interest at heart. Even after he left the school to further his education he has continued to support MWHS through out his lifetime. He is a very caring person and deserves this award. I am very proud to call him my friend. Thank you.Nancy Martin Buzbee, MWHS Class of 1962
Coach Simmons was not my basketball coach; however, he was a shining example of a person with high integrity and professionalism. He is one of those special people who leads by example. “He walks the walk.” He was always the listener, always the coach, and always a man of honor. Since graduating from MWHS, Coach and Mrs. Simmons have faithfully supported former students, not only from my class, but many classes, by attending reunions and being a part of the class celebration. He is a respected friend. Kay Calhoun Huggins, Class of 1965
I want to vote for Pat Simmons for MWHS Teachers Hall of Honor. Tim Rice, MWHS Class of 1967
I would like to nominate Coach Pat Simmons for the Teachers Hall of Fame for 2010. He was an inspiration to the many students he taught or coached during his time at Mineral Wells High School. He is a wonderful person and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Linda Hemphill Cline, MWHS Class of 1960
This is my vote for Pat Simmons for MWHS Teachers Hall of Fame. Paul Petticrew, MWHS Class of 1969
We, Randy and myself (Class of 1961) want to nominate Coach Pat Simmons to be named to the Teacher Hall of Fame. I sincerely hope he receives this honor this year while he is still with us and able to know the high esteem to which we held him. So often we do not recognize those that touch our lives positively until after their deaths and then it is too late for them to know how special they were to us. It is not too late for Coach Simmons if the 50 Year Club acts positively on his nomination this coming weekend. Coach Simmons was just beginning his teaching career when we were in high school. He was young, quiet and always the perfect gentleman at school. Since my mother taught with Coach Simmons I had the opportunity to know him a little differently than most of the other students did. I always looked up to him as a roll model and was very taken by his quiet manner. He went about his tasks without much to-do and I know the young men in our class, that had him as a coach, were always very found of him since he was always fair and treated each student with respect. He was a good teacher and coach and an even better man. I am sure his family would tell you he was an even better husband and father. The last time I had the privilege to work with Coach Simmons was when the Baseball Team of 1958 was named to the Sports Hall of Fame. I helped him find and copy some of the pictures used as well as addresses for some of the players of that team. We had some great conversations and I now treasure them more than ever. It was his desire that the Baseball Teams of 1959 and 1960 also be in the Sports Hall of Fame since their records were also so good. I hope he had perused that desire and that the committee will consider his request. If there is anything else we can do to help with the selection of Coach Pat Simmons for this recognition this year please let me know.Sincerely, Lou and Randy Warren, MWHS Class of 1961
I graduated with the Class of 1962 and Pat Simmons was one of my instructors/Baseball coach. It is my opinion that he should be considered for this honor on multiple levels, he was a great mentor and an excellent role model. Please include my nomination with all others for this exceptional individual. Kenneth A. Gibbins Jr., Class of 1962
Please put in my vote for MWHS Teacher Hall of Fame for Coach Pat Simmons. Roylynn Hayes Moses, Class of 1969
I am voting for Pat Simmons. Ben Tibbs, Class of 1969
I remember sitting in Pat Simmons’ science class in high school as a freshman. I vividly remember thinking how smart, even keel and positive he was. Later, I played baseball, basketball and football while he was a coach. He had such a great manner and demeanor about him. Always on top of things and willing to put up with the kids. After graduating in 1963 and spending over 35+ years in the U.S. Navy, I had the great honor and distinction of serving with Pat Simmons for two years as a member of the MWHS Hall of Fame Selection Committee. While there are and were a lot of good people on the committee, it was very obvious that Pat Simmons was head and shoulders above all the members. His grace, knowledge, thoughtfulness, conviction and manner was noticeable. Last year he expressed to me that he was considering stepping down and I asked him to reconsider because so many of us depended on him. Pat Simmons is one of the best people I have met in my lifetime. STRONGLY RECOMMEND HIM FOR THE MWHS TEACHER HALL OF FAME/HONOR. J.W. Blue, 1963 MWHS GRAD
Ed Kimbro, MWHS Class of 1969 would like to vote for Pat Simmons.
Laura Turner Blong, Class of 1966 votes for Pat Simmons.
Mr. Pat Simmons was my math teacher for one semester. He was an encouraging teacher. He was better known as an athletics coach and we all admired him so much for his concern and support for his players. My husband and I lived in Fort Worth for forty years. When we returned to Mineral Wells in 2005 we joined First United Methodist Church. It is there that we really learned to love Pat Simmons. Pat is so very faithful in his love of and service to the Lord. He doesn’t talk about faith – he lives it. He and his wife Sara have made us feel so welcome in that church family. At the very first fellowship dinner at church, Frank and I were already seated. As Pat and Sara were looking for a place to sit, Frank instinctively called out to him, “Coach”. Long past our high school days Pat will always be “Coach”! Lynn Tompkins Waddy, MWHS Class of 1962
I played football for two years in high school. Pat was my coach. As my coach I looked up to him as a leader and mentor. He instilled a code of ethics in me that I have used throughout my life. After all these years I still consider Pat to be my coach. I appreciate so much the friendship that he and his wife, Sara, have extended to us upon our return to Mineral Wells. They have made us feel so welcome. Frank M. Waddy, MWHS Class of 1960
Please accept my nomination of Pat Simmons to be considered for the MWHS Teacher Hall of Fame. Thank you! John Harbus, MWHS Class of 1965
I would like to vote for Coach Pat Simmons for the teachers hall of honor. Sharon Gabriel, MWHS Class of 1969
I’m responding by nominating Coach Simmons as Teacher of the Year. I had the honor of being coached by him and remember him as a steady, solid adult role model. I graduated in 1965 and went on to college, grad and dental school. Mr. Simmons can easily be described as having had a positive influence on thousands and being named as a teacher of the year would be quite fitting. Michael P. Bonner, Class of 1965
I would like to vote for Pat Simmons to be added to Teachers Hall of Honor. Thank you for your consideration of my vote. Robert Alvin Richardson, MWHS Class of 1969
My name is Suzie Brassell Bullock, MWHS Class of 1969. I would like to vote for Pat Simmons.
I would like to submit my vote for Pat Simmons for MWHS Teachers Hall of Honor. Katherine Smith Boswell, MWHS Class of 1969
There could certainly be no one more deserving than Coach Simmons for 2010 Teacher of the Year. I had Coach Simmons for General Science and Athletics. Coach Simmons always provided the student with an exceptional learning atmosphere both in the classroom and on the field. I certainly consider myself fortunate to have had the inspiration of a teacher, Coach Pat Simmons. William C. “Bill” Eubanks, MWHS Class of 1960
I am casting my vote for Coach Pat Simmons. Thomas Kim Beaty, MWHS Class of 1969
I would like to nominate Pat Simmons for the teacher hall of fame this year. I will always remember his Physics class; he was always helping me in explaining how something worked. It was always backward to me so he had to explain several times and he always smiled and seemed not to be irritated with me. WE call him Smiley because he always had that smile in his face, of course we called him Mr. Simmons in person. Earl Medlin, MWHS Class of 1960
Pat Simmons is my choice for receiving the Teacher Hall of Honor from MWHS. Jadi Martin Schmidt, MWHS Class of 1969
I would like to nominate Pat Simmons to receive this honor. He was a tremendous role model and had such an influence in so many lives and has always been an honorable man. Vera Shiflet Stilwell, MWHS Class of 1965
Please give serious consideration to selecting Pat Simmons for the Teacher Hall of Fame for the 50 year MWHS Club. Many former students knew him as a coach and he is certainly deserving of the award for that role. I would like to nominate him for his role as a teacher because that was the role through which he influenced me. As a high school student in the ‘60’s it was not particularly popular to like mathematics and without much parental direction, I was following the path of least resistance and taking the minimum number of math classes that a student could take. I entered Pat Simmons’ Algebra II class as a sophomore student. Through his encouragement and gentle ways of teaching I excelled in the class and was rewarded with a jacket at the end of the year that is still hanging in my closet. It is a symbol of the significance of a teacher’s influence on students who do not necessarily receive much encouragement from home. I am sorry to say that the class was still my last high school math class, but I would also like to tell you the “rest of the story”. I entered college several years later and chose to major in mathematics. This decision was driven by the love of mathematics that Pat Simmons had instilled. The solid foundation that I received in Pat Simmons’ class enabled me to be successful in competing with students who had taken math through calculus in high school. I completed my degree, became a high school math teacher and recently retired from a 32 year career in education. I can only hope that I have also been able to positively influence students as Pat Simmons influenced me. Thank you for your consideration of this nomination. Anne Brassell, MWHS Class of 1967
I would like to support the nomination of Pat Simmons to The Mineral Wells High School Teachers Hall of Fame. I was an athlete who was coached by Pat Simmons and found him not only to be a wonderful coach but also, and more importantly, a quality human being who had a positive influence on whomever his life touched. Douglas R. Sanford, MWHS Class of 1962
I would like to nominate Coach Pat Simmons for the Teacher Hall of Fame. He has been a role model for integrity and high standards since my days at Mineral Wells High School. There are few people who have impacted the lives of so many young people as Coach Pat Simmons. Jack Ingle, Class of 1960
I would like to nominate Coach Simmons into the Hall of Fame. He was a very quiet spoken, diligent, and patient teacher. Also encouraging and determined regardless of who you were, it made no difference. There was no favoritism. I always liked that about him. Even when I finished school he always treated me the same. Clara Marie Jackson-Simmons, MWHS Class of 1965
Like to nominate Coach Pat Simmons for Teacher Hall of Fame. He taught and coached me in early 60s during my High School days in MWHS. Dennis Bailey, MWHS Class of 1964
This email will be our nomination of Coach Simmons for this year’s teachers Hall of Fame for the 50 year MWHS club. We have great memories of him during our high school years. Carolyn Pratt Hickey, MWHS Class of 1960 and Anita Beck Brown, MWHS Class of 1960
I had the honor of being coached by Pat Simmons during the 1963-1964 football season. Subsequently, during summer school of 1964, I took both semesters Algebra II under Coach Simmons. For the first time Algebra II started making sense based on Coach Simmons’ approach to teaching. Coach Simmons was not careless or lax in his approach and he expected us to make an effort to learn. His care and concern was evident in his unflagging effort to open our minds while pushing us forward. I came out of that football season of 1963 and that summer of 1964 with a great respect and admiration for Coach Simmons. After graduation I had the great joy and honor of working beside Coach Simmons at Privitt Plastics. Coach Simmons was and is a man of integrity and compassion. You could feel and see this in his approach to us students. He never talked down to us and always tried to find ways to encourage. I think one of the greatest memories I have of this man was that ever so slight grin of his and his consistent, steady personality. There is no volatility in this man. There was always a steady, committed determination to look past our weaknesses and see our potential. What more can you ask of a teacher or a person? I cannot think of any teacher more deserving of such an honor than Coach Simmons. Such was his impact on me that if I were to see him today I could not address him as any other than “Hi Coach”. Not because he was a great coach but because he had such a strong impact on me on and off the athletic field. I was a terrible football player but it didn’t matter to Coach Simmons. I was a weak student but it didn’t matter to Coach Simmons. He looked for our strengths and let us know he appreciated our efforts. Thank you for the opportunity to nominate such a wonderful person. Orval Steven (Steve) Kelley, MWHS Class of 1965
I would like to nominate Coach Pat Simmons for the Teacher Hall of Fame. He was not only a fine coach and teacher but is a great Christian man. Millie Walker Gambrell, MWHS Class of 1960
My nomination for teacher of the year is Pat Simmons. He was an inspiration to us all. Donna Wolgamott-Kidwell, MWHS Class of 1960
I would like to express my support for Coach Pat Simmon’s induction into the Teacher Hall of Fame. Coach Simmons was one of the teachers I felt genuinely cared about students and wanted the very best they could give of their talents. When he spoke to you as a student, he spoke to you as a person, not a number, and let you know he was concerned about that moment of praise or correction. Many teachers can point in the direction a student should go, but few are willing to guide. Coach Simmons was one of the few and will be remembered as "special" by all. Rick Mixon, MWHS Class of 1965
My brother, Bill Watson, and I would like to nominate Pat Simmons for this year’s Teacher Hall of Fame. Pat was our baseball coach in high school and has been a dear friend for over fifty years. Pat was always a person you could count on, always had a smile on his face and was positive in all aspects of his life. Bob Watson, MWHS Class of 1960 and Bill Watson, MWHS Class of 1958
I vote Pat Simmons MWHS for teacher Hall of Honor. I was is his physics class in the school year 1964-1965. John Springer, MWHS class of 1965\
Sorry for the delay but I am in Afghanistan and am working long hours and just now had time to send you a note to nominate Mr. Pat Simmons for MWHS Teacher Hall Of Fame. Coach Simmons was my football coach while I was going to Mineral Wells High School. I called him smiley because the only time I saw him smile is when someone made a hard hit on another player. I was not a good player but enjoyed his coaching style. Thanks, R.B. (Pete) Dill, Jr., MWHS Class of 1962

I'd like to vote or nominate Coach Pat Simmons for the Teacher Hall of Fame Award. Thank you. Patsy Crafton Alexander, Class of 1963
I hope coach Pat Simmons is placed in the teacher hall of fame. I have a friend who says that he doesn't remember anything taught him in high school. I am thankful for all my teachers and coaches that I had at Mineral Wells High School. I was in one of Coach Simmons first classes and part of his first football team - not a better man, teacher and coach could anyone ever ask for. I remember one of his science lessons where he exploded a can in the classroom...and I went wow! He ran us "win" sprints after football practice until we barely could get ourselves off the field. We got stranded on a football game trip to Vernon and got home about 4 o'clock in the morning with the admonition: "don't miss any classes tomorrow." Coach Simmons may have been the last Mineral Wells Mountaineer. The Mountaineer basketball team had a different name and different colors (Maroon) than the football team; I say he was the last Mountaineer. Sincerely, Ray Patterson, Class of 1962

2009 Teacher of the Year

2010-04-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

Inducted into the Mineral Wells High School

Teacher Hall of Fame

Mrs. Winnie Fiedler, B. A., M. A.

University of Texas

Teacher of American History and Government

Mineral Wells High School

Winner of the 2009 Teacher of the Year

You can nominate your favorite teacher for the 2010 Teacher of the Year by downloading and printing a nomination form at the 50 Year Club website. Once you have completed the form, you can mail it to the following address: 50 Year Club, 602 West Hubbard, Mineral Wells, TX 76067. Or you can send the information in an email to 50year08@att.net. The votes will be tallied at the 50 Year Club annual reunion on June 12th. Hurry! Vote for your favorite teacher NOW!

MWHS 1960 Girls Basketball "A" Team

2010-04-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

Mineral Wells High School

Girls Basketball "A" Team 1959-60

Left to right:

Lynda Hemphill – Senior
Sandra Reynolds – Sophomore
Joy Tuggle – Sophomore
Mary Lane – Junior
Mary Jane Long – Senior
Linda Smith – Sophomore
Shirley Tanner – Sophomore
Vanelle Lewallen – Junior
Nancy Smith – Senior
Wynona Gresham – Senior
Anita Beck – Senior

Coach – Jan Edds

Sources

Photograph
Colorpress Inc., Publishers, Girls Basketball "A" Team, 1960. Photograph. Original donated by Nancy Smith White, Arlington, Texas to MWHS 50 Year Club, Mineral Wells High School, Mineral Wells, Texas.

The Burro, 1960 Mineral Wells High School Yearbook. Austin, Texas: Colorpress Inc., 1960. pg. 76.

Trophy Cleaning Day

2010-04-13T15:43:00.000-05:00

We had a day of cleaning and organizing trophies at the old Mineral Wells High School today. Nellie Anguiane Garcia, Carolyn Pratt Hickey, Bob Shubert and I spent several hours in the Memorabilia Room among the donated trophies that have occupied the floor space in that room since January! In addition to the trophies listed in yesterday's post, "Did YOU Help WIN This Trophy?" we rescued awards from 1955 to 1990. A list of the trophies with photos will be on this blog soon.

Did YOU Help WIN this Trophy?

2010-04-12T22:48:00.000-05:00

Some of the trophies that have been donated to the MWHS 50 Year Club and the information found on them are:

1987 Marching Auxiliaries of America Sweepstakes Award - Dance Team Competition
1987 Congeniality Award - Officer Camp - Danceline Productions
1990 Congeniality Award - Officer Camp - Danceline Productions
Texas Dance / Drill Team Contest Sweepstakes (No Date)
Parker County Invitational Mens Basketball - donated by Ben McAdams, Inc.
1979 Weatherford Kangaroo Booster Club Runner-up - Mens Basketball
1988 Congeniality Award - Officer Camp - Danceline Productions
1988 Sweepstakes Award - Girls CJC Drill Team Competition
1968 Steer Relay - Graham, Texas
1974 First Place - Mens Football
District 3AAAA 1600 Meter Relay (No Date)
1965 Optimist 9th Grade Tourney - Mineral Wells Runner-up - Mens Basketball
1978 Granbury Invitational Tourney Consolation - Womens Basketball
1989 Superior Performance Award - Officer Camp - Danceline Productions
1980 District 4AAA Freshman Mens 440 Relay
1977 Millsap JV Tourney 2nd Place - Womens Basketball
1986 Sweepstakes Winner - Marching Auxiliaries of America
Mineral Wells Optimist 1st Place - 9th Grade Mens Basketball (No Date)
1955 Tarleton Relays - 2nd Place Team
1958 Weatherford College Tournament 2nd Place - Mens Basketball
1957 Brewer Volleyball Tourney Consolation - Womens Volleyball
1955 Cowtown Relays - Runner-up
Showtime Drill Team Camps - 2nd Place (No Date)
1980 Joshua Little Owls Mile Relay - 9th Place
1978 Weatherford Kangaroo Booster Club Tourney Consolation - Mens Basketball
1960 Baylor Waco Chamber of Commerce Tourney 4th Place - 1960 Basketball

If you know anything about these trophies, we would love to hear from you. The trophies listed here are in good shape, but we have many more that need to be repaired and cleaned up before displaying in our Memorabilia Room for Mineral Wells High School alumni and others to enjoy.

"Unbearable Opera" - February 13, 2010

2010-02-14T15:24:00.000-06:00

A good time was had by all last night at the first fund-raising event held by the MWHS 50 Year Club for the renovation of the Old High School, home of the "curved, suspended balcony" auditorium, located in Mountaineer Heritage Park, 602 W. Hubbard, Mineral Wells, Texas. The current MWHS auditorium located at 3801 Ram Boulevard was the site for the very funny rendition of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, plus Clarence, in the "Unbearable Opera."

The "Unbearable Opera" director, Betty Ann Holly Hawkins, graduated from MWHS in 1949. She taught drama for 35 years and retired from the MWISD, for the third time, in 2005. Betty is still substitute teaching at the high school. The Club realizes and appreciates her determination and hard work to put this play together and present it to the public. Thank you, Betty!

The "Unbearable Opera" cast, how can we ever thank you enough? You are great!

A great big "Thank You" to everyone on the program for agreeing to perform. We appreciate you so much!

Cast

Goldilocks - John Kuhn

Clarence - Kris Allen

Mama Bear - William Eudy

Papa Bear - Jay Clayman

Sonny - Bob Manskey

Girls Choir

Stanley Acker

Tony Guess

Paul Harris

Casey Lister

Keith Richardson

David Robinson

Jeff Smith

Scott Sailer

Troy Stone

Carl Turner

Sam Waddy

Boys Choir

Roy Burns

Willie Cole

Brian Daniel

Chad Jorden

Deartis Nickerson

Victor Paulsen

Derroll Ross

Bill Star

Lloyd Thurman

Jay Walsworth

Program

American Heroes Today by Shelby Simonton

Star Spangled Banner by Melinda Tomlin

In God We Still Trust by William & Andrew Eudy

The Gospel Jubilee Quartet

Wrangleretts

Patsy Cline "She's Got You" by Casey Lister

Cominsky Project Band

Boom, Boom, Pow by Dance, Etc.

Heather Hopkins - Lindsey Starr - Kembyl Cooper

Bailey Thomas - Lexis Nix - Braylee Slaska

Kalin O'Neal - Colby Charles - Kelci Thomas

Lindsay Milliken - Jenna Fields - Brandi Lee

Andrew Eudy

Chariot by Kelci Thomas

Unbearable Opera

Orchestra

June Campbell

Eric Dyess

Wayne Campbell

Elmer Laurance

Scrapbook Committee Plans for the 1960 Reunion

2010-01-24T16:56:00.000-06:00

Class of 1923

Kathryne Butler, Most Popular Girl

Sample Scrapbook Page

by Kay Cox

Looking forward to this summer when the class of 1960 is inducted into the Mineral Wells High School Fifty Year Club, a Scrapbook Committee met Saturday, January 23^rd to make plans for creating a special scrapbook for that class. Members of the committee are Kay Cox, chairman, Nancy Martin Buzbee, Carol Phillips Stuart, and Skip Cox. Several alumni of the class of 1960 have already responded to our request for photos, football programs, graduation invitations, newspaper clippings, and other items of memorabilia to be used in a special class scrapbook that will be ready for them to enjoy by the time they are brought into the club. The committee made plans to begin scanning the original items and then printing copies for the scrapbook. The originals will be safely stored in acid-free storage containers and archived at the offices of the Fifty Year Club and then housed in the planned museum at 602 West Hubbard.

Our 1960 scrapbook will be the banner scrapbook and will be followed by others. Plans are to have one for each graduating class, not only for the incoming groups, but those who are already members of this great club.

"Unbearable Opera" All-Male Cast

2010-01-21T12:07:00.000-06:00

Report from Bob Shubert - January 9th Meeting

2010-01-21T09:19:00.000-06:00

A number of alumni from the classes of 1960 - 1965 met at the old high school on West Hubbard Saturday morning, January 9th. We huddled together and discussed a wide range of topics. It was a good meeting and we are expecting good things to happen. I pointed out to the group some of the capabilities we had available for them if and when they wanted to accept responsibility for some aspect of this effort. The discussion items are listed below. If you would like to know more about any of these efforts just email me or leave a comment on this post below and I will furnish you with more information.

1. Identify local business groupings for canvassing purposes and setup campaign - use existing 500+ business mailing list.
2. Create a major donor (big $) canvassing effort.
3. Setup volunteer recruitment program to obtain volunteers and determine if Mineral Wells is ready for a major project (fund raiser) - answer the question “Is a large project doable?”
4. Setup community alumni groups out-of-town with a specific mission for the restoration and equipping of the museum.
5. Accumulate alumni contact lists and annuals, integrate with existing master list, then enhance contact list (1966-2009) because some lists are very limited few out-of-town listings) - if necessary create Wal-Mart canvass.
6. Photoshop annuals to eliminate handwriting (Nancy Buzbee).
7. Collect garments and memorabilia and preserve properly - instill confidence that donations will be properly cared for by the 50 Year Club (Kay Cox).
8. Organize, investigate and preserve wide variety of news.
9. Enhance, edit and organize DVD’s for showing - maybe add music and new intro’s - remove “clicks” from sound in one DVD - also ID schools, events and people on each DVD - could have “Name the Star” night or “ID your classmates” night, or some other type of program where towns people both pay to watch the video and help you “fill in the blanks”. Could charge a fee but you might do better just asking all in attendance for a contribution (pass the plate).
10. Obtain school history, sport scores, band music and other significant information
11. Trophy disposition and restoration - submit request to the school board and 50 Year Club board for destruction of individual trophies when appropriate.
12. Create plans and designs for one room dedicated to band and one room dedicated to sports - create fund raiser for each room - use id’s from annuals to build fund raising letters.
13. Propose appropriate use of building including individual room use determined by a broad and wide ranging panel - include variety of possibilities for board’s consideration - building floor plans are available.

Orientation & Discussion Meeting

2010-01-02T15:28:00.000-06:00

Hi, this is Judy Richards Shubert, MWHS class of ’62. This is a reminder that we are still meeting on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 10:00 AM at the old school on West Hubbard to discuss what we can do now to support the 50 Year Club in the restoration of the school. We are restoring the old high school property and creating a museum in it, restoring the school (with great plans for the auditorium) and making the amphitheater a useful part of the facility again.

Needless to say, there is much to do.

If you live reasonably close to Mineral Wells you may want to become involved in this effort. This meeting will afford you the opportunity to make that decision. You and your fellow classmates are in line very soon to inherit the responsibility for restoring and maintaining the old high school and the property surrounding it which fits in perfectly with my reason for contacting you as a group.

My husband and I are accumulating many responsibilities and job assignments that need to be distributed to responsible people who have the ability and perseverance to accomplish sometimes difficult assignments. The jobs are varied, wide-ranging, and satisfying. For instance we are building a contact list encompassing 100 years of graduates and plan a major money making event that may (or may not) pull in 500-1000 people – just examples. We need some dedicated people who want to see the school restored (especially the auditorium-it will be awesome) and people who can commit to accepting a responsibility and seeing it through to completion. You do not need to be a resident of Mineral Wells to participate.

I know there are many out-of town-graduates wanting to help once they hear about this effort. Remember that there may be five to six thousand MWHS graduates since 1960 who know nothing about this important endeavor. You could be the essential element in bringing these people together as a critical part of the overall effort in accomplishing this rebuilding of the high school. We need all kinds of talent like computers, sales, media, food management, etc. If this list doesn’t seem to fit your particular talents, don’t worry about it. We have something for everybody.

I would like to meet with everyone who feels they would like to contribute time and effort to this cause. We will meet at the old high school building at 602 W. Hubbard on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM. The entrance to the building will be the door on the west side next to the senior citizens center. We plan to further explain what is to be accomplished, ask for your ideas and input, and provide what information and resources we have at that time. We would like to have everyone advise us in advance if they can attend. You can respond to bobshub@charter.net or call the “Mountaineer Heritage Park” office at 940-325-5600. The office is open each Tuesday and Thursday morning. If you do not respond but find out at the last minute that you can attend, just come on – we will work you in anyway. We need all the help we can muster.

By the way, be sure to check out the Mountaineer Heritage Park web site, www.50yearclub.org. You can also find us on Facebook at MWHS Mountaineer Heritage Park. Hope to see you January 9, 2010 at the old school.

Judy

Judy and Her Work

2009-12-21T06:53:00.000-06:00

When Judy does her work on all of these things, we are going to have a wonderful museum and heritage park. I am amazed at the work accomplished and the details of her reporting.

Jessie

Board Meeting, November 18, 2009

2009-11-25T09:02:00.000-06:00

Bettye Hawkins

Shares a Scrapbook from a Past Comedy

She is working on putting together an all-man comedy in the near future.

It will be held in the current Mineral Wells High School.

Dr. Jessie Teddlie

Executive Director

R. E. Mason

Gives a report on the work done on the amphitheater and the grounds.

Christopher Travis

Shares with the board Sentient Architecture's plans and proposal.

Raymond Brewton, President

and

Marguriete Crum, Secretary

Members of the Board of Directors attending meeting November 18th, 2009.

Held at the beautiful First Methodist Church, Mineral Wells, Texas.

Plans and Projects

2009-11-11T15:05:00.000-06:00

Have finished scanning the 45+ yearbooks that have been donated to the 50 Year Club. Just beginning to convert the image files to PDF and using OCR to create a searchable file of each annual. It is being accomplished by using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 software that we purchased last month. BUT, slow does not describe it! If a name has been written on in the annual, the software is having difficulty finding it. To correct or “photoshop” the text would be extremely tedious and time consuming, and I have not made the decision to do that.
Have plans to have the two oldest yearbooks – 1913 and 1919 – placed in archival safe clear boxes by a professional to prevent further deterioration. All of the yearbooks are presently in a temperature controlled environment.
Have contacted a supplier of archival safe book jackets to protect the yearbooks. I have not received their price list as yet.
In the process of scanning the hundreds of newspaper clippings, obituaries, programs, booklets, framed photographs, etc. The originals are being placed in archival safe, acid-free sleeves, albums, or boxes. Printed copies can be used in scrapbooks or other displays. The files of obituaries can also be converted to PDF files that can be searched for names and dates.
Local businesses, such as Bennett’s Office Supply, Bennett’s Printing Company, and Wal-Mart have provided us with competitive pricing and supplies.
Have received a proposal from a California conservator of fine fabrics for the cleaning and stabilization of fourteen uniforms, jackets, sweaters and other pieces that have been donated by class members or family members. We have promises of several other pieces to be given to the club by members of the 1960 and 1962 classes. I contacted the Texas Historical Commission for a list of Texas-based firms so I might try to find a conservator closer to home. Only two were in close proximity – one in Dallas from whom I have not gotten a response and the other in Oklahoma, who is currently working on a proposal for us.
Would like to follow through with the work already started to have a special section for each class or possibly decade of classes.
Have plans to prepare special CDs or DVDs and displays for the Athletic department, band and other organizations. I am considering the idea of contacting the MWHS music department to see if there are any recordings of the alma mater, fight songs, etc., that could be edited into some of the CDs or DVDs.
A gift of 100+ trophies from the Mineral Wells High School has been given to the 50 Year Club. After they have been examined, they will be cleaned and restored, if possible, and displayed in a special section of the planned Museum.
Photographs that will be framed at a later date and will be part of a special memory wall to honor the past class beauties, favorites, sweethearts, kings and queens of MWHS are being prepared by a committee.

Scanning Photographs Today

2009-11-09T14:05:00.000-06:00

Robert Yeager - Class of 1923

This morning I have been scanning photographs that have been donated to the 50 Year Club and creating TIFF digital files for safekeeping. After scanning the pictures in uncompressed TIFF format, I then open them in PhotoShop, where I can save them as a JPEG digital file for printing or resizing. The original photograph is then placed in a high-density polyethylene bag or envelope which will protect it from damaging effects of handling, dust, pollution and moisture.

The polyethylene bags are free of static cling and don't attract dust, so they are ideal for protecting all kinds of photographs and drawings. They are translucent and clear enough for easy identification. Because the bags/envelopes are static free, there is less of a chance that entrapped dust particles will scratch the photographs.

Robert Yeager's Handwriting on back of photograph and my notes on yellow pad.

I have found several different sizes of pictures in the memorabilia that has been safely stored by the club. I have scanned 5 x 7s, 8 x 10s, 4 x 6s, and 20 1/2 x 8 photos, black and white, as well as color. After scanning them, I am listing them in an inventory sheet that I created with an Excel spreadsheet. Some of the pictures have identification, but there are many that do not. I will place some of them on this blog in the hopes someone will recognize a classmate. Please leave a comment here on the blog or send an email to me at bscrooge@charter.net.

MWHS Auditorium Then, Now, and in the Future

2009-11-04T15:11:00.000-06:00

1957

Junior High Pep Squad

Assembled on auditorium stage.

Photograph taken from balcony.

Auditorium as it looks today - 11-4-2009

Architechural Rendering of Planned Restoration

Sentient Architecture, LLC

Yearbooks, Yearbooks, Yearbooks!

2009-11-03T13:58:00.000-06:00

Mineral Wells High School

1962 Annual

We have 42 yearbooks that have been donated to the 50 Year Club by generous classmates or children that would like to see them preserved and not sold in the nearest flea market! How depressing it was when I found MY senior class annual in an antique store – I knew I had crossed over to the older generation in that instant!

Mineral Wells High School

1913 Annual

Jessie said the club would like to have the yearbooks available to visitors of the museum on DVDs or a large screen in the completed building. So my husband and I began scanning the books, being careful to handle them with the utmost care. The club had a large-bed scanner that will allow the opened books to be scanned without putting any strain on the binding. This is a good thing – our oldest annual is the 1913 “Burro” but it is in surprisingly good shape. The Burro from 1919, however, needs a little more care. We plan to have these two books placed in a clear container for preservation and displayed for the visitors to see.

Mineral Wells High School

1919 Annual

Scanning the annuals and getting them into a digital format for display and search capabilities is a large undertaking. After each page is scanned and saved in a JPG graphic file format, they are converted to a searchable PDF file with Adobe Pro. These files will provide a way for you to type in a name and find it in the yearbook. We are having a little trouble with those names that have been marked over with a signature or ink pen in the past – the software won’t read them. This is a work in progress, and we are learning more about it as the days go by.

Now I have to get back to work. I’ll be sharing more of our progress as time goes on.

Capital Campaign Work

2009-11-03T12:55:00.000-06:00

Site Plan

Sentient Architecture, LLC

For the last few weeks, my husband has been busy writing letters and preparing them for mail-outs, beginning a capital campaign. The letters and accompanying fliers explain the process of the work that has been started on this multi-million dollar restoration project in Mineral Wells.

He is working very closely with the Executive Director, Dr. Jessie Teddlie, in making the community and the MWHS alumni aware of all that is planned and how much their assistance is needed.

“In 1984, the old High School was threatened with demolition. Originally known as the Fannin School, this wonderful structure that was part of so many of our lives for decades was saved due to the tremendous efforts of a group of concerned citizens and former Mineral Wells High School students.

Today the 50 Year Club exists to promote and preserve our many high school reunions and restore the old high school building and the surrounding facilities like the amphitheater as a National Historic District.

Plans are being made for historical restoration to the original structures of the three-story old Mineral Wells High School and amphitheater facility, the Rock School House, and the Home Economics Building and for refurbishing the interiors for use as a Community Historical Complex.”

Proposed Restoration of Original Arched Suspended Balcony Auditorium
Sentient Architecture, LLC

“The original auditorium will be renovated into a beautiful venue for arts, music and other events. Outstanding stage lighting and sound facilities are planned.

A museum of local Mineral Wells High School educational history will be housed on the third floor with a museum of Palo Pinto County and Texas history on the second.

The multi-purpose center will be a resource for children, schools, churches, senior citizens and visitors.”

Help us Build Mountaineer Heritage Park

Make an annual pledge
Contact old classmates and ask for financial support.
Volunteer
Talk it up! Be positive.
Invite organizations and groups to get involved.

Your contributions and support can make a real difference.

Contributions can be mailed to:

50 Year Club

602 West Hubbard

Mineral Wells, TX 76067

(All checks made payable to 50 Year Club.)

Please help save our history!

50 Year Club Historian 2009

2009-10-22T11:34:00.001-05:00

When I was appointed Historian of the 50 Year Club of the Mineral Wells High School, my alma mater, I eagerly looked forward to the challenge and adventures I'd find along the way. Little did I know how much of a challenge faced me! I am not saying it is an impossible challenge, just one that will keep me very, very busy for quite some time. I have already appointed one committee and anticipate one or two others.

My charge as Historian was to organize and protect the large amount of memorabilia that has already been donated to the 50 Year Club over the years. I follow after other dedicated and competent Historians that served their fellow graduates well.

As a graduate of MWHS in 1962, I have followed the progress of Mineral Wells with interest. I look forward to serving the 50 Year Club as the Historian this year. While visiting with the Executive Director, Dr. Jessie Teddlie, in her office when first accepting the challenge, I was impressed, first, by the enormity of the job before me, and then by the vision of the club and its members.

I will do my very best to preserve and prepare the photos, news clippings, albums, yearbooks, items of vintage clothing, and other memorabilia for the enjoyment and use of those who come after us.

I took some photos of the room that is now housing the donated items and will share those with you here.

My very first task was getting the vintage clothing out of the light and off of the clothes hangers. I have plans to have them stabilized by a reputable conservator and stored in a safe, temperature-controlled environment until the museum area of the restored high school is ready for them.

I'll share more photos at a later date. Hope you have fun following along with me in my trek through the history of Mineral Wells High School.

Photographs:
Memorabilia Room, 50 Year Club, 602 West Hubbard, Mineral Wells, Texas, Digital Format, Originals belonging to Judith Richards Shubert, 2009.