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MANGUM ALUMNI STORIES 2012
SERIES SIX
CLASS OF 1957 CELEBRATING 55 YEARS

The Class of ’57 had dreams………………..

As the Statler Brothers song says, ‘The Class of ’57 had dreams’…………………….and its lyrics went on to describe several classmates as they journeyed through life. The Mangum High School Class of ’57 was no different. All the classmates were looking forward to the future as they walked the stage for the last time at the ‘Old Gym’ still standing today on Pennsylvania Avenue, situated not far from today’s ‘White House’. Brings back good memories for most Mangum grads.

The majority of the Class of ’57 were born in 1938-39 and started first grade at the ‘Old Edison’ which stood three stories tall on land where two other elementary schools had stood beginning about 1890. The first school was a wooden one-room school donated by John Rose, Justice of the Peace. From pictures, it appeared to stand on the back side of school land where today’s high school’s back parking lot is located. It was followed by a three story rock school built from materials carried on wagons from the South Salt Fork. This school was built just east of the wooden structure. The mothers of the county supervised this important venture to assure their children had ‘proper schooling’. Later, the brick Edison Elementary was built closer to the street and opened in 1909 to house all the children who were attending the North Ward and South Ward (Hawthorne)schools and the ‘Rock Grammar School’ as it was called, became Edison Elementary. It’s obvious education was vital in Greer County even before statehood and schools were built to make sure all the children in North Mangum and South Mangum had access to a school close to them. Transportation was by foot, horse and/or wagon; that big shiny yellow school bus wasn’t picking up children back then.

The 1938-39 news papers were publishing President Franklin Roosevelt’s Fair Labor Standard Act setting minimum wage at 40 cents an hour; the first commercial oil patch was found in Saudi Arabia; German invaded Poland in 1939 and in Rochester, New York, the first food stamp program was introduced by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to feed the needy. Some 70 years later, we are still dealing with Lou Gehrig’s disease, minimum wage laws, vast oil usage problems and programs to help take care of the suffering of millions of Americans. Harry S. Truman was to follow Roosevelt’s 12-year term as the next President of the United States. He would take office the year we began First grade. Politics was alive and well in the 1930’s and 40’s while we were still small children and can vaguely remember much about it.

By 1945, after WWII, classes began for first graders in the south east corner of Edison…………..teachers were Miss Pearl Durham, Miss Nina Davis, and Mrs. Mabel Doolen. During first grade both Miss Durham and Miss Davis retired for health reasons and were replaced by Miss Kathleen Moore and several substitutes throughout that year. Mr. Weldon Spivey was the principal; Mr. Copp was the very much loved custodian and ‘ringer of the recess bell’; Mrs. Dorothy Lessor was the head cafeteria lady and all school personnel loved to head for the cafeteria at noon; they still do to this day, in 2012, and the recipes of Vangie Hernandez!!! Some of us drank our first ‘cows’ milk in the school cafeteria because we were raised on ‘goat’ milk. Cow’s milk was like drinking water……….. we ‘goat milk’ drinkers complained about the taste.

Through the years many classmates came and went from our ranks. During the years connections were made and life long friendships built. The large Class of ’57, forty-nine strong for graduation statistics, seemed to always be attached and bonds made which have never been broken.

After graduation, the class traveled to Washington, D.C. for a senior trip. Upon returning from this trip, Harold Anderson said, “let’s promise to all meet in D.C. on our 10th anniversary”. Everyone agreed, not knowing what such a commitment would mean. Of course, that reunion didn’t happen. Everyone was working and children were being born……………the days of freedom were rare.

There were no yearbooks published at Mangum High School from 1953 through 1960……….so the history of the classes has been lost to a degree other than scrapbooks and word of mouth stories. The 1957 class is shown in the 1952 Yearbook as ‘seventh’ graders; thus the only proof of attendance/pictures our class can view outside of elementary group pictures. One never realizes how important school pictures and proof of one’s existence becomes until you can find NO proof of existence. Several of our age bracket had to get delayed birth certificates signed by local court house workers to prove our birth when it came time to get a driver’s license. Doctors were not always present at birthings in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

John and Marie Swoboda were Class Parents and ‘big brother’ was Dick Swoboda, Class of ’49. Our class had to say good bye to ‘Pop’ in 1961 and they weren’t prepared for his death. ‘Mom’ stayed busy and attended reunions until her passing 1991. Dick has passed away but he left a legacy through his children whom we heard from in 2007.

It wasn’t until 1972, fifteen years after graduation, that our class actually met again in an organized reunion. With the fortitude of locals who have meant the most in keeping this class connected…..Doris Hogue-Bogart, G. W. Sheward, James David Raby,………… the Civic Center (room on the third floor of the Library) was our meeting place. Classmates brought their spouse and children and it was probably the most exciting gathering since graduation. Seeing all the offspring let classmates see what we all looked like in elementary school. You could actually recognize who the children belonged to!!

At our 40th Reunion in 1997, we won the Attendance Award but we had to wrestle for it. Our class was seated so far back in the Gym, we couldn‘t hear the speaker. We were told ‘whoever hollers the loudest gets the prize’. Since we couldn’t hear, we didn’t get the prize until a few weeks later. We had 68% present.

On our 50th Reunion in 2007, we were better prepared and organized. Our class had the Alumni President and V-President; therefore, we got better seats and better access to the Podium. We yelled the loudest and won the Attendance Award for the second time. Now, 55 years later, someone of this class has always made an appearance at the Annual Alumni Banquet with G. W. Sheward holding the attendance record. This group has had its own reunion every five years, usually well attended considering the distance the members have had to travel to get to Mangum. Oh yes, did I mention we won the First Place Parade Float??? We actually had two full wagon floats pulled by a bright orange tractor belonging to Joe Freeman, brother of our late classmate, Jim Freeman. Even the Emcee Don Smith said, ‘there was no competition’. Our float was so unique, part of it was donated to the Museum by David Raby.

In 1986, we lost our first classmate, Jim Freeman, to heart disease. This was a shock to our rank and thus began the realization of disease, sickness and burying our loved ones.
A few years later, we lost Karol Sheppard and LaNora Roper to cancer; We lost three more classmates before our 50th reunion: ….Robert Wright, James Hogue and Martha Wilcox-Wileman. That is still a sad component when we gather, but we’ve remembered these classmates with positive stories and have reached out to family members to make sure they are included in our reunions.

In 2009, we added a new member through her GED diploma placement with Mangum Alumni. Verna Sue Smith-White became the 49th member of this class. The Bylaws allow associate membership for various reasons and ‘Verna Sue’ fit the description. She’s the daughter of the late Thurman Smith, the sister of Don Smith, MHS 1958, and the mother of Thurman White, local carpenter and ‘go get him’ man.

In 2012, we will again gather on Thursday night for a sit-down meal. All our classmates/spouses and/or guests, former teachers and former classmates will be together in the HUD Community Room on East Lincoln. Jo Mills will cater the meal and others will bring the side dishes, dessert and drinks. There will be plenty of things to talk about and look at. Celebrations for 50th wedding anniversaries will also be on the program.

Out of this class, there are 19 couples who have been married for 50 years or more. Isn’t that some type of record??? That’s almost 50% of the membership. They include: Mernie & Gay Austin-Ray; Ron and Gloria Davenport, Helen Johnston and Charles Allison, Sharon and Byron Burson, Jerry and Donna Goodman, Barbara and Dwayne Lankford, James and Madalyn Long, Donald and Mary Morgan, Jack and Betty Racy, Melba and Orville, G. W. Sheward ad Pat Petty; Derrell Wells Jr., and Jean; Eugene and Della Maxwell; Lillie and Cleatus Wright; Mary and Carl Gambill, Laurene and Sammy Cates; Doris and Junior Bogart, Joan and Ed Harris, Melba Cooksey and Otto Combs

Newly weds: Charlotte Pruitt-Herndon married Jim Howard, on August 6, 2011, in Mangum. Charlotte is completing 30 years teaching at Edison Elementary. Congratulations to this nice couple.

Thirty-seven active members, some of whom plan to attend this year are:

Gayle Austin-Ray and husband, Mernie Ray, both classmates; live in Yukon, Oklahoma.
Stacy Bell is retired and lives in Willow. Eddie Blalock still works part time and lives in Lubbock, Texas. Joan Brewer Harris, and husband Ed, live in Midlothain, Texas. Sharon Conrad Burson and husband Byron, live in College Station, Texas. Melba Cooksey Combs and husband, Otto, live in Duke, Oklahoma. Garland Copelin and wife, Dolores, live in Dickinson, Texas, where he still practices law. Ron Davenport and wife Gloria Thompson (Class of 1956) split their homes between Minnesota and Mangum.

Glenda Goode Motheral lives in Altus where she’s a retired school teacher. Jerry Goodman and wife, Donna live in Tulsa. Jerry is a sitting Judge on the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals and does not plan to retire anytime soon. Joy Hall Grant and husband, C. W., returned to Mangum in 2001, after she retired from the Ft. Worth Public Schools. The stay very active in the community and operate a Tiger Specialty Shop. Nell Hendricks Palmer and husband Billy, live in Deming, New Mexico.

Betty Green Bonham lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; her husband is deceased. Barbara Hodge Lankford lives in Lawton, Oklahoma. She recently lost her husband of 50 years, Dwayne Lankford. Doris Hogue Bogart lives and works in Mangum; she owns Doris’ Beauty Shop. She recently lost her husband, Junior, after 50 years of marriage.
Laurene Jennings Cates lives in Mangum with husband Sammy.

Helen Johnston Allison lives in Henryetta, OK, with husband Charles. They recently lost their son. Her mother lives in McAlester. Sharon Johnston Bryant lives in Ft. Davis, Texas, where she’s employed at a bank. James Long, with wife Madalyn, live in Oklahoma City. They celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2010. Eugene Maxwell and wife, Della, live in Sherwood, Arkansas. He stays busy playing golf.

Annette Miller Allen lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her daughter. Donald Morgan and wife, Mary, live in Altus, Oklahoma, where they manage the Doll Museum on West Broadway. Bobby Moss and wife, Donna, live in Durham, Oklahoma. Lazana Nelson Hubbard and husband, live in Jackson, Missouri.

Charlotte Pruitt Herndon Howard lost her husband, Warren (a classmate). She’s been a teacher at Edison Elementary for 30 years. Recently she became Mrs. Howard when she married the widower Jim Howard, a retired Mangum pharmacist. James David Raby lives in Mangum and is still employed by the Mangum Public Schools. Jack Racy and wife, Linda, live in Carrollton, Texas.

Melba Radney Smith and husband, Orville, live in Lawton, Oklahoma. G. W. Sheward and wife, Pat (also a MHS grad) live in Mangum where G. W. is still employed. Tom Shirley and wife live in Killeen, Texas. Verna Sue Smith White lives in Haysville, Kansas, near three of her sons. She received her GED/Diploma after graduation and became a member of the class. She lost her husband of 50 years, Orville White, and lost her dad, Thurman White in 2011.

Ruth Thompson Cox lives in Lexington, Kentucky, near her children. She lost her
husband, Leroy, in 1993. Mary Tinsley Gambill lives in Mangum with husband Carl.
Derrell Wells, Jr., lives in Round Rock, Texas, with wife Jean. Sue Wheeler Hughes lives in Elkhart, Texas. She lost a grandson in 2011 due to an auto accident. Darla Wyatt lives in Salem, Oregon.

1957
Graduation Roll
* Deceased

*Harold Anderson
Gayle Austin
Stacy Bell
Eddie Blalock
Joan Brewer
Sharon Conrad
*Gary Cooksey
Melba Cooksey
Garland Copelin
Ronnie Davenport
*Lanny Day
*Jim Freeman
*Geary Gibson
Glenda Goode
Jerry Goodman
Betty Green
Joy I. Hall
Nell Hendrick
*Warren Herndon
Barbara Hodge
Doris Hogue
*James Hogue
Laurene Jennings
Helen Johnston
Sharon Johnston-Bryant
James Long
Eugene Maxwell
Donald Morgan
Bobby Moss
Annette Miller-Murray
Lazana Nelson
Charlotte Pruitt
J. David Raby
Jack Racy
Melba Radney
Mernie Ray
*LaNora Roper
*Lillie Rose-Wright
*Karol Sheppard-Clayton
G. W. Sheward
Verna Smith-White
Tom Shirley
Ruth Thompson
Mary Tinsley
Derrell Wells Jr.
Sue Wheeler-Hughes
*Martha Wilcox
*Robert Wright
Darla Wyatt

Written by Joy Hall Grant, Alumni Historian and proud classmate.