At last the time in our lives we have all been looking
forward to for the past 11 years has arrived. In the Fall
of 1947, we enroll in our senior year of high school, Most
of us have been together most of our school years. Several
joined the class in junior
high as the smaller country schools consolidated
with Mangum.
The first school
days of 1947-48 began
when temperatures were
107 degrees for at least
the first five days and it
is hard to believe that we
survived with no air conditioners or fans.
B.F. Johnson was the superintendent and Gerald
Nichols the high school principal. High School teachers were:
Tom Johnson, Thelma Alexander, Helen Deaver, C.E. Dodge,
Emily Hoover, Henry White, Odie Jones, Lucille Rice, Ben
Sorrells, Minnie Lee Sumrow, Francis Smith and Berniece
Gaylord.
There were 189 enrolled in high school with 55
seniors, 32 boys and 23 girls. Kent Phipps was reelected
class president. He had been class president throughout junior
high and high school. Wilbanks Smith was vice president
and Sidney Snider, treasurer. Our class sponsors were
Thelma Alexander, Emily Hoover and Mark Hodgson.
Dr. Fred and Louise Sellers were selected as our class
parents. We spent many Sunday evenings in their home.
Our new family included a little brother, Freddie, and sister,
Dottie. We had a busy senior year with good football and
basketball teams. Many of our classmates were involved
in the band directed by the Reverend C.E. Dodge. At this
time there were more than 100 members in the band. Others
were busy in Pep Club and Glee Club.
Our senior play was "Charley's Aunt" directed by Mrs.
Alexander and Miss Hoover. Those in the play were: Jo Jane
Ware, Kent Phipps, Alan Smith, Harold Hoffman, Mary
Ann De Iorio, Sue Nelson, Ray Bob Jones, Sidney Snider,
Wilbanks Smith, Charles Smith, Velda Mae Nelson and
Claud Doolen.
Our senior year ended with Baccalaureate Services
on Sunday night, May 16 with the Reverend C.A. Pruitt
bringing the message. On Wednesday night, May 18, we
held our senior night program with Ray Bob Jones giving
the class history and Kent Phipps the class will. A trio of
Freddie Smith, Ben Sorrells and Alan Smith sang, "In the
Little Red Schoolhouse."
At last, it was graduation night on May 20. Fifty-five
seniors marched into the gym (which is now called the old
gym) to receive their diplomas. Joe C. Scott, president. of
the State Board of Agriculture gave the commencement
address for the seniors of '48 and the Mangum Junior College
graduates. Sidney Snider gave the salutatory address and
Jo Jane Ware gave the valedictory. Jimmy Greasby played
a piano solo.
The Tuesday after graduation 40 seniors boarded
a Jewett Scott flat bed truck featuring side boards, school
bus seats fastened to the floor and tarp to keep the sun and
rain off. Louise Sellers, class mom, and Jean Parmerly were
our chaperons. They traveled by automobile. Our first night
was spent in Texarkana, Arkansas where some of our
classmates had a little too much fun (no names mentioned).
We spent the second night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and
then on to New Orleans, where we spent four fun filled days.
On our return trip, we spent the night in Galveston,
Texas. Enroute to Galveston, some of the boys decided to
get off the truck and hitch hike. They were picked up by
the highway patrol and taken on to Galveston to join our
group. While in Galveston we had a great time despite the
fact that several of the girls told the truck driver they were
the only ones going to the beach and believing them, he left
the remainder of us behind. We took a bus to the beach and
had a great time. The trip ended with everyone happy to
be home, but sad that this was our last time to all be together.
Page 1 - Introduction
| Page 2 - Class of '48 |
Page 3 - Sue Haygood Boyett
