MHS ALUMNI STORIES 2010

7TH In A 10 Part Series

1960 and 1965 Honor Classes

Celebrating 50th year is a big deal…………

In 1960, the newspaper announced commencement on May, 19, 1960, for forty-four high school

seniors who would walk the stage in the old gym to receive their diplomas. The article said, “In

many ways, the Class of 1960 is the most talented ever to leave Mangum high school. This was

demonstrated in their memorable play, “Pride and Prejudice”; in the boys’ performance on the

football field, the basketball court and the baseball diamond…………the girls’ FHA and club

activities.” In reading through the accomplishments of many of these classmates through the

years, it is obviously a very talented class who has accomplished many goals in our society. This

class also did not have a Yearbook; the last published Yearbook was with the Class of 1952.

Thanks goes to Hazel Jones Kenner for her input and help with this class history.

According to The Mangum Star, May 2000, this class gathered at the American Legion Building

where they celebrated their 40th reunion which was organized by William Rosebure and Hazel

Jones Kenner. This rather small class has remained active in spite of the distances they live from

each other. “The members of this class were born into a world of turmoil. The Japanese had

launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt had asked Congress to

declare war on Japan. By first grade, the war had ended and Truman had defeated Dewey. The

“fifties” brought Television and T.V. dinners; hula hoops were ‘in’; The Kingston Trio and

Ricky Nelson were ‘hot’ musicians and go-carts were a great source of entertainment.”

Some of their memories include: Gravel pits, thrill hill, the brakes, the square, Slick’s, Tiger Den

and Jay Buckle bridge. What else could one want? The senior trip was to Colorado Springs and

the LaFon Motel. Classmates were impressed by the heated swimming pool. They visited Pike’s

Peak, Royal Gorge, Cave of the Winds and the Air Force Academy.

School leaders included: Superintendent of Schools, Herman Bottom; High School Principal, Mr.

Ray Hogan; Class Sponsors were: Mrs. Odie Jones, Mrs. Ruth Sanger, Mr. Bob Summers and

Class Parents were Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Snipes.

MHS Alumni Officers were: George Snipes, Class of 1925; V-President, Clyde Smith, Class of

1941; Secretary, Secretary, June Reeves-Freeman, Class of 1958; Assistant Secretary, Janis

Mathews-Kerbo, Class of 1956; Treasurer, Marie Swoboda, Class of 1923; Historian, Aline

Parrish-Savage, Class of 1943; and Registrar was Lois Overton-Norman, Class of 1918.

The Mangum Star-News, May 19, 2005, ran a full page write up on this class celebrating its 45th

reunion from Mangum High School. Class officers for this group were: President, Robert Weiss

(deceased); William Rosebure, V-President; Margaret Sue Winters-Snipes, Secretary and Nancy

Van Vacter-McAlester, Treasurer. Honor Students were: Margaret Winters, Bobby Crane and

Rob Snipes

1960 Class Roll:

Sharon K. Bailey

Joyce E. Barker

Carolyn Billington

Bobby H. Crane

Gwendolyn Crawford

Jimmy Crossland

Geneva Davenport

Betty Davis

Gene Dillahunty

Joe R. Freeman

Raymond Graumann

Clinton Goss

Sam Harlan

Jimmy C. Jackson

James Ray James

Hazel L. Jones

Thomas Langford

Charles Laws

Charles Lewis

Miss Pat McClendon

Maryanne McDonald

Joe Meadows

Robert Norton

Rosemary Patterson

Barbara Perrin

Melba S. Racy

Don Reeves

William Rosebure

Ernest Rosenbaum

Barbara Roulain

Howard Saunders

Nadia Shaheen

Nina B. Sheward

Thomas Snipes

Patricia Tinney

Jimmie Tinsley

Nancy L. VanVacter

Robert Weiss

Jerry Wheeler

John Wileman

Sondra G. Windle

Margaret S. Winters

Bill F. Wright

Deceased members include: Jerry Weiss, Bobby Crane, Gwen Crawford, Geneva Davenport,

Joyce Barker, Jerry Wheeler, Bill Wright Whereabouts unknown: Barbara Perrin Arnold, Clinton

Goss, Jimmy Jackson, Thomas Langford, Charles Laws, Don Reeves, Howard Saunders, Nadia

Shaheen and Rosemary Patterson Smith

Class of 1965…………..celebrating 45 years

The Greer County News, May 17, 1965, ran an article about the retirement of a long time

popular teacher, Mrs. Francis Phipps, who retired January of that year. “Francis Clay Phipps,

MHS Grad with the Class of 1918, was a Junior High Science teacher in the Mangum ISD for

many years. She graduated from Oklahoma University and held a Master’s Degree from the

University of Southern California. In 1957, Mrs. Phipps was one of nine women chosen for a

summer science course in Colorado College, Colorado Springs. Mrs. Phipps, a Mangum native,

has two children, also MHS grads and OU grads: Sharon Phipps Beach, 1953, is also a school

teacher and Kent Clay Phipps, Class of 1948, is an assistant city attorney in Ponca City.”

Another article in the Greer County News was titled, “Roberta Graham Named Teacher Of The

Year”. Miss Graham, a long time popular fifth grade elementary teacher at Edison was a MHS

Grad with the Class of 1925. She was given this honor by the Greer County O.E.A. in October of

1964. She had two sisters who followed the teaching field: Maurine Graham Woods, Class of

1922 and Sue Donna Graham Thompson, Class of 1928.

The Mangum Star-News, May 19, 2005, ran full pages of pictures on this class. There were

sixty-six seniors in 1965 and Sylvia Silk-Miller has accounted for every one of these classmates.

They did not have a Senior Trip nor did they have a Yearbook according to Ginger Cypert Smith,

one of the members. Sylvia Silk-Miller and Susie Hughes-Thompson also helped me by e-mail

to complete this rather lengthy list of names along with classmates’ addresses and e-mails; Sylvia

also uses Facebook to locate MHS grads. Note: Technology has advanced since all these records

were kept by ladies such as Ms. Nellie Stultz-Davis, Lois Norman-Overton and Doris Avery-

Nelson.

Honor students were: Ann Harlan, Elizabeth Stock, Carol Pankhurst Class Parents: Mr. and Mrs.

Paul Lewis; Deceased members are: Danny Amox, Hester Banister, Sonny Cowan, Coye Dennis,

Mary Edmondson-Avery, Harold Henderson, Jim Houpe, Class Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Paul

Lewis, Mike Thomason; Whereabouts unknown: Anita Bagwell-Miller, Dennis Bland, Steve

Francis, Joe David Mitchell, Peggy Nichols-Lambert and Kathie Skvorc Casper. For more

information on this class please contact either Sylvia Silk Miller at millers95@yahoo.com or

joy.grant@sbcglobal.net

Class of 1965

Danny Amox

Anita Bagwell

LaNelda Bailey

Danny Baker

Hester Banister

Carol S. Bex

Dennis Bland

Judy Brundige

Bonnie Bryant

Charles Callins

Sonny Cowan

Ginger Cypert

Martha Davis

Cecil Deadman

Coye Dennis

Mary K. Edmondson

Melvin Ervin

Gary Francis

Steve Francis

Larry Gilliam

Shirley Griffis

Charles Hahn

Anne Harlan

Jim Houpe

Harold Henderson

Susie Hughes

Beverlie Inks

Gaylord Inks

Catherine Jenkins

Karen Johnson

Janie Keating

Dorothy King

Patsy Knight

Nance Langdon

Russell Lewis

Garl Mardis

Sandy Mathis

Theo McDuff

Joe McGuffin

Joe D. Mitchell

Kay Morgan

Nan Morris

Peggy Nichols

Gwenith Olive

Carol Pankhurst

Amma L. Parker

Ronnie Patton

Darlia Paxton

Wayne Paxton

Bette Price

John Price

Barbara Propps

Roger Reeves

Debbie Seymour

Sylvia Silk

Kathie Skvorc

Elizabeth Stock

Jody Thomas

Carolyn Thomason

Mike Thomason

David Uecke

Mary Kyle Underwood

Bernice Ward

Dale Weaver

Kaye Wileman

Velma Wilson

Judith Winters

MHS Alumni Officers were: Peggy Coffman-McMaan, Class of 1951; V-President, Virginia

Hamilton-Boyle, Class of 1916; Secretary, Doris Avery-Nelson, Class of 1949; Assistant

Secretary, Linda Lanford-Foraker, Class of 1950; Treasurer, Marie Swoboda, Class of 1923;

Assistant Treasurer, Edward F. Norman, Class of 1942; Historian, Aline Parish-Savage, Class of

1943; and Registrar was Lois Overton-Norman, Class of 1918.

Notes for history: It must be noted, according to Lois Norman Overton’s bylaws and papers, that

on March 5, 1965, the following by-law was abolished: Motion made and carried that anyone not

taking the initiation would not be a member of the Alumni Association. And thus, due to

circumstances in society and probably abuse of ‘power’ bestowed on some groups, initiations

became a thing of the past.

Series eight (8) will continue with the Classes of 1970 and 1975. Any additions or corrections

are always appreciated. Joy.grant@sbcglobal.net

Researched by Joy Hall Grant, Class of 1957, MHS Alumni Historian.