Alvin High School - Yellow Jacket Yearbook (Alvin, TX)

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 883 FOREWORD May we present to you ALVIN AND ALVINA! They typify the spirit of Alvin High School today. Perhaps you can see—in their vibrant interest in everything, their friendly nature, and their youthful earnestness—a similarity to other Alvins and Alvinas who have preceded them in A. H. S. in other years. Let Alvin and Alvina lead you around their cam- pus and introduce to you their school activities and their friends through the pages of the 1945 year- book, commemorating the Golden Anniversary of Alvin High School. Who knows? Perhaps you may chance to meet old familiar faces and revive half- forgotten memories of good times in old A. H. S. from 1895 to 1945. But let's be on our way!

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! DEDICATION Institutions are never the product of one person's labor and vision. Herein lies their greatness and tneir service— in the fact that they belong to the people. So it is with Alvin High School. It would, therefore, be a presumptuous gesture and an empty one to dedicate this volume, in the Golden Anniver- sary year of Alvin High School, to any one person or to any one group. Instead, the staff of the 1945 YELLOW JACKET dedicates this volume to all the alumni, former students, and interested friends who have helped to add to the dignity, honor, and worth of A. H. S. through the fifty years of her history.

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HISTORY OF ALVIN HIGH SCHOOL Fifty years ago in the fall of 1894, when the tenth grade was added to the cur- riculum of the little Alvin School, Alvin High School was born. The high school department thus consisted of three grades, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. Mr. Tom Wilbern was principal of the school at that time. The class which entered high school in 1894-1895 became the first graduating class from Alvin High School, finishing in 1897. Accurate lists of the early classes are difficult to obtain, but the Class of 1897 is said to have included Douglas Remley, Linda McSinty, Claude Renick, Ora Carter, and Jack Richardson. Mr. J. W. Saxon was the principal when this first class was graduated. Mr. Saxon also guided the Class of 1898. Miss Zadie Sedgwick (Mrs. C. J. Matthews of Houston) was a member of this class and listed the follow- j ing as her classmates: Aaron Wilkerson, Claude Rennick, Lawrence Fuller, Dr. F. J. I Slataper, Hugh Williams, Pearl Wilkerson, j Susie Griffith, Lottie Wingzell, and one girl with the given name of Daisie, whose sur- I name she does not recall. Mrs. Matthews j stated that hers was the second class to ’ graduate after the high school was affil- iated with the University of Texas. The graduates of 1899 included Kate Sammons, Whit Wilson, Zula Wilson, Nannie Smith, Julia Shirley, Edna Hunter, Clara Chadwick, Weed Stockwell, Elmer Stockwell, Julia Bethel, and Lena Hunter. Mr. C. Z. Spahr was principal, succeeding Mr. Saxon who had resigned to become county superintendent. W. C. Steele, father of Ernest Steele, president of the Alvin State Bank, was principal for a while in 1899, and was followed the same year by Professor R. C. Shirley, who was principal until 1906. The 1900 hurricane played havoc with the struggling little school. The damage was extensive and the citizens of the town donated money to repair the damage because there were no funds upon which to draw. During Mr. Shirley's term, the fourth year was added to the high school and the Class of 1906 was the first j to graduate after a four-year term. Mr. Shirley is now living in Houston and kindly contributed information and photographs for this book. Mr. Shirley was followed by Mr. A. S. J. Steele, 1907-1909, and Mr. R. R. Sebring, 1909-1912. In 1910, j the familiar old red brick school building was completed at the cost of $25,000. Mr. Hibbitts followed Mr. ' Sebring, 1912-1914; and Mr. A. H. Russell served from 1914 to 1917. During Mr. Russell's term, high school affiliation was finally secured. Mr. Russell was succeeded by Mr. J. O. Webb, who served from 1917-1924. These were progressive years for the school. The consolidation of the Fairview school with Alvin in 1923 began the program which has grown until 20 per cent of the students of Alvin schools now come from districts which have been consolidated with j Alvin. Such a procedure has been valuable to the students of smaller districts, offering them increased and improved educational facilities. This program has likewise aided Alvin schools financially and brought many fine students to the schools here. During Mr. Webb's term, the first county Interscholastic League meet was held, and the athletic activities of the school received great impetus. A Parent-Teacher Association was first organized in 1920, and the first carnival was held the following year. 4