Coachella Valley Union High School - La Conchilla Yearbook (Coachella, CA)

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FCDREWORD When our valley was first settled, the new residents chose for it the name Conchilla Valley, meaning Valley of Little Shells. This was a perfect name for a place where the soil is full of small white shells left by the receding waters of the great inland lake which once covered this area. Unfortunately when a cartographer's error changed the spelling to Coachella, the difficulty of correcting the error was too great and it remained Coachella. In T924 when the students of this high school first published a yearbook, they selected the valley's original name for their publication, calling it La Conchilla. Thus, as the little shells are reminders of the once great body of water, so the annual is a reminder of the valley's early name. This year's staff, so far as we know, is the first to use the name La Conchilla as its theme. To assist us in carrying out our theme, we wish to introduce you to Shelly and Starface, Shelly's marine friend, the two little cartoon characters who appear throughout the book. As you read on, may our theme remind you that, even as the little shellfish have left behind a reminder of their existence, we too leave evidence of our stay in this valley. May ours also give pleasure to those who follow after. TABLE OF CGNTENTS Senior Class . 7 Administration and Staff 70 Junior Class . . . 24 Girls' Sports . 79 Sophomore Class . . 29 Boys' Sports . . 8-4 Freshman Class . . 35 Senior Directory . . lO2 Activities. . . 45 Advertisements . .b lO5 PAGE 5

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use v Guarding the sanctity of the Senior Door are Delno Gillogly, Bill Scott, Mrs. Pauline Herman, Senior Prexy Ted Newton frowns for Elizabeth Misenheimer, Annette Thibault, Jack Grant, and Johnny McClain. the photographer. We wonder whether it is the sun that caused W ' it or the burdens of the presidency. On a warm September day the class of '53 returned to our last year at CVUHS. The Senior Door was ours at last and we guarded its possession iealously. The timid freshmen were our slaves and we welcomed them with good-natured hazing. Just three short years ago we had been the uncertain freshmen who accepted our lowly status as a starting point to gain the more respected levels. The Freshman Talent Show gave us a little more dignity, but we really showed initiative when we gave a festive Christmas dance. In our next year we were the quiet, accepted sophomores resting for the rush of our junior year. And it came with a bang. Almost as soon as we were back to school we were frenziedly selling hotdogs, cokes, and popcorn at the football games to get enough money for the Junior-Senior Banquet. Then we lent our talents to the Junior Play, Don't Take My Penny. This delightful comedy about a stage-struck teenager ended our financial problems. And so, we began to plan for the banquet. What a hustle and bustle to get enter- tainment, decorations, and a theme! Then, on the night of nights, a clear, star-filled sky looked down on the Big Top. The happy circus-goers frolicked the night away, and many thanks went to the hard work- ing juniors from the satisfied seniors. After a long, hot summer we came back to our last year at CV. To lead us we chose Ted Newton, president, John McClain, vice-president, Annette Thibault, secretary, Elizabeth Misenheimer, treasurer, Jack Grant, representative. With these capable leaders we were headed for a successful year. An Okie Stomp, planned by the dignified seniors, was a barrel of fun for all the barefooted hill- billies. Another of our dignified activities happened in February when, after a few false alarms, we were on our way to ldyllwild for the traditional Senior Ditch Day. Loaded with toboggans, sleds, caps, and mittens, we really had the time of our lives playing in the snow. March was filled with checking credit requirements, measuring for caps and gowns, ordering cards and announcements, and a million other things. April came in all the glory of spring and with it the Senior Class Play, Ring Around Elizabeth. The Junior-Senior Banquet in May was '7 a refresher for our harried minds. And the iuniors did a wonderful iob of making that summer night a very special event. On May 31 at bac- i 1 calaureate services the first wave of nostalgia hit us. X I f June 4 was red-lettered on our calendar as Graduation Day with ceremonies planned for the Date Bowl. Here we were to watch with pride as awards were made to outstanding seniors. Cups, provided by -- Z the Bank of America, were engraved with the names of Pauline Chiriaco K in liberal arts and Carolyn Brumwell in vocational arts. Pauline received I X X y, ...N, her certificate in English, and Carolyn in business. Certificates were pro- vided for Richard Larson in mathematics, Virginia Rector, laboratory science, Michael Council, music, Virginia Cortez, art, Zelma Ballard, social science, Harry Woolpert, foreign language, Vera Alatorre, home economics, Richard Blocher, agriculture, and Frank Gomez, trades and industrial arts. - On graduation night also we were to learn who merited the school's I own top awards in scholarship and athletics and who would receive the Senior Service Award from our class. And all of us would unsteadily PAGE 7 grasp our long-awaited diplomas and bid farewell to ole CV. ,W 22-uf