Duncan High School - Wildkat Yearbook (Duncan, AZ)

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This year, as always, it was 'The best of times, the worst of times... It was the best of times... Duncan's new elementary school had a gym auditorium available for high school functions. No portable class- rooms obstructed the view between field and high school. The baseball diamond was home from the fairgrounds. The high school gym had a refinished floor. A marquee cheered the highway with school colors and announcements of current Wildkat events. Duncan's band rated a superior at the spring music festival. The Future Homemakers of America brought home the Honor Chapter Award from the state convention. FFAers also won many trophies and awards. Duncan High had a newspaper, printed with the help of an electronic eye machine, capable of reproducing pictures as well as writing, typing, printing. .. .it was the worst of times... Both schools had problems, including leaky roofs. It was harder to service the marquee than to look at it. Honors were still being earned by only the few. Every day, poverty and disease, boredom, misunderstandings, fear, jealousy complicated the problems of individuals, families, people-to-people relationships. In short, just like 1776 and 1789— 1976 was the best of times, the worst of times. 2

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New people, new buildings Concern administration, board of trustees Mr. Rowden talks up school pride at assembly and. Middle, checks daily on Tucson news. Top: Mr. Smith out- lines policies at first teachers' meeting. More changes than in many former years made 1975-1976 one to remember. These in- cluded changes in adminis- tration and on the board of education, and a historic move for the middle and up- per elementary grades. Stan Smith, formerly of Pima High School, became Duncan's new school super- intendent. In January, Floyd Chapman resigned after 11 Vi years as high school principal; and Jake Rowden, who had lived in Duncan and had graduated with the Class of 1947, succeeded him. In December, Mr. Smith moved his office into one of the library rooms; now two administrators worked in the high school building. In September, fourth through eighth graders and the portable classrooms that had stood near the high school since spring, 1973, moved to their new location across the Gila River, three miles from downtown Duncan. On the new 40-acre campus the gym-auditorium became a center for high school and community events, such as dances, concerts, banquets. Leaky roofs and other problems with the multi-pur- pose and classroom buildings in the new school provided extra business at school board meetings. Even in the high school, rain dripped into the science lab and on down into the library. Exciting hopes, however, cheered the administration as it accepted architects' plans for renovating the high school building. By fall, 1976, were scheduled a new science lab, new prin- cipal's and counselor's of- fices, and, possibly, com- pletely rebuilt rest rooms. Never a dull moment could describe school board meetings in 1975-1976. Repairs, replacements are probably discussion topic with Mr. Smith, F. Johnson. 4