El Reno High School - Boomer Yearbook (El Reno, OK)

Page 7 text:

The 1914 high school orchestra, pictured here, was one of the lead- ing student groups that year. The orchestra, organized in 1911, was a well-functioning group by 1914, with Miss Irene March, now head of the foreign language depart- ment in the high school, as first violinist. The first football team was organized in 1901. The mem- bers of the 1908 squad, pictur- ed here, were described as “masters of the gridiron,” as El Iteno won four out of the seven scheduled games that year. Annual staffs from the first one in 1907 to the 1914 staff, pictured here, chose a different name for each yearbook. Title of the 1914 annual, Boomerang, was changed to Boomer by 191G, and this is still the official title of the high school publication. The first brick high school building, now Central Elemen- tary School, was completed in the summer of 1905 at a total cost of $30,000. The El Reno Demo- crat of August 5,1905, describes the building as “one of the finest school buildings in Oklahoma.” The high school convened in the new building for the first time on September 11, 1905.

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THROUGH THE YEARS As this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of graduating classes in El Iteno High School, the 19-16 annual staff has endeavored to por- tray, in this yearbook, through pictures and words, the growth of our high school from early years to the present time, so that each of us may have this record to keep as a souvenir of high school days. The first El Reno High School, the small frame build- ing, above, erected in 1892, was located at 700 South Rock Island Avenue. This housed the high school until the brick building, now Central Elementary School, was erected in 1905. Nellie Jensen completed the high school course in the spring of 1896; but, as no graduating exercises were held that year, the first annual commencement was observed by the class of 1897. Announcements of the first and second graduating classes, pictured here, reveal that there were four graduates in 1897 and five in 1898. As the enrollment in the high school grew, the number of graduates increased until the peak year of 19:19, when 167 diplomas were issued. A total of 3,526 students, including this year’s seniors, have received diplomas from El Reno High School. The value of extra-curricular activities was recognized by the early school officials and, in 1906, the first girls’ literary society, pictured here, was organized under the name Alethean. About the middle of January, 1907, the high school lx ys met and organized a debating society, below, with the name, Boys’ Debating Club. Attention was likewise given, early in the history of the school, to developing an athletic program. In 1907, the first basketball squad, the all-girl team pictured below, was organized.

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From point of view of service, the oldest teacher on the high school staff at the present time is Miss Rose Witcher, who joined the faculty as English teacher in 1913. The student body that year numbered approximately 200. A typical auditorium scene is pictur- ed at left. The Class of 1911, of which Mrs. Lucile Blair, now mathematics and Spanish instructor in the high school, was a member, was the first class to have the pictures of the graduating seniors mount- ed, framed, and hung in the halls. Through the years interest in basketball had grown. The enthusiasm and untiring efforts devot- ed to this sport paid off in 1921 when El Reno cap- tured the first of her six state championship basket- ball titles. First championship basketball team is pictured below. And football was not a forgotten sport. In 1920, Ruth Gadberry Beckley, pictured below, was crown- ed the first football queen in the history of the school.