Palo Duro High School - Conquistador Yearbook (Amarillo, TX)

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Humility .... Craciousncss .... Understanding . . . . These arc the virtues he tries so hard to instill in us. By his own life, he has taught us their meaning. We are proud to dedicate Conquistador ’56 to Palo Duro’s first principal. W. W. fiicklaus

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FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING of future Palo Duro students. I a;ft to right, standing: Ray Hill, Bill Lofgren, Gene Arrington, Robert Hover, Robert Echols, David Stafford, Harold Knotts. Left to right, seated: Mr. W. W. Nicklaus, Glenda Allison, Helen Knight, Arline Lively, Norma Stitt, and Sue Stone. beginning a flew Zradit ion Palo Duro High School, in a physical sense, comprises five buddings and nine square blocks in the campus. Within the walls of these carefully planned buildings, the student will be taught the academic skills. This educational process, however, will go beuond the classroom procedure; it will be found in the extra-curricular activities such as music, speech, art, publications, clubs, school dances, and sfwrts. In order for a program of this type to be successful it will require the co-operation of not only the students themselves, but the cooperation of the entire community. It is impossible for a student to achieve full pleasure and fun in his school life if he does not have a thankful heart and a desire to serve his school. This spirit has already been shown by the fine cooperation of the student body in their response to the selection of a name and colors for the school. Dons was originally a title of honor in Spain comparable to our Mister. However, when the Spanish explorers came to the Southwest, the name became more of a title of honor. A person known as a Don usually was very wealthy and powerful. Thus, a Don was a person to be respected or feared as the circumstances called for. A Don ustially had a large number of men working for him and was very powerful in the Southwest. This name was submitted to a student committee bu Robert Echols, Barbara llisc, and Billy Dye because of its originality and dynamic quality. Anyone could suggest a name for this cause and many, many names were suggested. The committee, con- sisting of representatives from each class, screened the names to a minimum number to be voted upon by the student body. A student gave a short talk of each of the names and then the student body voted. In the same manner, the colors were chosen. Finally, after all the votes were counted, Palo Duro High School had a name and colors-royal blue and white; and the Palo Duro Dons were born. Thus through democratic means our team name and colors were selected by the majority vote in the student election. Everyone at Palo Duro High School is proud of the selection and hopes Amarillo as a whole will be just as proud.

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 Mr. Charles M. Rogers Superintendent of Schools Mr. George Barnett Coach Mr. Roland Baumhardt Vocational Agriculture Mr. Jack Anderson Coach Mr. George Bledsoe Band, Orchestra