Stratford High School - Mnemosyne Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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Community atches Spartanitis With bumper stickers from Bill Blank- enship's car dealership zooming around on every bumper in the city, according to Booster Club President Mr. Bob Debesse, Spartan jackets, T-shirts, green and gold pom-poms, plus a very special billboard, the entire community was involved in supporting the State 4A Champs. Realtors, gas stations, and other pri- vate businesses wished the team luck with marquees such as Reign over Plano. Senior Glenn Swisher persuaded three different advertising agencies to ,IA donate the billboard, painter, and paper for the Katy Freeway sign estimated to cost as much as 53000. Cheerleader Connie Pratt said, My friends from Memorial kept kidding me about the football team's victories, but they were really happy for us. The Westchester cheerleaders and art department presented the school with a token of their sportsmanship: a huge green and gold tissue paper state of Texas with a Stratford pennant and a -'Il in the center. Also included in the gift was a scroll signed by over 1000 of their own Spartan enthusiasts. I-Q-in 32 community -fm, The gift from Westchester was 1 played in the library showcase alt with the State trophy, the district fC Cilbertl trophy, a flag contributedl the Spartanaires, and even a Senate ' olution declaring state recognitiorl Stratford's accomplishments. ' Mr. lames King, administrative prii pal, said, At first the State champi ship trophy was sent to Stratford, Te, up in the Panhandle. But now, eve body knows where we are. l Pep rallies were graced with appl ances from a variety of figures froml community. Costumes ranged fr' Number one fingers flashing, a gt from the local lack-in-the-Box joins pep rally festivities. As the team gait recognition, visitors from all over joir in wishing the school victory. As H DeBesse, president of the Spar Booster Club said, Everyone was dra, closer together. Not hesitating a moment, Congressn Bill Archer instantaneously sheds shirt and tie to don an honorary Ser Boys' Club t-shirt. Such exhibitii reflected the community's pride in state champions,

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Shoe formation 'tinued from page 29 jMr. Fitch in an attempt to pro- lg the pep rally fun. Prior to the stchester pep rally, about 30 d members decided to wake Mr. h up that morning with the Fight g. Senior Tommy Adams stated, je got the key to his apartment Jied and sneaked into his apart- nt at about 5:30 a.m. When we gan to play the fight song, the lls began to shake. Eventually Mr. :hcame out in his bathrobe and ked at us in a state of shock. His ghbors were too. 'he end of marching season over- ped All-District, Region, Area, 1 State competition. We weren't represented as I wished, but the rcentage that succeeded was h, commented Mr. Fitch. Senior th Hipple, clarinet player, Senior vin McNerney, baritone saxo- one player, Senior Geoff Sprad- L french horn player, and junior ira Victorin, piccolo player, made ill the way to Area competition. anwhile, Leah played in the All- te band for the third year in a v. Leah commented, It was the est thing to play with such good sicians and to have a world tous conductor conducting you. -ryone really tried to play their ia hot summer's day, Senior Tom n and fellow band members play on. ee-hour practices kept the marchers :heir feet beginning Aug. 7. ile sitting in the band section at a tball game, junior jeff Williford Ers into the rowdy spirit by making es blowing into his mouthpiece. explained, Everyone always got dy so why shouldn't I? best and it turned out so good. Marching season officially ended with the band banquet held at the Houston Racquet Club. Entertain- ment included slides of f'Band Crime which Tommy explained to be a slide presentation of all the officers committing a crime. It turned out alright and we had a lot of fun making it, especially running around downtown in our uniforms and with our horns. We got a lot of weird looks. There were skits, various joke awards, such as awards for saying the wrong thing as in Lisa Carpen- ter's case, or taking a band final seri- ously as in Sherry Teft's case. Tradi- tional freshman orientation could not be overlooked, and so all the newcomers had to push a peanut across the floor - with their nose. Right before the dinner of roast beef, potatoes and green beans, a special visitor came from Eastern Onion and gave Mr, Fitch a message for doing absolutely nothing. Fol- lowing the dinner, there was a dance with taped music. Dawn stated, Even though the music was taped, there was really a lot of vari- While awaiting halftime, Senior Geoff Spradley and Sophomore Simms Dun- can watch the rest of the football game. Geoff stated, I got a little nervous before every time, but after a while you get used to it, ety to it and it was easy to dance to. Spring plans included U.I.L. Solo and Ensemble Contest held March 3. Rhonda commented, Each year, the contest seems to get more relaxed and the judge now talks to you. But a few years back, there was nothing said when you went into the room to play. Rounding out the year was the Ll.I.L. Concert and Sightreading Contest held April 26 and 27. Relaxing after the half, Drum Major jerry Lawson, senior, discusses the show with a friend. jerry won the position over three opponents, He attended a drum major camp at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches over the summer. band 31

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,J ck-in-the-Box to Congressman Bill lcher in a Senior Boys' T-shirt. Connie id, I couldn't believe Mayor McConn ime to our pep rally. It was really neat id it showed the status we were volved in, .As a main link between the school ld the public, the cheerleaders spent ational No-Smoke Day at Northwest all gaining publicity for the American incer Society. Television cameras were quick to tread the team's victory news from the strodome to all over the greater Hous- n area. Record-breaking varsity foot- ill player Craig lames said, The whole ason was so fantastic! It was great to iow that the whole community was ahind the school and especially the otball team. Varsity football player Robert King lded, The crowds were great. When ru looked up and saw the upper deck ' the Astrodome packed - some r,0O0 people - you knew it wasn't just :rents from Stratford. President of the Spartan Booster Club ob DeBesse said, The school and the Jmmunity definitely interact. Our job as getting the people stirred up. It was izking a second look at the early morn- g crowd, Westchester's cheerleader, :nior Kit Sublet, gives the state champs i envious glance. Westchester cheer- faders later presented the school with huge 21 nestled in a green and gold ssue paper state of Texas, complete ith congratulations from their entire thool. atisfying a Big Mac attack, junior james bcian takes a break to hang out at lcDonald's. The numerous hamburger jd pizza places in the area are fre- gented by a majority of Stratford stu- nts for lunch, in the evenings, and ver the weekends. a tremendous feeling - going all the way. These feelings were boldly expressed in local newspaper articles and a full page ad complete with Varsity team picture and roster sponsored by area businesses and families. The senior class sold Spartan bumper stickers, iackels, and pom-poms, actu- ally. a last minute idea taken from an Oiler game before the playoffs. They raised a lot of money, said Senior Class President Robert King. l-le continued, Without the commu- nity involved, fund-raising just can't get off the ground. 'lunior Patty Mclntyre who worked at a T-shirt shop on Memorial Drive added, We were selling Spartan stuff like crazy, Everyone just knew we were going to win. Local stores, fast food places and stu- dents researching at the Kendall Branch Library were sites of interaction between the community and the stu- dents. With further construction on Dairy- Ashford, a new Victoria Station and Cornelius' Nursery, the area expanded. With the expansion came a State cham- pionship football team that earned the support of the community. : l Westchester presented the football team with the paper state shown and a scroll with over 1000 names of West- chester students. Pictures in the display were taken by Stratford's yearbook pho- tographers. Keeping watch over the Katy Freeway at Wildcrest Drive, a noble Spartan wel- comes visitors. Senior Glenn Swisher arranged to rent the billboard after see- ing a newspaper article featuring a man who wished his wife a happy anniver- sary on a similar billboard near the Galleria. xv Green and gold gleaming, Councilman Louis Macey encourages fans as Mayor lim McConn vigorously expresses his enthusiasm. Students were surprised by the visit of celebrities to the pep rally arranged by Cheerleader Scott Witt, senior, and the mayor. community 33