Stratford High School - Mnemosyne Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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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

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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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l'll always remember this year because of the State Champion- ship, Senior Robin Hazel com- mented. But several other national and international events also affected Stratford's students and the community. Pep rallies were dominated by themes taken from popular entertainment successes like the movie Animal House's toga party, comedian Steve Martin's wild and crazy guy , and television's Saturday Night Live's coneheads. Ballooning to France occupied a few enthusiasts, but another kind of atmospheric visitor enter- tained audiences-Mork. For entertainment outside of school Mork and Mindy became a favorite weekly series and the movie, Superman, was released to public theaters and sell-out 1979 - year crowds. Houstonians also had the chance to go the Dome and wave their pompoms for the Oil- ers as they approached the NFL playoffs. Despite the Oilers loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans greeted the late returning team with a giant pep rally in the Dome. It was Houston's thank you for getting to the playoffs. But life had a much darker side than just losing in football. ln November, 1978, the mass sui- cide of more than 900 People's Temple members in lonestown, Guyana shocked the world. lim jones' followers, men, women and children, drank koolaide laced with cyanide after a sur- prise attack on a congressman's investigative team. Iran bid goodbye to their Shah as unrest in the country forced him into exile and Ayatollah Khc meini assumed leadership. Tl' already strained relationship wil the United States became eve more delicate. With President jimmy Carts arranging the meetings, Premit Menachem Begin and Presidei Anwar Sadat signed a form. Israeli-Egyptian Peace Treat March 26. The world, via telev sion, witnessed the two leade embracing, confirming the determination to make peace i the Middle East. For the first time in history, communist Chinese leader, Del uty Premier Teng Hsiao-ping, vi, ited the United States, 'making stop in Houston to enjoy Texl barbeque and the Simonto rodeo. As gasoline became harder l T X l l UNLEA Sli l 34 current events Xlff u.lJ-Lv-fxizx