Tishomingo High School - Indian Yearbook (Tishomingo, OK)

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Senio 'rtytyd, 0rtyo4to'i Honor Student RUSS MITCHELL Valedictorian KAY COBB Salutatorian JACKIE PIRTLE All-Round Girl CATHY CORBIN All-Round Boy DON YEATS

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Setuon, (?l z 4 It all started one rainy Friday night in 1971 when I was driving down the main street of Tishomingo. Soon I came to the place which 1 used to know as the Y. It was now right in the middle of town. I was surely surprised at how the town had grown in the past ten years! I drove on and came to the part of town I knew as Tishomingo. While looking around. I was careless and ran the red light in front of the bank. I was stopped immediate- ly by the cop who was on duty. The man who came up to the car was not Bill Duke, as I expected, but one of my old classmates whom I recognized right away. It was Maurice Boyd! After he saw who I was, of course, he was willing to forget my violation. He told me he was the city constable and was just going off duty because he had to drive the foot- ball team out to Murray Stadium to play their last game of the season, which, of course, was against Madill. He told me that Tish had beaten them every year since we were sen- iors. He said he had to go, so I told him I'd see him at the game after I had found a place to eat. As I proceeded down the street, I saw a familiar sign. I knew I had seen it before, but there seemed to be something about it that had changed. Just then, I realized what it was. The sign read A K Grocery, which I took for granted stood for Agnes and Koonzie! I had always tnougnt that Don woulc get tired of taking orders and make Bernard deliver the groceries for a change. Just ahead another sign caught my eye. This was a big neon sign which read Joyce and Nela's Dairyland. So I pulled over to get something to eat. Sure enough it was the same Joyce and Nela whom I had known in high school. I guess they got tired of taking orders too. I had to admit to myself that I had some pretty ambitious classmates. After I had talked to them for a few minutes. I drove on to Murray University. As I drove by the place where I went to high school, I was surprised to find it was almost three times the size it was in 1961. I had to admit a lot of things had changed since then. I noticed that some of the lights were on in some of the rooms, and I could see a man inside clean- ing up. Yes, it was Johnny Sneed. 1 started to stop, but I knew he was busy so I went on. When I got to the ball game. I decided I would walk the side lines and try to see some of my friends. I was really astonished when I ran on to Clyde Gunn and Bobby Sharrock. Not so much just running on to them, but at a football game! If I remember correctly they didn't like the sport in high school. They told me all about themselves, and I learned that Bob and Clarice were married and that he was coaching Basketball at Murray. Clyde said he was the war- rant officer in the National Guard and was looking desperately for recruits. I asked them about a few of my old friends and learned that Charles Wyatt was in a circus somewhere as the Ugliest Man in the World ; that Benny Nichols, Linda Thomas and Margaret Lokey were in prison fbr knocking off some teachers; and that James George and Tommy Morrow were actors in the TV series Hawaiian Eye. It seemed they were both portraying palm trees. They always did have long hair, but I never thought about it making them famous. I should have known, however, that Jamie would choose such an occupation! About that time Tishomingo made a touchdown, and the referee turned toward the stand and held up his hands. I recognized him right away. It was my old high school coach, Bob Delver. I knew he used to try to make a few decisions, but who would ever have thought he would give up coaching for officiating? Well, then ended the game that the Indians won by a score of 56 to 19! After I said good-by to Bobby and Clyde, I drove around the college. When I went by the barracks, I noticed two familiar faces out on one of the porches. Who would ever have thought that they would still be living here? After I had talked to the Gilberts' for a while. I found that Odie was still trying to graduate from Murray and that Doris was still in high school trying to pass American History. It seemed that Mr. Utley was still teaching. They told me that Dwaine and Mary Wood were still living out at the Log Cabin station and were in the pecan business. Doris told me that Dickie and Mary Nan were married now and that Dickie was the manager of the Refuge. I guess he finally had to go to work to pay all his fines. By this time it was getting pretty late, so I left and went down to try to find some place to spend the night. I stop- ped at a little motel just outside of town. The sign out front said. Reed-Bynum, Inc. I went into the office and there they were - Virgil and Don. trying to make a fast buck in the motel business; I should have known! They told me that Virgie was an art teacher now and that Barbara Scarberry had gone into partnership with Doyle in the service station busi- ness. It seems she's washing cars with Gunter. Virgil told me that Colleen Self was teaching school at Ravia and that Thecia May was coaching girls' basketball here in Tish. They also told me that UVois Herndon was on Television as Johnny Stacatto, and that Dean Sweat was still hanging around playing Charge at all the pep rallies. About that time my breakfast was served by Russ, the head waiter. As soon as I had finished eating, he told me to go by Billy Boyd’s army surplus store and see him. I told him I would. The Surplus store was about three blocks up the street, so I just left my car and started walking. Just before I reached the store someone came up to me. I knew I should know him. but it took me a while - Myrt had changed since I last saw him. He told me he was playing fullback for the Colts and was just home on vacation. He said he would like to talk to me but had to catch a cab to take him to the airport. He said he didn't want to miss his flight for Baltimore. I went on into the store and talked to Billy for a while. He told me that Willie Mann was trying to get a permanent hold on Clyde. I wonder why Clyde didn’t say anything about that when I talked to him? Billy told me that Donna Rich Williams owned the Capital Democrat and that Jo Ann Thompson was married and had a half dozen kids; all girls - just enough for a basketball team! He told me that John Williams was in the Olympics this year, but out of season he did his old regular jobs, mowing lawns, picking cotton and raising pigs. I knew John would be a success - that Silly Buggah! Bill told me that Kay was married to Tommy and had a bunch of little football players. I also learned that Jackie Skip-O Plrtle was singing bass for some quartet. I was standing there talking to Billy and that’s where it all ended. Someone shook me on the shoulders and I woke up. I had fallen asleep on the job and had dreamed of all my old 1961 Classmates. It seemed funny how they all seemed to be in my dream, but then I realized that there was one of my classmates who wasn’t. Oh, well, after all it was just a dream. I rubbed my eyes as Boyer helped me to my feet, and then we both continued to dig. Wayne Maxwell

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SetUon, 'Pen6o taCitie Best Personality UNDA THOMAS and WAYNE MAXWELL Best Looking JAMES GEORGE and CLARICE BOYD Best Dressed RUSS MITCHELL and JO ANN THOMPSON Most Likely to Succeed JAMES GEORGE and KAY COBB This page sponsored by HUTCHENS CHEVROLET COMPANY