Valley High School - Saga Yearbook (Albuquerque, NM)

Page 10 text:

With respect and great affection... this 10th Edition of THE SAGA is dedicated by THE SAGA staff to Mrs. Lovola Burgess who has been a devoted member of the Valley High School Faculty since Valley was established in September, 1953 Mrs. Burgess is leaving Valley this year to become Vice-principal of the new Del Norte High School. We wish her happiness and success in her new position. ■ — •—• — • — ■• ■■■■■««■. ■■■.. The exhilaration of newness, the excitement of tradition in the making, and the necessity for im- provising were all in evidence when Valley High School opened in September, 1953. Those of us who were on the faculty that September certainly do not remember that first year as a calm and peaceful one; we do remember it as a deeply satisfying year. When Valley High School opened, B building was not finished. Consequently six English classes were held simultaneously in the school cafeteria. Mr. Dixon and a colleague taught history at oppo- site ends of the school library. Mr. Walker taught art in the hallway just outside the school library. All other classes were crowded together in the C building, the only one completed on that first school day. Green Grass Assemblies were held on the football field, since there was no gymnasium. The physical education classes continually braved the elements, hoping always for good weather. And strangely enough, there were very few complaints from anyone. For out of this settling-down period there came a unity, a friendliness and respect for the other fellow, and a forward-looking school philosophy which have always been distinctive characteristics of Valley Vikings. During these past ten years Valley High School has made tremendous progress in many areas. Its student government, music, art, speech, drama, and athletic sportsmanship have won the sincere respect of New Mexicans. Its honor students have competed successfully in all academic areas. The Warren Smart scholarship fund, raised by the students them- selves, has enabled Valley High to develop an aca- demic and vocational scholarship program unique in secondary school circles. Throughout these years of progress there has been, I believe, one characteristic typifying the Valley Viking, whether he is a student, teacher, or administrator. This characteristic is the genuine concern for the individual, his rights and his respon- sibilities. It is a concern to be proud of, one worth fostering in any high school, whether its enrollment is 1500 or 2500. , „ — Lovola Burgess r

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Dixon Brightens Valley When Valley first opened ten years ago, Mr. Ralph E. Dixon taught history. A few years later he became head counselor and later he was promoted to principal of Washington Junior High. After one and a half years as principal of Washington, he returned to Valley as principal. Mr. Dix- on has played a very important part in the life of Valley High. We hope that he will be at Valley for many more years. Born in Bloomington, Illinois, Mr. Dixon attended Illinois Normal Univer- sity, Wheaton College, and the University of New Mexico — from which he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Inter-American affairs and a Master of Arts in history. He acclaims camping, archaeol- ogy, music, reading and tennis as his interests.