HISTORY OF ZEPHYRHILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Highlights of 1984

1984 Alumnus, Tom Nguyen Plays ZHS—He is the Space Coast High School Softball Coach

As an 1984 alumni and head coach of Space Coast High (Cocoa, Florida on the east coast), I had the opportunity to play my high school alma mater ZHS during the week of February 19, 2009.

This is my 4th season as the head coach of Space Coast High Softball team. This is also our young school’s 4th year graduating seniors. I had the honor of coaching my twin daughters in 2006, their senior year and my 1st season. Both of my daughters graduated went on to college on softball and bright futures scholarships. This year, my son is a senior on the football and baseball team. He will also receive a bright future and will be in the Air Force doing what he has been dreaming about since childhood. I started coaching because of my children and had the priviledge of coaching other kids, so I continued because I have enjoyed it. As for my career and day job? LOL, I have been working for NASA for over 19yrs since graduating from the University of Florida in ’89. Go Gators! I am also an assistant coach on the varsity football team. This past season we made the state playoffs for the first time in the short school history of 4 years.

Diplomas Given to 222 Seniors, The Zephyrhills News, June 14, 1984

Although the days of “biggest” graduating classes may be a thing of the past as enrollments begin to level off thanks to a trend toward smaller families, Zephyrhills High School’s 222-member Class of 1984 was just 40 seniors smaller than last year’s all-time record of 262. Almost every seat in the Activity Center was filled Friday night to watch the class—only the sixth in the school’s history to top the 200 mark—receive diplomas.

Prior to last year, the other large classes were: 1979: 206; 1980:234; 1981: 230; and 1982: 236.

The program opened with a procession of academics including special guests and heads of departments, all led by Principal Larry Robison.

Following the processional of the seniors to “Pomp and Circumstance” played by organist Stanley Castor, and the opening prayer by the Reverend Dan Gill, pastor of the First United Methodist Church. Principal Robison led the pledge to the flag and introduced guests and the seniors who were presented special honors on Awards Day. Diplomas were presented the graduates by School Board Member for District 2, Janet Tolar, assisted by Reid Wentz, director of vocational education for the county.

The recessional, also played by Castor, was “March of the Priests,” and it followed a benediction by the Reverend Mr. Gill.

The three graduation addresses follow:

The Valedictory by Chris Williams

Good Evening, fellow students, faculty and special guests, I have chosen to talk tonight about a subject that is and has been dominating my life, and most probably all of yours, these past few days. I have chosen to talk tonight about rites of passage, specifically our particular rite of passage tonight, graduation.

As of tonight, I have not figured out the secret to life; I doubt that I ever will. But over this past year I have started to contemplate more and more the human experience and what one must go through before he faces his only constant in the universe: morality. Every individual upon this earth, if he is allowed a full complement of years, must face ever so many incidents and emotions that must be dealt with. A culmination of many such experiences, resulting in a movement from one stage of life to another, such as we face tonight, is termed a rite of passage.

Rites of passage deal with growth—mentally, physically, and emotionally. They mark a certain point in a person’s life where he moves from one point of maturity to another. But a person does not simply move through life when he reaches a certain age. The person will only learn and grown when he has experienced. A person learns nearly nothing form a report of human experience; the emotions must exist within him; the lessons learned realistically; the slap on the wrist, real; the mirth of the laughter, bubbly; the break of the heart, brutal. Experience leads the way to rites of passage. A culmination of its many lessons pushes one along to another stage of life.

These past twelve years we have all faced a vast number of new lessons and emotions that have led the way to tonight’s’ rite of passage: graduation. All that we are and were will become a thing of the past, unable to be touched again except by memory. We have felt new emotions, dreamed new dreams and come face to face with indifferent reality. Think back—to that person you loved; that joy of the good times; that tear you cried because of the pain. Where has it all gone? What has happened to us? If we crave the innocence of yesterday, it is probably because we know that we have lost it. After tonight, our childhood innocence will be a thing of the past. We cannot have it back, And each step we take we will lose more and more of it.

Tonight marks the beginning of our adult life. We must exit the room of our childhood and close the door on it. High school classrooms have no more to teach us, though their memories do. The rest of the world, an all-knowledgeable world, will now become our teacher.

But we must also realize that along with the sorrow we feel leaving these years behind is only part of our experience. An entirely new world will become open to us as we step out of that room or our childhood. Simply open that next door and we will be on our way to new experiences, and these must be faced with the same vitality as have previous ones.

As the poet Longfellow said, “Look not mournfully to the past—it comes not back again; wisely improve the present—it is thine; go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear…”

The Salutatorian’s Address by Tracy Dunlap, Salutatorian

Good Evening. My classmates and myself are sitting here tonight about to enter the world where we will be faced with many choices which will determine our future. I would like to share with you my views on how to accomplish what is important to you.

First of all, you must each set goals that you want to reach. Throughout our lives we are constantly told what success is. I believe that the definition of success must be determined by the individual. Not attaining the goals laid down by others, but attaining those you have set for yourself, constitutes genuine success.

Completely fulfilling the goals you have set for yourself involves much more than deciding what they shall be. You must then embark on a journey of designing your own pathway to them. Too many people decide they want to accomplish something of import, and then attempt to attain it after a pattern someone else has left behind. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Insist on yourself; never imitate…Every great man is a unique.” No matter what you are going to strive for, your greatness in you must reach it through your own hard work and intellect. If you conform to society’s ideals you will never become a distinguished member of that society neither to other people nor to yourself.

Nonconformity takes a great deal of courage. As people we often condemn those who are unconventional and inconsistent. We often fail to realize that without the nonconformist, society would never progress. Socrates, Benjamin Franklin, The Wright Brothers, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King, are all examples of those who have gone against the mores of society to reach the heights that they had set for themselves and through this they have gained a success which meant much to them and also aided the world.

However, society would collapse if everyone became a nonconformist striving for the unusual. We each still need to remember to set goals which are unique to our personalities, and strive to reach them in the manner most fitting to ourselves.

Then we will all be truly great and unique.

Farewell from the Class of 1984 by Darci Pomp, Class President

The 1984 Graduating Class of Zephyrhills High School welcomes proud parents, esteemed faculty, excited relatives, happy friends and distinguished guests to our Commencement exercises. We sincerely hope that this happy moment in our lives will be as meaningful to you as it will be for all of us who have sacrificed so many things over the past several years in the pursuit of our long awaited goal. My friends, figuring out a theme for my speech presented a great challenge. I reflected many times on the characteristics of our class that made us truly unique. I finally realized that the theme that most nearly characterizes our class was one or reaching maturity.

Over the past several years, we learned to deal with some very interesting lessons of life. First, we learned to balance our emotions concerning the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in athletic contests. Second, we learned a happy medium concerning the success and failure in all of our academic work. Third, we learned there is really a magical power that comes from patching up our relationships with one another. The beauty of forgiving helped our class to become a unified and happy class.

Hopefully, those experiences which we have shared together might serve some special purpose for our upcoming future….

Tonight we go our separate ways. We will always look back with fond memories concerning those dear friends who were always at our sides. In earlier year, we may have had our faults and disagreements with each other. However as we have matured with wisdom we realize beyond a shadow of a doubt the meaning of true friendship. We have learned to accept the true personality of every individual.

Someone once said that in dreams begin many responsibilities. Yet our dreams are a little cloudy because of the fear we have of the unknown. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt each and every one of us possesses a little fear of the upcoming future.

A famous philosopher once said, “Nothing that is ever worth doing is done without great sacrifice.”

Commencement for 223 Seniors At ZHS Activity Center Friday, Zephyrhills News, June 7, 1984

Commencement for the 223 members of the senior class at Zephyrhills High School will begin at 8 pm Friday in the Activity Center, and a full house is expected in the large auditorium.

District 2 School Board Member Janet Tolar will be assisted by Reid Wentz, Director of Vocational Education for the County, and ZHS Principal Larry Robison in presenting the diplomas to the graduates.

Commencement will open with the traditional Pomp and Circumstance played by organist, Stanley Castor, led by members of the faculty in their academic robes and by Valedictorian Chris Williams and Salutatorian Tracy Dunlap. Opening prayer will be by the Reverend Dan Gill, Pastor, First United Methodist Church and the pledge to the flag will be led by Robison. Featured speakers will be Miss Dunlap giving the Salutatorian’s Address, the Address to the Senior Class by Miss Darci Pomp, class president and the Valedictory by Williams.

In addition to presentation of the diplomas, winners of traditional graduation awards which this year have already been presented on Awards Day will be given.

Following a benediction by the Reverend Mr. Gill the class will recess to “March of the Priests” also played by Mr. Castor. Ushers will be members of the junior class and include Machele Arnold, Carrie Bahr, Pam Bartkowski, Leigh Class, Kim Davis, Donna Deloreto, Valerie Leon, Jannell Looney, Joel Osborne, Edward Palow, Kathy Pate, Teresa Patterson, Kathy Plamondon, Connie Randall and Kelly Tracy. Class color is burgundy; the class flower is the white rose and the class motto is, “The memory of our class, with us will only last.”

Other class officers are Laura Galloway, Vice President; Ken Peeples, Secretary; Janna McKell, Treasurer.

Area ZHS Student is National Award Winner, Zephyrhills News, June 28, 1984

The United States Achievement Academy announced that Mary Lynn Tarr has been named a1984 United States National Award Winner in Mathematics. This award is a prestigious honor very few students can ever hope to attain. In fact the Academy recognizes less than 10 percent of all American high school students. Mary Lynn is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tarr of Zephyrhills. She was nominated for this award by Mrs. Petrillo, a math teacher at ZJHS.

Seniors Need Plan, Perseverance, Power, Baccalaureate Speaker Says, Zephyrhills News, June 7, 1984

Urging seniors in the 1984 graduating class of Zephyrhills High School to spend some time planning their futures the Reverend John E. Mackley, guest speaker for the annual Baccalaureate service Sunday evening, told those of the 223-member class who attended the traditional church service that “Without God you cannot, and without God you will not.”

—Special music was presented in a vocal duet by Julie Shortt and David Knowlton who sang, “I Walk with God.”

Ushers were members of the sophomore class and included: Karen Bishop, Larry Briggs, Kelli Davis, Jill Finnerty, Jeff Huff, Linda Kress, Sheila Neal, Jamie TenBrink, Michele Pollack, Jinx Tilley, Tracy Timmons, Christy Walls and Rick Wood.

ZHS Awards Top Students, Zephyrhills News, June 7, 1984

A host of awards and presentations were given to Zephyrhills High School seniors during a program at the school last Wednesday morning. Here is a list of the awards and recipients:

Boys State Representatives for 1983-84: David Harwell, David Seidel, Roy Wells, Chris Williams; 1984-85: James Baker, John Roux and alternates, John McKee and Ed Palow.

School Medal: Wendy Garrels and Roy Wells with alternates, Jayne Piwowar and Michelle Gibbs.

Girls State Representatives: 1983-84: Tracy Dunlap and 1984-85 Pam Bartkowski

Lions Club Scholarship: Karrie Pate

Rotary Scholarship: Tuyen Nguyen and Karrie Pate

University of Florida Merit Scholarship: Scott Jones

Pasco Hernando Community College Grants: Wendy Garrels, David Herndon, Melintha Kretschmar, Tuyen Nguyen,

Patricia Randall, Conda Thomas, Mike Thompson

PHCC Minority Scholarships: Sonia Dudley, Andrea Giles, Caroline Graham, Cynthia Kelley

PHCC Future Business Leaders of America: David Knowlton

PHCC/DECA: Trisa Ramsey

Scholarship Recipients: David Eiland, Tuyen Nguyen, Cleveland Sirmons, Robin Gaudreau, Caroline Graham, Karrie Pate, Tracy Dunlap, George Neukom.

Alice Hall Book Scholarship: Christine Kieper

Media Service: Roy Wells

Delta Kappa Gamma: Roy Wells

Alpha Delta Kappa, Gamma Chi Chapter: Bonnie Roux

Alpha Pi Chi Scholarship: Caroline Graham

Karl Wickstrom Leadership and Friendship: Rich Reagan

GTE Scholarship: Tracy Dunlap

Student Council Scholarship: Wendy Garrels

President’s Academic Fitness: Tracy Rene Dunlap, David Matthew Herndon, Howard Scott Jones, Christina Fay Keeper, Melinda Ann Kretschmar, Janna Lorraine McKell, Winnie Wai-Wah Mak, Karrie Anne Pate, Tammy Lynn Roach, Bonnie Joan Roux, Jeffrey John Stuckert, Michael James Thompson, Suzanne Vansco, Candy Fawn Wilder, Christopher Charles Williams

ZHS Outstanding Senior: Chris Williams; Academic Athlete: Rich Reagan; Outstanding ZHS Coach of the Year: Jim Davis; Outstanding female athlete: Kim Madl; and Outstanding male athlete: David Eiland. National Merit Scholarship Awards Commended: Tracy Dunlap, Melintha Kretschmar; Finalist: Scott Jones

School Daze Column, Zephyrhills News by Tracy Dunlap, January 26, 1984

(Photo at left is Stanley Kendrick, Occupational Specialist and Guidance Counselor, Cathy Micheau Rapp—Cathy left ZHS after serving as a Guidance counselor for five years and was the Supervisor of Student Services for Pasco County Schools for over 25 years—a state leaders in Developmental Guidance)

This week I would like to dedicate my article to a man who is a stranger to no one in Zephyrhills if you have attended school in Zephyrhills in the last 26 years, or if you are a businessman in town, it is a sure bet that you know Mr. Stanley B. Kendrick. I am sad to say that he won’t be around school much longer. His last day here at ZHS will be February 17. I am sure that I can speak for everyone in saying that we will hate to see him go.

Mr. Kendrick began his teaching career here at ZHS in 1955 as an intern, and as a teacher in February of 1956. During the years that he had classes, he taught social studies and business education. He was the DCT Coordinator for 16½ years and has been the occupational specialist since 1972. Before Mr. Kendrick entered the educational field he served in the military for 12 years. He was medically retired in 1951, at which time he entered Florida Southern College.

His job as occupational specialist includes such things as career education, and job placement and follow-up. Everyone who has known him though, knows that he does much more than just this. Mr. Kendrick is always there to help. Whether you need help finding a job, or if you need information on a particular college or scholarship program or if you just need to talk, you can always count on him. Everyone respects and loves him.

Almost any day you can go into his office to talk to him and find old students visiting him. His office is always full of current students and past ones. Mr. Kendrick is also genuinely concerned for all of us. He loves working with students. He has told me many times that if it wasn’t for the students he doesn’t think he would have been here as long as he has been. In his words, he says we keep him “young, agile, fragile and mobile.” He seems to be particularly sensitive to all of us.

After his retirement he plans to garden, fish, travel and “work with Mrs. Agnes.” He hopes to travel out west to Houston, and Yellowstone National Park. While there he wants to visit his daughters, grandsons, and friends from the service. He also wants to fish.

Mr. Kendrick says he thanks “God, my family, my country, students at ZHS, faculty, administration, business men and women in Zephyrhills, non-instructional personnel at ZHS and all my many friends, for permitting me to be employed by the Pasco County School Board here at Zephyrhills High.”

We are all going to miss him. He has been a teacher, counselor, and a friend. He has helped make many people what they are today. He is in the field of education for the reasons that he should be—the students.

Now to Mr. Kendrick, we say a heartfelt thank you from all of us who have ever had contact with you. You have touched all of our lives. I don’t know how any student or anyone who isn’t a student for that matter, could have come in contact with you and not have their life be better for it. May God Bless you.

David Eiland Signs Intent Letter To Play With the Gators, Zephyrhills News, February 16, 1984

Zephyrhills High School Senior David Eiland made history last week when he signed a National Intent to Play letter in football at the University of Florida.

He became only the second football player in ZHS history to ever sign with a major college on a football scholarship. The other was Sam Gross, a player on the 1962 and 1963 teams.

The signing may have come as a surprise to many local followers of Bulldog sports.

Known for his awesome fastball on the high school baseball team, several people speculated that Eiland would play college baseball, rather than football.

Eiland is only committed to Florida to play football. The agreement is not binding if Eiland chooses to sing a baseball scholarship; he could do so without penalty.

While some were surprised, Eiland was not. He said he had made his decision some time ago. He was just waiting for Florida to make him the offer. “You can’t get much better than playing football at Florida.” An excited Eiland said before he signed the agreements last Wednesday at his home at 200 19th Street. “I love their fan support, the campus and everything about the school.”

“Especially because it is close to home,” he added.

Florida receiver coach Mike Helmerdinger was on hand for the signing last week at the Eiland home. It was the first official day of recruits to ink with their college choices under NCAA rules.

“Dinger,” as he is known by his fellow coaches, said he is excited to have Eiland with the Gators. We are just excited to get him into our program at Florida, Helmerdinger said. “He is a first class person and comes from an outstanding family.”

Ready for the Big Show, St. Petersburg Times, By Clammy Clark, February 7, 1991

David Eiland remembers standing on the pitcher’s mound at Royals Stadium, staring down at the looming figure of Kansas City’s Bo Jackson.

George Brett had just grounded to first base for the second out, advancing a runner to third.

“It’s scary enough to face Bo Jackson with nobody on base,” Eiland said.

But for at least one at-bat in June 1989, Bo didn’t know David. Eiland, during one of his four brief stints in the Major Leagues, struck out Jackson using a sinker inside to set up a slider away.

“I know he could come back to haunt me, but I can’t wait to face Bo Jackson again,” Eiland said Tuesday while sitting on the rail of the dugout at Zephyrhills High School, where he starred for the Bulldogs in the early 1980s.

He has been training with the new generation of Bulldogs for the last few weeks to prepare for spring training.

“This is it,” said Eiland, who was drafted by the New York Yankees in the seventh round of the June 1987 draft. “The grooming is over, this is my chance and I’m ready.”

Last spring Eiland was one of the final players cut by the Yankees. He was sent to the Yankees’ Triple A minor league club, the Columbus Clippers. But with any luck, this spring will be different, the 24-year-old right-hander said.

“Last season the Yankees finished last (67-95) and I was the best pitcher in the International League,” he said. “If they can’t use me now, they probably never will.”

No regular Yankee starting pitcher had a winning record in 1990, and the team posted a dismal earned-run average of 4.21.

Brian Cashman, assistant to the vice president of baseball operations for the Yankees, said Eiland will be given a serious opportunity to make the five-man starting rotation.

“We know we have a fine pitcher on our hands,” Cashman said.

“We all believe that he is ready for the next step. He dominated at the Triple A level and he’s had a taste up here (in New York). So pitching in the Major League would be nothing new.

“He’s got as much at a shot as anybody else. Everything is wide open. We’ve learned it’s dangerous to go into spring training with a set plan.”

The right-hander has pitched in 14 games for the Yankees in four stints in the Major Leagues.

His first three trips to the big show resulted in return flights back to the minors in Columbus, where he pitched for the Triple A Clippers. On his fourth trip to New York in September, he finished the season with the Yankees.

But as the saying goes: What have you done for me lately?

Eiland said he has had his fill of Triple A. “If they send me back down to Columbus and have no interest in me, I’m sure one of the other 25 teams could use me. I don’t want to go back to Columbus. I’ve already done it all at the Triple A level.”

Eiland recorded one of the most successful seasons in Clippers history in 1990, going 16-5 with a 2.87 ERA, two shutouts and 11 complete games. (The entire New York pitching staff had 15 complete games in 1990).

Eiland was named the International League Pitcher of the Year and tied the league’s mark for most victories in a season, 16, set by Bob Kammeyer in 1979. He also was named the ninth-best major league prospect in the International League by Baseball America.

After the 1990 International League season ended in September, Eiland was called up to the Yankees. He started five games, pitching 30 innings and posting a 2-1 mark and 3.56 ERA.

“The Yankees administration told me if I come to spring training in shape and throw the way I am capable of throwing that I should make the five-man rotation,” Eiland said. “I’ve already proven I can pitch in the big leagues. They’ve admitted that. I just hope they don’t sign a 30-year veteran and push me out the back door.”

The Yankees will have 24 pitchers on their spring training roster. Included in that list is last year’s regular starters – right-handers Andy Hawkins (5-12, 5.37 ERA), Tim Leary (9-19, 4.11) and Mike Witt (5-6, 4.47) and left-handers Chuck Cary (6-12, 4.19) and Dave LaPoint (7-10, 4.11).

There were times during the summer that Eiland was frustrated – not because he was pitching badly, but because he was pitching so well.

“At one point, I threw five complete-game wins in July and I didn’t get called up,” he said. “I thought, `What do I have to do?’ At that point, I knew I could get anybody out. It didn’t matter if Babe Ruth stepped up to the plate.”

Eiland is not an overpowering pitcher. He throws his fastball about 88 to 90 mph. His success lies in his control. He consistently can get his sinker, slider, curve and moving fastball over for strikes. He has walked just 124 batters in 590 innings at the professional level.

Another reason for his success is chicken sandwiches.

“I ate a Wendy’s chicken sandwich when I was in high school and I pitched great and hit two home runs,” he recalled. “I know it has nothing to do with my pitching, but it helps me mentally.”

After a successful collegiate career at the University of South Florida, Eiland decided to skip his senior season to sign with the Yankees. He had pitched just 32 games in the minor leagues before the Yankees called his number in 1988.

“I admit I wasn’t ready then,” Eiland said. “I was in awe just to be in Yankee Stadium. For me to face George Brett and Robin Yount, guys I watched on television in junior high, was incredible. But I’m no longer in awe or google-eyed. I’ve already got those butterflies out of my system.”

David Harwell Making His Mark on School Discus Records by Doug McBride, Zephyrhills News

It all started in junior high some five years ago for the Zephyrhills Senior and since then, he has blossomed into one of the best discus throwers in the state of Florida. David Harwell finished sixth in the state track meet last year as the only junior there and is currently ranked in the top three this year. Last Saturday in Gainesville, he finished above everyone else in distance, but his scores only counted as a part of the team’s throws and they finished second overall.

But during the meet, Harwell tossed the discus over 170 feet but the judges said he scratched. The throw would have broken the old school record set by John Cicanese in 1971. Before the season is over Harwell expects to break the old record and place his name in the school’s record books.

Conference Champs—The Zephyrhills Bulldogs baseball team captured the first place trophy in last week’s Gulf Coast Conference Championship game over Pasco 12-11. Despite the cold weather, the tournament was a huge success in Zephyrhills this year. Hernando finished third in the tournament and Hudson was fourth.

Kim Madl ‘Tosses’ Softball to Concentrate on Girls Track, Zephyrhills News, March 15, by Doug McBride

In every person’s life, there comes times when they have to make important and crucial decisions they may have to learn to live with the rest of their lives. Such is the case for Zephyrhills High discus thrower Kim Madl last week. Playing softball at the school and throwing the discus on the girls track team seemed to work out well in the early parts of spring practice, but it soon came time for her to choose between the two.

It seemed that if she played softball, she would miss the conference and county track meets. If she ran in the track meets, she would lose her starting position on the girl’s softball team. After much pondering the tough decision, she chose girls track and throwing the discus. After all, she holds the school record as a sophomore and could possibly make the all-state girls track squad this year. “I felt I would be more successful here throwing the discus,” she told this reporter. In the meet last Thursday, Madl tossed the disc 99 feet 5 inches, some four feet short of her old record. The record she broke last year, belonged to her sister, Pam Madl, who graduated four years ago from ZHS…..

ZHS Senior Wins 4 Year Scholarship, Zephyrhills News, May 10, 1984

The Zephyrhills area beamed with pride last fall when it was announced that ZHS senior Scott Jones had earned the honor of being named a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Jones, age 17 of 910 North Avenue, has now been announced as one of two Pasco County seniors to have been awarded a national Merit Scholarship. He was sponsored in the competition by University of Florida at Gainesville and is the recipient of a 4-year scholarship.

Ken Peeples Ready for State Track Meet Friday, Zephyrhills News, by Doug McBride, May 10, 1984

For the second straight year, senior Ken Peeples will make an appearance at the state track meet. Ranked one of the better runners in the area, Peeples placed second in the mile run during the regionals last Thursday in Brooksville. “It would be great to top off this season with a good finish at the state,” Peeples said in an interview Tuesday.

Although he placed second last week, he still was four seconds off of his school record pace earlier in the year. But Peeples has fought back from a mid-season bout with the flu to pace himself into the state finals. …Peeples has been named all-conference in all three years running at Zephyrhills High on both the cross country and track squads. He also managed to go the state in cross country.

…He is the son of Carl and Lois Peeples of Zephyrhills. Peeples has five brothers and two sisters that have run track. Out of those, Kenny Peeples has the best chance. His brother, Mark Peeples, finished 12th in the state three years ago. His younger brother, Steve Peeples, is a runner on the junior high track and could step in and break his brother’s marks.

Pair is Chosen to Attend Boys State, Zephyrhills News, May 17, 1984

James Darrell Baker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Baker and John Louis Roux, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aurora C. Roux have been chosen to attend the 1984 session of the American Legion-sponsored Boys State on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee.Alternatives selected to take their place in the event the delegates might be unable to attend are Edward Palow and John McKee.

Zephilsco for 1984 Is Dedicated At ZHS To Library’s Retiring Betty Hall, Zephyrhills News, May 17, 1984

In a traditional and happy ceremony Friday afternoon at Zephyrhills High School, the 1984 Zephilsco yearbook was formally presented to the school by co-editors Wendy Garvels and Chris Kieper, assisted by Mrs. Gail Reynolds, faculty advisor.

…Other members of the 1984 Zephilsco staff are: Shannon Bell, Julie Childers, Denise Davis, Charlene Diekfus, Amy Glosson, Kim Irizarry, Lori LeBlanc, Kim Lippman, Kim Nelson, Lori Nunes, Vonda Peeples, Jimi Reed, Brad Skwirsk, Kim Smith, Theresa Straube, Suzanne Vansco, Dana Wooten and Chris Williams. Mrs. Reynolds announced this was her final y ear as yearbook advisor, a position she has held for the past ten years.

Marian the Librarian for 25 Years, Betty Hall, Preparing To Retire at ZHS, Zephyrhills News

At least one thing is certain: Betty Hall probably won’t have to ever again participate in moving thousands of books from one library to another. That’s one of the blessings of retirement toward which Mrs. Hall, Zephyrhills High School’s media specialist the past 25 years, is looking come June 12.

In her career here she has directed the relocation of the entire libraries four times, and those times have been the only major upheavals in what has been a quietly rewarding career in education. Always popular with ZHS students, Mrs. Hall will be honored by many of her former library pupils and by the community at two special events Sunday.

The first is a dinner being presented in the ZHS commons by the faculty.

Following the dinner there will be a general public reception which the entire community is invited. Betty Hall has been a high school librarian 36 years and in Zephyrhills 26 years, but her first year was as a sixth grade teacher since there was no library vacancy at ZHS when she first came here. She credits her high school librarian back in Pate, Georgia, as being the role model for her own career, recalling that she was concerned that we accomplish something in life.

Mrs. Hall praises ZHS for being ahead of its time in hiring people trained in library science from the earliest days. I was not the first, but followed some very able librarians here.

In addition to the work at the school, she has been a mainstay of the city library, in the early days as a member of the friends of the library and later as a member of the Library Advisory Board since 1967 and its chairman for about 20 years.

In August she and husband, Victor, will move to Covington, Georgia where Betty will join her sister in operation of Patrick House, a gift and crafts shop….

Betty was an 18 year old junior college student in Jasper, Georgia, in 1943 when school officials came to the college begins students to teach. There was a desperate shortage of teachers during World War II. I taught one year, finished by bachelor’s degree at Georgia State College for Women, then went back to teaching four years before marrying Victor, she said.

A strong believer in women playing an active role in society, Mrs. Hall has never been regarded as “radical” or “activist” by her fellow faculty members, but she admits to being a low key, minor league feminist. I love biographies about women who have succeeded in a man’s world, and am glad society is opening up to fair and equal treatment for women,” she told the News.

Betty and Victor, who have been very active in the Baptist denomination here, are parents of three grown children, all ZHS graduates. They are Laura Eloise “Weesie” Hall, Class of 1968, of Atlanta, Georgia, buyer for the Womens’ Clubhouse Department of Davison’s Department Store in Atlanta; Captain Carl “Bennie” Hall, Class of 1972 a company commander of Fort Stewart, Georgia, and Frank “Frankie”Hall, a teacher of vocational agriculture at Pierson High School, class of 1972.

The retiring media specialist worked as a librarian at Jasper, Florida High School from 1951 to 1958, when she moved to Zephyrhills. Her first library was in one unused classroom, and when a larger room became available, her first big major book move took place. “But that was all inside one building, the brick structure which today is Zephyrhills Junior High, she recalls. “We had one 16mm projector and one film strip projector. Today we have 11 movie projectors and 20 for film strips plus video cameras, recorders and computers squeezed in among our books.

In the early 1970s a new library was build for the high school, and her third book move took place. “Students carried the books by the armful and it went smoothly.” Making it easy was the experience she had had in her second book move, working with Celia Linkey Anderson of Dade City (then of Zephyrhills) in directing the move of the city library’s books a few years earlier, from the little wooden building which had been the town’s library since its founding to the new library adjacent to City Hall. “We used Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts plus other children and moved all the books in two afternoons.

It was a 4-block round trip and those children were marvelous, she recalls.

Finally came the move from the old ZHS plant (now expanded just this past year) to the new high school in 1975. “We used student labor again, but this time it was by bus. The kids would take an armload of books, get on a school bus and ride to the new school, then ride back for more books,” in what was a major logistical miracle, she said.

She laughs when she recalls the day when she became a media specialist instead of a librarian and her library became a media center. We do have so much more than books now days but I still prefer books; you can enjoy them, they last, while a film is for just a short time, she said. In 1958 Betty Hall earned a salary of about $5,000, compared to four times that sum today. Without a master’s degree she would not be eligible for merit pay, but that won’t be a problem now that she’s retiring. A big change will no longer having to arise at 5:15 a.m. in order to get to school by 6:30 in time to prepare the library for the start of school at 7:15. Remembered fondly by many former students for having instilled in them a love of literature and learning, Betty Hall can count many of today’s educators and writers among her former library users. Many of them will be on hand to wish her well at the retirement celebrations Sunday. But those who cannot attend will be present in spirit cheering her on as (Betty herself says it best) she “prepares to close one chapter of my life, and open another.”

Salutatorian Wins GTE 4-Year Study Aid, Zephyrhills News, May 31, 1984

Tracy R. Dunlap, daughter of Donald and Barbara Dunlap of Zephyrhills has been awarded a 4 year College Scholarship Service Award according to R.L. Cromwell, GTE/Florida’s Vice President for Public Affairs.

School Daze by Tracy Dunlap, Zephyrhills News, August 25, 1983

News readers will want to welcome as this year’s School Daze Correspondent Miss Tracy Dunlap, a senior, who is very active in school affairs. She performs in the marching band as a member of flag corps and in the symphonic band on the clarinet, is a member of both the National Honor Society and the French Honor Society, is a member of Student Council, attended the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Conference when a sophomore, and this summer was the American Legion Auxiliary’s delegate to Girls State in Tallahassee. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Dunlap and is hostess/sister to an exchange student from France spending the year at ZHS, Miss Dominique Olmedo.

The new school year begins Monday, and as the date nears, Miss Dunlap writes:

The last week of summer vacation is always hectic. It is filled with last minute shopping for school clothes and supplies plus much fun and some degree of anxiety.

This is a particularly anxious time for the new sophomores, who will be new to the school, and for those of us who will be seniors. We are looking forward to our SENIOR year. This is supposed to be one of the best years of our lives, but the excitement is coupled with a feeling of dread. We realize we will have many important decisions to make in the next year that will affect the rest of our lives, and we also know that once this year is over we will be separated from many of our friends, most of whom we have known almost all our lives.

The year will doubtlessly be filled with may ups and downs. I hope to be able to tell you about both in this column.

The football team and its cheerleaders, and the band with its flag corps and majorettes, have all been busy practicing for opening performances at Pasco the night of September 9. I know everyone’s hard work will pay off in a super night. See you next week with news about opening days.