HISTORY OF ZEPHYRHILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Highlights of 1935

Baccalaureate Sermon By Reverend Hamlett in Baptist Church, Zephyrhills News, May 31, 1935

Sunday Morning, May 19 services were held at the Baptist Church for the graduating class of our local high school. By the eleven o’clock hour the church was well filled with relatives and friends of the senior class. After the Doxology, which was sung by the entire congregation, Miss Margie Reutimann as junior usher, led the class and its sponsors to the reserved seats while Miss Grace Mott played a stately march. “Marching To Zion,” and “From Every Stormy Wind” were the two hymns in which all joined.

The pastor, Dr. W.A. Hamlett, made a few remarks about the occasion being by and for the whole community and invited the two visiting pastors, the Reverend H.E. Murkett and Dr. R.A. Nichols, to come to the platform and participate in the further exercises of the morning. Frank Rys sang, “Have Thine Own Way Lord,” most impressively and Dr. Nichols led the morning prayer. Dr. Hamlett then read the scripture and addressed the congregation. First he explained the meaning of the term baccalaureate and how it originated in crowning the Youths of Greece and Rome with bay leaves when they took their Bachelor of Arts Degree. The term is more properly limited to that occasion even today. Young people are still perfecting themselves in the arts, the speaker pointed out and gave the definition of art as “the scientific application of a principle to attain a given end.” After emphasizing the necessity for making an art of life, Dr. Hamlett closed with his text, Phil 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus had an adaptable and fearless mind and that is the kind of mind we need today.

Miss Grace Mott’s Sunday School Class sang a special closing song, “I Would Be True,” after which the benediction was pronounced by the Reverend Murkett.

The church was decorated with a profusion of cape jasmines, ferns and palms.

Commencement Exercises at G.A.R. Hall, Zephyrhills News, Friday, May 17, 1935

Commencement exercises for the Zephyrhills High School will be held Thursday evening, May 23, at the G.A.R. Hall at 8 o’clock. The program for the Commencement is as follows:

Invocation, Dr. H.E. Murkett

Song, Senior Class

Class History, Ernest Linkey

Salutatory, Frederick C. Wheeler, Salutatorian

Piano solo, Velma Bosley

Class Prophesy, Rebeca Magness

Class Will, Donald Plank

Address, Dr. R.A. Nichols

Valedictory, Sarah E. Parsons, Valedictorian

Presentation of Diplomas, Mr. D.A. Storms

Announcement of prize winners

Benedictory, Dr. H.E. Murkett

The graduates are: Mary Emery, Eva West, Frances Vogel, Rebecca Magness, Sarah Parsons, Donald Plank, Emil Reutimann, Richard Gaskin, Frederick Wheeler, Leslie Chilson, Ernest Linkey, and Harmon Pollock.

….Same article as above printed May 31, 1935 with these additions:

Miss Sarah Parsons and Frederick Wheeler, who held the highest scholastic average were valedictorian and salutatorian respectively. The cup awarded annually by the Tourist Club to the senior considered by the faculty most worthy in scholarship and citizenship for the four years of high school was presented to Miss Sarah Parsons.

Certificates of perfect attendance for the year also were given to Miss Lucy Mae Knox and Carl Parsons.

The May 24, 1935, Spotlight, the senior end-of-year issue, is available as a PDF here.

Prior to the Zephilsco, ZHS produced a mimeographed Annual, the Spotlight. Staff (left) were: Vera Cook, Mary Emery, Lina Felts, Rebecca Magness, Grace Mott, Sarah Parsons, Donald Plank, Emil Reutimann, Marguerite Reutimann, Eva West, S.A. Clardy, Ernest Linkey, Laura Rogers, M. Slater, and Norma Stone.

Spotlight article below admonishes students to respect school colors (not orange & black):

Purple and Gold are ZHS School Colors by Gracie Mott

Did you ever take time to look in the dictionary and really find out what our ZHS colors mean? They are “Royal Colors.” Purple is the blend of blue and red—the color of Robes of State! As a noun it means a robe of color; hence: rank of royalty. There is also Gold—a precious metallic element of bright yellow color and when pure, very heavy, precious and of pure quality. With colors like that it is no wonder that we are proud of ZHS?

Teachers For Next Pasco School Term Approved by Board, Zephyrhills News, May 10, 1935

At a meeting of the Pasco County Board of Public Instruction yesterday appointments of next year’s teachers were confirmed.

Pasco High School will keep its present faculty, which included Paul Delavan, principal; Mrs. Mildred Huckabay, Miss Dorothy Lock, Miss Frankie Major, Miss Nina Percival, Mrs. J.S. Purcell, Miss Louise Thompson, Mrs. Mary C. Wyeher, Miss Viola Yates and Wildon Mullen.

Appointments for the Dade City grammar school are D.A. Daboll, principal; Mrs. Gertrude Daboll, Mrs. Bertha Cottle, Miss Fannie Mobley, Miss Mable Harrelson, Miss Emma Lee Smith, Mrs. Beulah J. Howard, Mrs. Mable Williams, Miss Elaine Sanders, Mrs. Mamie Musselman, Mrs. Veta Neal, Miss Irvena Brown, Mrs. Rosemary Trottman, Miss Edith L. Smith. One vacancy is to be supplied.

Lacoochee School: Mary St. Clair, Principal; Mrs. Frances Ferrell, Mrs. Dorothy Browing, Miss Hazel Moreland, Mrs. C.F. Andrews, Miss Frances Gladdy, Mrs. Susie Clark, Mrs. Alice St. Claire.

Trilby: J.A. Osteen, Principal; Miss Ila O’Berry, other to be supplied.

Wesley Chapel: Eugene Hester, principal, Miss Annabelle Frierson.

Elfers: Mrs. H.O. Sheldon, Principal; others to be supplied, Greenfield; Miss Mittie Pierce.

Darby: Mrs. Lula Hancock. Sand Pond: Mrs. Lottie Cripe. Richland: Mrs. Ruth Giddens. Fivay: Mrs. Beatrice L. Stanley.

San Antonio: Mrs. Georgia Wells. Saint Joseph: Sister Catherine, Principal, Sister Irma. Odessa: Miss Eleanor Kuhlman.

Hudson: Mrs. Lottie Bareford.

Appointments for the Zephyrhills schools, Gulf high school, and a number of others have not yet been submitted.

Juniors at Zephyrhills Give Seniors Banquet, The Zephyrhills News, May 10, 1935

Juniors of the local high school gave the annual banquet to the seniors at Hotel Zephyr last Friday nite. Tables, forming the letter T were massed with spring flowers. Miss Margaret Reutimann, junior, gave the welcome address to the seniors and Jack Parsons, another junior, gave a toast. Miss Frances Vogel, senior, responded and each of the other seniors gave a short verse pertaining to the occasion. Professor Lewis E. Rowland, Professor Theodore Campbell and Mrs. Fred B. Gill, made short talks. Other high school teachers attending were Professor W. E. Trottman and Miss Lilla Taylor.

Seniors are: Miss Sara Parsons, Miss Rebecca Magness, Miss Eva West, Miss Mary Emery, Miss Frances Vogel, Ernest Linkey, Emil Reutimann, Jr., Harmon Pollock, Leslie Chilson, Richard Gaskins, Fred Wheeler, and Donald Plank. Juniors are Miss Ruth McCoy, Miss Laura Rogers, Miss Margaret Reutimann, Miss Emma Rose Wingate, and Jack Parsons.

Members of the Sophomore and Freshman classes acted as waiters.

Parent-Teachers Association Sponsors Big Contest, The Zephyrhills News, May 10, 1935

A Declamation Contest will be held in the G.A. R. Hall Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock. The contest is sponsored by the Parent Teachers Association and the local pupils contesting are of the local school.

The program is as follows: Miss Marguerite Snider, “Which Shall It Be,” Miss Rilda Mounts, “Betty at the Ball Game,” Miss Flora Starke, “The Clown’s Baby,” Miss Lucy Mae Knox, “A Sermon for the Sisters.” A prize will be given to the winner by the P.T.A.  A small admission fee will be charged.

Juniors Honor Seniors at Dade City Banquet, Zephyrhills News, May 10, 1935

About 150 pupils and faculty members of Pasco High School attended the largest annual Junior-Senior banquet ever held here by the high school at the Women’s clubhouse Friday night. The 46 members of the senior class were the guests of honor.

P.M. England of the junior class was toastmaster and others on the program were T.F. Diffenwierth, Julia North and Johnnye Mae Fanders, seniors and Clarice Gilbert and Ralph Purcell, juniors.

The 20 sophomores who were chosen as waiters, one of the most coveted honors of the school year were: Sue Marie Hyatt, Mary Osburn, Miriam Pope, Mary Alice Watson, Troy Jones, Tom Marks, Reavis Hilton, Willis Hicks, Jack Smith, George Weldner, Imogene Bazzell, Agnes Hayward, Grace Alderman, Bette Evans, Julia Baldwin, Stanley Burnside, Arthur Davenport, Patty Daboll, and Earl Croley.

Musical Comedy By Senior Class Wed and Thurs, Zephyrhills News, January 18, 1935

“Black Eyed Susan” To Be Presented Here Directed by Myra Benson McCurry.”

Members of the Zephyrhills Senior High School class will be seen in one of Wayne P. Sewell Production Company’s latest musical comedies, “Black Eyed Susan,” In G.A.R. Hall here next Wednesday and Thursday evenings, January 23 and 24 at 8:00 o’clock

Their performance is under the direction of Myra Benson McCurry of Atlanta, Georgia, a representative of the above named company.

Frances Vogel has been chosen for the leading role that of Black Eyes Susan and the other characters are Letty Pennyfeather, Mary Emery; Lotta Nabornews, Vera Cook; Miranda Herringbone, Eva West; Prudence Bodkins, Rebecca Magness; Polly Prim, Sara Parsons; Mandy Margaret McDowell, Phil Langdon, Ernest Linkey; Abner Sniggles, Harmon Pollock; Elmer Tompkins, Fred Wheeler; Roscoe Sampson, Richard Gaskins; Professor Catchbug, Emil Reutimann, Jr., Jimmie Simpkins, Donald Plank and Ed Leslie Chilson.

The Black Eyes Susan Chorus is composed of Edythe Mott, Juanita Mundy, S.A. Clardy, Laura Rogers, Lucy Mae Knox, Lois Brack, Marguerite Reutimann, and Mary Stapleton.

Haint Chorus-Virginia Stapleton, Althea Mott, Pearl Snyder, Irene Hohenthaner, Annette Arnot, Evelyn Mundy, Ruth Ryals and Evelyn Nickolas.

Garden club ladies-Helen Curtis, Emma Rose Wingate, Ruth McCoy and Minnie Slater.

Accompanist—Grace Mott.

Second grade 1934-35 with teacher, Lillian Kirkland. Picture was taken in front of east entrance to school which was unoccupied becaue of fire in 1933. Children attended school in various buildings around town until the building was renovated.

Row 1: Leonard Lee, Kathryn Douglas, Isabelle Baggett, Lorraine McGinty, Henry Dozier, Arthur Oliver, Barbara Hammett, Roy Harrison.

Row 2: Louise Douglas, Charlie Dozier, Laray Mott, Normancell Clardy, David Tyre, Lottie Mae Graham, Gladys Register, Edward Douglas.

Row 3: Carl Lippincott, Omabelle Arnold, Mary Lois McDowell, Jack Daniels, June Epley, Clarence Ellerbe, Billy Eady.

Row 4: Otis Ryals, Mary Eloise Pollock, Dick Green, Otis Arnold, Evelyn Emery, and Munroe Hill.

Alumni News covering this era—

Class of 1912 is Oldest Person at ZHS Summer Alumni Reunion, Zephyrhills News, June 29, 1972

About 60 persons attending the third annual Zephyrhills High School Summer Alumni Homecoming and picnic were moved inside the Veterans of Foreign Wars building Sunday when rain threatened to drench the picnickers.

Everyone brought a covered dish and food ranged from sauerkraut salad to country-fried chicken.

Some people at the reunion had not seen each other for many years and the class of 1921 had a 100 % attendance, all three living graduates were there.

Three generations of alumni were also present in the family of Mrs. Dew, who was accompanied by her granddaughter, Debbie of Dade City. Mr. and Mrs. David Cripe, and Mrs. Alice Cripe Daniel, their nephew, Richard Gaskin of class of 1935; and his daughter, Miss Faye Gaskin, Class of 1964.

ZHS Alumni Boost Stadium Fund, Zephyrhills News, June 9, 1978

A large, enthusiastic crowd of home-towners, out-of-towners, and guests picnicked at the 9th annual reunion of the ZHS Alumni and Friends…..

H.D. Pollock of Zephyrhills, Class of 1935, was elected President of the 1979 ZHS Alumni and Friends.  

School Board Minutes–May 20, 1935 minutes say that L.E. Rowland was principal and Annie W. Gill was Assistant Principal.

And July 3, 1934 minutes also indicate that L.E. Rowland is Principal. In the September 8, 1936 minutes it indicated that Lewis E. Rowland is principal at Drexel School

September 3, 1935 minutes say, “Two steel buses were to be purchased and paid for over a period of two years at $82.33 per month and payments were made during nine months each year.”

ZHS Alumni and Friends Prepare for Gala Reunion Here in June, Zephyrhills News, May 24, 1979

As the end of the school year activities are becoming the order of the day, thoughts are also being focused on the upcoming Zephyrhills High School Alumni and Friends Reunion……

ZHS Alumni and Friends officers for this year (1979) are H.D. Pollock, Class of 1935, president; Robert Booth, Class of 1946, Vice President; Mrs. James (Arneta Howard) Ferguson, Class of 1955, Secretary, Ms. Martha Mae Keller, Class of 1951, Treasurer….

The first school building for ZHS was the wooden structure shown in the highlights of 1912. It was destroyed by fire in 1926 and a new school was built that year which was damaged seriously by fire in 1935. For two years while a new school building was being constructed with the help of the WPA, students attended classes in various other buildings shown below from around town….source: Zephyrhills News, March 7, 1985

Students in photos below (same students in both photos—different pose) with order not identified include seniors, Miss Sara Parsons, Miss Rebecca Magness, Miss Eva West, Miss Mary Emery, Miss Frances Vogel, Ernest Linkey, Emil Reutimann, Jr., Harmon Pollock, Leslie Chilson, Richard Gaskins, Fred Wheeler, and Donald Plank. Juniors are Miss Ruth McCoy, Miss Laura Rogers, Miss Margaret Reutimann, Miss Emma Rose Wingate, and Jack Parsons.