HISTORY OF ZEPHYRHILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Highlights of 1971

ZHS Graduates 108; Largest Class Called Smartest by Superintendent, Zephyrhills News, June 10, 1971

Although the evening was warm, the excitement of the occasion made the humid weather go almost unnoticed as 108 members of the 1971 graduating class at Zephyrhills High School were awarded diplomas Friday.

The seniors wore blue caps and gowns this year and were led by Steve Menhennett and Andrij Neczwid as they marched into the high school gym to the strains of “March of the Priests” as played on the organ by Mrs. Irvin Wheeler.

School Board Member for District 2, P.H. Murphy, presented the diplomas as Principal Raymond B. Stewart called the names of the seniors.  The invocation opening the service was by the Reverend Richard Vanaman and the Reverend John Mathis gave the benediction. “Pomp and Circumstance,” was the recessional with William Rickard and John Gahagan leading the march out of the gym. The Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Chester W. Taylor, Jr., presented awards for individual achievement within the class, but before handing them out, paused to give high words of praise to all the graduates.  

He noted that 83,158 Florida students took the statewide 12th grade test, and had a mean score in aptitude of 51.8. By comparison, Pasco County’s 554 seniors had a mean score of 50.87, but the ZHS seniors scored 53.39.

The overall achievement mean score was 46.72 statewide but 48.41 for ZHS seniors. In specialized areas, the ZHS grads topped the state scores in every one: social studies, 32.06 statewide and 33.50 for ZHS; mathematics, 22.53 statewide and 23.01 for ZHS; natural sciences, 25.04 to 26.24; verbal aptitude 26.30 to 27.07; reading skills 66.53 to 68.39; and quantitative analysis, 24.66 to 25.70.

“This is the first and only time that a Pasco County High School has even scored above the state mean in every area,” Superintendent Taylor told the assembly.

Taylor noted that the ZHS seniors also had the highest score of all high schools in the county, that the class had the largest percentage of seniors (41%) score above 300 on the 12th grade test (300 is required for university admission) of any in the county, and the class Valedictorian, Andrij Neczwid, scored the highest of anyone in the county with a 489 out of a possible score of 495.

“This senior class has made a record of which all this community can be proud, of which all the county can be proud, and which following classes will find difficulty to emulate.” Taylor said.

Andrij Neczwid, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonid Neczqid, valedictorian; Marlies Gerber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Gerber, Salutatorian; Patricia Barlow, daughter of Mrs. Lillian Barlow, activities; Valerie Wickstrom, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Wicksrtom, citizenship; Jeff Brown, son of Mrs. W. C. Brown, and Reva Toler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wade E. Toler, school spirit awards; Blake R. Lane, son of Mrs. Joan Lane, class vice president and athletics; Larry McDonald, son of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin C. McDonald, Class President and Best All-Around Boy and Lynda Stewart, daughter of Principal Raymond B. Stewart, class secretary and Best All-Around Girl.

Scholarship Awards

Principal Stewart announced scholarship awards as follows: Andrij Neczwid, $2,600 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Valerie D. Wickstrom, $2,500 from Rollins College and a $600 Florida State teaching scholarship; Vicki Cleveland, daughter of Mrs. Beverly Cleveland, $600 Florida State Teaching Scholarship and a $1,200 scholarship from Flagler College, St. Augustine; Lynda Stewart, $600; Rance T. Holt, son of Mrs. Mary V. Holt, $500 from University of South Florida; Marlies Gerber, Florida State Teaching Scholarship for $500; Jeff Brown, $250 Pasco Classroom Teachers Scholarship, $100 Beta Club and $50 Student Council Scholarships; Evelyn Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rance T. Jones, $50 from Delta Kappa Gamma and McCrory’s Store Scholarships and $50 Student Council Scholarships each to Ernest L. Krestschmar, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Kretschmar, Debbie Boan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Boan, and Walter S. Toole, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Toole.

Salutatorian Speaks

Using “A Glance In Two Directions” as the topics for her speech, Miss Marlies Gerber said in part:

“Each moment is the dividing line, separating our lives into two parts. For us, the members of the class of 1971, this moment at our graduation separates out high school years form our plans for the future.

“Now we try to glance at the same time back into the past and forward into the future. During our past years in high school we have developed plans and set goals that we want to achieve during our lives. At graduation, having reached a midpoint in our lives, we should evaluate our goals and our progress toward them. Each person has set his individual goals, according to his abilities and interests. However, the separate endeavors of each person should be a part of a greater plan in which everyone’s work serves a common purpose—making our country and the world as great as they possibly can be. We can do this, not by changing our goals, but by working toward them in the right way to the best of our ability,” she said.

“As we think about our future we should remember those who made it possible for us. We feel grateful especially toward out teachers, our parents and the administration. We shall owe them credit for anything we accomplish in the future, for they have given us the knowledge, the encouragement and the guidance to make success possible. It is now up to each one of us to use everything they have contributed,” she said.

Miss Gerber concluded, “We the graduates are all on a long journey toward our goals. At graduation, we pause for one brief moment, glance in two directions, and travel on.”

Class President’s Talk

Topic for Class President Larry McDonald was “The World,” and he said in part:

“This World in which we live today, was created by God, and is run by man. By men of every size, religion and color. These men who are, not perfect, have done a good job. They have stopped many diseases, they have prolonged life, have made many inventions, developed many resources and made this world a better place in which to live. But yet today, where is our remembrance of these men?  Today, who carries on their work?” he asked.

“In our world today men curse our leaders, condemn and kill and have no respect for their fellow man.

“What happened to the times when men lived and worked together?”

What has happened to the good and friendly neighbors?”

“Today we see people that denounce our flag and that try and trample our country to the ground. We see a gap between the young and the old, between the black and white, between the rich and the poor. I believe the cause of this gap is misunderstanding. But yet we are all too selfish to give a little and try to understand our neighbor and his problems. We live and think only about ourselves,” the class president charged.

“Then comes this thing everyone calls peace. Everyone yells peace in Asia, peace on college campuses. But how many people do you know that really work toward peace?”

“Peace will come only when people understand and help each other. We will never have peace abroad until we have peace at home. So won’t you give—a—little and really get to know your neighbor; help solve his problems and he may help to solve yours.

“If it be God’s Will, I would like to see the ’71 Class of Zephyrhills High School to achieve this goal of world peace,” he concluded.

Valedictorian’s Address

The Valedictory, by Andrij Neczwid, was entitled, “The Doors of Life,” and he said in part:

“I could take a short look at our passage through this much of our lives and at some of the doors we have and will open.

“Let’s us start with the past, Birth: the opening of our first door and with it our entrance into life. Here our first, few faltering steps which began our long journey were guided by our parents, who gave us strength and love and tried to prepare us for our future.

“Having been given a taste of life, we were led to our second door…formal education and contact with society—as we were taken down these routes we tasted, learned, grasped, understood, became more and more aware or our surroundings, of others, of the complex and wondrous plan called life. Our paths crossed, at these points we met others, friendships began, and close associations started in the early stages of social contact,” he said.

“Our journey had become filled with the ideas and impressions of education and experience; the arts, music, language, math, sports, social activities, responsibilities. We are each a storehouse of memories and characteristics: a living collection of what each has learned, felt and done. We were all unique; and this, our personal make-up, will determine what kind of lives we shall live in the future.

“There have been many factors which influenced this structure of our personalities, but I believe that there is one that stands above all the rest in importance and amount of impact on our lives. These are our parents. Without their guidance we would only wander through life, it would be but a meaningless journey….

“We are now standing on the threshold of yet a third door, the door to the future. Through the years with the help of our parents, teachers, and friends, our steps have strengthened and we now stand firm. Until now, each passage has had its own important helper: during the first segment of our journey we were guided by our parents, then during the second part, teachers and society helped shape our lives. Now as this third portal opens wide to receive us, let us realize that now we will determine our own paths. We will break many bonds which tie us with the past and take on major responsibilities which make us heirs to the future.

“So as we tonight, fellow class members, take our last few steps of this passageway ending with graduation, I feel we will be entering this third door fully prepared for what is to come. We have received along the way the instruments we need to shape our lives and leave behind a better world for those that will follow. Most importantly, then let us step through this awaiting door with the strength of God in our soul and with love in our hearts,” he concluded.

Graduation for 108 Seniors, Largest Class Ever, Is Friday, Zephyrhills News, June 3, 1971

Commencement exercises for the 1971 Senior Class of Zephyrhills High School will begin Friday at 8 p.m. in the gymnasium.

The featured organist, Mrs. Irvin Wheeler, will present the processional, “March of the Priests,” following an organ prelude. She also will play the recessional, “Pomp and Circumstance.” The Reverend Richard Vanaman will give the invocation, which will be followed by two of the three featured speeches.  

Miss Marlies Gerber, Salutatorian, will speak on “A Glance In Two Directions,” and will be followed by Senior Class President, Larry McDonald, whose address will be entitled, “The World.”

Chester Taylor Jr., Pasco County Superintendent of Schools, will officiate over the presentation of awards, and Principal Raymond B. Stewart will announce scholarship awards which various members of the class have been extended.

Following the valedictory address, “The Doors of Life,” by Andriz Neczwid, Valedictorian, and District 2 School Board Member Pat H. Murphy Jr. will assist with the presentation of diplomas.

Do Own Thing At Own Risk, Baccalaureate Speaker Warns, Zephyrhills News, June 3, 1971

“Society has reached the point where we all want our own way, or as popularly said, we all want to ‘do our own thing’. However, when ‘doing our own thing’ is a transgression from the law of God, or leads someone else from the law of God, our self-expression ends in death.” Just because we live in a permissive society does not mean God approves. “He expressly forbids what is against His law.”

With this admonition for soon-departing seniors, the Reverend Robert B. Russell addressed the 108 deep blue capped-and gowned honorees, parents and students in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church Sunday evening.

“Beginning or End?” was the title used by Reverend Russell, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Irvin Wheeler was organist and a special vocal solo was by Mrs. Joseph Higginson. Also on the program were the Reverend Roy B. Fiske and host pastor, the Reverend Charles Roesel.

“Your life is pretty well set,” the Reverend Mr. Russell told the graduates in his opening remarks. “You have made a pattern over these 12 years which is now going to be difficult to change. However, let’s hope that in this pattern of knowledge we do have just a collection of facts of limited recall, I hope that you have learned to think for yourselves.

“I believe you can think for yourselves for I have seen some of you do it and am very proud. As you think for yourselves, are you choosing a beginning or an end? This is a choice which must come sooner or later. I am concerned about you graduates as individuals not as a class, for as individuals all of you are important.

“I am concerned about your relationship with God. This may not be particularly important to you but it is important to your parents, friends, and me. I believe your relationship with God is going to directly affect me. We have my generation phasing out while yours is just beginning its phase-in. this is directly affecting me” the speaker said.

“For we have found ourselves to be on the brink of disaster. For example, our ecology. We have made great strides forward with technology, but our abilities have out stripped to use wisely what we have produced. Another is the constant battle between liberals and conservatives in politics and church—this greatly affects the way I will live in days ahead,” Reverend Russell noted.

“We must learn to solve our problems with our fellow men—if we don’t we have lost the ball game of life. In trying to understand how to solve life’s problems there is only one way to have a vital relationship with God.

“How to attain this relationship is spelled out in the Bible. The Bible tells how men cry “Peace” but there is no peace. That is because men are not interested in the real key to peace: that key is the right relationship with God, the speaker said.

Psalms says “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” This world belongs to God for He was the Creator Who prepared it. The earth is insignificant in the vastness of space but god put us here with a task to do, because He loves us. But we will not solve our problems until we recognize the need for a right relationship with God. Only then will we have peace,” he said.

“The world is not a mess, man is. God has given more than he can handle I have faith in your class…I think it can solve the world’s problems; I don’t know how but I’m willing to give it a chance,” Russell said.

“The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. God created us for a purpose. He loves us but if we don’t begin to obey Him, He will destroy us.

God set the natural laws in motion and He has been known to break them. The end is also in Proverbs. “There is a way which seems right to man but its end is the way of death…when we insist on doing our own thing and having our own way, we are taking the path which seems right to us but may not be the right path in the eyes of God, the speaker said.

“History shows that no nation lives when breaking His law. We pay sooner or later. It has happened ever since the days of Adam and Eve that disobedience ends in wrath and justice in punishment. Nations die too for disobedience.

“I am expected to tell you the world is your oyster so go out and open it up and find what future awaits you. Well, I won’t for the world is not an oyster and everything you get out of life you will have to struggle for. And you had better struggle too, because if you don’t the Federal Government will be supporting you and I’m going to resent it, the speaker said.

“One final thought…God loves your—each and every one of you—and I only pray that He loves me as much as He loves you.”

Ushers for the affair were from the Sophomore class and included: Karl Wickstrom, Chairman, Tommy Alston, Joe Wells, Jay Linville, Dale Myers, Debbie Moore, Wilma Roberts, Betsy Butler, Vida Brown and Janet Edmonson.

Two Make Mark at Boys State, Zephyrhills News, July 15, 1971

Don Robinson, Jr. and Bruce Vogel have returned from Florida State University where they attended American Legion sponsored Florida Boys State June 27-July 3. While at their stay in Smith Hall, the duo earned many honors for Zephyrhills.

Robinson scored 100% on the Boys State Examination to receive the highest score of any of the 300 candidates for the bar who took the test. He attributes his success to the fact that he just took notes from all the speakers. “Maybe I’ll be a lawyer.”

High points man on the bar examination receives appointment to the Supreme Court at Boys State, but Robinson become the first boy in the history of the activity to turn down the appointment saying, “Sure they (Supreme Court members) get to ride in a limousine but I wanted to walk to be where the action is—down on the floor.” Vogel missed only three questions on the exam.

A member of Raysville City in Marine County, Vogel was elected by his county to the district election board which controlled election procedures for the county and reported voting results to general headquarters. He was the Federalist Party candidate from the county for clerk for the county court but the Nationalist party swept the election.

A bill of general interest passed unanimously by Boys State legislature called for the abolition of the Boys State hair restriction.

Both boys believe they profited from Boys State and hope that next year the American Legion post can send three participants.

Joni Palmer Enthusiastic Over Girls State, Zephyrhills News, July 15, 1971

You just don’t realize how much you have learned until you get home and have to tell your mother about it,” Joni Palmer said when asked about her recent trip to American Legion sponsored Girls State.

“It was a real experience in government…I thought I knew a lot until about the second day, but now I know what government is really like. Whew!”

Joni returned from her week in Tallahassee Friday. A guest of Florida State University, she stayed in Landis Hall and was one of 264 girls throughout the state chosen to attend.

The house was just great. I liked the debating and it was exciting. One bill, legalizing abortion, failed in the house twice, but the third time it was passed because two girls abstained. The governor signed it into law. I was disappointed it passed but the debate was real interesting.

ZHS Will Reach 1000 As Double Day Begins Well, Zephyrhills News, September 9, 1971

School enrollment boomed in Zephyrhills Tuesday and Wednesday—and in all of Pasco County.

An increase of about 1000 students county-wide over last year was predicted by Pasco School Officials, but after the final nose-count Tuesday afternoon, that prediction had been shattered with more than 2300 additional pupils enrolled.

At Zephyrhills High School, where 854 were enrolled last year, officials expected more than 1000 students by the end of the day Wednesday. The school started double sessions smoothly Tuesday, the first bell ringing at 6:46 a.m and the last bell at 6:10 p.m.

East Elementary School reported an opening day enrollment of 646, an increase of 138 over last year, and 50 more than projections. It was thought the school might reach an enrollment of 650 by the close of school next June; it now would appear perhaps 700 will be the enrollment by that time.

At West Elementary School an opening day enrollment of 600 had been predicted and school closed Wednesday with 618 enrolled. This is an increase of 89 over last year.

Double Sessions off Well

Except for some wrinkles to be ironed out in bus schedules to bring all of the buses into the schools at about the same time, everything went smoothly “all things considered,” on opening day Tuesday.

While mothers were still doing breakfast dishes while fighting off an urge to go back to bed, their student children were in homerooms at 6:45 a.m.

Bus drivers had been up at 5 a.m. as had many faculty members. The early session is especially rough on those teachers who are commuting from homes in Tampa.

Homecoming Royalty Headed by Pretty Joni Palmer As 1971 Football Queen, Zephyrhills News, November 24, 1971

Miss Joni Palmer, Zephyrhills High School Senior and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Palmer, 1206 11th Street Friday night was crowned queen for the 1971 Homecoming festivities at halftime of the football game between ZHS and South Sumter High School teams.

Crowing the new queen was Miss Jinger Douglas, last year’s winner who was home from Massey Junior College in Atlanta for the occasion.

Miss Glenda Sisk, last year’s princess, crowned this year’s junior class winner, Miss Janet Edmonston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Edmonston, North Ave Ext.

Elected in voting within the football squad were James “Ricky” Giles, a senior and son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Giles, B & B Subdivision as King and Van McKenzie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eddie McKenzie, B & B. Subdivision, as Prince.

Miss Martha Mester, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Mester, Chancey Road, was elected freshman maid, while Miss Linda Mallery, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Mallery, Hillsborough State Park, was elected sophomore maid.

Winners of the various activities held during the week included: Peanut push—Seniors (Gail Hambright); Tricycle Race—Rene Menhennett; Finger Painting-Freshmen (Cheri Wynne); Egg Toss—Sophomores (Larry Green and Jonny Meengs); Tug-Of-War—Juniors; Posters—(5-day event)—Juniors; Voodoo Doll—Juniors; and Spirit Contest—Mrs. Jonny Harrelson.

New West Zephyrhills Elementary Teachers Include ZHS Graduate, Zephyrhills News, August 1976

Three new teachers at West Zephyrhills Elementary School. The most recently arrived instructors are Miss Susan Sullivan, Mrs. Christine Cole, and Mrs. Evelyn Hilton, a graduate of Zephyrhills High. Mrs. Hilton, 22, is a 1975 graduate of University of South Florida in Tampa with a B.A. in early childhood and elementary education. This is her first year of teaching. Miss Hilton is a 1971 honor graduate of Zephyrhills High School and lives in Zephyrhills.

School Daze, by Valerie Wickstrom, Zephyrhills News, June 1971

One more week (heh, heh, heh) and then I will no longer spend my exciting Monday nights (sarcastic) taxing my brain to dig up tidbits for this column. Yes, the climax of the school year, graduation, will take place June 4 in the ZHS gymnasium. Graduates have sent off invitations and a capacity crowd is expected at Friday night’s ceremonies.

But before school is out, there still seems to be some news left. From some people we hardily ever hear about, the Junior High Student Council—elections have been held and Suzanne Pulliam is the 1971-72 President. Other officers include: Suzanne Walker, Vice President, Linda Boswell, recording secretary; Mark Thomas, corresponding secretary, and Renee Kinsey, Treasurer. Elections were May 17 and run-offs for president and treasurer held the following day.

“Age of Aquarius” was the theme of the Junior-Senior Prom Saturday night in Municipal Auditorium. Decorations featured a mammoth horoscope wheel in the middle of the floor and murals depicting the various “sign.” More than 250 persons attended the prom.

Installation of the new Beta Club members and election of next year’s officers highlighted a special meeting Tuesday night in the First Federal Friendship room. Beta Club members and Bulldogger staff will go to Lido Beach Sunday, June 6, for an end-of-the-year treat. While in Sarasota they will attend a play at Asolo Theatre.

A picnic at Hillsborough State Park will highlight the end-of-the-year for student council members Friday after school. Suzanne Arnot and Carol Brown are coordinating the picnic for members and dates.

Teacher Appreciation Day will be Friday. Students will vote for the “Teacher of the Year” and all faculty members will receive gifts from the Beta Club. A reception will be held after school in the Home Economics suite. Glenda Sisk is over-all chairman. Yearbook Queen is Miss Suzanne Arnot and Yearbook King is Larry McDonald.

‘Beginning or End?’ Theme of Baccalaureate Rites Sunday, Zephyrhills News, May 27, 1971

Baccalaureate services for the 108-member graduating class at Zephyrhills High School will be Sunday starting at 7:30 p.m. in the First Baptist Church. Giving the sermon to the seniors will be the Reverend Robert Russell, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, whose topic is “Beginning or End?”

The Reverend Roy A. Fiske, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, will give the invocation and the Reverend Charles L. Roesel, pastor of the host church, will give the benediction.

Mrs. Irvin Wheeler will present the organ prelude and play “March of the Priests,” as the class enters the sanctuary. The class will recess to “March Pontifical.”

Mrs. Joseph Higginson will present special music and Principal Raymond B. Stewart will make announcements.

Ushers are members of the sophomore class and include: Karl Wickstrom, chairman, Tommy Alston, Joe Wells, Jay Linville, Dale Myers, Debbie Moore, Wilma Roberts, Ruth Butler, Vida Brown and Janet Edmonston.

Flowers chosen by the class which is the largest on record to graduate from ZHS are yellow roses, while the class colors are light blue and dark blue. Motto for the class is: “What we learn is God’s gift to us; what we achieve is our gift to others.”

The public is invited to join parents and relatives of the graduates at the Baccalaureate service.

Junior Gardeners Win, Zephyrhills News, May 27, 1971

The Junior Buds, sponsored by Zephyrhills Garden Club at East Elementary School, won two first places and had three runners-up in the statewide competition during the past year.

Andra Douglas, daughter of City Council President and Mrs. H.C. Douglas, had the honor of being the first winner announced in the junior gardening division at the annual awards banquet

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ZHS Mile Runner Wins State Track Meet Berth, Zephyrhills News, May 6, 1971

Daniel Thomas of the Zephyrhills High School track team, who had never before run the mile in competition, Friday qualified for that event in the State Class B Track Meet by placing second in the District 7 track and field meet at Fort Meade.

Thomas, regularly an 880 runner for Coach Jim Davis, will run Friday in the state meet at Winter Park.

He turned in a time of 4:51 just a yard behind the first place finisher, but still a long way from the 4:29 new state record set by Bobby Dodd of Zephyrhills just last year.

But Coach Davis expects Thomas to trim this time down to about 4:40 in the state finals and predicts Thomas could win with that time. “The meet will be at night when it will be cooler, and Daniel has a lot of determination,” Davis told the news.

In all the ZHS thinclads tallied 31 points in the District 7 meet, which was dominated by the host school, winners with 116 ½ points. Other schools scoring: Frostproof: 82; Avon Park 52 ½; Mulberry 35; Fort Myers and Riverdale, each 27; Lakeland Sante Fe, 22; Lake Placid 9 and Alva 3.

Coach Davis was not disappointed in the outcome for this has been a rebuilding year for the Bulldog cindermen, although he had expected a bit more out of three individuals, all of whom were off their stride in the district meet: They were: Marc Penney, who finished fourth in the low hurdles and fourth in the pole vault, both with worse times and heights than he has come up with in other meets during the season; Frank Alexander, who usually hurls the discuss 140 feet and had beaten the district second place winners twice in regular season meets, threw only 131 feet and finished third (only first and second place winners go to the state meet; and Bill Shannon, who jumped 20’2” (the winning distance was 20’6”) in the broad jump but scratched, and who was off stride in the high jump. The Zephyrhills sprint medley team finished fourth in that event and the mile relay team, finished fifth of nine teams entered.

Photo of Jim Davis, Track coach and Daniel Thomas from Zephyrhills News

Drama Club Will Present 30-Role Spoon River Play, Zephyrhills News, March 25, 1971

Curtain time is 8:15 p.m. Saturday for the 1971 Dramatics Club performance of “Spoon River Anthology,” written by Edgar Lee Masters. English instructor and drama coach, Scott Johnson is director of the play, which is a series of introductions to the ghosts of those who were inhabitants of “Spoon River and whose secrets went with them to their grave. There are over thirty cast members—young lovers and preachers, teachers, poets and pharmacists, actors and newsmen, as the characters in the hour-long play. The New York Times called “Spoon River Anthology” a “glowing theatre experience –a brooding and loving American folk poem brought to life on stage.”

Members of the cast of characters many of whom will play several roles for “Spoon River Anthology,” to be presented by the ZHS Dramatics Club Saturday night in the school auditorium are: Ada Harvey, Dee Dee Toole, Melissa Johnson, Don Robinson, Jr., Gail Hambright, Eric Huber, Ann Vincent, Dan Denney, Vicki Cleveland, Rene Menhennett, Joan McLellan, Cindy Hail, Cindy Moore, Walter Toole, Betsey Butler, Vida Brown, John Hall, Kay Gehrke, Melenese Cook, Janet Daffer, Diane Tyre, Jean Reffit, Benny Hall, Marsha Knapp, Janice Winn, Patty Renninger, Valerie Wickstrom, Brenda Kendrick, Joni Palmer, Ken Clark, Mary White, Darrell Fiske, Rob Baggett. The play is directed by Scott T. Johnson. Miss Sharon Tullis of the faculty is in charge of make-up.

Many Additional Curriculum Offerings Possible at ZHS Under Double Sessions, Zephyrhills News, February 18, 1971

There are both advantages and disadvantages to proposed double sessions for Zephyrhills High School this fall, but among the major advantages will be proposed reduction in length of class time.

More periods per teacher in the school day—which will start at 6:45 a.m. for high school students and run until 12:15 p.m.—will permit an expanded curriculum with more course offerings and fewer scheduling conflicts.

Some changes in graduation requirements also will affect students. For example, only three years of English will be required for all except college preparatory or business students, who will study business English. Americanism vs. Communism, a 6-week state requirement, is being moved from senior social studies to junior American History.

These changes mean that although graduates will still need credit in 20 units to earn a diploma, only those who are college bound will have required courses in their senior year.

Lois Ann Wells Back With Rockettes, Tells How Size 11s Danced in 10s, Zephyrhills News, March 1981 By Valerie Davis

“The Red Shoes” is the title of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, which was made into a popular movie several years ago. In the story a young girl received a pair of enchanted shoes which caused her to dance until she dropped dead of exhaustion.

Lois Ann Wells Alston isn’t likely to drop dead of exhaustion, but her love of dance has put her in shoes stained red with her own blood, a dramatic example of enticing power of dance.

Lois Ann’s dancing shoes aren’t bloody this holiday, but while most of us have been enjoying a relaxing holiday with family and friends, the popular Zephyrhills dance instructor has been battling the cold and harshness of New York City life in order to dance up to three shows daily for the past three weeks with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.

Lois Ann’s most recent struggle with red shoes began in the Big Apple when she won a private audition with the Rocketees director and choreographer, Violet Holmes…

A 1971 honors graduate of Zephyrhills High School, who was graduated by University of South Florida in business and dance, Lois has been married for seven years to Jeff Alston, with whom she owns her successful dance studio and some local real estate…