Larry Dowis was the oldest man present at the Sheridan Alumni Reunion present Sunday, having graduated from the Sheridan High School Class of 1951. He said that the way to live long was to eat well, quit smoking and drinking, and quit chasing those wild women. He said it was up to the Good Lord to keep one going.
Back in 1951, Arthur Cook was honored for 29 years of service to the Sheridan High School as board secretary. He also served in Jones West, Grandview, and Gravelhill. V.M. Farrell was the superintendent, William Doran was the ag teacher, Lucille Wilson the Commerce teacher, Porter Tumy the Social Studies teacher, PE teacher, and basketball coach, Shirley Tumy the music teacher, Frances Farrell the secretary and Home Economics teacher, and Audrey Merritt the English teacher. Mr. Doran returned to several Alumni Reunions as recently as the late 2000’s.
School board members were Luz Hawk, Vernon Wilson, Loren Hart, June Dowis, and Kenneth Hoover.
Bus drivers were Burl Huff, Earl Goin, Gary Wake, Earl Finch, Charles Frump, and Rex Heyle. They did not drive your traditional yellow school bus; they would drive kids to school in a four wheel drive pickup.
Cooks were Jessie Surplus and Mac McCullom. Custodian was Duane Combs.
Honored were the classes of 1953, 1963, and 1973. Ida Smyser was present from the Class of 1953. She said her favorite teacher was Mr. Tumy, along with Lucille Wilson.
Present from the Class of 1963 were Linda Walker and Lois Hodge. Hodge said her favorite teacher was Wayne Winstead, who was just starting out his Hall of Fame career as a basketball coach. Her other favorite was Sally Beezley, the typing teacher, who was very understanding and who was willing to give students who worked hard the benefit of the doubt.
Several members of the Class of 1973 showed up. One was Stephen Allee, who somehow arrived in one piece after the prophecies of the yearbook of that year were revealed. The 1973 yearbook predicted that he would attempt to jump through the doors of a box car on his motorcycle going 60 miles per hour, only to find that the box car doors were closed. Either the account was fake news or Mr. Allee lived to tell about the episode, as he was present in good health. “I’ve been in out and absent; I’ve been from a ways off,” he said at the gathering.
One member, Bob Fletchall of the Class of 1970, had to figure out a way to dodge traffic that was backed up for an hour on Interstate 29 as tens of thousands of people were flocking to Gower, to view the body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, foundress of the Benedictines of Mary. Four years after her passing, her body was discovered intact, which is regarded as a miracle within the Catholic Church.
Chandra Hopkins, from the Class of 1974, was the youngest present.
Present at the reunion Sunday were Linda Walker (Class of 1963), Laverne Walker (1964), Huey Rowen (1958), Elnora French (1955), Stephen Allee (1973), Ramonia Parman (1958), James Ridge (1959), Larry Hibbs (1961), Larry Dowis (1951), Joyce Stephens (1960), Lois Hodge (1963), Steve Proctor (1972), Sharon Fletchall (1961), Ida Smyser (1953), Darlene Runyan (1955), Mike Rowe (1973), Sharon Rawlings (1968), Bob Fletchall (1970), Mike Scott (1973), Linda Scott (1973), Janet Gladstone (1971), Ivalee Johnson (1960), Chandra Hopkins (1974), Eddie Troutwine (1967), and Geneveive Walker (1957).
Guests were Kay Rowen, Joyce Ridge, Ida Pace, Genee Haun, Beverly Grimit, and Jesse Stark.
Alumni Association President Mike Scott, who was renominated by acclimation, said the plan was to honor the classes of 1974, 1975, and 1976, when the school closed. “After that, we’ll have to make some hard choices,” he said. Attendance numbers have dropped sharply over the last two years and several Sheridan High School alumni have passed away since the last reunion.
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