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In 1940, seventy years ago, the President of the United States was Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John Nance Garner was V-President. Mr. Roosevelt was elected to his 3rd term and Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister. George Washington Carver Foundation for Agricultural Research is founded at Tuskegee Institute in honor of the former slave. The 40-hour-work week went into effect. The average family income was $1200 annually. Actinomycin was the first antibiotic developed in the U. S. Congress created the Selective Service System; this required all men between 21 and 36 to register for military service. The first Social Security checks are issued. Ford introduces the Lincoln Continental; The Jeep became the ‘car’ to own and Goodyear Dow Corporation was formed. A gallon of milk was 50 cents; a new auto was $800; a loaf of bread was 9 cents; a new house was $6600 and a gallon of gas was 17 cents. The Philadelphia Story and the Grapes of Wrath were top movies.

In Mangum, Oklahoma, a large class of 70 members was anxious to graduate from high school. There was no yearbook for the 1940 class; in fact there were no yearbooks for any of the 1940 years. Depression followed by war kept schools on a tight budget while most families dealt with economic issues also. Therefore, the newspapers have been the best source of school history buffered by family input and classmates such as Fleeta Faye Taylor-Lynch who willingly mailed this writer several packets of information on the Class of 1940, the best of which was an original copy of the class composite. Lorena Margaret Hughes-Sewell, also a Mangum resident today, allowed this writer to interview her for some class history and her life since graduation. Her story will follow in the weeks to come.

The Greer County News, May 17, 1965, ran good coverage of this class celebrating their 25th reunion. Forty-four members were listed in the paper for their 25th reunion. They celebrated in the home of their Class Mother, Mrs. Revis Ponder, with a luncheon on Saturday. Officers for this class were: Elton Atkinson, President; A. D. Hogue, V-President; Vince Allen Busby was Secretary and Treasurer. Miss Boby Miller was Valedictorian and Henrietta Krouse was Salutatorian. Eugene Hadlock and Ruby Nelson were Honor Students and Fleeta F. Taylor was Football Queen. Class sponsors were Naomi Edmiston and Madison Pruitt; Mr. and Mrs. Revis Ponder were Class Parents.

Superintendent of schools was Elmer L. Fraker; Principal of the High School was Miss Tom Johnson. Board of Education: Dr. J. B. Hollis, B. H. Squire, F. M. Overton, C. A. Pierson, and Louis M. Tittle.

1940 SENIORS

Mildred F. Armstrong
Elton Atkinson
Willis Ballew
Winston Banister
J. L. Bates
Rossiebell Brasher
Vince A. Busby
Hilma Byars
Evelyn Byrom
Estella M. Carlson
Nolous Carmichael
Juanita Chapman
Colyn Copeland
Gail Cummings
Walter J. Crisp
Lillian Davis
Jack Greasby
Harold Dowdy
Mary Lila Fraze
Othello Garner
Jack Givens
Howard L. Gray
Edward Haddad
Durwood Haddad
Eugene Hadlock
Clay Hannah
Dortha L. Harbour
Bela Harms
Leona Hash
Ola Rhea Hash
Kenneth Head
Mildred Hicks
A. D. Hogue
Billie J. Howard
Lorena Hughes
Mary Beth Jones
Henrietta Krouse
Wanda J. Lovelace
Wayne Morris
C. W. Mallard
Wayne Meeks
Bill McClung
Pat McClung
Miss Boby Miller
Mildred Morgan
Ralph Morgan
John Neal
Ruby Nelson
Juanita Owens
Forrest Penley
Juanita Powers
Elmo Ray
Wayne Rankin
Edyth I. Russell
Kitty A. Short
Milford Shortt
Virgil W. Smith, Jr.
Lige K. Stewart
James Stroup
A.B. Talley
Fleeta F. Taylor
Clifford Thompson
Rosabelle Thompson
Lydia June Tidmore
A. M. ‘Pete’ Tillman
Jessie Frances Todd
Elizabeth A. Vaughn
Alvis Ware
Margaret Waldroop

Betty Wilson

Mangum Star News, May 15, 1965: Jim Redden, son of Juanita Powers Redden and Larry Redden of Utica, Michigan, was named a winner in the National Merit Scholarship finals in the nationwide Merit program. Note: Ms. Redden refers to her class as “the most distinguished class that ever graduated from MHS” in a May 23, 1996, Mangum Star article.

Mangum Star-News, May 16, 1966: From an article this writer noticed that Juanita Powers-Redden made up one of five children who graduated from MHS making their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Powers, Honorary members of the Association. The other four grads were: Katie, Class of 1926; Virginia, Class of 1932; Jones Witcher, Class of 1935 and lastly, Annette, a 1941 grad. Ms. Annette Powers-Meader is a Mangum resident today and an interview with her will follow in the coming weeks of Mangum school history.

Mangum Star-News, May 24, 1990: Full page coverage and headlines stating: “The Class of 1940 will host a hospitality meeting at Quartz Mountain Lodge, Thursday night, May 24 at 8:30 p.m. All Alumni are invited. The Class of 1941 will host a reception for the Class of 1940 May 25, immediately following the Alumni Banquet. Reception was held at the Senior Citizens Building and honored the MHS Class of 1940 and all alumni and spouses who graduated 50 or more years ago.”

Old newspaper records list the MHS Alumni Association officers as: President, Lacy S; Noble, Jr. Class of 1929; V-President, John Hayes Moore, Class of 1929; Secretary, Avo Overstreet-Johnson, Class of 1919 and Treasurer was Clarence “Boats’ Barnett, Class of 1933.

CLASS OF 1945

Mangum Star-News May 19, 2005: “Sixty five years ago, in May 1945, 31 seniors graduated from MHS; this was the smallest class in many years. Some classmates didn’t go through commencement exercises because World War II had just ended in Europe and was in the final year with Japan. Several had already been inducted into military service. This class was a serious minded bunch and the year was not frivolous or exciting. They were old for their time and watching friends go off to war wasn’t exactly calming. Some of these classmates never returned. Rationing and shortages were in existence. There was no year book, no senior trip but there was friendship and closeness which included “Mom and Pop” Palmer who provided many great evenings.”

“Class sponsors were Henry White and Lucille Rice. Gas rationing curbed travel to faraway places, but there was always “The Square”, The Stadium, football games, orange and black Tigers and Arch Enemy Altus Bulldogs, Richard’s Drug Store w/cherry cokes; Coconut Grove, The Park, class plays, Devils Slide in Granite picnicking.”

According to old newspapers, officers of the MHS Alumni Association were: President: Eula Wells
Lovett-Bryan, Class of 1933; V-President was Roberta Graham, Class of 1925; Secretary was Mr. Lynn Norman, Class of 1916; Assistant Secretary was Eulah Dorrill (or Eulene) and Treasurer was Arthur Lovett, Class of 1915.

In May 1970, 15 classmates and Mom and Pop gathered to celebrate their 25th alumni reunion. Many saw old friends for the first time in 25 years. There were lots of questions and surprises. This class won the plaque for having 58% attendance at the banquet.

In 1995, this class celebrated it 50th reunion but only six made it back to the banquet: Doralee Goode Adams, Doyle Saunders, Claude Goad, Evelyn Dutton, Charles Price and Bobbye Hathaway Herman. However, in a picture from the newspaper, these were shown in a class grouping: Slick Avery, Ray Taylor, Evelyn Price, Doralee Adams, Joneta Heatley Hale, Charles Price, Tomme Heatly Rhea, David Thrower, Charles Price, Bill Greer, Jimmie Robertson Cowan, Tom Nelson, Jean Boyd Bell and Jane Parker Johnson.

Honor students for this class were: Valedictorian, Claude Goad and Salutatorian was Bill Greer. Mr. Greer is living in Mangum today; Bill Starr and Vada Proctor Maxfield also are Mangum residents. Both of their spouses are also MHS grads. If you can give more history on this class, please contact the Historian, at 580-782-5107.