Prentiss Queen and Junior Queen of the Forest with Alternates

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Some more of the beauties of the mid-1950s. I do not recall that particular contest, but it must have Prentiss county-wide. Two winners from BHS is not a bad showing!
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Sent by Nancy Faye Goodson Bruce.

School Paper Editor and Helpers

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A photo of the school paper staff about 1955. The paper was named the "BHS Spotlight" and was published in the Baldwyn Weekly News each week. From time to time we post the Spotlight on this blog. We have received a few and you will see them in the near future.
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Thanks to Nancy Faye Goodson Bruce.

Most Friendly Boy and Girl at BHS

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This category (most friendly of BHS students) was usually correctly voted each year. These two were very friendly, helpful kids as stated. Both are doing well these days - Nancy came to Baldwyn last Okeelala Day to the breakfast at Agnew's and we all were glad to see her.
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Shared by Nancy Faye Goodson Bruce

TomBigBee Basketball Champs 1958

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Another photo of the fine Bearcat basketball team of 1958. I think that the person identified as Don Curtis is actually Harold Deen Grissom, but not sure (help).
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Courtesy of Nancy Faye Goodson Bruce.

'64 Seniors Last Will and Testament

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Remember these articles that the seniors posted in the newspaper each year? Most were straight to the point and humorous. This one is no different - I'll bet some of the things mentioned may have actually happened after the writing....

Writer unknown.
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Shared by Dianne Brann Deshler (BHS '64).

1957 Senior Class Facts

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Another clipping of some information of the '57 senior class. Tattered and worn like some previous ones, it only has a line or two on the bottom illegible.

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Submitted by Nancy Goodson Bruce.

As Requested - History of Baldwyn School

We've had quite a number of requests for the history of ole BHS since some stories of teachers was posted recently. The articles shown above are from the Weekly News on the date shown. The photos are part of an article published in the same paper by Gwen Norman at a different time. The top photo is the school known as the "three-gabled" building. It and the other pictured school were located downtown by the highway and on Main street. I remember the day it burned.

The school we knew in the 40s and 50s is pictured at the top of this blog home page. The modern school buildings can be seen on the school web site.

The page containing this story was very deteriorated and ragged. I hope you can get as much of the transition between the pages as possible. I'll try to find a better copy and re post it if I do.
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Click on photos to enlarge.

That "Dreaded" Report Card

Ran across this little reminder we got every few weeks that showed how we were progressing in school. This card format stayed the same for many years. This is an example of what we received to take and show our parents and get signed and return the next day.

It was a testimony to how we did after of the feared 6-week test cycles at BHS. This one is from a beginner with good grades, although we blurred out the names (not because of any reflection on shame or anything). Notice that the teacher was Mrs. Hallie, a matron of the Vandiver family of teaching and coaching careers at BHS.

The day the cards were given out was dreaded by some, and relished by others. I made a few "D"s myself and even a failing grade a couple of times. I was really ashamed to take it home for my parents to see with those marks.

I heard many excuses from some boys why it wasn't returned (got wet and fell apart, dog chewed it up, baby sister drooled on it, etc.) and that became very comical to everyone including the teachers. Of course those guys got a replacement to retake home for signature, or a phone call from the teacher to their parents.

Some of you who started in the mid 1940s may recall the beginner and first grades used the North end of the surplus hut near the football field. Also in the same building was the lunchroom with good food smells coming through the walls every morning. We usually got to eat first and afterward the high schoolers came flying by and getting in line for their lunch.

The Old School Buses and Public Transportation

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Pictured is Guy Mink of Pratts and his bus he owned and used for school children delivery and other purposes. There were several privately owned buses that operated to all the schools in the area including BHS. The other people in the photo are not identified. This might have been taken on an outing when he used the bus for public transportation.

DON McKIBBEN writes:

That looks like one of the buses (Guy) owned, at one time he owned 2.....it looks like an early '50's Ford....before '55. There were 3-4 similar privately-owned buses in the Baldwyn area at the time that were used during the week to transport students to school, then take those of us without private transportation to Baldwyn for shopping on Saturdays.....also Jim Barnett from the Friendship area and at least one other one from the Jericho/Geeville area that I remember.

I also remember that the Town of Baldwyn merchants subsidized these bus owners weekly for this bus service, plus each rider paid a small amount to the driver......it seems like the purchase price of SATURDAY $ TICKETS by the merchants included the $'s for the bus owners PLUS the $'s for the weekly drawings. I think I also remember that the bus owners were paid annually by the School District for the transport of students during the week....others may remember more.

Guy's bus provided an additional service on Saturdays......after all the buses arrived in Baldwyn from other areas, Guy would then drive his bus to Tupelo, charging an additional amount for that round trip. The bus would return to Baldwyn in time for those Tupelo shoppers to board the other buses to their homes.....I remember Guy having to discontinue that service when the Tupelo merchants stopped paying him. I probably rode to Tupelo more than most, as I was actively involved in the Lee County 4H Club and we had our meetings on Saturdays in Tupelo at the City/County Building......which also contained the first building elevator I had ever ridden....complete with a full-time operator ! .....(I recall) many more stories about being allowed to travel TO TUPELO WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION AT A VERY EARLY AGE !

Also, I now remember at least one other bus that delivered shoppers to Baldwyn from the East side.....one of the Peters brothers....either Orvile or Tulon at one time drove a bus from the Marietta area.
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Carl Houston: I also had an uncle who had such a bus for hire to the schools and for private transportation; Cliff Tapp had a route to the Ingram Church, Brice's Crossroads, and West Geeville areas. If you can recall, it was the blue one - being an Air Force vehicle in its beginning service. All the others were yellow, of course.
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Photo courtesy of Ellen Mink.

Another BHS Spotlight Article with Snooper

This one is from the Baldwyn News published on March 13, 1958.

We have a promise of more of these type articles if you would like to see them (please let us know).

Click on images to enlarge.
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Thanks to Tom Shellnut for this submission.

Bakers/Latimer Bios

This came from out of the Weekly News around or after 1972. It details the early days of some of our teachers through to the time they left teaching to retire.

Like them or not, they were a part of our early education and tried as best they could to make sure all children had a good learning experience.

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Submitted by Robert Palmer.

BHS Sports History

How did Baldwyn get to be known as the "Bearcats"?

In the late 1920s a committee of three or four students decided that BHS should adopt a mascot. After much consideration, they decided on the name Bearcat.

Why? Because the cross between a ferocious bear and a mean wildcat would be the "frighteningest" animal you would ever find.

Who was the first basketball coach at BHS? C. H. McNeal coached the first basketball team in 1912-13.

Who were the first members of the basketball team? Coach McNeal was in charge of directing Leon Rowan, Johnny Dewberry, Lloyd Heflin, Will Strange, Lucian Lindley, Clifford Newman, and Kirby Moffit.

When did BHS produce it's first state basketball champions? 1931-32.

When was the first BHS football team organized? 1926.

Who was the first football coach? Coach Langston.
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From the Weekly News, April 5, 1979. Submitted by Robert Palmer.