Museum News 

  CLASSEN HIGH SCHOOL MUSEUM 
is open Thursdays from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
You may call us at 405-525-3936 or Fax us at                                

405-787-6482 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our Museum News

 MUSEUM NEWS By Jean Thurston Harris ’48 

Greetings from the Classen Museum and Happy Spring to everyone!  One of the first visitors to the museum this new year was Melba O'Banion Boyd '38, who brought a box of dance programs along with a book written by Les Voss entitled Empire On Wheels - The Story Of Voss Truck Lines, the business which many of you will probably remember.  The book was given to Melba by Betty Voss, wife of Les Voss.

Melba was accompanied by a past president of the Alumni Association and good friend Betty McGalliard McInnis '35.   Betty was one of the first Classen alumni committee members and she was also the first directo of the Classen Museum which offically opened in June, 1987.  Betty is currently the 2nd Vice President of our alumni allociati, as she has agreed to replace Tony Hargis '55 who resigned from the postition.  It is hard to realize that our unique museum is approachin the 21st anniversary of the official opening.  Many addition and changes have been made since 1987 and we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our alumni, both past and present, who have worked so hard to accomplish all this!

Martha Lou Miller Findeiss '39 donated lots of pictures from the class of '39 including the class picture from the 50th reunion along with a lovely scrapbook containing many of her treasured mementos!  She also sent several copies of the Classen Life, a Comes football banquet program and a copy ot The Tattler, a publication edited by members of Classen sororities and fraternities.

Marion Oliver Guthery '50 visited the museum with Roberta Middick Manello '52 and donated several programs from her 1950 class including the senior assembly, two senior awards assemblies and a program of a play entitled "Pygmalion" presented by the Classen Little Theater under the supervision of Ms. Elaine Tucker.

Larry Wails '52 brought an old New Classen Life, Pioneer Number 1925 which was the first year Classen became a high school.  He also brought an Orbit from 1931 and the Sixth Annual Commencement program dated Wednesday, May 27, 1931.  These items had belonged originally to the late Edgar Wails '31.

Donna White LaMar '50, daughter of the late Marjorie Denniston White '31, donated several items that had belonged to her mother which included a 1931 Orbit, her senior commencement program and her diploma.  Bob Kindred '47 brought a small autograph book to the museum that someone had found and given to him.  Unfortunately, we do not know the name of the book's owner.

Mary Elizabeth Cooper Crispino '43, a.k.a. known as "Pinky", mailed us one of her teasured prize possesions to donate to our museum.  This is a wonderful scrapbook which was started in 1939 at Harding Jr. High.  She tells that they were assigned to interview certain people and businesses who were a part of that growing period.  She enclosed a letter with the scrapbook which remarked "I hope you will enjoy and treasure this scrapbook."  "Pinky", I assure you that this will be placed in our Roy Riggs Room in the museum for all to see and we do appreciate your donation.  She also sent a departmental award which she won in French at Harding Junior High School.  I am sure it was very difficult for you to part with the scapbook which was one of your most treasured mementos from school and we thank you!

On February 1, the annual Boulevard Boys Sweetheart luncheon was held at the Boulevard Cafeteria and everyone had a wonderful time!  The back room, which is always reserved for us, was completely full and we were privledged to have Valerie Harris, the Interim principal from Classen School of Advanced Studies as our guest.  She gave us a current update of activities at Classen and she brought a boy's quartet who entertained us with some great music.  A graduate from CSAS, who is a student at Oklahoma City University, played selections on his guitar.  Woody's Candy provided delicious treats and we had a wonderful chocolate cake provided by Frank Robinson and the Boulevard Boys.  If you missed this fun time, please try to attend next year which will occur on the first Friday of February.

The class of 1948 held their 60th class reunion on May 2,3, and 4.  On Saturday morning, May 3, the museum was opened to a large group who enjoyed the visit and renewed lots of memories while looking at many of the treasures our museum contains.  This issue of the NCL had already gone to press when the reunion was held so there will be a full story in the August issue and you may read all the news at that time.  Everyone enjoyed a great time celebrating when "Life Was Great In '48!"

I had an email from my long-time friend Shirley Jacobs Brown '48, who was my classmate through Hawthorne, Taft and Classen school days.  Shirley complimented the NCL staff telling that she enjoys the publication and she is more than willing to keep the same format and pay more money each year.  She refers to the article in the Winter, 2008 issue concerning our financial status and the options suggested for changing it.  Her note was forwarded to Sally Freel Brunett '54 for the Comet Comments.

On this note our Executive Secretary, Ginny Hensley, reports each month our membership is declining rapidly and that is not good.  Sadly, we are losing many of our alumni who were faithful subscribers to the NCL and we are at a crucial point in which some sort of change will need to be made.  We do not want to see the demise of the NCL, nor do we want to change the quality as it is considered one of the top high school alumni publications in the nation, as well as the entire alumni association.  Unfortunately, the majority of the younger alumni are not interested in the association at this point in their lives.  I think many of you will agree that as you mature you appreciate your memories of school days much more.  I hope when this goes to press we will have received a good response from our readers as to which option is preferred.  We do want and appreciate your input on this matter as you are very important to us and your opinion definitely does matter!

Thanks to the museum volunteers who assisted us during the past quarter.  They are Harriette Westervelt Boatright '47, Sally Freel Brunett '54, Norma Williams Colston '54, Janie Anderson Cotton '50, Buddy Donley '53, Marie Russell Harkey '38, Alyse Myers Ramsey '47, Suzanne Yowell Schneider '50, Pam Caughron Stottman '63 and Mary Ellen Wells '50.  We really appreciate our volunteers who faithfully help us each month.

We appreciate all of you and want you to take care of yourselves and stay well.  Until next time, have a good summer and we will see you in the Fall.