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The Beaver School Alumni Association met Saturday, May 27, 2005 at the high school auditorium following a bountiful catered banquet, served by Bette Skaggs and crew at Cactus Grill. The stage decorations were furnished by the school and the Beaver Booster Club.
Presiding officer was president Mechille (Calhoun) Pester. Mary Ester (Murray) Sallee, vice-president opened the meeting by welcoming all those in attendance and gave an overview and statistics of the 2005-06 school year in sports, scholastic and music. After all repeated the flag salute, the Rev. Dr. Herb Bridgewater, class of 1956 offered the invocation.
Other officers of the alumni are treasurer Vera Floyd and secretary Cheley McAlister.
The association presented $350 scholarships to Cody Cline and Candice Covel, 2006 graduates of Beaver High School, all of whom are children of former alumni of Beaver Schools.
The following officers were elected by acclamation to serve in 2007: president, Mary Ester Murray Sallee; vice-president, Herb Bridgewater; treasurer, Vera Floyd; and secretary, Cheley McAlister.
A beautiful statue of a girl reclining as she reads a book was presented to the school in honor of Herb and Oleta Sumrall Hendricks. Ron Hendricks and his sisters, Janis Moreland and Joyce Keel gave this to be placed in the school library. Herb Hendricks served as the elementary principal of the schools for many years before retiring.
Honored classes and their spokespersons were: Class of 1986, Stuart Bensch; Class of 1976, Keith Shadden; Class of 1961, Alan Clark; Class of 1966, Sharon Getz Ferguson; Class of 1961, Ron Hendricks; Class of 1956, Darrell Devers and Herb Bridgewater. In behalf of the class of ’56, Herb presented a “cane” to the president of the ’57 class, Dennis Sharp. The “cane” has all the features necessary to be helpful to the “older” folk. Evelyn Reddick Shadden represented the Class of 1951; Class of 1946, Rita Royce Cunningham Reed; Class of 1926, Ruth Davis Kile, who said to her knowledge, she was the last surviving member of her class.
Gifts from the alumni association were presented to Dick Hendricks, class of ’56, from Sterling AK, who came the farthest distance. The oldest classmate in attendance was Ruth Davis Kile.
To conclude the evening, the audience sang the alma mater and Mary Esther Sallee played the Duster’s “fight song” on the trumpet.
Out-of-town registrants were the following: Ron and Carol Crossley, Cleveland GA; Dick and Betty Hendricks, Sterling AK; Jacque Lou Altman Adams, Woodward; Loyd Bishop, Ponca City; Dean and Virginia Niles, Edmond; Harlen Edwards, Corinth TX; Roberta Edwards, Cedar Hill TX; LaWanda and Jim Newton, Afton; Norma Barby Cafky, Norman; J. D. Batman, Madill; Joyce Maschino Mitchell, Enid;
Also Don and Carlene Pascoe Hill, Locust Grove VA; Kathal Lansden Bales, Norman; Larry Bennett, Edmond; Ron Hodges, Tonkawa; Aleta Redemer Arvieux, Cushing; Calista Anderson, Cushing; Lena and Ralph Sistrunk, Wellington KS; Dave and Elaine Clapper, Brandenburg KY; Vickie Prevo, Houston TX; Bob Burditt, Silsbee TX; Del and Carol Wilmoth, Claremore; Donna Wilmoth West, Midland TX;
Also Vernon and Joyce Searcy, Canyon TX; Barbara and Jerry Hager, Ford KS; Stuart Bensch, Blackwell; Shirley and Gordon Shuck, Sangudo, Alberta Canada; Don and Esther Nelson, Colorado Springs Co; Lois Cunningham Reeves, Madill; Tacey and Shawn Sartorius, Laurel MT; Max Stapp, Edmond; Scott and Courtney Enlow, Franklin TN; Judy Ridgeway, Norman; Doris Huguley, Norman; Cal and Janis Hendricks Moreland, Granburg, TX; Don and Joyce Hendricks Keel, Edmond;
Also Gene and Lavora Parker, Bokchito; Carolyn Maschino Meier, Enid; Sharon Ferguson, Humble TX; Hollis Peery, Fayetteville NE; Ron and Sharon Hendricks, Oklahoma City; Moylene Bridgewater Davis, Goodwell; Colleen Bridgewater Burdge, Texhoma; Nell Hill, Pauls Valley; Roy Hoover, Clinton; Betty Ritter and Louie Zirkel, Garden City KS; Wendy Williams, Seattle WA; Jack Cassity, Mesquite NV; Ann Mahanay, Amarillo TX; Roe May, Enterprise AL; Vesta Haskell Patee, Winston Salem NC; Peggy Haskell Lemons, White Deer TX;
Also Cheryl Haskell McNabb, Enid; Roy and Mildred Mahaffey, Darrouzett TX; Bob G. Taylor, Laverne; Rita Royce Cunningham Reed, Shawnee; Alan Haskell, Liberal; Rheba Gregg, Oklahoma City; Julie Gregg Bailey, Plano TX; Randy Ullrich, Ft. Worth TX; Ernest and Claudia Mathis Edwards, Roanoke TX; and Fern and Clifford Niles, Brownfield TX.

Here we are about 58 years earlier. At least most of us. Some of us came after the 4th grade, some of us left before 1956. I hate to admit that my memory has faded a bit. Some I don't recognize. Marita Bolson, the short girl in the middle, was one who left, moved to Alva, I think.

Some faces are so much in shadows that I can't tell who they are. I remember Clyde Nicholson, whom I believe was in this class, but I don't know which of those I don't recognize he is.

Mrs. Watson was our teacher, remember we all signed a petition and took it to the school board asking that she teach us in the 5th grade, too. Dick Hendricks, I think was the instigator of this.

At any rate, this should stir a few brain cells among most of us.

Loyd M. Bishop

These are the ones I can identify. Left to right:
Front row: Keith Williams, Ronald Cramer?, Dick Hendricks, Loyd Bishop, Roe May, Vernon Sercy, Larry Wolf, A. V. Hill?, ____________, ___________, _________. Second Row: Shirley Ford,. Valois Pittman, Carlene Pasco, Clyde Nicholson (maybe), ________ (can’t see face well enough to know), Barbara Hancock, Vesta Hyatt, maybe Norma Barby”, Jacque Altman, Marita Bolson, ___________, Terry Floyd, _________, __________, Back Row, Mrs. Vera Watson, __________, Ronnie Hodges, Marquita Taylor, Herb Bridgewater, ________, _______, _________, Del Wilmoth, Ronnie Crossley, Cheley Lansden, Donald Langley, _____________. There’s a bunch I cant recall, and I’ll allow anyone to dispute my IDs. That many brain cells having died in 58 years. I can only guess at