Lone Oak High School
Class of 1966 Collection
Class of 1966 Collection
1966 High School Memories
Under our new mobile design, it was necessary to flatten the home page menu or it would have consumed the whole page on a small screen. So several items originally referenced individually from that menu were moved to sub-categories. Like the Elementary Memories, this page is an example.
On this page we combine anything relateed to High School years, that is essentially 62 through 66. Because the 1966 Oak Leaves Annual is now presented in it's entirity as part of the LoneOakAlumni.Org Archival project, any items part of the original 1966 website that were snaps or cuts from that annual were removed. If the items go beyond the annual and may be of memory value to members of the Class of 66, they remain. Also combined are all the classmate pictures from all ages. It is interesting to what us grow. Many of these images were used for name tags in reunions. Similar teachers pictures are also provided. Include also is a link to the Chemistry class pictures posted in the 1965 collection. As Junions, many Class of 66ers are shown.
This page does run a little long, but we hope you enjoy every bit of this trip down memory lane.
There is a story here, as well there should be. The two rather interesting pictures on the left, from Diana, are apparently of their Girl Scout group - so the story goes, so you see any uniforms? The picture on the right was taken at the 40th reunion in September 2006. Still looking good.
Bluegrass Boys State was and is an annual Spring event for High School Junior boys, sponsored by the Kentucky American Legion, chaperoned by the local American Legion Chapter and other volunteers, held at various colleges across the state. In 1965, it was held at the Eastern Kentucky University at Richmond, Ky. Select Junior boys from all McCracken County High Schools participated. Bluegrass Boys State was an exercise in the establishment and operation of a mock local, county and state governments where attendees ran for political offices, campaigned, were elected and served in positions from state Governor to county offices; enacting legislation; holding court and other governmental functions. The picture and caption below is self-explanatory for the 1965 Boys State.
These of Dianne Lewis, our 1966 Basketball Queen, were taken for use in the 1966 Annual and the Oak-K. There you will find some of them or others in the same sequence. Thanks to Tony for these candid clips!
Teamwork is prized in sports, business and any organized effort. Teamwork grows out of teaching and practice, but also from the ability to anticipate the actions of other team mates in any given endeavor. Imagine a group of high school ball players that have played together since the 6th grade, under the same coach for Junior and Varsity play. The Lone Oak High School 1966 varsity basketball team was such a group. There are a lot more pictures in the 1966 Oak Leaves Annual, these are a few clippings from other sources.
The Junior Play, performed during the fall of 1964, like other presentations were "extra curricular" activities that weren't mandatory, but were very much encouraged. There were a number of opportunities from stage building, props, sound, acting and of course promotion. Most of the plays were comedies or mysteries or both, sometimes intentional, sometimes accidental, in any case it was good no one kept the outtakes.
"Henreitta the Eight" was a comedy presented totally by the Class of 66 in May of 66, a very busy month. Good thing it was a comedy as senioritis was one of the charactiers. A successful production indeed, but running up to graduation certainly not the most important thing on participants minds.
Class Night, an interesting event every year, both for the event itself and the hugh amount of preparation by many class mates leading up to the events. There is the history team, assigned to document the annuals of the class's passage through the halls of LOHS. Then, a team to collect the wills of each graduating senior to be bestowed upon under class mates. Then the prophets in the class gazed into their crystal ball to find each class member 10 years later and document the results. Then there was the fun job, identifying and classifying personality traits or incidents in the lives of each senior and assigning objects to those items; gifts. And the whole thing was GREAT FUN!!! To all those who worked hard to make every year's class night a success: Thanks... uh, no hard feelings.
Unlike some other years where the Banquet was held at the High School and the Prom at another locations, the Class of 66 Banquet and Prom was both held at the J C Civic Center. After dinner and program, some of the tables were moved to allow dancing. Unfortunate for most, fortunate for some, we don't have a lot of Prom pictures. Only a few could be gleaned from various classmates and it is pretty obvious where these came from. Maybe the purses and pockets were too small for cameras or we had other things on our mind. In any case, enjoy what we have and maybe they will stir a few memories.
The Junior-Senior Banquet-Prom Program and Memory Booklet for the evening event.
Finally, on June 2, 1966 in the Lone Oak gym, United States Senator for Kentucky John Sherman Cooper delivered the commencement address to 141 graduating seniors. The event concluded the final activities for the senior class of 66.
Senator Cooper had been a very influential Congressman in his time. A former Ambassador to India, he was well respected by Republicans and Democrats alike, serving on numerous congressional committees. Senator Cooper was also influential in Lone Oak's Marching Colonels Band's participation in the 1965 Presidential Inauguration and was quite the distinguished speaker for the graduation ceremony. Unfortunately, he spoke mostly on the conflict in Vietnam, which left senior boys fondling their deferment cards for much of the ceremony.
Following the address, Principal John Robinson, assisted by the Senior Sponsors, presented the diplomas.
The previous Sunday evening, Pastor John Wood of the First Baptist Church of Paducah, brought the Baccalaureate Sermon. He
challenged the seniors to develop a self to live with, a purpose to live for and a faith to live by. Sound advice for seniors
of all ages.
Thanks mainly to very proud parents, we do have few pictures to remember the ceremony itself, but only a few. Those we have
shown above.
Portions of the above paraphrased from "The Oak K", June 2, 1966
The following newspaper writeup about the Class of 66 graduation was published by the Paducah Sun Democrat following the event. Click on an image to expand, then click on magnify icon at top to make even larger.
