BHS 1960 CLASS — Members of the Bishop High School Class of ‘60 pose for a picture at the reunion dinner held May 14 at the Woman’s Club of Kingsville. Former class mates attended the 50th class reunion in conjunction with the Bishop’s Centennial events that week-end. Pictured from left seated are Teo McDonald, Mary Pack, Stanley Webb, Jeanette Box. Second row from left pictured are Ruthie Smith, Waldean, Richter, Gloria Pfenninger, Ginger Odom, Delia Zisman, Leola Garrett, teacher, Louise Mohn Brown, teacher. Back row from left pictured are Glenn Carr, Manuel Gutierrez, Joe Smith, Sylvia Terry, Dolores McEntire, Joan Dean, Suzie Theis, David Theis, Edward Jungmann, Leon Bertram, teacher. Strolling down memory lane, recalling happy days, receiving the best education with the best teachers, creating life-long friends and treasuring family life — members of the Bishop High School Class of 1960 gathered together to celebrate their 50th reunion.

BHS 1961 Class — Members of the Bishop High School Class of ‘61 were invited to attended the 50th class reunion of the BHS Class of ‘60. They pose for a picture May 14 at the first reunion event which was a dinner at the Woman’s Club of Kingsville. Pictured are sitting from left Martha Joy Wright, Leola Garrett, teacher. Second row from left are Barbara Graham, Peggy Diveny, Vicki Jurica, Claudia Meismer, Leon Bertram, teacher and Louise Mohn-Brown, teacher. Third row from left are Larry Graham, Roxy Robinson, Don Haygood, Buddy Jones. Amidst hugs, kisses, and smiles, class mates reminisced about the good old days when they were young. Some of the members had not seen each other for 50 year, but after chatting together it was as if they had never been apart. Everyone seemed happy, healthy, and friendly and wished they could have spent more time together during the 50th BHS reunion held May 14 and 15th in conjunction with the Bishop Centennial activities held that weekend. The 1960 BHS graduated 57 students.

EX-QUARTERBACK — Gordon Box and wife Jeanette (Michalk) Box are pictured. He was a Badger quarterback and she was the 1960 homecoming queen. After high school they went their separate ways. They met each other again three years ago and married last year. They live in Austin. The former classmates shared stories about their teachers, classes, football games, school dances, hanging out at Dairy Queen, going to Skee’s Drive to order coke floats and eating cheeseburgers for 35 cents, hamburgers for 25 cents and french fries for 25 cents.

But most of all they remembered each other and the lifelong friendships they shared.

However, the real celebrities of that night were the BHS teachers honored by their former students at the dinner held May 14 at the Woman’s Club in Kingsville. Honored were Mrs. Leola Garrett, the business teacher; Mrs. Louise Mohn- Brown, home economics teacher and Mr. Leon Bertram, history teacher. Their former students echoed the same opinion: “They were the best teachers we had because we learned from them and knew they cared about us.” All three teachers looked much younger than their ages.

CLASSMATES REMEMBERED-Nancy Sandoval looks at a photo of her husband, Henry Sandoval, BHS Class of ‘60 who passed away in 2004. Twelve members from this class have died. Mrs. Brown taught until 1960 when she moved to Columbus, North Carolina.

“I loved all of my kids and enjoyed teaching them home economics,” Mrs. Brown said. Boys also took home economics classes then. Mrs. Brown, 87, said she was pleased with this honor and traveled from her home in Columbus, North Carolina to attend the reunion.

TWIRLERS — Former BHS twirlers pose for a picture at the 1960 class reunion dinner. They are Vicki (Vandermeer), left, Class of ‘61, and Delia (Trevino) Zisman. They hadn’t seen each other in 50 years. Mrs. Garrett is proud to let people know she is 94 years old. “When people ask me what I owe my longevity to, I tell them: ‘ I taught school in Bishop to the most wonderful students anywhere.’

Her teaching career spanned from 1949 until 1975. She still lives in Bishop.

Stanley Webb, who served as master of ceremony, thanked his fellow classmates for attending the reunion and also those who attended from the class of 1961.

“As a group we are celebrating the 100th town celebration with our 50th reunion. This is more than a class reunion because many of us have a good relationship with other classes and the Class of ‘61 is being associated with our group,” he said.

HONORED TEACHER-Former Bishop High School teachers were honored by the 1960 class who praised them for being outstanding teachers who provided an excellent education for them and cared for them as students. Pictured from left seated are Mrs. Leola Garrett, business teacher and Mrs. Louise Mohn -Brown, home economics teacher and Leon Bertram, history teacher. “We have been blessed throughout the years with our education.” said Webb who lives in Bishop.

He also presented a gift, a decorative angel art piece, to Ginger Compton Odom of Rosenberg for being instrumental in coordinating this reunion, past reunions and keeping classmates together. “Virginia is our class angel,” Webb said, referring to Odom.

Then, Webb shared with the audience that two former classmates married last year. This was a romantic story. Last year the former BHS Badger football quarterback married the former high school homecoming queen. Gordon Box, the quarterback, and Jeannette Michalk dated during high school. He escorted her when she was named the homecoming queen. After high school they went their separate ways. Three years ago they met at a reunion. They now live in Austin.

HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS — These two couples at the Bishop High School 50th reunion were high school sweethearts and married after graduation. Pictured from left are David and Sue (Mohn) Theis who married in 1963. They live in Boerne. GC Dean and Joan (Pohlmeyer) Dean married in 1961. They live in San Antonio. A few of the couples had been high school sweethearts and married after graduation. G.C. Dean and Joan (Pohlmeyer) Dean married in 1961. They live in San Antonio. David and Sue (Mohn) Theis married in 1963 and live in Boerne.

CLASS ANGEL — Stanley Webb, master of ceremonies at the dinner, presented Ginger (Compton) Webb an angel decoration art piece. Webb referred to her as an angel because she has kept the 1960 BHS class in contact with each other and has coordinated the reunion events. Throughout the night people shared information about their lives and the reunion. Delia (Trevino) Zisman and her husband, Paul said they were so impressed about how genuine and friendly their former classmates were toward everyone.

“It was such a wonderful reunion with people being so genuine and caring with each other,” said Delia Zisman, who traveled with her husband Paul from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the first reunion she has ever attended.

The members of the Class of ‘60 shared many thoughts on their memories growing up in Bishop and being a part of Bishop High School. These were some of comments shared that night.

“This 50th class reunion means a lot to me, and I think that majority of our class feels the same way. Fifty years is a long time, but we still have memories, love and care for one another. Our lives have separated, and we have all gone all directions, some have become wealthy and others have made a separate living, but we still care for one another and style of life doesn’t change the way we feel,” said Odom.

She recalled living in Bishop in the 50’s when families went everywhere together and to all the school functions. Bishop had a Youth Center where dances were held every Saturday night with the jukebox playing songs like “Earth Angel,” the “Great Pretender,” and plenty of rock and roll songs from Little Richard, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis.

“It really does not seem that long ago when we walked across the stage at Bishop High School,” said Mary Weiser Pack, one of the reunion organizers.

“I feel our class was very close knit and thanks to Ginger Compton Odom we are pretty well caught up to date with our classmates as you never know when you will see them again,” Pack said. “Bishop is pretty well gone but our memories of the parades, pep rallies, and just the friendliness of the people can never be taken away.”

“Growing up we never had to lock our doors and cars and we could walk places and our parents did not have to worry about us,” said Pack who lives in Harlingen.

“We love coming to see our classmates and catch up because you know you belong to the Class of ‘60,” said Jeannette M. Box.

“We could drive all afternoon for 25 cents worth of gas,” recalled Waldene (Kubsch) Richter, another one of the reunion organizers who lives in Tomball..

“We are very close knit and once we start talking it seems as we had never been apart,” said Roxy Robinson, Class of ‘61.

Roel Lopez, of Bishop, remembered the good teachers and principals at BHS. “We used to go to the Dairy Queen and ride around town and go to Kingsville,” said Lopez who retired from Flint Hills. David Theis recalled the excellent teachers like, Mrs. Wakeland, who also taught his parents.

“This reunion is awesome,” said Gloria (Hancoch) Pfenninger of La Vernita. “I remember I loved this small school.” The main reunion began at the Woman’s Club of Kingsville Friday night, May 14. During the day Friday and Saturday some of the class members visited the Bishop Centennial celebration events. On Saturday they met for a dinner at King’s Inn. The social and dance were held Saturday night at the Celanese Chemcel Club House in Bishop.

Some members of the BHS Class of ‘60 attended the last reunion in April 2008 in Fulton-Rockport and another reunion was held April 2005 held at the Flying L Guest Ranch in Bandera. The 50th BHS reunion was so successful some of the classmates want to meet again next year.