Now the history of the Class of 1950, of the High School of the City of Dickens, County of Dickens, State of Texas, is in the wise:
In the beginning, in the year 1939 of our Lord, in the ninth month, there entered into the Land of Learning, six and twenty seekers of knowledge. Some came up from town, some from the South, some from the North, and a few from Wichita, where they had for many days been busily engaged in storing their minds with honey of wisdom in order that they might enter the Land of Learing with great zeal.
And it came to pass, as they did enter this land, that they were received with wild welcomings and rejoicings by those who it was decreed should henceforth lead them up the slippery by-ways of knowledge.
And as they dwelt long in the land, they fell in with the customs of the inhabitants thereof, and their strangeness wore away, and they each became as one among the rest.
Now it came to pass, soon after they entered the land, that they were one and all seized with a strange infirmity, which did cause them to act with much fierceness and strangeness of manner, and to grapple and wrestle with their fellow sin much rage and seeming ferocity. Wise men were called to look upon them, who did examine them and much care and pains, and did finally pronounce the infirmity in the male "football" and in the female "basketball," and did assure the frightened leaders that the malady, while it needs must be contagious, and likewise sometimes fatal, was yet a necessary evil, and one that even the wise men knew not the way to lure. So, with anxious fears, and dire forebodings, did the instructors allow the disease to run its natural course, and lo, none were killed, and a few were seriously injured, whereat there was great rejoicing throughout the land.
And it came to pass, after some months, that their eyes were turned toward graduation, but many, with one consent, began to make excuses.
The first said, "I am poor in health, therefore, I cannot graduate."
Another said, "I must need toil at home, therefore, I cannot graduate."
A third said, " I am dull and cannot learn, I pray thee have me excused."
And still another said, "I am going to be married, and therefore, I need not graduate."
So thus did the class decrease in number until the whole number at the final year was six.
Now it so happened that this land to which they had come in their last year, was ruled over by one known as Harry Martin, a man of much wisdom; and at the beginning he spoke unto them, saying:
"Go gather ye in a body, and organize yourselves into a class, that ye may gain in strength, and that your courage may wax hot."
And as he spoke unto them, so was it done, and they chose their wisest one to be their leader, John L. Koonsman, and called themselves the Class of 1950, with much pride.
Maude Edwards started to school in 1939 at Dickens Public School. She graduated from grade school as valedictorian in 1946. She entered high school as a shy little girl but with much coaxing she was persuaded to take part in school activities. She lettered in basketball each year in high school. Since she is interested in homemaking, she was very good in Home Economics and received two medals for sewing and cooking. Maude was president of the home Economic Club for two years. She proved her ability to act by portraying "M'liss" in the Junior play. Maude´s friendship is held in high esteem by both boys and girls in the school. To prove this she was crowned queen by the football squad in 1948. Then in 1949 she brought glory and recognition to the Senior Clas by being crowned queen of the annual school carnival. She graduated from high school with the honor of being the valedictorian of her class.
Charles Dale Butler stated to school at Patton Springs in 1938. In January of 1939, he moved with his parents to Dickens and enrolled in school there. He was continued in this school the remaining period of his public school career. "Little Charlie" was very meek his Freshman year, but gang way for him his last three years. He proved himself a great actor and a ladies' man in the Junior play, "M'liss." Then in the fall of 1949, when the football boys fell in line, Charles was right there to carry the pigskin. He played a swell season but had the misfortune of receiving an injury in his collar bone during the last game of the season. As class officers, he has been a great vice-president and an able assistant on the annual staff.
Idell Kimmel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Kimmel started school in the year 1938 of our Lord, entered East Ward School at Spur at the age of seven. Idell, went skipping alone the path of learning. She always wanted what other people had, so in her first year in school she took the unwanted measle and mumps. Due to the fact that she was busy taking things, and the lack of a very minor part of education, study, she was forced to stay in the first grade two years. Idell started studying by spurts. She went from the second, third, and fourth grades with flying colors. But when she reached the fifth grade, like all other little girls, she had others on her mind to study about besides books, and naturally, she took to the male sex and was quite content to spend two years gaining her knowledge of the fifth grade, but was sent on to the sixth grade. When, at last, Idell was ready to enter high school, she moved to the fair city of Dickens. Idell has taken part in all school activities. She made a good Inn-Keeper in the Junior play, "M'liss.". Idell has tried to make believe that she was not too interested in school at one time or another, but we know she has enjoyed every miute she´ been in school and regrets that her public school days are no more.
Mickey Green started to school when he was six years old. His first year in school he took a special course in science with the old bridge down the road, as his classroom and mother nature his able instructor. Mickey´s second year in school, he was helped along by his parents carrying the board of education, or giving him to taste of hickory tea. But as time rolled on, Mickey decided he liked school and went along with this class just fine until his sixty year when he was introduced to the work, "study." He had a hard time comprehending the meaning of this work but through the efforts of his teach, he made the best grades he had ever made. In 1946 Mickey delighted his parents, as well as teachers and friends, by graduating from grade school. Mickey really began to live when he entered high school. He took part in school activities. He lettered four years in football, three in basketball, and two in baseball. Besides being a great athlete, he has gone around breaking all the girls´ hearts. Mickey was chosen as escort in the carnival queens´ race when he was a Junior but the last minute he appeared, "as the boy with a rip in his pants," we wonder, and Bobby Gannaway became his proxy. After all Mickey is going to be missed around these parts.
Joanne (Jan) Fellmy daughter of the postmaster in Dickens, after his death her mother served as postmaster for a few years and Mary Jo Brown followed her. Jan started first grade in Dickens, graduated from there at the age of sixteen and was married at the age of seventeen. While in grade school she participated in the Interscholastic League spelling and declamation contests, with a number of blue ribbons. She routinely read at least 100 books per year, and had read just about all of the elementary and high school library books before graduating from eighth grade. Jan starred in many school plays, and loved literature and English; she also won first place in several home economics sewing competitions . She loved to roller skate around the old courthouse (much prettier in those days when it was painted white and surrounded by big trees) and was fortunate enough to have horses in which she participated in barrel races at the rodeos while in high school. Most of the city block surrounding their house was their horse pasture. She got her first job as a typist at the courthouse at the age of fifteen, earning the great sum of $5.00 per day.
There were 25 freshmen who entered Dickens High School and only six graduated: Joanne (Jan) Fellmy, Idell Kimmel, Maude Edwards, John L. Koonsman, Mickey Green, and Charles Dale Butler. The girls dropped out to get married, and for the most part, the boys dropped out to join the armed forces.