A huge crowd - much larger than estimated by even the most optimistic forecaster - attended the big 50th Anniversary Homecoming at Wink High School last weekend.

A total of 636 Wink Exes actually registered during the two-day event, and 764 persons were served at the barbecue, held Saturday night in the County Exhibition Building in Wink.

The 50th Anniversary Homecoming got underway Saturday morning at 9 a.m. with registration in the school cafeteria. There Exes from Virginia to California looked over displays of Wink souvenirs and visited with old friends - many of whom had not seen each other in years.

Registration was held Saturday afternoon in the High School Building, where it continued until 4 p.m., when a Homecoming Assembly Program got underway in the Lena Laughlin Auditorium.

Wink School Board President Dale Carman delivered the invocation to open the assembly program, and he was followed by Wink Mayor Don Tomson, who welcomed those attending. During his welcome, Mayor Tomson pointed out that the Wink City Council had voted to change the name of Kermit Avenue, which runs parallel to Wildcat Field and the school gymnasium, to Wildcat Drive.

School Superintendent Frank R. Barton then made announcements concerning the remainder of the Homecoming events.

John R Lee, a Kermit attorney, member of the first Wink Wildcat football team and a graduate of Wink High School, then gave a brief history of football in Wink. A history of the Wildcat Band was given by Lillian Horner, a former band member, WHS graduate and now a member of the school faculty. Three former directors of the Wildcat band, including the

band's first director, Earl Ray of Lubbock, were welcomed and invited to speak to the assembly. Following Ray to the microphone were Charles Eskridge of San Antonio, and band's second director, and G. L. (Jerry) McGuire of Kermit, who also served as director of the band.

High School Principal J. L. Dodd followed the band history with a history of other sports in the Wink School.

Former football coaches, including Lacy Turner, who was the school's second coach, and who led the Wildcats to many of their legendary victories on the gridiron, were presented plaques by Superintendent Barton. Plaques were presented to the band directors by Miss Horner. Superintendents of the school were then recognized by School Board President Dale Carman.

Bob Scogin, a Kermit attorney and Wink High School Ex, then

presented a plaque to John D. Crawford for being the school's first letterman. Wink School Boards were recognized by Dodd and a plaque was presented to Oran O. Whitten, who served more than 40 years, for the longest tenure on the Board of Trustees.

Plaques for the Ex who traveled the greatest distance to attend the homecoming and for the oldest Ex attending were presented by Bill Beckham, publisher of The Wink Bulletin and a member of the school's Board of Trustees.

Betty Lou Harvey Winslow of Arlington, Virginia, received the plaque for traveling the greatest distance to attend the Homecoming, and Rhonda Cook, a 1931 graduate of WHS, recieved the plaque for being the oldes Ex present at the

(See HUGE, Page 12)