Committee finalizes HHS program
By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
The finishing touches to a program aimed at celebrating the 100th anniversary of Hartselle High School (formerly Morgan County High School) have been made by the HHS Centennial Planning Commit-tee.
The Down Memory Lane Event, “A Centennial Celebration of MCHS and HHS” will be staged at Hartselle Fine Arts Center (Old Burleson Elementary School) Sept. 14, beginning at 5:30 p.m. as a part of the city’s Depot Days Festival. It is sponsored annually by Hartselle Historical Society.
Open for public viewing from 5:30 to 7 p.m. (and again after the program and on Sat., Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) will be a wide assortment of school memorabilia dating from the school’s first year in 1909. The memorabilia will be displayed by decade in all four main floor classrooms and will consist of old photos, annuals, newspaper clippings, period costumes and other items of historic interest. Special displays on band and sports will be included.
Committee members and their volunteers will be available to answer questions and will remain in the display rooms at all time to ensure the security of items on display. The rooms will be locked while the program in the auditorium is taking place.
Musical entertainment will be provided in the auditorium from 6 to 7 p.m. for attendees who arrive early. Featured will be MCHS and HHS graduates playing the organ, piano, violin, flute, accordion, trumpet and guitar.
Featured on the program will be an “Early History of the School” presented in slide and narrative by MCHS graduate and local historian David Burleson. Randy Sparkman will share his memories of what it was like to attending MCHS in the 1970s when he was a student. Retired teacher and counselor Jane Wilcoxson will talk about students’ academic achievements.
Emcee of the program will be Glenn Thompson. Both Mayor Dwight Tankersley and HHS Principal Jeff Hyche welcome attendees ands make comments. Recognition will also be given to current teachers, former and retired teachers and former and current students.
The program will conclude with the singing of the school alma mater.
Bettye English is chairing the Centennial Planning Committee. Its members include: Cherie King, Carolyn Halford, Susan Hayes, David Burleson, Dianne Griffith, Jane Wilcoxson, Faye Walker, Randy Sparkman, Ruth Cain, Mitch Coon, Anthony Patterson, Frank Parker. J.P. and Ruth Cain, Franklin Penn, Clif Knight, Charlsa Perdew, Jeff Hyche, Diana Sparkman, Amy King Robinson, Amy Hill, Amy Bell, LouAnn Stephenson, Martha Taul, Mike Sparkman, Jane Turney, Sandra Smith, Glenn Thompson, Jimmy Yarbrough and Pearl McCarley.
