Industrial school district builds memories, family spirit for 60 years
Community celebrates Industrial High's 60th anniversary
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Industrial Independent School District anniversary events
Things remembered program
7:45 p.m. Thursday
Representatives from every decade will speak about their memories of the school in the
Industrial High School auditorium.
Past, present and future ...
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Industrial Independent School District anniversary events
Things remembered program
7:45 p.m. Thursday
Representatives from every decade will speak about their memories of the school in the
Industrial High School auditorium.
Past, present and future program and school tours
Friday, auditorium
The program will be presented every hour, except during the pep rally from 9:45-10:45 a.m. The first tour begins 8 a.m. and the last 3 p.m. An Industrial museum will be showcased featuring a football helmet signed by former Gov. George Bush, vintage letter jackets, a twirler outfit from the 1980s and more school memorabilia.
Football game, Industrial vs. Danbury
4:30-7:00 p.m. Football Pre-game meal, high school cafeteria
Cost: $7.50
Barbecue plate with sides sponsored by Industrial Future Farmers of America.
7:30 p.m., Cobra Field
Representatives from every decade will be recognized on the track before the game.
For more information, contact Tony Williams, Industrial school district superintendent, at 361-284-3226.
INDUSTRIAL MEMORIES
"Industrial Independent School District is a family-oriented school district. It gives me great pride and pleasure to have graduated and now work for the finest school district in South Texas. I, Genevieve (Zacek) Wolter, graduated in 1969 and have given 20 years to Industrial first as a high school secretary and now as a teacher. I was fortunate to have raised my children in this community most of their rearing years and then be able to send them to school at Industrial.
My fondest memories of Industrial are the old gym and school buildings. At first, I was very reluctant about the remodeling and tearing down, but I know changes had to be done. Our dressing rooms, cafeteria and elementary music room was underground and the gymnasium was on top. Also our elementary school and the high school were in the same building.
I can also remember the times my bus driver/high school math teacher would actually take me to my house when I lived over a half mile off the main road. Some of those times would be because I did not do so well on a math test. Therefore, he would drive me all the way to the house and stay to tutor me.
We, the people of Industrial-past and present, carry on an upstanding reputation that I truly hope continues in years to come. Wherever we go and people ask where we are from, we can say with pride "Industrial." Numerous responses have been "Oh, that is the great school district close to Victoria." Yes, that is us with what you call Cobra Pride."
- Genevieve Wolter, Industrial school district teacher, class of 1969
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have graduated from Industrial. We always viewed our class as being unique because we were graduating in the year 2000. While I was in high school the district was in the process of lots of changes - in size the school went from 2A to 3A and the school also began its renovation process.
One of the most exciting experiences for me was to cheer at the infamous Industrial/Ganado football game held on Halloween night. Both schools were in the running for the playoffs and even Jay Leno made a joke about us on "The Tonight Show" that the towns moved Halloween to a different night because of the football game.
Industrial provided me with a great education, but most importantly taught me life lessons, such as the value of family and community support and showing respect for yourself and others."
- Jessica Hunt, Edna, class of 2000
"One of the most unique events while we were there was Hurricane Carla in 1961. We stayed in Vanderbilt to keep the school open as a refugee center.
The first inkling that Carla was headed our way was when we heard on the radio, 'Good news, the hurricane is heading for the sparsely populated area between Corpus Christi and Houston.' Guess where we were?
About 100 people joined us. It was a combination of being afraid and excited. Of feeling that we were doing something useful or wondering how did we get into this mess. Eight people and two dogs spend three days in my office.
We spent a good part of the time standing at the window in the science classroom watching buildings and roofs fly by. When the teachers' community garage blew away and left the cars standing, one of the teachers commented that now she would not need to get that lock on her garage door fixed.
We were a bit concerned that the rain would blow in on the science lab storeroom thus causing fires and explosions, so I recruited one of the top chemistry students to come in and identify everything he knew of that would react violently with water and we moved it into safer territory.
When the eye passed over, Matry, my wife, went home (just across the street) and cooked for the eight of us in the office.
I mentioned that about 100 people were there. Once at the height of the storm I walked by the library and some of them had set up a chapel. The roof was leaking badly and many of them were on their knees praying. I prayed but kept walking.
One of the neat things was the way that when the storm abated, everyone cleaned up the area where they had stayed before going home. Kind of touching."
- Jim Clark, Austin, high school principal 1952-1963
VANDERBILT - For Corrine Reeves and her family, the feelings for Industrial High School are more than just school spirit.
"My family goes on and on with Industrial ties," Reeves said, flipping through relics of her high school years on her kitchen counter. She still has her varsity volleyball letter and graduation invitation from more than 60 years ago.
Industrial School District will celebrate its 60th anniversary this week.
For Reeves, 84, the celebration is a family affair.
She graduated valedictorian of the 11-member senior class of Vanderbilt High School in 1942. She married her high school sweetheart, Orville Browning.
After about 20 years of marriage, Browning died. Years later, Reeves remarried.
Her four children as well as their children also graduated from the school, which later became Industrial High School. Several great-grandchildren currently attend.
"It's like a family," said Kari Hayden, Reeves' 35-year-old granddaughter. Hayden also married her Industrial High School sweetheart, Jason, a star athlete. The two moved away but returned so their children, like their parents before them, could attend Industrial schools. "Some are real family and some just feel like it," she said.
The Industrial school district was consolidated in 1949 and consisted of 900 students, 12 buses and one station wagon, according to a 1949 article in the Edna Herald.
It was named Industrial because of the nearby oil fields that changed the economic climate of the area.
The district was once considered one of the wealthiest school districts in Texas with assets of $40 million.
For Reeves, the daughter of a modest farmer, the creation of the school meant one thing - she could finish her high school education.
"The oil industry actually boomed it up," she said. "Up until then the farmers' kids just didn't get an education, with the exception of a few who were able to form carpools and finish in Edna."
Reeves fingers through a black and white annual and yellowing photos; she remembers when the school still met outdoors and how it felt to attend school in a time of war.
"Everybody was in shock and they told us to go to our homeroom and listen and we did," she remembers. "And the first thing we could think of - the boys - was, 'I wonder if we'll be able to graduate?'"
Today, the school district consists of four schools.
Although the times and buildings have changed, the people have not. Many students can trace their family trees to former students or teachers, and though families move away, many, like Hayden, return.
"They have a very vested interest in the school doing well," Hayden said. "It's their family. They're not just some teachers who teach. When they look at any group and class they have, they can go through, and they are all connected."
Reeves and Hayden can rattle off classmates who've married or whose children now teach in the school they once attended. The two admit there's a charm that keeps bringing people back.
"There's not a day that goes by that we're not thankful to be there," Hayden said. "We have the school support, we have the family support. You don't get that when you're our on your own. We're very blessed."
