Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

All-Class Reunion: Rutledge looks back at Kimball's booming days

Jeri Hays (Halstead) Rutledge graduated from Kimball High School on a Thursday, she recalled, as was customary at the time.

Rutledge, a 1975 graduate in a class of around 90, said that students were required to attend the baccalaureate, offered the Sunday prior to graduation.

Before graduation, Rutledge recalls her school experience, different in many ways but still so familiar.

Rutledge remembers that not only was the oil field booming, but Boeing was also in town during her school years.

"I remember we had split shifts. My brother did, when he was in fourth and fifth grade, because there were so many kids, they had to split their classes," she recalled. "Half went in the morning and half in the afternoon."

Rutledge attended high school in the newer high school and was a junior high student at the "old" high school.

"I think my sister, who graduated in 1969, her class was the first to go freshman through senior in the new school, I think," Rutledge recalled.

She participated in pep club, FHA and chorus, and she recalls opportunity for students to join many activities in high school.

Rutledge also remembers both rivalries and camaraderie with different schools throughout the region, including Dix and Bushnell, who each had their own high schools.

"We had a pep club and got to go to games on a bus," Rutledge said. "You know, we had an awesome school system with some awesome teachers."

Rutledge's favorite class was high school history with Mr. (Butz). Mr. Royals was her favorite junior high teacher.

Cruising main was a popular entertainment when Rutledge was growing up, but she and her siblings all worked instead.

"My mom had six kids and if we wanted anything, we had to work," Rutledge said. "Dragging main is what we called it, and honking horns. I can't remember anybody really getting in trouble."

Defining moments for Rutledge in high school was losing a classmate, Allen Bowman, during her senior year. At that time, she said, families kept to themselves more, and the support that families see now did not happen.

"I can't remember anything like that when I was growing up. It was traumatic for us, that stands out," Rutledge said. "It doesn't seem like it has been 40 years."

Many things have changed, Rutledge said, including the graduation ceremony. Graduation occurred in the auditorium on a Thursday with a mandatory baccalaureate on Sunday.

"We never got out a week ahead of time either. I like it now because when we graduated we never had the baby pictures and we didn't do the flowers," Rutledge said. "The biggest change is the number of kids in the classes, and the decline of businesses. It was really sad that they had to close West (Elementary) because of the decline in kids."

Rutledge's class, which she recalls as more cliquish than others.