A Small Town School…Memories for a Lifetime
Grace Phillips
Ashland Beacon
During the school year, you can drive by Catlettsburg Elementary and hear the laughter and chatter of children on the playground. This is now, but that wasn’t the case 50 years ago. The halls of the school were filled with high school students, grades 9-12, with teachers trying to prepare them for their future.
The school’s enrollment was declining each year and talks were being held between the Boyd County School Board and the Catlettsburg School Board about merging the two districts. Ruth Chaney was a member of the 1973 graduating class with only 47 members. Their class recently held their 50th reunion over the Labor Day weekend. She remembered hearing about the possible plans for the future of the schools because her father was very involved in the community. “I think everyone knew it was something that had to happen, but no one wanted to give up that small-town feel. They agreed it would be for the best, and of course, in the end, it was.”
With the decision made, it was decided that the class of 1974 would be the last class to graduate from Catlettsburg High School. According to Chaney, the merger didn’t really affect their senior year, “Growing up in a small community, going to a small high school has its benefits. You know everyone, and it’s like a family, but you don’t get the opportunities that you do in a larger school.”
It was a wonderful reunion of laughter and memories. For Chaney, her time in the band was the highlight of her high school years. “I was in the band for eight years. I think about all the trips we were able to take, playing for the football games...I cherish those years.”
Teresa Childers was another member of the Class of 1973. “My time there was absolutely wonderful. Everyone knew each other and their families.” She went on to say there wasn’t even a school bus until their senior year nor was there a cafeteria in the school for many years. “Everyone walked to school…a few people had cars as we got older but not many…it was a great place to grow up. For lunch, we either brought our lunch or walked home.”
Theresa Jackson still had a copy of one of their school newspapers. One of the big changes that year was a new dress code. It allowed girls to wear pants to school for the first time. Childers also commented on the dress code for boys and sideburns. “They couldn’t be flared, too wide or too long. They checked them as they came in the door, and if they weren’t right, they would send them home to get those sideburns off.”
Childers said it was very difficult for those who actually had to move to Boyd County when the merger was complete because Catlettsburg and the small school were all they had ever known.
Susan Hunt was a member of the 1974 Catlettsburg High graduating class…the final class that would ever graduate from the school. “All the high school students knew at the beginning of the school year that this would be the last year for CHS. Naturally, my classmates and I were sad knowing we were the last graduating class…but I think it was more difficult on the other classes as they would have to transition to a new high school. We were all loyal to CHS, but I think we knew the merger would allow students more opportunities.” Hunt reflected back on her graduation, “Graduation was especially hard for me and my classmates as we knew it was not only the end of our high school experience, but it was also the end of our school.”
Every person in this article was asked if there was one teacher who stood out in his/her memory. After 50 years, the answer from each one was the very same person…Robin Vanover. Donna Maynard, another member of the Class of 1973, recalled, “She was a very young teacher; we just loved her…she was like a big sister. Our freshman year, she was assigned to be our homeroom teacher.” One interesting fact that Maynard shared is there was a girl’s homeroom and a boy’s homeroom. When speaking of Mrs. Vanover, Chaney said, “She got to know us; she knew our families. Not only was she an excellent English teacher, she cared about her students. Whatever you were going through at home, you knew you could depend on her to be a source of support for you.”
Maynard continued, “The thing I remember most about CHS is the small group of us…we didn’t know anything else. I think the closeness then and growing up in a small town helped us appreciate the way we were raised. Many of us are multigenerational here…we have family here…we have roots from long ago…our parents went to the same high school…it was called Thomas R Brown at one time…there is a lot of tradition here.”
Each year, during the Labor Day weekend in Catlettsburg, there is a reunion for all classes that attended CHS and Thomas R Brown High School. This year there were approximately 180 who attended this reunion with class members from the 50’s and beyond. Maynard commented, “They honored the oldest grad who attended this year. Her name was Ann Cossett, and she was from the class of 1952. This reunion is a lot of fun…there is a roll call of years, and whether you are there alone, representing your class or with other classmates, it is so good to see everyone.”
Maynard served on the planning committee for the 50th reunion of the class of 1973; however, she also participated in committee meetings for this reunion. “I feel that it is time for the classes from the 70s to get involved and learn how they plan this reunion and keep it going. This is a very good thing. Each year, you start realizing how important this tradition is—that it continues.”
Even though nearly five decades have passed since the last graduating class walked across the stage at Catlettsburg High School, the memories will live on for many generations to come.