Gallery · Photographs & memories

A Treasure Trove of Memories

School days through Larry Griggers’s camera.

Larry Griggers, Class of ’66, LHS portrait

By Larry Griggers, Class of ’66

There is a treasure trove of memories stored away in the closets of LHS alumni. Just before the November 27, 2004 all-year reunion, while visiting my mother, my wife Debbie was helping her clean out her closets and discovered a photo album I made while a junior at LHS. At the time I was serving on the Mastiff staff and taking campus pictures for the annual. Let’s see if you enjoy seeing these photos again as much as I did.

Around Campus

Outdoor pep rally near the canteen and breezeway — Outdoor pep rallies were a great way to get fired up for a ball game, especially the hot rivalry between the Lyons Bulldogs and the Vidalia Indians. These pep rallies often took place just outside the canteen by the breezeway.

The school canteen entrance — The entrance to the canteen was a center of campus activity and the place to be during recess.

Cathy McArthur looking toward the camera — "You are NOT going to take my picture, are you?" Cathy McArthur aims a questioning look at the photographer.

Mr. Jack Sapp, LHS Industrial Arts teacher — Mr. Jack Sapp taught Industrial Arts at Lyons High.

Students in a classroom — You should have been in this class when the debate started over the color of the inside of a watermelon. Anybody remember?

Coach Mac Morrison teaching World History — Coach Mac Morrison taught World History and was very popular among the students.

Students in English class — Reading, writing and arithmetic. English class was as important then as it is now.

Students using manual typewriters — Notice that all the typewriters were manual. There was one Selectric Typewriter that arrived in 1965 that was electric. It had a little ball that spun around and positioned the proper letter over the paper. That was real progress. Mr. Archie Toler taught the class.

Students showing the fashions of their school days — Notice the dress and the hairstyles. Each era adopts its own look and that was ours.

Roland Bass, Ronnie Stewart and Pete Wright in the breezeway — Roland Bass, Ronnie Stewart and Pete Wright in the Breezeway.

Susan Coleman and Shawnee Merritt waiting after class — Susan Coleman and Shawnee Merritt are waiting after class for a ride home in my new 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 with four barrel carburetor and 390 cubic inch engine .... remember how we were so proud of our wheels? A car to a teenage guy meant freedom and independence and it really attracted the girls.

Students during recess — Everybody had some place to be most of the time, but those recesses allowed a few minutes to just do what you wanted to do.

Students gathered on the school steps — Color film wasn't the best back in those days, but it gives you a more realistic view of life on campus. That's Tim Palmer coming down the steps. Might be Fran Pugsley in the white sweater sitting to his right. Sitting with her might be Cherry Boatright. John Todd is drinking a coke while chatting with David Thigpen. Greg Wilkes is in the tan sweater further right holding a coke.

Students sitting and standing near the steps — Earldeen Todd is facing left. Patsy Wilds is sitting on the steps. Lamar Mosley is holding a coke. Remember the patches on the elbows of the sweaters like Roland Bass is wearing (back to us).

Classmates gathered for a conversation — Cherry Boatright, Deloris Thompson, ???, David Thigpen, Wayne Jarrell discuss the latest campus gossip.

Teachers seated together in the lunchroom — The teachers always sat at this table in the lunch room. Coach Bill Schofield, Jack Sapp, J. H. Collins, Powell Collins, and Coach Mac Morrison discuss their strategy for salvaging this generation of students!

A school pep rally — Who were the red devils? I remember the pep rally, but I can't remember the name of the team. Can you?

J. H. Collins teaching in a classroom — Mr. J. H. Collins teaches us about the periodic chart of the atoms. The year following when this picture was taken, he would become the principal of Lyons High School after the death of Mr. Sam Jones.

Sue McCumbers and Billy Yarbrough at lunch — Sue McCumbers and Billy Yarbrough enjoy some first class food (yeah right). Remember those milk containers?

Linda McKinley and Carol Mosley — We were a group of level headed young men and women who had their priorities in order and knew exactly where we were going. Just ask Linda McKinley and Carol Mosley.

The Savannah Trip

The field trip combined an adventure with a learning experience and was both fun and educational.

The Class of ’65 and ’66 took a trip to Savannah to tour a museum, the Dixie Crystal Plant and Union Camp.

Students arriving at Union Camp Paper Mill — Everyone arrives at the Union Camp Paper Mill in Savannah for a tour of one of the largest makers of paper and paper bags in the country. Their bags used to be found at every grocery store.

Mrs. Brown on the boat trip — We were real honored to have Edith Bunker join us on the boat ride. Just kidding, that's Mrs. Brown.

Classmates wearing sunglasses on the trip — Check out those sunglasses! Jane Spell, Deloris Thompson, Nancy Truax, Fran Pughsley, Jan James and Marijon Meadows show off the latest in eye wear.

J. H. Collins aboard the Savannah River boat — Mr. J. H. Collins describes the industry along the Savannah River, but .....

Students gathered at the boat’s jukebox — ... most of the classmates were more attracted to the onboard juke box than to the sights. John Todd and Mike Dickerson are dropping in the quarters.

J. H. Collins joins the music aboard the boat — "Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" Mr. Collins comes downside to listen to the music.

Students gathered on the bow of the boat — Of course when the teachers come inside, the kids head outside. We weren't moving very fast here. All the weight of the guys in the bow of the boat had the propeller barely in the water!

After Class and On Stage

Tina, Madeline and Pat Shuman at the drugstore — Hanging out at the drug store after school was a lot of fun. The Shuman girls enjoyed it. Shown here are Tina, Madeline and Pat.

Coach Mac Morrison and students, including Linda Register — Coach Mac Morrison shows the kids how to do it. That's Linda Register on the right.

Coach Mac Morrison — Did you know Coach Morrison's first name was Malcolm? Maybe that's why he adopted the nickname "Mac". He made all the hearts of the high school girls go pitter patter.

Larry Griggers at WBBT in 1965 — If you tuned in to WBBT during 1965, one of the DJ's you might hear was yours truly, Larry Griggers. All programming in those days was live. We played 45's and 33 1/3 RPM music. Commercials were on cartridges or on reel to reel tape players. It was a fun time for me.

Wayne Pittman and Ronnie Stewart performing on stage — Archival filename: The Poison Pot.
Yes, that is Ronnie Stewart (Class of '65) in a dress. It was the senior class play, but nobody at the 2004 reunion could remember the name of the play. Can you? It had to be a hoot.

Students performing a play on stage — Archival filename: Teahouse of the August Moon.
Wonder if any of our actors went on to act as adults?

Graduation

The Class of 1965 graduation — A fitting way to end these pictures from 1965 would be to show some graduation pictures for the Class of '65.

Graduation in the LHS gym — The graduation was held in the Lyons High School Gym with only fans for cooling. There wasn't a lot of air conditioning available in those days. We were accustomed to the heat.

Johnny Griggers entering with his graduating class — My brother Johnny Griggers marches in to sit with his class.

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