From: PEDDICORD@aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 14:39:10 EDT
Subject: Ruth Roberts Collett's 90th birthday

Dear Mrs. Collett:

Isn't it amazing how we can send greetings these days. Little did we know in the early 40's as we sat in your little 1st and 2nd grade class room that we would be sending you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting over a computer in the early 2000's.

They all say that your first grade teacher is the most important teacher you will ever have. They sure hit the nail on the head there. You have always been my favorite teacher. Thank you for getting me started in school and, yes, you were a good Sunday school teacher also. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and thank you for being a very SPECIAL person in my life.

Sincerely,

Hugh Peddicord

From: SUPERGRAM181@aol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 12:24:00 EDT
Subject: Ruth Roberts Collett

Dear Miss Roberts: (you will always be Miss Roberts to me)

While it is nearly impossible to adequately describe your influences and teachings to all of us who gratefully acknowledge your birthday, I will begin by saying that I thank you for your classroom expertise, but even more importantly for your lessons on how to love, encourage and serve others.

These examples you set were vividly displayed, at least in my memory, in your loving care of one of my first grade female classmates who, in today's world would be labeled as one with "special needs". You taught me that to be different is human, that special needs of other's demand patience and understanding, and love and support is our best gift to them and mankind in general.

Your legacy is alive and is being expressed through current generations and many more to follow.

May God continue to bless and keep you.

Fondly,

From: "jggill" jggill@msn.com
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 20:37:21 -0700

Dear Miss Roberts/Mrs Collett/Ms Ruth....

I am in the first grade and they have just bombed Pearl Harbor. The year of course is 1941....you got me thru the first year and I fell in love with all the great stories you used to read to us...."The Little Engine that Could" was one of my favorites. A greater highlight (for me) was the day I was selected to be "Wrap Monitor", which may have been very well one of my first assigned responsibilities. And that year during the Easter Egg hunt I found the prize goose egg that you hid in the pasture south of the schoolhouse. I still have my report card that you signed for my first and second grade.

A few years later you and Harold "babysit" Stanley and me out on the 10 acres while Eson and Virg went on a trip to Chicago. These are just a few of my many fond memories of school and the great headstart you so ably provided me in learning to read. I wish I could be there to tell you in person.

Sincerely,

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Miss Roberts (you will allow me to address you this way, I hope):

Greetings and congratulations on the occasion of your 90^th birthday. I’ve told the story a thousand times of our meeting at the Epworth Villa last December during the party for my Aunt Joy Richards (nee Fry). I recognized you immediately and, it seemed, you recognized me even more quickly, though I was in your class only a half year, in the fall and winter of 1945/1946. I was flattered you remembered me since I was only a red bird, not a blue bird, among those whom you taught that fall to read (I think I have this right).

Enjoy your day. While I am glad to be with you electronically this day, I wish I could be there in person. I ask you, is the internet possibly a modern version of that chain I wished I could wrap around PHS to drag you up to Wichita as we moved away from Piedmont in February, 1946? Here we are, linked at last. I hope this webpage can stand for many shouts of "here" when you call the roll.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Greetings were posted to this website from Irene Wessel Enterline who is a peer of Ruth Roberts Collett and a classmate of Harold Collett. She is also celebrating her 90th this year and wrote the following, which serves as a transition from the current birthday greetings to some historical moments =

Ruth's father was pastor of the Piedmont Methodist Church and Ruth's mother, who was very special to her, organized the first "Women's Society" which met in the parsonage behind the church. Some of the members were =

Addie Gossett
Ella Whelan
Daisy Ratcliff
Vivian Eades
Laura Kimball
Atha Fry Snyder
Ina Simpson Snyder
Hattie Simpson Every
Daisy Simpson
Cora Crossfield
Mrs. Jennings and
Mrs. Snyder... and, of course,
Irene Wessel Enterline (elected chairperson)

 

<>1921de31:Piedmont High School [>PHS] construction, 9-room brick building, ½ m.north of old school| School built outside of town, so Canadian Co. had to pay. City kids (e.g., Dunbar, Bass, Baker, Whalen) now had to walk further [CH1:139

<>1923sp:PHS graduated Stout,Bill and Cline,Opal at the end of its 1^st year of operation

<>1932au24:Piedmont Times| PHS teachers announced [KSB:93]

Simpson,Boyd was superintendent
Eshelman,Charles ("Chil") was principal
   Other teachers =
Fair,Verdi (later Mrs McCallon,Wade)
Every,Sarah (later Mrs Brown,Addison)
Todd,Geneiva
Collett,Harold (5^th/6^th grades)
Snyder,Louise (later Mrs Guern,Robert)
   Bus drivers =
Stieferman,John
Fry,Otis
Polk,John
Howe,Quimby
Wessell,Fred
McGranahan,Guy
   School board =
Every,Phil
Eades,Steward
Dickerson,A.B.

The paper announced that Ratcliff,Thelma would teach at Pocassett the coming year, and that Ratcliff,Marjorie (later Mrs Howard Washecheck of Yukon) visited her aunt and uncle Mr and Mrs Morris Ratcliff at Chickasha

Mrs Orin Long will teach at Pleasant Hill the coming year.

Thomason,Floyd was Baptist Church Sunday School superintendent and reported 43 present at the au20 service, with $1.73 gathered in the collection plate.

<>1932se15:PHS building sported many improvements this fall: a new wall fountain and a locker for clothes. Enrollment broke all records [KSB:19v]

Simpson,Boyd (superintendent)
Shelman,Charles E (principal)
   Teachers =
Haight (Miss)
Snyder,Louise (Miss), 7^th/8^th grades
Collett,Harold, 5^th/6^th (1st teaching year at PHS)
Todd,Genevieve (Miss) 3^rd/4^th
Fain,Verdi (Miss) 1^st/2^nd
Hall,Ben [?? Hall,BW of Frisco?] replaced
Harrison,Barney as Janitor

<>1932se16:OK.P| PHS teachers given a Friday-night reception in the school auditorium, sponsored by PTA [KSB:19v]

Of the 13 seniors who graduated the previous spring, five were going to Central State Teachers College at Edmond:

Sammer,Margaret (Miss) (valdictorian)
Fry,Dais (Miss) [sic! for Dorris?]
Dickerson,Helen (Miss)
Carnett,Josephine (Miss)
Gillmore,Miriam (Miss)

Stout,Alvin (also class of 1932) returned for "post graduate course" at PHS

Paine,Clara (Miss) was also planning to take one subject in the afternoon

Basey,Otha (a star basketball player) quit PHS

<>1933:1934; PHS Men's basketball team =

<>1939au19:PHS changes as result of Simpson,Boyd death [KSB:80]

Collett,Harold elected superintendent
McCallon,Verdi Fain principal (replaced Collett)
   Other faculty (making total N=8)=
Morris,CA
Fraim,Alma
Kennedy,Ada
Dickerson,Elizabeth
Brown,Mildred
Roberts,Ruth

<>1942au:PHS opened school year [KSB:35] with
15 seniors
18 juniors
14 sophomores
13 freshmen
35 7^th/8^th
19 5^th/6^th
19 3^rd/4^th
28 1^st/2^nd
161 TOTAL

   Staff:
Fleming,Fred (superintendent) history and science
McCallon,Verdi (principal) math & home economics
Hooper,Grace (Miss) commercial arts
Beck,Roland (Mrs) English and speech
Towler,Ruth 7^th/8^th
Ivy,Lorraine (Miss) 5^th/6^th
Kennedy,Eunice Ruth 3^rd/4^th
Roberts,Ruth (Miss) 1^st/2^nd

<>1947my18:PHS 25^th annual commencement [KSB:139a]
Commencement flyer, pages one, two, three, and four

Somewhere in these years, a reception for PHS teachers was reported in the El Reno Tribune [KSB:76v]

"More than 200 persons attended the reception at the schoolhouse Monday night given by the P.T.A. to honor the teachers.

"For entertainment the P.T.A. members presented a two-act play, with Mrs. Alvin Stout in the leading role. The scene was an old-time schoolroom with students dressed as they were in 1890." Members in the cast:

   Teacher:
Stout,Alvin Mrs
   Primary class:
Preston,L.A. Mrs
Peddicord,Clyde
Wildemann,Malvin Mrs.
Taylor,Ranold Mrs
Barton,Roberta Mrs
Dunbar,Moyer Mrs
   Grade students:
Piatt,Paul
Piatt,Paul Mrs
Ratcliff,Harold
Ratcliff,Harold Mrs
Dunbar,Moyer
Taylor,Ranold
Ratcliff,Howard Mrs
Stout,Alvin
Felix,Bob Reverend
Field,Francis Mrs
Washecheck,John Mrs
Garten,Roy Mrs
Lunnon,Carl Mrs
Jech,Ernest
Jech,Ernest Mrs
Wolfkill,Leonard Mrs
   School Board
Wolfkill,Leonard
Washecheck,John
Fields,Francis

"Mrs. Peddicord played the organ as the cast sang ‘The Old Oaken Bucket,’ ‘The Church in the Wildwood’ and ‘America.’

<>1948my:PHS 26^th annual commencement. The yearbook was dedicated "To Ruth Roberts whose unfaltering efforts have been a basis for Piedmont High School for the past fourteen years we wish to express our thanks. [|] In gratitude we dedicate the annual to a patient, understanding teacher, Miss Ruth Roberts."

W48 list of students at Piedmont High School
N=132 

The two Dunbar children in the table above were the last of four Dunbar children to get their education at PHS (examples of later academic appointments in parenthesis):
Maurice (DeAnza College CA)
Barbara (1987:China, Beijin University)
Freddie (ElReno Junior College)
Roxie (Hayward State University)

"They all owe their inspiration for education to teachers such as Harold Collett and Thelma Ratcliff formerly of Piedmont High School" [?CH1?]

W48 included a page of special thanks to Thelma Ratcliff: "For the past four years, Thelma Ratcliff has aided in the strengthening of Piedmont High School. Her teaching ability and interest in the students have helped each of us immensely. She has devoted a great deal of her time to the publishing of this annual. For these reasons we wish to express our thanks. The Student Body"

<>1948sp:OK.P| PHS speech and drama accomplishments featured in newspaper article [KSB:116v-117] Photo of "speech class":
Ratcliff,Roy
Pride,Charles
Gill,Stanley
Simpson,Gooder
Washecheck,Royce
Darrell Bennett
Fry,Joy
Ratcliff,Thelma (teacher)
Robinson,Pearl
Elder,Ray
Some examples extended attention in article =
Fry,Joy: "Five plays, won first in girl’s extemporaneous speaking at Edmond, won first in discussion contest at Edmond, won second in the state in girls’ extemporaneous speaking, won first place with a superior rating in speech at state."

<>1948oc11:PHS news [KSB:118]

<>1948de25:PHS teachers Harold Collett and Ruth Roberts married at 10:00 am Christmas morning in the First Methodist Church of Piedmont, Reverent Robert Felix officiating. "The bride wore a navy blue suit with matching accessories and a corsage of white orchids. Only immediate members of the families attended the ceremony." ["PIEDMONT ITEMS" by Mrs. Moyer Dunbar; KSB:60v, 61, and 61v]

<>1949mr05:Piedmont Times [??] "City Fetes Piedmont Newlyweds" by Mark Sarchet [KSB:60v-61] "The wedding reception was a shade late — what with snow, ice, mud and the German measles — but Mrs. and Mrs. Harold Collett knew Saturday they are the No. 1 couple in this Canadian county community.

"When Miss Ruth Roberts came to Piedmont 15 years ago to teach the primary grade, the superintendent of schools, Harold Collett, took it on himself to squire her around to box suppers, socials and other events.

"As time passed, Collett continued his pleasant duty of squiring. Then came World war II and Collett left to spend four years in the army. He returned two years ago and resumed his teaching and squiring duties.

"Christmas morning, Miss Roberts and Collett were married. All of Piedmont approved as two of the community’s favorite people ‘stood up’ in church and were wed. A party was planned.

Donna Kay Biggs, 6, primary pupil
answers "here" to the roll call
of Mrs. Collett’s class

Bob Every, a sophomore at Oklahoma A&M
answers the roll call
from Mrs. Collett’s first class in 1934

"There was singing, talking, joking and just plain visiting.

"Collett is a Piedmont product. He attended grade and highschool here. After attending Central state college at Edmond, Oklahoma A&M college and the University of Oklahoma, he returned to Piedmont 17 years ago and has been in the school system since.

"‘This is home,’ Collett said Friday night. ‘I like Piedmont and I like the people who live here.’

<>1949:1950; PHS Women's basketball team =

<>1949my:OK.P| PHS 27^th annual commencement and Senior trip [KSB:111v]

Six members of the graduating class planned to continue their studies next autumn [KSB:76v]:
Ratcliff,Roy (El Reno Junior College)
Simpson,Gooder (El Reno Junior College)
Bennett,Darrell (Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater)
Gill,Stanley (Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater)
Washecheck,Royce (Hill’s Business University in Ok.City)
Pride,Charles (Draughon’s Business College in Ok.City)

<>1949au18:PHS teachers announced [KSB:113] =
Collett,Harold superintendent & social sciences teacher
Ratcliff,Thelma principal & English and speech teacher
Goggin,John mathematics & athletic coach
Yoesting,Marie (Miss) commerce & 3^rd/4^th grades
Knight,Clara (Mrs) music & 5^th/6^th grades
Hunt,Paul (Mrs) history & 7^th/8^th grades
Collett,Harold (Mrs) 1^st/2^nd grades
Pearson,Jess will be the building custodian

<>1951my22:PHS 29^th annual commencement [KSB:91v] Mrs. Moyer Dunbar described the event in The El Reno (Oklahoma) American [1951my31]: "The stage was beautifully decorated with baskets of red roses and ferns."

PHS seniors left for a three-day trip to various parts of Texas. Those who went were Rita Pruett, Ruth Beaty and Verlyn Yowell. They were accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Collett.

<>2002mr25:Daily Oklahoman = Thelma Ratcliff's obituary|

<>2004jy20:Jackie Gene Gill emailed names on Thelma Ratcliff memorial plaque at OK.P Historical Museum =

Carol Ann Knight Brown
Delbert Catron
Kenneth Dickerson
Maurice Dunbar,
Rex Every
Gene Gill
Johnnie Kimball
Rita Pruett Martin
Patsy Stout Moffat
Joyce C. Peddicord
Douglas Ratcliff
Roy Allen Ratcliff
Dr. David W. Simpson
Raymond Stover
Shirley Fry Wells
Darrell Bennett
Roberta Every Carter
Barbara Dunbar-McNary
Roy E. Enterline
Rita Wilson Every
J. Stanley Gill
Russell Kimball
Beverly Widdemann Miller
Carl Musgrove
Ruth G. Peddicord
Glen Ratcliff
Harold (Tub) Ratcliff
Shirley Ratcliff,
Darlene Stover
Betty Jean Burkhead Tharp
Howard Burkhead
Jerry Dickerson
Dr. Fred Dunbar
Dorotha Knox Every
Willa Fry
Linda Ratcliff Kalka
Floyd C. Knight
Allen Moffat
Hugh K. Peddicord
Raymond Pruett
Gloria Ratcliff
Irene Ratcliff
Joy Fry Richards
Jean Little Stover
Norma Snyder Vandergriff

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