Alumni

I just ran across your website. I graduated from Thomas Jefferson high school in January of 1943. I attended the University of Texas at Austin, and then later went on to medical school in Galveston and graduated there in 1949. I went to Korea in 1950 and then later practiced medicine in Belleville Texas for about 40 years. I now live in Prairie village Kansas, close to my daughter Sally, who is a nurse practitioner. Reading the TJHS website brings back a lot of fond memories of growing up in Port Arthur. Thank you for taking me down memory lane.
Sincerely Yours, James B. Harle, MD Prairie Village, KS jharle@kc.rr.com

To answer you question Paula, I am Coach Underwood's youngest daughter Barbara. I did graduate from high school in 1969 but in Lexington, Ky where dad was an assistant coach at the University of Ky. I never had the pleasure of attending TJ like my sisters. I moved after attending Thomas Edison Jr. H.S. in '66.

Does anyone know if Barbara Underwood who was in my 1969 graduating class from TJ was a daughter of Coach Underwood? Thanks for any info:

Paula IIes-Restrepo, Class of 1969

To follow up on Larry Speake. We lost Larry this last winter, to cancer. I was fortunate to be able to attend his memorial service and was blessed to be asked to say a few words about the guy I grew up with and loved like a brother. It was comforting to know that he was loved and respected by everyone in his home town of West Plains, Missouri. I hope at our next reunion his Wife and son JJ, both his daughters Quanna, Summer and their husbands and sons will attend our 40th reunion. His children want so badly to meet the people Larry talked so much about over the years and they need a little of the "Yellow Jacket" spirit. Please keep his family in you prayers and please never forget him.

Here I am! A graduate of 1968, the year that was great. I was also very impressed with the Webb site. Just to hear that great "Fight Song" was enough to want to hold someone's pinky and watch a big Jacket kick off by "Big Toe Wayne LeGrape." Thanks to the whole team for playing so hard and winning so many games. I don't know when the email was sent about Larry Speake, but I will surely put him on my prayer list. I believe that God hears the prayer of faith! Thank for all the memories on the Webb site, they were so special. Living in the promise of Duncan, Oklahoma and doing fine. Blessing to all from Glenn McGee.

Glenn McGee - Class of 1968

Just want to say thanks for the memories. Enjoyed every word, all of the comments and great pictures. As the years go by - those high school memories get sweeter. I just had a flashback! Ms. Smith (Jane - I think) English IV class - during a dull lesson - a paper sail boat floated down the window ledge from the next class. Oh sure we were distracted - any reason was good enough - and she was not happy! The class of 1968 - I'm sure it was the BEST.

What a great site. I was just recently informed it existed. I can’t tell you the emotions it brings to the surface. It seems the older we get, the more our high school years mean to us. My son has listen to stories about TJ and the feeling we all had growing up in PA and being apart of the great history. When he was younger he would ware my letter jacket everywhere he went. I just wished everyone could have known that special feeling that came with being apart of the Jacket Era.

I have recently been reunited with my childhood buddies, Gary Hammond and Larry Speake. Gary and I stayed fairly close but we lost contact with Larry. I’m sorry to say, but Larry is going through a tough time with cancer. Gary and I have gone to Missouri twice to visit Larry over the last year, and what a time. The late night reminiscing will last me a life time. The positive to Larry’s condition is we found out he still has that “Yellow Jacket Pride” and toughness. Please keep him in your prayers and don’t count him out.

Tommy Thompson TJ Class of ‘68

I just "stumbled" upon this wonderful page. I'm looking for some people from TJ '68. It didn't matter what year people were there, everyone felt the same pride. Wow!!

Mary Jean (Jeannie) Ballard-Michon TJ Class of 1968 (Anyone out there from 1968?

I have enjoyed it immensely and visit the pages often. Even though there are not many photos of the years that I attended (which I wish I had some to send to you) it takes me back to a familiar time and place and makes me incredibly homesick. I had 6 sisters and 1 brother that attended TJ, so TJ was in my blood for 20 years while all of us worked our way to graduation.

Again, congratulations and keep up the good work.
Sharon Hayes .... TJ Class of 1975

Mahalo for the site. I need to send more pictures. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. I may decide to take on a site for our class alone, Class of 1958. dunno ... waiting for a reply from Diane Capps.
Carolyn Bigler .... TJ Class of 1958

Have you ever received any of the older alumni addresses. I notice that the years only go back to about 1955. If you send a memo in the TJHS site requesting "e" mail addresses, maybe you would get replies. I know that we are not too illiterate that we cannot operate computers. I will gladly submit my "e" mail address or you can get it from this reply. Just in case, my address is whitehorse@inu.net. Maybe I could locate some of my old class mates this way. Keep up the good work. By the way, my year is 1943. (Check the Alumni E-mail list again .... You should see TJ Alumni going all the way back to 1931! ... pf)
Joe LaBorde ... TJ Class of 1943

I love your website. There is not a day goes by, that I don't check it out.
Mirley Thompson-Trahan ... TJ Class of 1951

I will never forget the feeling of walking into TJ on Friday morning with my shiny Hussar boots on. The taps sounded so cool on the floor as I walked from class to class. Those are great memories.
Joanie Thompson-Yust ... TJ Class of 1967

I just received the TJHS site this a.m. and am really enjoying all the sights and sounds! I teach 4th grade in a children's home (Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia) and my kids had fun looking at the picture of me in the 1958 Maroon and Gold band. Thank you for the sights and sounds of Thomas Jefferson!
Jennilou Nowlin-Platt ... TJ Class of 1958

In 1957 a group of girls from the three classes, sophomore, junior and seniors formed a football squad. We played juniors and sophomores against the seniors using the practice uniforms including pads and helmets of the Yellow Jacket football team. I still remember the smell of those pads and jerseys. Coach Underwood assigned coaches from the boy's team and we practiced under their tutelage. We played one game in the Yellow Jacket football stadium. We may have been the first girls football team in the country. Some of the players I think I remember but may have names missed spelled are: Seniors: Sandra Hendrickson, Mary Jane Cheney. Juniors: Delna Coe, Carol Holter, Joan McMonagle, Joan Willoughby, Linda Ulbrich. Sophomores: Tommie Domingue, Pookie Billiot, Frances Ronshausen, Mary Ellen Trahan, oh and me Jan Sherwood. I don't know if any pictures were taken but it would be great to have a copy if there were. Also, to know the names of the other players and what they remember about the game. The only picture I have is one my Dad took in our backyard of me in jersey, pads and helmet.
Best to you and thanks for all the work you are doing on "ole TJ"
Jan Sherwood-Couvillon ... TJ Class of 1959

Thank you for all the time and trouble you and others have gone to make this walk down memory lane a fun one. I especially enjoyed the Red Hussars since I marched with them. I would like to hear from classmates from the Class of '58.
Beverly Burney-Slaydon ... TJ Class of 1958

It is easy to see by the comments of Alumni here and on other portions of the site, great pride was shared by a lot of people. Members of the Maroon & Gold Band, The Hussars, Cheer Leaders, always dressed on game day to demonstrate their pride and spirit. As a player I proudly wore my Game Jersey that day, to do the same, trying to prove to myself that I was worthy of the support of my classmates.
The real Yellow Jackets were those who made the noise at the pep rallies and who came to the game and supported their team and school. They didn't get to dress up, or earn letters, or have photos made. What they did do was shake the stands and let every one in the county know who they were. We owe a lot to those Jackets who carried us with them every where they went. Parades, ball games, rallies-they were there. I know a lot of others feel the same as I do. Thanks JACKETS.
Fred Schneider .... TJ Class of 1966

Anyone else out there? I remember the jewelry stores in town giving each graduating senior girl a sterling silver teaspoon in her pattern. Also another store giving us a miniature cedar chest. Another memory is of the morning someone led a cow up the stairs in TJ, before school started but the cow wouldn't come back down. (Don't remember the end of that story). There was the Smith sisters who taught...I had one for Latin...As a graduation present my father took me to England to see my grandparents and I brought her some stones from the Roman Wall ... probably would have been arrested now for defacing a national treasure. I'd love to hear from some other 50's ... my email is: ncm3675@bellsouth.net
Nancy Clarke-Mason . . . TJ Class of 1950

What a great job you are doing giving us a fun and interesting and informative TJHS web site. Even more valuable than before as there is no more TJHS. This is a heartfelt ATTA-Boy to you for taking the time, effort and talent to build and maintain this site. Thank you,
David H. Morgan . . . . . TJ Class of 1963