Carrollton TX High School - A Century of Memories

The Dallas Morning News - Carrollton Section

A Century of Memories
R. L. Turner High School marks 100th graduating class

Yearsbooks, get-togethers preserve memories of high school days for alumni
By Ruth Haesemeyer

Finding yearbooks from Carrollton, now R. L. Turner High School, is tough.
Collector and area historian Ed Williams said though he often runs across yearbooks from other high schools, these are rarely available. His theory: former students are less likely to part with them.
"They just seem to have a tighter bond with the school than most people do," he said.
That bond is being celebrated this year leading up to the commencement of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD school's 100th graduating class. As part of that celebration, the school is inviting alumni to take part in its homecoming parade Wednesday and a ceremony at its homecoming game Friday.
"It's really exciting to get to be a part of this year," and Principal Georgeane Warnock, "and to honor the history that surrounds this school and the community."

'Across generations'

Carrollton High School, as it was commonly known, was the alma mater of more than Carrollton residents. In the early years students come from Farmrs Branch, Coppell, Hebron and other small communities.
According to C-FB ISD, the school graduated its first class, of three students, in 1912. A few years later, the district constructed a red brick building that came to be known as "Old Red", which was used for all grades, elementary through high school. In the '30s, the high school students got their own building, just beside Old Red. That structure is now DeWitt Perry Middle School.

In 1962, students were moved to what became R. L. Turner, named for Robert Leon Turner, superintendent of the district from 1945 to 1962. It remained the district's only high school until the 1970's; there are now four.

While the school's location and name changed through the years, Warnock said she has found that students' and graduates' tie to the school seems to have remained much the same.

"I think that the affection for this school is something that has run across generations, "Warnock said.

Edgar to remember

Williams, an R. L. Turner graduate himself, is coordinator for the website Carrollton-Farmers Branch TXGenWeb, an archive of historical memorabilia and facts. As part of his work on the site, he began uploading Carrollton and R. L. Turner's yearbooks.

"I started getting so many emails from people," Williams said. "I think there's more interest in the yearbooks than there are in the cemetery records."

But he can relate to their feelings for the school.

"It's still one of the best times of my life," he said.

Reunions of Carrollton and R. L. Turner alumni are frequent and not limited to anniversaries. "Carrollton exes" gather twice a year at Marshall's Bar-B-Q in Farmers Branch, said '55 grad Joyce Kelley. Members of the class of '59 meet for lunch monthly at Sid's Rainbow Grill in Historic Downtown Carrollton, according to a website dedicated to the class. Graduate Charline Shehane said women from the classes of 1947-49 get together monthly at a Carrollton McDonald's; men from those three classes meet daily.

For Shehane, the get-togethers are a time to talk about those high school days, reliving moments through memories.

"I don't think you ever get too old to remember the good times," she said.

Georgeanne Warnock, principal of Carrollton's R. L. Turner High School, once known as Carrollton High School, said she is excited about being part of the year leading up to the graduation of its 100th class. The milestone will be celebrated at homecoming activities this week.

LEGENDARY LIONS

George Dunahm; radio personality
Milburn Gravley; former Carrollton Mayor
Ken Johnson; bowler
Andrew Magee; golfer
Kenny Marchant; U.S. Congressman, former Carrollton maylr
Tim O'Hare; former farmers Branch mayor
Robert Van Winkle, a.k.a. Vanilla Ice; entertainer

Lion pride spans generations

As R. L. Turner High School honors its 100th graduating class in 2011-12, it is a time of celebration, reflection and appreciation.

Since the first class of three students graduated in 1912, we estimate that close to 50,000 students have passed through the halls of R.L. Turner. In the 1930's, the mascot changed from the Carrollton Yellowjackets to the Carrollton Lions. The school changed location in 1962, moving from its original site on Belt Line road (site of DeWitt Perry Middle School) to its current site on Josey Lane. In 1962, the school known as Carrollton High School changed its name to R. L. Turner High School, in honor of Superintendent Robert Leon Turner.

While the name, mascot and location of the school have changed, the spirit of R.L. Turner has withstood the test of time. As the principal it has been humbling to speak with alumni from the classes of 1948, 1967, 1972, 1987, 1994, 2002 and many years in between. From each interaction, what stands out to me is the pride the school spirit and the camaraderie that span across time and generations. As Carrollton and Farmers Branch have grown from small farming communities to bustling suburban cities on the edge of a sprawling metropolis, a sense of nostalgia, tradition and history continues to envelop the school. We still do a cheer that dates back to at least 1955. Lion pride is alive and well, and our students take pride in being the oldest high school in the district.

As we prepare from the Centennial Home coming Celebration, we look forward to the parade on Sept. 28 where alumni and current students will participate together.

At the homecoming game Sept. 30, we will crown our homecoming queen and king surrounded by history as alumni circle the field for the alma mater.

We have graduated teachers, mechanics, doctors, soldiers, engineers, professors, politicians, artists and business owners ... and on Sept 30, we will all stand together as proud Lions.

Georgeanne Warnock is principal of R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton and can be reached at [email protected]