This is the "official" history of the Class of 1971, as published in the final issue of our student newspaper shortly before graduation.

In the first grade, we got off to a good start with Jacky, Vard and Ricky - the only original members of the Forsan class, who never got to go to recess because of their great ability to throw rocks and write "I will not throw rocks" 100 times. Gloria, Connie, Bobby, Harvey, Rodney, Karen S. and Lea Oma started their academic careers at Elbow.

In the second grade, we acquired Jackie Condron and Judy Maxwell. Connie got her first spanking from Miss Billings for being a "smart aleck" in P.E.

Ricky and Sylvia Chapman, in the third grade, were constantly being sent to the office for talking, by Mrs. Ferguson. Good old Mrs. Ferguson, she never gave homework on weekends. Over at Elbow, Gloria and Bobby were lovers. Gloria was sent to the office for singing "Joy to the World" in the hall and Connie always had to do her papers over for being so sloppy.

In the fourth grade, hidden talent came to life when Rodney and Jacky sang "The Ballad of Big John". It was the year of science projects in Miss Spell's room.

As we advanced to the fifth grade, young love started to bloom as Vard and Janice fell "in love". It was about this time that Judy broke one of Rodney's dinosaur models and he made her pay for it. Judy's pocketbook will never forget that! It was in the fifth grade that Kathy Rigdon came and everyone was jealous because she was so smart in geography. That was the year Mrs. Patton became worried about Jacky because he did flips out of his desk. Harvey pinned the name "Birdleg" on Jennifer Philley, and we could always depend on Gloria and Ricky showing off their Vac-u-form that they got for Christmas.

Most of us spend the sixth grade with our nose in a circle on the board and nobody could forget dear ol' Douglas Michael. Remember sending secret messages through the heater pipes?

Diane Heideman's parents offered fine entertainment for the more mature (?) seventh graders. And this was the year we got to play sports. Remember when the fifth tried to make the great escape by telling us about their tunnel under the gym floor to the girls' dressing room? Do you ever wonder why Tom Bill has bug eyes? Remember the peep holes there?

As we progressed to the eighth grade, we became leaders of Junior High. Billy McDonald showed his true dedication to the football team when he quit because Bobby Davis wouldn't give a speech at the pep rally. No one will ever forget the exciting stories heard in Mr. Alexander's class. Gloria lost Leon Hobbs to one of her rivals, but he soon returned. Jacky and Bobby had the honor of "getting acquainted" with Coach Stevens as he gave them a good "trashing out"! Darrow came that year and it was also in the eighth that Ricky had a wreck - and he's still not all together!

As lowly "Fish", all suffered the horrors of initiation. Steve Yeats had his introduction to Mr. Stevens when he got caught throwing paper wads. Vard acquired the ability of writing on desks. By the way, what did the note to Mrs. Grant say? This was the year that "Fish" Marcy gave senior, Bill Crutcher, a black eye as he tried to kiss her goodnight on the first date. All the girls gave Mrs. Baggett fits by asking her sex education questions. The Student Council Picnic that year was an eventful one - all the "Fish" were thrown in the lake, as well as the principal and Marcy had her first date with Jacky.

During our Sophomore year, everyone played ping pong during the lunch hour. The stars were Doug and Janice. This was the year that everyone started dating a lot. The Sophomore girls traded Senior boyfriends every week. Steve and Karen got a divorce in Geometry class with Ricky serving as lawyer. Karen, what did you ever do with your rabbit ear? Juanita Rodriquez, Everett Bedell and Will Morgan joined our class that year. Rocky Ford and Bobby Betterton left. Jacky got in a fight with Larry Tolson and Mr. Latson foretold his future - life in a penitentiary.

During our Junior year, we got along so well with the Senior class that they were nearly always part of our conversation. This was the year that the boys became acquainted with the "wild side of life" and its women. Isn't that right, Tom Bill? Remember how we learned to get free cokes in the teachers lounge? Of course, we didn't know that Mr. Redwine was going to buy an empty Dr. Pepper bottle with a straw in it! Billy became known as "twice the man". Karen Stovall came back from Alpine with her hair let down. Cheryl Roane forgot to come to school this year. Georgia Johnson got married. Bruce acquired the title of "Lips" and Harvey was waiting to see "Easy Rider".

The mighty Seniors started their last year at FHS as usual - by getting in trouble over Freshman Initiation. New members of the class were Sandy, Lori, and Joyce. We lost Debbie and Lea Oma. Tom Bill chose his vocation as a paid traffic cop when we went to see MacBeth. Karen Stovall's vocabulary increased when she was burned in chemistry class. Joyce decided to start a new fad by wearing her dress backward.

All in all, it doesn't seem like it has been an eventful year, but we're not through yet!