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Remembering When: Panther Chatter of March 1969

By Jim Turner

Formation of the Girls Drill Corps and a senior play with a Broadway script were the lead news stories in the March 1969 Panther Chatter published by students at Russellville High School.

The drill corps had first appeared during a game with Hopkinsville and saluted the visitors by forming an H in addition to an R. “The girls looked very attractive in their dark shorts, white shirts and black and gold ties,” the unnamed writer said. “”They carried black and gold shakers in each hand… they concluded the routine with a clever dance, and moved off the floor in a company front formation.” This was obviously a Hazel Carver musical production.

Members of the Corps were Beverly Browder, Cathy Hatfield (Hendricks), Mary Jackson, Vicki Hankins, Georgianne Richardson (Mills), Betsy Denning (Holmes), Debbie Lee (Gregory), Linda McCrary, Vicki McMillen (Coleman), Mary English, Martha Weaver (Carter), Pam Howlett (Leach), Carolyn Kees (Baker), Marilyn Kees (Wright), Julie Tinch, Patricia Crowder, Kay Kough, Carol Wheeler (Gaddie), Vickie Lowe (DeShazer), Garry Hollins, Julia Perry (Reynolds), Gayle Baldwin (Mulberry), Pam Copeland (DiDominick), Gail Cropper (Guiling), Shelly Steele (Greene), Gwen Black (Harden), Julie Guion (Steele), Sheila Todd, Sharon Blackwell, Shirley Pillow (Nylin) and Cathy Carver.

A cast of 30 presented the Broadway comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner as the senior play. Steve Tattitch played the lead role of Sheridan Whiteside. Cast members included Carolyn Wilson (Mallory), Susan Neal (Clapp), David Bilyeu, Pat McCarty (Lichtenberg), Buddy Leach, Sherry Mayfield (Epley), Kathy Flowers (Holman), Cathy Carver, Marvin Dennison, Marilyn Kay Lawrence. Jim Luckett, Janice Guion (Threlkeld), Mike Burchett, Lloyd Chapman, Billy Warden, Bill George, Wayne Greer, Leonard Vick, Joe Smotherman, John Poindexter, Richard Friedel, Charlie Maxwell, Lucianne Forcum (Ezell), Marion Fugate, Brad Watson, Jane Noe (Duncan), Pat Pepper (Boleware), Ricky Keeton, Johnny Cates, Barry Smock, Pam Copeland, Charlotte Williams (Watkins), Connie Thomason, Carolyn Kees, Vicki McMillen, Judy Blankenship (Kirkland), Joan Anderson and June Poor (O’Leary). Jim Turner was the first-year director.

Mr. and Miss RHS were seniors Buddy Leach and Susan Neal. Representing the classes were seniors Jim Dodson and Janice Guion, juniors Paul Kerr and Therese Bonasso , sophomores John Bonasso and Mary Crit Threlkeld (Johnson), and freshmen Stewart Wheeler and Sharon Griffith (Stein).

Honors were announced. Carolyn Wilson received the DAR Good Citizenship Award, Karen Flowers was selected Betty Crocker Homemaker of the Year, Ronnie Bell and Ronnie Yarbrough were all-county basketball, and Larry Brewer wrote the best Conservation essay. Top speech contestants were Lynn Noe (Sahlin), Kenny Sadler, Kathy Oberhausen, Charlotte Williams, Beth McCutchen (Seibel), Pat McCarty, Cathy Carver, Marvin Dennison, Ernest Raymer, and Lucianne Forcum.

In music, Cathy Carver represented Kentucky in the Southern Division of the Music Teachers National Association piano competition in Birmingham. She was also the only piccolo player in All-State Band. All-District Band members in the older group were David Bilyeu, Jim Dodson, Marvin Dennison, Lynn Dorlac (Foley), Carolyn Wilson and Bill Goodwin. The younger all-district band members were David Morgan, Murray Carnall, Steve Ashby, Johnny Wheeler, Brad Waters and Danny Williams. A girls chorus included Jane Barton (Doehnert), Jane Dowden (Anthony), Martha Weaver, Sue Brewer (Herman), Barbara Todd, Patti Vick (Layne), Therese Bonasso, Lynn Noe, Jeannie Hite, Shelly Steele and Shirley Pillow.

Academic honors were not as plentiful as they are now. Only five students in the entire school had All A’s. They were seniors Janice Guion and Susan Kerr (Halbert), junior Wayne Dempsey, and sophomores Scott Neil and Kaye Warren (Wilkins). Earning All A’s and B’s were seniors Cathy Carver, Lili Henderson, Jim Luckett, Brenda Taylor (Hoots), Carolyn Wilson, Sharon Blackwell, Marvin Dennison, Judy Lennon, Steve Tattitch and Charlotte Watkins; juniors Dan Owen, Carol Wheeler, Paul Cooper, Michael Long, Jane Dowden, Jim Trice and David Vick; sophomores Mary Ann Emberger (Thompson), Gail Cropper, Charlotte Beattie, and Patty Edwards; and freshmen Lee Ann Carnall (Austin), Ernest Raymer and Guenter Wadewitz.

Opinion pieces were plentiful. Writers of those were Pam Howlett, David Bilyeu, Lili Henderson, Lynn Noe, Susan Neal, Lloyd Chapman, and Gary White.

Among those making gossip section were Pam Hunter (Holdcraft), Janie Sanders (Gregory), Billy Currence, Judy Lennon, LaFrieda Glenn (Shelton), Kenneth Utley, Frank Tinch, Chet Ward, J.D. Bayles, Gary Arnold and Johnny Devasier. Highlights of the “Can You Imagine” section: Buster Crenshaw jumping center for a basketball team, Kenneth Utley as president of the National Honor Society, Billy Jayne staying out of trouble for a week, John Hite with a peachy fuzzy complexion, Lucianne Forcum staying home for a weekend, and Mike Russell as a Cassanova. Faculty members mentioned in this section were Eleanor Piper, Katherine Jennings, John McCarley, Ron Beckham and JoAnn Flowers.

Commenting on “What Attracts You First” in the opposite gender were Cathy Clark (Werner), Angie Longhofer, Dexter Owens, Tom Threlkeld, Tom Riffle, Bill Costello, Toby Nichols, Danny Hall, Virgil Marshall, Ronnie Violett, Rickie Matar, Paul Cooper, Pam Hunter, Gwen Black, Pam Howlett, Patti Vick, Carol Wheeler, Shelly Steele, David Vick, Scott Neil, Bill Goodwin and Paul Cooper.

Denny Doyle was coaching the basketball team; there were no girls basketball teams at the time, but Mary Ann Steele was named girls track coach. Larry Reeder was baseball coach, assisted by Beckham. Other faculty members throughout the system named included Buddy Linton, Stumpy Baker, Helen Raby, Ruby Fuqua, John Paul Adler and Janet Wells. Student teachers were Dennis Pimmentel under Coach Baker and Marie Turner, Edward Roddy and William Pappas under Bob Armstrong, and Myra Bucy and Connie Major under Martha Raymer.

The Panther Chatter was written by senior and junior English students. Larry Reeder was the advisor, Susan Neal and Therese Bonasso co-editors and Ernest Raymer photographer.

Jim DeCesare files for State Senate seat

State Representative Jim DeCesare (R-Bowling Green) filed paperwork this week for his candidacy for the 27th State Senate District, covering Allen, Logan, Muhlenberg, Simpson and Todd counties and a part of Warren County. He is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility, pro-life values, and government transparency.

“I am a strong conservative,” DeCesare said, “I have enjoyed fighting the good fight in the House but when the State Senate seat opened up, I wanted to take my brand of accountable government to a bigger arena in order to have a positive impact on the communities I hope to serve.”

Representative DeCesare has served in the State House of Representatives since 2005. During that time he has made a mark speaking out for lower taxes, job growth, government accountability, and education. He pushed for and helped pass legislation to put state government accounts, including those of state universities, online so anyone can easily see where their tax dollars are going.

Representative DeCesare stated, “Even as a minority member of the House, I have pushed my colleagues to look at fiscal responsibility, less business regulations, and greater protections for the unborn. I am not afraid to upset Frankfort; I want to be there to work on behalf of the people – that is who I care about.”

DeCesare is a member of the Agriculture and Small Business, Economic Development, Education, and Transportation committees and the Budget Review Subcommittee for Post-Secondary Education.

Representative DeCesare is involved in many civic and charitable organizations in his community. He is a Mason, Shriner and sits on the board of directors for the Capitol Arts Alliance. In his spare time he plays drums in a local band.

Representative DeCesare attends State Street United Methodist Church and resides in Bowling Green with his wife of 20 years, Amy Bingham DeCesare, and their two children, Brooke and Justin.

“My goal as senator is to serve the people. We are a growing communities and we have infrastructure and education needs. I am committed to working every day to improve the lives of our families,” DeCesare concluded.

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Lead commentator (blogger) is Jim Turner

Jim Turner is a journalist who has written and reported about Logan and Beyond for over 38 years. See Jim's Blog.

Rep. Martha Jane King announces run for new Senate district

Rep. Martha Jane King, (D-Lewisburg), today announced her candidacy for Senate in the newly re-districted 27th legislative district. Rep. King has served in the Kentucky House of Representatives for two terms in what was the 16th district which covered Logan and Todd counties.

Under the new redistricting plan signed by Governor Steve Beshear Friday, the 27th district will now include Muhlenberg, Todd, Logan, Simpson and Allen counties and a portion of Warren County.

“I have had an overwhelming amount of encouragement to run for Senate from many people throughout the new district,” said King. “This is an opportunity for my area to have a voice in the Senate, something we haven’t had since 1960 when Everett White served one term and I am excited about this new challenge.”

The first woman to ever serve in the Kentucky State Senate was Carolyn Moore of Franklin in Simpson County, which is now part of the 27th senatorial district. In 1950 she succeeded her husband, J. Lee Moore, who died while in office.

King is vice chair of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary and is a member of the Agriculture and Small Business, State Government, Tourism Development and Energy, and Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Safety Committees.

“Martha Jane is well respected in both the House and the Senate, which makes her very effective in Frankfort,” said Senate Democratic Floor Leader R.J. Palmer II, (D-Winchester). “She has a great deal of experience and knowledge that allows her to provide the necessary insight in addressing important legislation related to education, economic development and other areas. I am pleased that she has decided to run for the Kentucky State Senate.”

King began her career as a Head Start teacher. She learned firsthand what an impact teachers and a good curriculum have on students. As a transportation agent for 27 years, her job highlighted the vast difference between the board room and the school room where she learned the skills of assertion, compromise and mediation.

She has been active in her community through service on the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club and Boy Scouts of America. Since 2000, Rep. King has held several positions with the Logan County Democratic Executive Committee including chair, vice chair and treasurer over the past 12 years. She also served on the Kentucky Democratic State Central Executive Committee in 2008.

Recently, King has been praised for her efforts in leading the restoration of the chapel in the Capitol in Frankfort. Working with the East Frankfort and Frankfort Kiwanis Clubs, the Finance and Administration Cabinet’s Department for Facilities and Support Services, and the Department of Historical Properties, more than $3,600 to upgrade the chapel with new floors, lights and paint.

“Faith, family and service to our commonwealth define who I am,” said King. ““I feel like those values have helped make me an effective member of the House of Representatives. I will apply those same qualities to the Senate where I believe I can do even more for Western Kentucky.”

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