Gulfport, Mississippi History
Seventy-First Graduation Exercises Planned
The Helm
Gulfport High School – Gulfport, Mississippi
June 1974
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Seventy-First Graduation Exercises Planned
The seventy-first annual GHS graduation exercises will be held at the B. Frank Brown Gymnasium at 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 31. For the 1974 seniors, graduation represents a giant step in their lives.
An invocation by Mr. Harry Tartt will precede the presentation of special awards by Mr. W. L. Rigby, Superintendent of Gulfport City Schools.
Then two seniors that have been selected by competitive competition will give orations designed as commentaries and challenges to the graduating class.
Mr. Martin J. Gendron, Principal, will present the graduation class after which a member of the Board of Education will award the diplomas.
The recessional will be played by the Commodore band under the direction of Mr. Blain Curry.
PRACTICES:
Mr. Gendron would like to remind seniors that attendance at the two graduation rehearsals should be prompt. Those graduating should be at the gymnasium on May 28 and May 30, the seniors will practice in their caps and gowns, after which time their class picture will be taken.
SENIOR AWARDS DAY:
Wednesday, May 15, the annual Senior Awards Day was held in the auditorium honoring seniors who had achieved special recognition in scholarship and leadership.
Dennis Miller, president of the senior class, presented the class gift to the school. Then Mr. Rigby presented the awards to the graduation class.
Under the direction of Mr. Chris Lewis, the GHS choir sang a special selection and led the seniors in Gulfport High’s Alma Mater.
Officers of the Class of 1974 are: Dennis Miller, president; Sammy Cucurullo, vice-president; Robin Richardson, treasurer, and Pam McLendon, secretary.
— Donna Pearce
Installation Of Officers By West Ward PTA
Installation Of Officers By West Ward PTA
Mrs. James P. Estrada was installed as president of the Gulfport West Ward Elementary Parent Teachers’ Association Thursday evening at the annual meeting for the year in the school auditorium.
Walter Ewing, who will be the new principal at the school for the 1967-68 session, was installing officer.
Mrs. Estrada, who succeeds Mrs. Ben Weeks, is a member of the faculty of Bayou View Junior High School.
Installed also were Mrs. Donald Suber, vice president; Mrs. J. L. Pullen, secretary; and Mrs. Curtis Parker treasurer.
This newspaper account is one of the articles my mother sent me through the years that she’d clipped and saved for me.
No date or name of publication is given. It is presumed the newspaper was The Daily Herald (Mississippi Gulf Coast) because that is the newspaper my family subscribed to all of my life. The year was probably 1967 – dates of school year).
— T.Rose
Coast Episcopal Schools Teacher Honored
The Sea Coast Times Echo
Thursday, April 10, 1986
Page 10C
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“Coast Episcopal Schools Teacher Honored”
The Mississippi Private School Education Association each year sponsors a Teacher of the Year Award for elementary and secondary schools.
Each of the 90-member schools nominates a teacher as a candidate for this award. The school must submit letters of recommendation from parents, peer teachers, the principal, and a prominent local leader in the community.
The teacher nominated must submit a biographical sketch and a 300-word essay on a given topic. This year the topic was “Communication: the Key to Education.”
A panel of judges composed of the officers of the MPSEA makes the final selection.
Coast Episcopal Schools’ Jane Morris Estrada, second grade teacher at the elementary school in Bay St. Louis, has been chosen as Teacher of the Year for the MPSEA for 1985-86 school year.
Mrs. Estrada has taught for 22 years in both public and private schools. She has served as past president of the Harrison County Association of Educators, is a former board member for the Mississippi Association for Educators, elected as delegate to the NEA.
Mrs. Estrada is a member of the American Business Women’s Association and was selected Woman of the Year for the Gulfport Chapter. She is presently the Education and Scholarship chairperson.
She is a past Junior and Cadette Girl Scout Leader. She has been a member of the Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee, poll worker and manager.
The Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Mrs. Estrada at a recent MPSEA Convention held in Jackson by Association President Ernestine Cail from Strider Academy in Charleston, Miss.
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My mother, Jane (Morris) Estrada. She was the daughter of John Harkness Morris and Rosa Ann Elizabeth (Smith) Morris of Gulfport, Ms.
Estrada Named Gulfport Chapter of American Business Women’s Assoc. Woman of the Year – 1979
My mother, Jane Morris Estrada.
West Wind Newsletter from West Junior High School, Gulfport, Mississippi #3 of 3 Issues
Enlarged photos and transcription of entire newsletter. Full digital copies of newsletters follows transcript. Published Circa 1969-1970. (No date on copy.) Entries are entered exactly as written in the original newsletter by the students who were on staff for the paper – no corrections or additions were made. My mother, Jane Morris Estrada, was a teacher at West Jr. High the years I attended school there. — T.Rose Read the rest of this entry »
1970 West Wind Newsletter from West Junior High School, Gulfport, Mississippi #2 of 3 Issues
Enlarged photos and transcription of entire newsletter. Full digital copies of newsletters follows transcript. Published May 1970. (No date on copy.) Entries are entered exactly as written in the original newsletter by the students who were on staff for the paper – no corrections or additions were made. My mother, Jane Morris Estrada, was a teacher at West Jr. High the years I attended school there. — T.Rose
West Wind Newsletter from West Junior High School, Gulfport, Mississippi #1 of 3 Issues
Enlarged photos and transcription of entire newsletter follows full digital copies of newsletters. Published circa 1970. No date on copy. Entries are entered exactly as written in the original newsletter by the students who were on staff for the paper – no corrections or additions were made. My mother, Jane Morris Estrada, was a teacher at West Jr. High the years I attended school there. Read the rest of this entry »
1970 Gulf Gardens Baptist Church Donation Envelope
I was lucky to have two church homes when I was growing up. My grandmother, Rosie Smith Morris was a longtime member of First Baptist Church in downtown Gulfport and my mother, Janie, grew up in that church. Such a beautiful church! I remember the old church before it burned and watched the new church rebuild after Hurricane Camille. I love the folks who knew me from birth at that church. I was active in the choir as a teenager and fellowshipped with many friends I grew up with there. Many wonderful memories as part of that church family.
Although I attended First Baptist Church in Gulfport for years off and on-was in child care there, my favorite church when I was growing up was a small neighborhood church in Gulf Gardens located across the street from Milner Stadium. It was only a block or two from my neighborhood. I felt God there in that church. I went to Bible School at this church, sang in the choir, participated in Girls Auxiliary and went to camps through in church. I loved the people and the friends I had there. Lots of fellowship and love in that church. Good people!
My Grandmother’s Mississippi Driver’s Manual
I have no idea what year this handbook was distributed. My grandmother, Rosie (Smith) Morris, told me she was given this to study if she wanted to get her driver’s license. Her husband was owned and operated a car dealership and he gave her a car. After she took the car on a test drive, and she ran off the road, she refused to drive it from then on. She never got her license, by the way. She preferred to ride the bus or take a cab. — T.Rose
Central P.T.A. Meeting
The Daily Herald, Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi Coast
Page Six
December 23, 1920
CENTRAL P.T.A. MEETING
The Central Parent Teachers Association met Tuesday, the 24th, at the Central School with a most encouraging attendance of both parents and teachers. The usual routine of business was followed by a discussion of playground equipment. The final decision was that quite a good sum of money would be expended for the equipment, which will be good news to the pupils as it means fun and exercise. Some of the money is on hand but, much of it will have to be raised before the order is placed.
Another move made by the association of benefit to the teachers will be divulged at another time.
The pleasing program rendered was a piano solo by Claudia Baylor, song by Irene Morris. The serving of delicious refreshments brought this interesting meeting to a close.
Edna Irene HARKNESS (1880 – 1952) also known as “Irene Morris” —
My great-grandmother – went by “Irene”, married David Edmund Morris, is mentioned in this article. Her son (my grandfather) attended Central Elementary School in Gulfport, as did I. When I attended Central Elementary in downtown Gulfport, there was no playground equipment. My mother, Irene’s grandaughter, was a member and an officer in the Central P. T. A. when I was a student there.
John Harkness MORRIS (1901 – 1965)
son of Edna Irene HARKNESS (Irene Morris)
Janie Lucille MORRIS (1935 – 2013)
daughter of John Harkness MORRIS
Me, the daughter of Janie Lucille MORRIS
Pleasant Surprise Party
Biloxi Daily Herald November 14, 1923
PLEASANT SURPRISE PARTY
A pleasant surprise party and miscellaneous shower was held at the handsome new bungalow of Misses Stella and Mae Harkness, on West Howard avenue, Monday night in which a number of their relatives and members of the Biloxi post office force participated. The event was given in honor of the birthday of Miss Stella Harkness, who has charge of the general delivery window of the local postoffice. The guests gathered at a designated point and marched to the Harkness bungalow where they were delightfully entertained. The guests with a huge birthday cake all lighted with candles entered the home, and were received by Miss Harkness with considerable surprise. During the several pleasant hours delicious hot chocolate and cake were served. Pleasing recitations were given by the Misses Irene and Martha Morris of Gulfport, who also presided at the piano. Many handsome and useful gifts were showered upon the honoree. Among the guests present included Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Harkness, Giles Harkness Peresich, Mrs. Walter G. Wilkes and daughter. Miss Laurie, Mrs. J. W. Swetman, Dr. and Mrs. B. Z. Welch, Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Thompson, Mrs. D. E. Morris and daughters, Misses Irene and Martha Morris, and son John Harkness Morris, of Gulfport, Misses Sadie, Harriet, Stella and Mae Harkness, Mamie Hannon and Messrs. J. R. Munier, J. C. Brent and Addison Jackson.
The Tenderly Rose Collection 