Historic and present day schools of Stone County Mississippi
The write-up in the Stone High yearbook described this team as follows:
Graceful, poised, determined and classy, these are words which perfectly describe the 1984-85 football team. With precision coaching, hard practicing, and perfectly executed plays the 84-85 football team was developed into a mean-lean fighting machine. Finishing the season with a 9-2 record the Tomcats easily clinched the conference title.
Coaches were. Floyd Davis (Head Coach), Chris Calcote, Ode Burrell.
Not sure the year of this photograph, but know it is a photo of a very young Mike Annis (now Cain) wearing her ballcap much like her much loved Dad, “Mutt” Annis, would do. Mike’s dream, with her friend Ruth Ellen Campbell (now Ford) was to have a museum in Wiggins. After many years of teaching Stone County’s children, and with the support of many others, that dream came true with the opening of the Old Firehouse Museum.
If you took dance lessons “back in the day”, chances are your first teacher was Frances Hemeter. She also choreographed the “Perkettes” for many years.
Did you know the Stone High School tennis team is making history for Stone County? This group of students is headed to the state tourney in Jackson this next week. Go Tomcats!
Source: http://www.misshsaa.com/Sports/Tennis/Brackets.aspx; Photo is from post by Lisa Argo Rowell on Facebook
Did you know Nick Walters was the National President of the Beta Club in 1984? This post shows the SHS chapter on their way to the national convention in 1984. According to Mike Cain, the National Beta Club President came from Stone High for two years straight!
Did you realize the original Wiggins High School was a boarding school? Built in 1905 on the location where Blaylock Park now exists, this school was for boys and girls. Note this was still while Wiggins was a part of Harrison County!
Did you know our own Dr. Needham Jones belonged to the famous Tuskegee Airmen? While a student at Alcorn A&M College, Jones was called up in the draft just six weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He was allowed to complete the spring semester as a member of the reserves and reported to the Air Corps at Camp Shelby, Mississippi on September 7, 1942. After eight days of testing, he was sent with the 30 highest scoring to Maxwell Air Force Base in Tuskegee, Alabama, and became a member of the 99th Pursuit Squadron. At discharge he had the rank of Corporal.
Dr. Jones spent many years in education in Stone County serving as Principal at Locker High School and then as Assistant Principal at Stone High. Through Dr. Jones efforts, many young people stayed in school to complete their high school education.
Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS), on March 1, 2013, hosted a ceremony officially recognizing Tuskegee Airman and current Hattiesburg resident, Corporal Needham Jones, Sr., at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
Sources: http://palazzo.house.gov/press-release/palazzo-honors-local-tuskegee-airman-congressional-gold-medal; http://mscivilrightsproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=266:needham-jones&catid=788:person&Itemid=74; http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20130301/NEWS01/130301032/Member-Tuskegee-Airmen-honored-Congressional-Gold-Medal
As reported in the Stone County Enterprise, Wiggins High School would open for grades 9-12 on September 1, 1957. This original wing is part of the Stone High Complex today.
Source: http://stc.stparchive.com/Archive/STC/STC08291957P01.php
Saturday morning, April 13, the Old Firehouse Museum will welcome the Wiggins High School Alumni from Classes of 1958, ’59, and ’60. The students returning home for their Classes’ Reunion are invited to visit the Museum from 9:30 until 11:00 to see the photos and artifacts of our town and county… some from their days at Wiggins High.
Did you know the award winning Stone High Pride was one of 12 bands selected to participate in the 2002 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Enjoy this video of their 2002 “Big Apple Sketches” show celebrating their selection.
The Old Firehouse Museum 