woodrow wilson high school hall of fame – class of 2014

WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Louise M. Woerner Sellers, 1930
The "unsinkable" Titanic ocean liner and Louise Woerner Sellers both launched in 1912;
but only Louise is still afloat. An honor student at Woodrow, Louise was on the
committee that designed the 1930 Class Ring, which she held onto for 83 years until she
donated it to Woodrow in 2013. Like many of our hall of Famers, Louise did not take
the easy path to making her mark. In 1941, married with one child and another on the
way, the unexpected death of her husband left her widowed with children to support. To
make ends meet, Louise cut grass, took in sewing, and when her new son was only 4
months old, took a secretary position at O.M. Roberts Elementary school. From there,
Louise moved on to progressively better paying secretarial positions with a variety of employers including
GMAC, U.S. Engineers, Burris Feed Mills, and Airmaid Hosiery, ending up at the J. Hugh Campbell Company
in 1950. It was called The Flag Store and then mainly sold flags and badges. Louise did much more than
secretarial work; she sewed flags and once had to sew 1,700 red satin garters for a film productions company. In
1962, she bought the company and her son soon joined her, after which they developed a very successful
advertising division selling promotional products to companies such as Texas Instruments and Southwest
Airlines. Louise became very active in the industry, becoming a board member and a two-term president of the
Specialty Advertising Association Southwest. She became a promotional product wizard. Still, The Flag Store
continued to make and sell flags and governmental bodies and schools often called needing unusual flags for
hosting visiting international dignitaries. Louise often found that such flags weren’t commercially available, so
she did the research and sewed the flags herself. Through it all, Louise turned The Flag Store into a nationallyknown specialty business that stayed in her family until 2011. In 2013, Louise generously donated the funds
needed to install the new flagpole that is located in the front lawn here at Woodrow. We believe Louise is
Woodrow’s oldest living alumnus and we celebrate her perseverance and vitality.
Ruth Allen Mewhinney. M.D., 1933
Dr. Ruth I. Allen was a true trailblazer, and credits Woodrow for nurturing her interest
in science. After graduating from SMU in 1937, she went on to become one of only
three women among the 100 new doctors graduating from UT Galveston’s Medical
School in 1941. After an internship at the Women’s Medical College Hospital in
Philadelphia and pediatric residencies at both the University of Michigan Hospital in
Ann Arbor and Children’s’ Medical Center in Dallas, Dr. Allen briefly practiced in
Dallas before moving with her husband, Dr. Logan Mewhinney, to St. Louis for his
Pediatric residency. While in St. Louis, she became Assistant Director of the County’s
Health Department, after first serving as its Director of Maternal and Child Health Programs. After the
Mewhinneys returned to Dallas, Dr. Allen resumed her practice, becoming more than a just physician – she
specialized in, and revolutionized, pediatric and adolescent care for girls and became a compassionate and
intelligent role model for at least three generations of women in North Texas, all while raising two children of
her own, both of whom also became physicians, Dr. Anne Monning of Dallas and Dr. Hugh Mewhinney of
Austin. Dr. Allen touched and changed the lives of thousands of young women during her career, challenging
them to resist gender stereotypes and strive for excellence while pursuing their dreams. She has been a frequent
speaker at schools to faculty and parents on timely adolescent topics. Over the years, Dr. Allen has received
numerous prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Physician Award from the American Medical
Women’s Association in 1998, the Mead Johnson Pediatric Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, and the SMU
Distinguished Alumni Award – 2011 History Maker, among many others.
G. Mark Goode, Jr., 1938
Marquis “Mark” G. Goode, Jr. left Woodrow and began college at Texas A&M, but
WWII interrupted his studies and he was called up, commissioned, and sent off to
Europe, where he served as an officer in the U.S. Army. After the war, he returned to
A&M, finished his Civil Engineering degree in 1947, and then went straight into what
became a 40 year career with the Texas Highway Department. He had no idea then that
his career was going to parallel the construction of one of the greatest interstate highway
systems in the country, but it did, and Mark had a big role in making it happen. From
1980 until he retired in 1986, Mark was the Engineer-Director for the Texas Highway
Department, managing the fastest period of road growth in the history of Texas Highways. Mark initiated a
recruiting and training program that opened doors for women and minorities and led the Department into the age
of automation. Under his leadership, the Highway Department initiated the highly successful “Don’t Mess With
Texas” antilitter campaign and the “Adopt a Highway” program. During his tenure, Texas was at the forefront of
highway development in the country. Mark shared Texas’ expertise and picked the brains of other highway
engineers as he served on the executive and policy committees of the American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials, which recognized his contributions in 1984 by bestowing on him its highest honor,
the MacDonald Award. He also served as president of the Western Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials and on the executive committee of the Transportation Research Board. In 2008, Mark
was inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor for his outstanding contributions that helped give
Texas one of the finest multimodal transportation systems in the world.
‐1‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Pete Harris Pappas, 1938
Charles Robert “Dr. Bob” Smith, M.D., 1940
H. Neill McFarland, Ph.D., 1941
A highly respected Restaurateur whose acumen and knowledge spawned some of the
Southwest’s best known restaurants, Pete Pappas co-founded what has become Pappas
Restaurants, an 80 restaurant chain that includes the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchens,
Pappasito’s Cantinas, Pappas Bar-B-Q restaurants, Pappas Brothers Steakhouses, Pappas
Burgers, Pappas Seafood House, and the Yia Yia Mary’s Greek Kitchen. After
graduating from Woodrow in 1938, Pete bought the Piccadilly Restaurant in Grand
Prairie, but when WWII started, he sold it and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he
served as a Master Sergeant in the Inspector General’s Corps, leading to his lifelong love
of recreational flying. After the War, Pete and his brothers (Jim, Tom, and George) heeded their father’s
suggestion and moved to Houston in 1946 to open Pappas Refrigeration, a restaurant supply business, Always a
tinkerer and a “Fix-it” guy, that was where Pete invented and patented a number of restaurant equipment items
still in use today. However, in 1967, Pete decided, “I’ve helped build so many restaurants; I think I’m going to
do my own.” So he and brother Jim left the supply business and opened the Dot Coffee Shop in Houston,
followed what is now known as Pappas Bar-B-Q. Jim’s sons joined the business soon after and it continued to
expand into what is now a multi-state chain of restaurants. Although a great restaurant innovator and operator,
Pete’s passion was on the real estate side of the business: He had a keen sense for trends and demographics and
prided himself in going with his own hunches about new locations rather than relying on industry data. In his
words, he was “happiest when making a business deal.” Pete never forgot Woodrow and kept up his Dallas ties
over the years. His daughter, Pam Mattingly, remembers that after having attended the 50th Reunion of his 1938
WW Class, he remarked that he had never seen so many ‘old’ people in his life! A recreational pilot who was
also passionate about boats and boating, Pete died in Houston in 2005.
An East Dallas visionary who recognized that East Dallas needed much better access to
health facilities, Dr. Bob Smith made it happen in a big way: Not only did he build and
grow Doctors’ Hospital (near White Rock Lake), he also established what is now known
as Doctors’ Healthcare and Rehab Center for long-term services, as well as Arcady
Health Services Inc., a health care management company. Together, these entities made
a huge difference in the quality and accessibility of health care not only in East Dallas,
but also for surrounding counties. After graduating from Woodrow, he attended SMU,
where he earned both B.A. and B.S degrees. After obtaining his M.D. from Baylor
College of Medicine, he returned to Dallas for a residency in Pediatrics at Children’s Medical Center before
opening his pediatrics practice near White Rock Lake in 1951. He soon realized that, when the lake flooded,
patients couldn’t get to Baylor or other Dallas hospitals. So he developed a plan for a new hospital and, went to
New York to arrange financing, and in 1957, he bought the land. Doctors Hospital opened in 1957 and
eventually grew to 300 beds under his leadership as CEO. In 1984, Tenet Healthcare bought the hospital and in
1989, the Dr. Bob and Jean Smith Foundation was established. Since then, it has given well over $15 million to
medical and educational causes, mostly in and around Dallas, including to UT Southwestern Medical School,
Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor University Medical Center, Children’s’ Medical Center, Greater Dallas
Crime Commission, SMU’s Pre-Medical Program, SMU’s Health Center, and many others. Dr. Bob served on
the Boards of Trustees of SMU and of the Dallas Museum of Art and has been honored as a distinguished
alumnus of both SMU and the Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Bob Smith died in June, 2006.
After he lettered in basketball at Woodrow and was picked as one of the 5 members on
the Dallas Journal’s All-City High School Basketball Team, Neill McFarland put his
nose to the grindstone and completed a B.A. at TCU in just 3 years, earned a Divinity
degree from SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in just 3 more years, served as
Assistant Pastor or Pastor at three churches, and received a Ph.D. from Columbia
University in 1954. Amazing accomplishments, but that Ph.D. was what he needed to
get the job he wanted, as he started teaching at the Perkins School of Theology in 1954.
Soon, though, SMU recognized his administrative skills and vision, so he was tapped to
serve 5 years as SMU’s Vice-President and Provost, where he developed and supervised major reforms in the
university's curriculum that proved basic to SMU's rise to academic prominence. Next, he was made Director
of and built up SMU's International Programs before he finally returned full-time teaching in 1979. His
international experiences led to his founding of the Japan-America Society of Dallas in 1970, which has
flourished and continues to host a variety of cross-cultural event annually. In 1986, the Japanese government
awarded him the "Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays With Neck Ribbon,” for his promotion of mutual
understanding and friendship between the U.S. and Japan. He has published over 20 works specifically
pertaining to Japanese culture and religions, as well as two books: "The Rush Hour of the Gods" (McMillan
Co., 1967) and "Daruma: The Founder of Zen in Japanese Art" (Kodansha International, 1987). Dr. McFarland
currently is Professor of History of Religions emeritus at SMU and Founder and President emeritus of the
Japan-America Society of Dallas.
‐2‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Chris P. Xeros, 1945
At age 86, Chris Xeros shows no sign of slowing down. Always devoted to music and
education, after he graduated from Woodrow, Chris earned a Bachelor’s Degree in
Music (1948) and a Master’s Degree in Music Education (1953) from what is now the
University of North Texas, following that with 3 more years of study at the Juilliard
School of Music in New York. A gifted educator, Chris taught music to DISD students
for 39 years. Under his tutelage, the 1973 W.T. White High School Orchestra was the
first high school orchestra in the North Texas Region to be named “Honor Orchestra” by
the Texas Music Educator’s Assn. and was honored as one of the best high school
orchestras in midwest America by the Mid-West Band & Orchestra Assn. But Chris didn’t limit himself to
working with student performers, In 1963, he orgaznized the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, the first fullyprofessional 55 piece suburban orchestra in the DFW Metroplex, and served as its Conductor for 30 years.
Thanks to Ross Perot’s generous funding, the RSO was honored to be only the second orchestra to perform in
the Morton Myerson Sympohony Hall. Later, he developed the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and served as its
Director for 9 years. In addition, his Xeros Music Enterprisees produces instrument accessories, including
endpin anchors for cellos and basses, as well as Bass-Transport wheels, and has sold over half a millon products
world-wide. He has endowed the Orchestra Conductor’s Suite and a Viola Scholarship at UNT and, in 1990,
the Chris Xeros Friends of Music Scholarship was established in his honor at Richland College to benefit
humanities students. In 2011, the Texas House of Represntatives formally recogrnized Chris Xeros for his
achievements and the lasting contributrions he has made to music, music education, and his community
Charles B. Key, M.D., 1948
How to square a missionary fervor with the responsibility of helping patients who need
your services as one of the finest ophthalmological surgeons around? Ask Dr. Key,
because he has invested a lifetime in doing just that. After graduating from Woodrow
in 1948, he completed both B.A. and M.D. degrees at the University of Texas and was
inducted into the A.O.A. Scholastic Honor Medical Society for being among the top
scholars in his class, all by age 23. He served as a Flight Surgeon (Captain) in the U.S.
Air Force, completed a residency in Ophthalmology at UT Southwestern Medical
School, and has been a Board Certified Ophthalmologist since 1963. He decided to
specialize in cataract and refractive surgery, helping thousands to discard their glasses.
Dr. Key built his own JCAH-approved eye surgery center and hired the best staff to ensure the highest quality of
care. That practice is now the famed Key-Whitman Eye Center with over a dozen of the best Ophthalmologists
and Optometrists in practice today. Dr. Key’s desire to participate in Christian missions always was strong, but
early on he became convinced that he would best serve those missions through financially supporting missionary
work. So not only did he work 6 days a week (sometimes operating on as many as 100 patients in a single day),
he also provided free eye surgery to patients who could not afford it, as well as to seminary students and
missionaries. Often, his financial contributions exceeded 50% of his income. At age 65, Dr. Key became
serious about fitness and started running. In 1979, he heard about the Turkey Trot and has run that 8 miles every
year since and hopes to still be running it at 100. Dr. Key also solo flies jets and has a license to teach
ballooning, soaring, and gliders. He remembers Woodrow fondly and has generously supported the Woodrow
Wilson High School Alumni Assn.
William J. (“Bill”) O’Neil, 1951
A noted American entrepreneur, stockbroker and writer, Bill O’Neil founded the
Investor's Business Daily® and the stock brokerage firm William O'Neil + Co. Inc. and
he is the creator of the CAN SLIM® investment strategy. After graduation from
Woodrow, he received a B.B.A. degree from SMU in 1955 and served in the U.S. Air
Force. In 1958, he became a stockbroker and developed an investment strategy making
early use of computers. In 1960, he was one of the first accepted to Harvard Business
School’s Program for Management Development and, through his research, he invented
the CAN SLIM® strategy and became the top performer in his firm. At age 30, he
bought a seat on the NYSE (the youngest at that time ever to do so) and, in 1963, he founded William
O'Neil+Co. Inc., a stock brokerage firm that developed the first computerized daily securities database in 196364, and currently tracks over 200 data items for over 10,000 companies. His launch of Investor's Business
Daily® in 1984 opened the field to everyday investors. Today, he is chairman of Investor's Business Daily, Inc.,
William O'Neil+Co. Inc., MarketSmith, Inc., O'Neil Data Systems, Inc. and Data Analysis, Inc. Bill O'Neil is
the author of several successful investing books, including the two-million-plus bestseller “How to Make Money
in Stocks, 4th edition” (McGraw-Hill Professional, June 2009). TJFR Group and MasterCard International have
included Bill O’Neil as one of the top 100 business news luminaries of the century. He received the 2002
"Classic Award of Recognition" from the AeA, the largest high-tech industry group in the U.S., the Stock
Trader's Almanac dedicated its 37th edition in 2004 to him, and Investopedia has named Bill O’Neil as one of the
Top 20 “Greatest Investors.” In 2008, Bill O’Neil and his wife Fay C. O’Neil established the O'Neil Center for
Global Markets and Freedom at SMU to study the impact of competitive market forces on freedom and
prosperity in the global economy and to offer training for forward-looking individuals who recognize the
importance of globalization in changing the environment in which business operates now and in the future.
‐3‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Lt. Col. Edwin L. Atterberry, 1952
Edwin Lee Atterberry was an active member of the R.O.T.C. while at Woodrow. After
graduation, he enlisted in the U.S.M.C. Reserve, then became a United States Air Force
aviation cadet in 1955. Earning his wings in 1956, he was commissioned a Second
Lieutenant. On August 12, 1967, on a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam,
Captain Atterberry was shot down and captured. On May 10, 1969, he and fellow POW
Captain John Dramesi planned an elaborate escape from the “Zoo Annex” where they
were prisoners in Hanoi. They were captured the next day. Held in captivity for 646
days, Atterberry was tortured to death on May 18, 1969 for participated in the escape.
Dramesi also was tortured, but survived to describe the escape attempt and Atterberry’s torture in his 1975 book
“Code of Honor.” Edwin Atterberry’s body was returned to the United States on March 13, 1974 and he was
buried in the Field of Honor at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas. Edwin Atterberry was posthumously awarded
the Air Force Cross and promoted to the rank of Lt Col. Lt. Col. Atterberry is honored on panel 24E, row 102 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. and at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, where
Atterberry Hall (Hangar 12) is named after him. His Air Force Cross Citation Reads, in part:
“The President of the United States of America . . . awards the Air Force Cross to Lieutenant Colonel
Edwin L. Atterberry for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a
Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 11 May 1969 to 14 May 1969. . . . Through his extraordinary
heroism and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, and in the dedication of his service to his country,
Colonel Atterberry reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”
Thomas A. (“Tom”) Tombrello, Ph.D., 1954
Tom Tombrello exemplifies academic achievement. After graduating from Woodrow, he
attended Rice University, where he earned his Bachelor’s (1958), Masters (1960), and
Ph.D. (1961) degrees in Physics. He was an Assistant Professor of Physics at Yale
University and then at the California Institute of Technology (a/k/a “Caltech,” the home
of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories), and has been a Full Professor of Physics at
Caltech since 1971. He was Caltech’s William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor from 1997-2011,
and served as the Chairman of Caltech’s Division of Physics, Mathematics, and
Astronomy from 1998-2008 and as Caltech’s Technology Assessment Officer from 19962010. He has been Caltech’s Robert H. Goddard Professor of Physics since 2012. He also served as Vice
President and Director of Research at Schlumberger-Doll Research from 1987 to 1989. Dr. Tombrello and his
research group are primarily involved in applying the techniques of theoretical and experimental physics to
problems in materials science, surface physics, and planetary science. His ongoing research includes
understanding the damage processes caused by megavolt ions in solids, microfluidic circuit elements, and nonlinear financial phenomena. In 1994, he was awarded the Richard P. Feynman Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Tombrello is a consultant for Schlumberger Ltd., Applied Minds Inc., FormFactor Inc., Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, University of Southern California, E&M Labs Inc., Geo Fossil Fuels, LLC and LOHAS
Choices. He is on the Board of Directors of the American Friends of Uppsala University and The Loh Down on
Science Media Lab, and a Trustee of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences – all non-profits. He is on
the Board of Directors of Harrier Technologies, Inc.
Barbara Byrd Adamson, 1956
A Truism: Without the work and dedication of Barbara Adamson, Woodrow would not
have an Alumni Association. In 1987, Barbara co-founded the Woodrow Wilson High
School Alumni Association with Kyle Rains. She made sure it was properly incorporated
and set up as an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization for the benefit of future
generations of Wildcats, and she served as WWHSAA’s first President. Since 2009, she
has been Vice-President of WWHSAA and a Member of its Board of Directors. In 2001,
she co-founded the Dallas High Schools Alumni Association to coordinate alumni
activities and programs between Dallas High Schools and is its Vice-President. Barbara’s
business background with Sun Oil Co., Dr. Pepper Co., Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas, as a small business
owner, and as a Consultant and Fund Raiser, combined with her community service experience with Metrocare,
the Dallas Motion Picture Classification Board, DISD’s Commission for Education Excellence, the Crohn’s &
Colitis Foundation, and the Komen Race For The Cure have provided valuable insight and ideas for helping
Woodrow and Woodrow Alums. In her work at BCBS’s Caring For Children Foundation, she developed a
statewide outreach program that has benefitted thousands of uninsured and underserved children in Texas by
providing more than 1,100,000 free immunizations. This is a free private program that is the only one of its kind
in the U.S. and has brought numerous acknowledgements from cities and counties throughout the State, as well as
Resolutions of support from the Texas Senate and House of Representatives. Personally, she received a
Proclamation from Houston’s Mayor and City Council declaring that “February 1, 2011 is Barbara Adamson Day
in Houston, Tx” in appreciation for her immunization outreach efforts in that city. A 20 year breast cancer
survivor, Barbara organized the largest private (not corporate) team to ever run in a Komen Race in the country.
‐4‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Mary Beth Coniglio Rogers, 1957
Mary Beth credits her English teachers at Woodrow for teaching her how to write and
organize her thoughts, the skills that have been the foundation for her entire career in
communications, public service, and administration. Those teachers emphasized the
value of writing and clear thinking, and their almost daily writing assignments taught her
to love the process of creating readable prose. Their inspiration, plus her time working
on the Woodrow Wilson News, led Mary Beth to major in journalism and English at the
University of Texas at Austin. Mary Beth has written several books, including the
definitive biography of Barbara Jordan, the first African American elected to Congress
from the South. In addition to her writing career, Mary Beth served as Deputy Treasurer of the State of Texas,
and was Chief of Staff to the late Governor Ann Richards. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of
KLRU-TV, the public television station in Austin that brings education, culture, and information to millions of
citizens. She has been a public speaker, an international lecturer, a member of a college board of trustees, and
has served on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations. For five years, she was a member of the faculty
of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and was honored as an
outstanding teacher by the UT Ex-Students Association. In 1994, she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall
of Fame for her civic and community leadership. Mary Beth is the oldest of five siblings who all graduated from
Woodrow: Martha, Benita, Susie, and Frank. She continues to write and consult with various organizations and
individuals.
Harvey Wiggins, 1960
Harvey Wiggins, President and Founder of Plexon Inc, is well-known worldwide as an
early pioneer who created the neural data acquisition equipment market as a commercial
industry. Almost 45 years ago, Harvey wrote his first neural spike acquisition program
on a little minicomputer using paper tape and a Teletype for development 1/0. Fifteen
years following that pivotal start, Harvey founded Spectrum Scientific in 1983 in an
effort to pass on his experience and provide powerful signal capture, processing, and
analysis to the broad field of neuroscience researchers. Spectrum Scientific became
known as Plexon in 1996. Backed by Professor Don Woodward of the University of
Texas Southwestern Medical School, Harvey designed the Multichannel Acquisition Processor (MAP) Data
Acquisition System - affectionately called the "Harvey Box" even today. The MAP System was the first design
to provide real-time processing using parallel DSP chips of up to 128 channels of spike signals. Back then, it
was controlled by a 486-class PC. Harvey personally designed all of the hardware and performed the DSP and
microcontroller programming. At that time, no other company was addressing the need for large scale, real-time
neural spike acquisition systems. He earned his Masters of Science degree at SMU in Electrical Engineering,
carrying double majors in Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering. His early career included computer
engineering for Nuclear Chicago Corporation and leading a research computer facility at the Callier Center for
Communication Disorders where he first became enamored with neurophysiology. After 30 years of service to
researchers and numerous corporate awards, Harvey continues to lead Plexon with the same energy and vision
that fueled his entrepreneurial spirit decades ago. He has been recognized repeatedly for his vision and
leadership - including having been featured and described in the magazine D CEO as, "Certain people just don't
need last names."
John Robert (“Bobby”) May, 1961
After Woodrow, Bobby attended Rice University on a track and field scholarship and
was an outstanding high hurdler, winning four Southwest Conference championships in
1963-65 as well as an NCAA champion ship in 1964 and was a finalist for the Olympic
trials in the hurdles in 1964. He graduated in 1965, cum laude, with a business degree
and pursued business interests in Waterloo, Iowa and Dallas. He returned to collegiate
athletics in 1967 when Rice hired him as Assistant Track Coach and Assistant Business
Manager. He became Head Track Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Business in
1976. In 1979, he retired from coaching and devoted all of his efforts to the business
activities of Rice’s Athletic Department. In 1984, he became Associate Athletic Director and, in 1989, Bobby
May became Rice University’s 12th Athletic Director. Bobby will tell you that being an athletic director is a 24/7
job, consisting of fund raising, travel, conference coordination and of course, the politics that go with it. A
particular challenge is to hire and retain successful coaches in order to avoid a revolving door. Bobby supervised
the hiring of football coaches Fred Goldsmith and Ken Hatfield, basketball coach Willis Wilson, tennis coach
Ron Smart, track and field coach Jon Warren, and baseball coach Wayne Graham. Bobby also played a
leadership role in renovating the Rice athletic facilities and significantly increasing the student athlete
endowment. Bobby May has served on many national and conference committees, including the executive
committee for Division I-A athletic directors, and the NACDA executive committee. In the NCAA he served on
the Division I championships cabinet and in the WAC he was a member of the championships committee. He
retired as Athletic Director in 2006. Bobby’s personal athletic achievements were recognized in 1971, when he
was part of the second group of Owls inducted into the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2009, his work was
honored by his professional peers with his induction into the National Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.
‐5‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Phillip Shinoda, Ph.D., M.B.A., 1962
Joseph Michael “Dusty” Hill, 1967
Terry S. Maness, Ph.D., 1967
After Woodrow, Phillip Shinoda graduated from the University of California Santa
Barbara and the University of California, Berkeley where he obtained his Ph.D. in
Business Administration and an M.B.A. in Applied Economics. He then taught at San
Francisco State College, Wake Forest University, and Oregon State University. For
twenty years, he was President of San Lorenzo of Texas, an importer and distributor of
floral and decorative products. Dr. Shinoda now is Principal at Shinoda Associates LLC
and the editor of GreenSourceDFW.org He was formerly the Director of Memnosyne
Institute’s Center for The Environment, Science and Economics and, prior to that
position, he served as the Director of Corporate and Community Relations at the University of Texas at
Arlington. He has been active in civic affairs and has served on the Boards of AIDS ARMS Inc., the Center for
Nonprofit Management, the Community Council of Greater Dallas, the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, the
Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas Theater Center, Galaxy Counseling Center, North Texas Public Broadcasting ,
the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, The Hockaday School, the UT Southwestern Medical School, and the
Women’s Issues Network. He served as a member of the Dallas Citizens Council and was also active in the
Asian American community as co-founder and president of the Asian American Forum and on the boards of the
Japan American Society and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP). Active in Democratic politics, he
was appointed to the governing board of the International Trade Commission of the State of Texas by Governor
Ann Richards and, in 2006, was the Democratic Candidate for the Texas House of Representatives District 114
seat. Dr. Shinoda has been recognized by the Dallas Asian American Bar Association with its Lifetime
Community Advocate Award, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ Above and Beyond Award, and the
Leadership Dallas Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
“Tush,” “I Heard It On The X,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “La Grange.” If some of
those songs aren’t familiar to you, you’ve been asleep since 1969 when Woodrow alum
Dusty Hill teamed up with Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard as the blues rock band ZZ
TOP. Over the past 40+ years, this 3 man group has sold millions of records, and they’re
still at it today, as their 2014 tour of the U.S., Canada, and Europe is underway now.
While at Woodrow, Dusty played with his brother, Rocky, and Richard Harris as the
Deadbeats, the Warlocks, Lady Wild and the Warlocks, and the American Blues at
familiar venues including Lou Anns, The Disc-A-Go-Go, and the Cellar Clubs in Dallas
and Ft. Worth. Along the way, Richard left the band and Frank Beard became the drummer. When they moved
to Houston, Rocky left, so Frank and Dusty hooked up with Billy Gibbons to make music history. ZZ TOP has
sold over 50 million albums, 16 studio albums, 11 gold records, and 7 platinum records. They were inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. In addition to the world of music, Dusty – known for his long beard and
sunglasses – has had many screen appearances, including in “Back to the Future Part III,” “Mother Goose Rock
'n' Rhyme,” and “Deadwood,” and as himself in “King of the Hill” and “Duck Dynasty.” Dusty’s charitable
fundraising includes Veterans Matter, a Toledo-based nonprofit providing rent deposits for veterans who are
screened and aided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans
Affairs Supported Housing program (HUD-VASH). In 1986, the Texas House of Representatives named ZZ
TOP “Official Texas Heroes” and Texas Governor Ann Richards proclaimed May 4, 1991 as “ZZ TOP Day.”
Dr. Terry Maness has been Dean of Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business
since 1997. Earlier, he served as its Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and as
Chairman of the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate. Dr. Maness earned
the Distinguished Professor Award from the School of Business in 1982, the University
Distinguished Professor Award in 1984, the School of Business Most Popular Professor in
both 1989 and 1996, and the Top Professor Award for the 1980-1981 academic year from
Mortar Board. He is the author of five books on financial analysis and financial
management and a contributor to various academic and professional publications. A
Certified Cash Manager, Dr. Maness frequently consultants on small business valuations. Other positions include
President of the Southwestern Finance Association, President of the Southwestern Business Deans Association,
and membership on the Board of Governors of Beta Gamma Sigma from 2006 to 2010. Dr. Maness has served
on the Initial Accreditation Committee, the Accreditation Quality Committee, and numerous peer review teams in
addition to mentoring several universities for the global business accreditation agency AACSB, International. He
currently serves on the Boards of Directors for the Brazos Higher Education Service Corporation, Citizens, Inc.
(audit and compensation committees), Extraco Banks (audit committee), and Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center
(board chair for 2011 and 2012). Previous civic positions include the local boards of Rotary International, The
Better Business Bureau, The Dr Pepper Museum, and the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Maness is a
deacon at the First Baptist Church of Woodway, Texas. His Baylor University degrees include a B.A. in
Economics and an M.S. in Economics. He also holds a Doctorate of Business Administration degree from
Indiana University.
‐6‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
John D. “Jay” Settle, J.D., 1968
At Woodrow, Jay was an Honor student, in the Musical, and an athlete, winning a
District Championship in Track and Field and a Regional Co-championship in High
Jump. His top honor was winning 2nd in State for the 50 yard Sprint in Swimming and
2nd in the 100 yard freestyle race, for which he was named an All State Swimmer and,
after his graduation, a swimming award was established in his name at Woodrow in his
name, which remains to the present. He attended Texas Tech on a 4 year swimming
scholarship, lettering all 4 years and was named Team Captain his last two years. All
the while, jay excelled academically through the undergraduate program and finished
law school in only 2 ½ years. After working for a Dallas title company for 3 years, Jay decided to start his own
law practice. In 1979, after a year of solo practice, he joined with his Woodrow and law school classmate,
Robert Pou, to create SettlePou law firm. Jay has done a superlative job of serving the community, mentoring
young attorneys and growing this enterprise into a 40 lawyer law firm representing clients in transactional,
litigation and regulatory matters. SettlePou has been voted one of the Top 100 Places To Work in the Metroplex
for the past 4 years and recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 100 Law Firms in the Nation. Jay’s
title insurance work continues, as he and Robert have 4 offices of Lawyers Title Company. With his 38 years of
real estate law experience, Jay recently served as Chair of the Real Estate Section of the Dallas Bar Association
and has served the community as President and Chairman of the Dallas Executives Assn., President of the
Argyle Club, President of the 1010 Historical Society, a member of The Dallas Trolley Board and the Dallas
Campfire Girls Board, an Assistant Scoutmaster, and Chair of the Junior Board, Church Moderator, and Sunday
School teacher at Park Cities Baptist Church. Jay has received the prestigious “AV” Preeminent Peer Review
Rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating available for legal ability and professional ethics.
Emily Sherrill Weadock, 1978
Emily is a Wildcat through and through. A Cheerleader at Woodrow, she studied art at
Southern Methodist University and Baylor University. She is a skilled mixed-media
artist, having produced fine art, interior decoration, graphic arts, computer arts, and
literary aids. She is the director of Independent Software Inc.’s Digital Art Studio and is
also the owner of Mad Skill Studios, an umbrella company for all avenues of art from
jewelry to abstract paintings and glass art. She is a seasoned graphic artist who has
illustrated six “For Dummies” books as well as a half-dozen other computer, business,
and humor books. She also coauthored IDG's acclaimed “Creating Cool PowerPoint 97
Presentations.” In all, Emily has co-written or illustrated over 21 books. Emily consults as a graphic artist and
designer. Her talent ranges from technical illustration to 3D animation and multimedia development. Her
animation work has received various awards, including an invitation to the Frankfurt International Film Festival
for her computer-generated film, “Alphabet Theater.” Before trading brushes for mice, Emily enjoyed success as
a mixed-media construction artist. Her works have been on public display in various competitions and onewoman shows in Dallas. Her mixed-media creations using natural items, glass, ceramics, and metals include
ceramic wall art, ceramic totem poles, horsehair thrown pottery, dinnerware and serving platters, fused glass
tiles, glass and metal jewelry, and abstract large scale paintings using rust as the main element. Her works have
been displayed in Texas and Colorado. Emily is currently represented by the Evergreen Art Gallery in
Evergreen, Colorado and is preparing for a one woman show at Artists on Santa Fe Gallery in Denver, CO.
Abel Gonzales, 1988
After graduating from Woodrow, Abel Gonzalez decided to make food his business; but
not just any food, Abel’s goal was to invent and sell food for visitors at the State Fair of
Texas. He made it his full time business, working all year to develop new specialty
foods for the State Fair. He now is considered the "Fry King" of the great State Fair of
Texas (he has won The Big Tex Award 7 times). Abel gives back to his community,
working the holidays at Six Flags Over Texas for "Holiday in the Park." His fame has
landed him on the Food Network Channel, as well as on “Oprah Winfrey,” “The View,”
and “Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy” – just to name a few. Abel continually
amazes with his cooking ability. But he also has successfully implemented a program through the City of
Dallas’ Water Department on how to re-use grease for fuel, it’s called “Cease the Grease!” and the goal is to
teach people not to pour used cooking grease down the drain, but instead to recycle it to make electricity. This
past Christmas, Abel started another successful business selling “home made from scratch” tamales, posole, and
empanadas. The clever and creative Abel Gonzalez exemplifies entrepreneurship, determination, and a drive to
succeed in a business thought by many to be only a part time endeavor.
‐7‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Joaquin Zihuataneo, 1989
Travis H. Willingham, 1999
Joaquín Zihuatanejo is a poet, spoken word artist, and award-winning teacher. Born
and raised in the barrio of East Dallas, in his work Joaquín strives to capture the duality
of the Chicano culture. Sometimes brutal, but always honest his work depicts the
essence of barrio life, writing about a youth that existed somewhere between the streets
of the barrio and the dream wanderings of a boy who found refuge in a world of stories
and poems. Joaquín has been called by critics, “one of the most dynamic and
passionate performance poets in the country, melding equal parts comedy, poetry, and
dramatic monologue into a crowd-pleasing display of verbal fireworks…always
thrilling, his hilariously manic presentation is full of compassion and nuance, never sacrificing substance for
style, leading many to call him poetry slam’s answer to John Leguizamo.” For seven years Joaquín was an
award-winning English and creative writing public high school teacher for ninth and eleventh grade students
inspiring a new collection of poems from the classroom entitled “Stand Up and Be Heard.” For the last four
years, Joaquin has taken a break from his teaching position to tour North America and Europe teaching
workshops and performing his one man spoken word show at hundreds of colleges, universities, conferences
and poetry slams. A National Poetry Slam Finalist, Grand Slam Spoken Word Champion, and HBO Def Poet,
Joaquín has performed his poetry at universities, conferences and poetry slams all over the Unites States,
Canada, Mexico and Europe. Joaquín recently won the 2008 Individual World Poetry Slam Championship
besting 77 poets representing cities all over North America, France and Australia. Due in part to this victory,
Joaquín received a book deal with Wordsmith Press, published in the fall of 2010. Also because of this victory,
Joaquín was the poet chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2009 World Cup of Poetry Slam in Paris, France, a
competition that he won besting 13 poets from 13 different nations making him the number one ranked slam
poet in the world on both sides of the Atlantic. He currently lives just north of his hometown of Dallas with his
wife and two daughters. Joaquín has two passions in his life, his wife, Aída, and poetry, always in that order.
Travis was a Star at Woodrow, both as a theatrical performer and on the football field.
He played tight end on Bobby Estes’ Wildcat football teams, but Woodrow’s theatrical
stage was where he found a type of performance he could turn into a career. After
Woodrow, Travis earned a B.FA. degree at nearby TCU, performing to acclaim in
national and international productions. Although he started his professional career in
Dallas, he soon moved to Los Angeles, where he found screenwork success in films
including “Secondhand Lions,” “Friday Night Lights,” and “Ray,” as well as in
television programs including “The New Adventures of Old Christine,: “Private
Practice,” “Nip/Tuck,” and “Cold Case.” But Travis also was in demand as an anime voice actor, and found
himself getting busier and busier working on titles such as “Marvel's Super Hero Squad Show” in the roles of
The Incredible Hulk and Human Torch. A self-acknowledged comic geek, Travis has continued to work with
Marvel Animation by maintaining the role of Thor in “Marvel's Avengers Assemble,” “Ultimate Spider-Man,”
and “Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.” His other credits include Superman in “Lego Batman The Movie,”
“DC Super Heroes Unite,” “Phineas and Ferb,” “The Legend of Korra,” “Fish Hooks,” Knuckles in “Sonic The
Hedgehog,” and many more. 2013 ushered in Travis as Disney's newest King, playing King Roland II in
Disney Jr's new hit show, “Sofia The First.” Coming from a proud family of gamers, he is excited that his
video game career also has been growing. And with demand for motion capture in newer titles quickly on the
rise, Travis is thankful for his sports and stunts background. Travis performed mocap for the multitude of Frost
Giants in the 2011 theatrical release of “Thor,” and his voiceover and mocap work in 2012 included
blockbuster video game titles “Halo 4,” “Skylanders Giants,” “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” “Resident Evil 6,”
“Transformers: Fall of Cybertron,” and “Grand Theft Auto V.” 2013-14 offers some exciting new titles for
Travis as he appears in the PS4 launch title “Knack,” “Lego Marvel Super Heroes,” and the February 2014
release of “Infamous: Second Son” as Reggie Rowe. There now are Travis Willingham fan pages on the
Internet and he is a frequently sought interview subject by fan publications. Whether anime, television, motion
pictures, video games, or all of them, Travis is a Woodrow Wildcat well on his way to Hollywood Stardom.
‐8‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME – CLASS OF 2014
Jesus “Jesse” Moreno, Jr., 2004
Growing up the son of two activists, Jesse Moreno, Sr. and Amelia Moreno, Jesse
appreciated early the importance of hard work and education. After leaving Woodrow,
he attended Texas State University and the University of North Texas focusing on
Elementary Education, but his actual career took a different path, as he returned
oversee the family business, La Popular Tamale House in East Dallas. Nevertheless,
his activist passion has continued as he has worked diligently on projects to assure that
all citizens have a safe and positive place to enjoy among Dallas’ Parks and Recreation
Centers, to preserve Dallas’ historic structures and neighborhoods, and to assure that
quality elementary education is available to all children, regardless of their economic circumstances. His
experience includes membership on the Dallas Parks and Recreation Board, the Dallas Mayor’s Star Council,
Leadership DISD, Dallas Youth Commission, the DISD Teen Board, the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, the Redevelopment Master Plan Committee for Randall Park, the Redevelopment Master Plan
Committee for Buckner Park, the Principal Search Committee and PTA at Lipscomb Elementary School, the
Principal Search Committee and SBDM Committee at Woodrow Wilson High School, and the SBDM
Committee at O.M. Roberts Elementary School . He is President of the Northeast Dallas Chapter of the Lions
Club and a volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas. In addition to all that, Jesse stays very
closely attuned to specific needs at Woodrow and regularly organizes, participates in, and makes substantial
contributions of food support for a variety of programs designed to benefit Woodrow, its students, and the
Woodrow Community in general.
Coach Theo “Cotton” Miles, Honorary
Wildcats of the 1960s knew only one Football coach: “Cotton” Miles. Students loved
him, regardless of whether they played football; they knew the legend: Before Woodrow,
“Cotton” Miles had led White Oak to six district titles and a co-state championship. This
man knew football and Woodrow was damn lucky to have him. In fact, the students
dedicated Woodrow’s 1967 Crusader Yearbook to Coach Miles! Under Coach Miles’
leadership, Woodrow won District 7 of 11 seasons and, in 1969, he took the Wildcats all
the way to the State Semifinal game, where the Wildcats lost to the Wichita Falls team that
went on to win that year’s state 4A championship. Coach Miles played football at Lamar College and Stephen
F. Austin, where he was selected to Who’s Who in Colleges and Universities before graduating in 1948. After
that, he became very successful coaching at White Oak through the 1950s, before coming to Woodrow in 1959.
In 1970, he left Woodrow and coached at the new Skyline High School for several years before he decided to
leave coaching entirely to become the Principal at Wills Point High School. During his 27 year coaching
career, Coach Miles amassed an enviable lifetime coaching record of 184 Wins, 81 Losses, and 7 Ties, and his
prowess led Gene Wilson to write "Cotton & Co.: The Story of a Texas High School Coaching Legend,” a book
about Coach Miles that is still being sold today on Amazon.com. Coach Miles has received the Stephen F.
Austin State University Lettermen's Association Jack of Honor Award and he has been elected to the Stephen
F. Austin State University Hall of Honor, to the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor, and – in 2010 – to
the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.
‐9‐ WOODROW WILSON HALL OF FAME
The Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame was established on the occasion of the school’s 60th anniversary in 1989. A representative of each decade of
Woodrow’s existence, plus longtime faculty members and PTA volunteers, gathered together to nominate and select the first 17 alumni to be inducted. Since
1999, inductions have taken place every five years, coinciding with school anniversaries. We invite you to review a list of our honored alumni and a brief
description of their numerous achievements.
1989 INDUCTEES
Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler Class of 1940 – SMU Board of Trustees and
Governors from 1968 to 1987, Civic Leader. Member, Texas Women’s Hall
of Fame. SMU Board of Trustees. First person in the U.S. to receive all 3 of
these national honors: Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year; United Way’s
Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award; Distinguished Service Award from the
Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.
Floyd E. Bloom, M.D. Class of 1954 – Neuroscience, Medicine, Author.
Tim Brown Class of 1984 – Heisman Trophy Winner 1987 Notre Dame,
NFL Los Angeles Raiders, NFL Rookie of the Year 1988.
Samuel Robert “Sam” Johnson Class of 1947 – Texas State Representative,
Dallas/Collin County. Former Vietnam War POW.
William Kieschnick, Jr. Class of 1940 – Former CEO, Atlantic Richfield
Co.
Malcolm James “Mal” Kutner Class of 1938 – All-American, UT Football,
NCAA Football Hall of Fame, NFL, NFL Most Valuable Player 1948, VicePresident, C&K Petroleum.
Alton Lavelle Lister Class of 1976 – Professional Basketball Player, NBA,
Golden State Warriors, Seattle SuperSonics..
Dr. Percy Lueke, Jr. Class of 1943 – Medical Doctor, former member,
Charles Max Cole, M.D. Class of 1932 – President, Dallas County Medical
DISD School Board.
Society, Chief of Surgery, Presbyterian Hospital, Diplomate, American Board William C. “Bill” McCord Class of 1945 – former Chairman, Enserch Corp.
of Surgery.
Nancy Armour Neeld Class of 1948 – Tennis professional. 34 National
James Mitchell “Jim”Collins Class of 1932 – United States Congressman
titles. Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
serving eight terms.
William H. Seay Class of 1936 – Former CEO, Southwestern Life Insurance
Fred Trammell Crow Class of 1932 – Founder and Chairman of the
Co.
Trammell Crow Company, largest and most successful real estate
Charles W. “Charlie” Tessmer Class of 1938 – Noted Criminal Defense
development company in the U.S.
Attorney, called “the Don” of Dallas Criminal Defense Attorneys. Former
Jack Wilson Evans Class of 1940 – Chairman, President and CEO of Cullum President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. Texas
Companies, Inc., parent company of Tom Thumb Supermarkets.
Criminal Defense Attorney Hall of Fame.
Ralph J. Guldahl Class of 1930 – Golf pro, U.S. Open winner 1937, 1938; & Joel T. Williams Class of 1938 – Former Senior Chairman, Bright Banc.
Masters winner, 1939.
1999 INDUCTEES
James Albon “Jim” Mattox Class of 1961 – U.S. Congressman, Attorney
William
E.
“Billy”
“Rooster”
Andrews Class of 1941 – Founder and CEO,
General of Texas.
Rooster Andrews Sporting Goods, Inc.
Geraldine Erwin Miller Class of 1952 – Texas State Board of Education.
Sam Blair Class of 1950 – Writer and sports columnist, The Dallas Morning
M.T. “Buddy” Minyard Class of 1930 – Founder and Chairman, Minyard
News.
Food Stores.
Stephen Cargile Class of 1982 – Artist, Walt Disney Studios, Art Director,
David “Davey” O’Brien Class of 1935 – Heisman Trophy Winner 1938
Euro Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland.
TCU.
Al Carrell Class of 1943 – Columnist, radio and television’s “Super
Thomas R. “Tom” Phillips Class of 1968 – Chief Justice, Texas Supreme
Handyman”.
Court (retired).
James Pat “Pat” Evans. M.D. Class of 1947 – Sports Medicine specialist,
Wallace H. Savage Class of 1929 – Attorney and Mayor of Dallas 1949Team Physician for Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks, Founder and
1951; Dallas County and State Democratic Party Chairman 1952-1954.
Medical Director, Justin Sports Medicine Program for Professional Rodeo
Cowboys.
Carroll Hall Shelby Class of 1940 – National Champion professional race
car driver and race car builder; LeMans Champion; Sports Illustrated’ s
George William “Bill” Forester Class of 1949 – All-American, SMU
“Driver of the Year,” 1956 &1957; maker of the 1st American car to win an
Football, NFL, Captain, Green Bay Packers Championship Teams of 1961,
FIA race; creator of the Shelby Cobra, Shelby Mustang GT350, Shelby GT40, 1962.
Shelby Mustang GT500, Shelby Mustang convertible, Shelby Mustang,
Hershel Vincent Forester Class of 1948 – SMU Football, NFL, Captain,
Dodge Shelby Charger, Dodge Omni GLH, Dodge Viper prototype chassis,
Cleveland Browns Championship Teams of 1954, 1955.
Shelby Cobra CSX2000, Shelby GT, Shelby GT500KR, Shelby GT-H
convertible, Shelby CSX8000.
Louis “Lou” Freeman Class of 1970 – Chief Pilot, Southwest Airlines Pilot
Crew Base, Chicago Midway.
Dr. George Thomas “Tom” Shires Class of 1942 – Chairman, Department
of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief, New York Hospital Medical Center, Dean, James Kenyon Hiser Class of 1976 – U.S. Navy Commander, Destroyer
Cornell University Medical College.
USS Paul Hamilton.
Merrill Rowland Wolfe Class of 1934 – Olympic Gold Medalist in
Bradley Sue LaFon Howell Class of 1951 – Woodrow Wilson High School
Tumbling, 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
Librarian (1981-2006), Founder, Woodrow Wilson High School Archives,
responsible for school designation as City and State Historical Landmark.
1990 INDUCTEES
Georgia Ann Carroll Kyser Class of 1937 – Top John Robert Powers
Richard E. Berezden Class of 1956 – President, American University
fashion model, Warner Bros. contract player, USO entertainer, wife of
Washington, D.C.
bandleader Kay Kyser, Model for “Spirit of the Centennial” statue at Fair
Walter Evans Class of 1948 – Channel 4 Television news anchor and veteran Park (now Women’s Museum).
broadcaster.
Lawrence E. Marcus Class of 1934 – Neiman-Marcus, U.S. Army Captain
Alfred C. “Al” Haynes Class of 1948 – United Airlines Pilot whose skill
of victorious WWII 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion in El Guettar battle
saved scores of lives in 1989 Iowa airline crash.
against German forces.
Jerry Martin Haynes Class of 1944 – Channel 8 Television, creator of “Mr. Dodd J. Miller Class of 1957 – Chief of Dallas Fire Department 1976-2000.
Peppermint”.
Ken R. Morris Class of 1968 – Co-Founder, PeopleSoft, Inc. California;
Philanthropist.
‐10‐ WOODROW WILSON HALL OF FAME
Boone Powell, Jr. Class of 1955 – President and CEO, Baylor Health Care
System, Baylor University Medical Center (retired).
Telecasts, Indianapolis 500, Summer and Winter Olympics.
SMU’s 1966 Southwest Conference Championship team.
J. Kyle Rains Class of 1976 – Co-Founder, Woodrow Wilson High School
Alumni Association, Woodrow Wilson High School Historian.
Tracy Hiser Harding Class of 1981 – Former Yale cheerleader, served two
years with Peace Corps, earned Master’s in International Relations at
University of California San Francisco, works for the State Department in
Jakarta, Indonesia. Recently hosted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Marvin Travis Runyon Class of 1942 – Postmaster General of the United
States.
Played on
Philip “Phil” Johnson Class of 1943 – Navy Veteran and career professional
dancer who helped launch Woodrow’s proud tradition of annual musicals by
choreographing 1958 landmark production of Oklahoma! and others.
Joseph K. “Joe” Sholden Class of 1976 – Merrill Lynch Financial.
John L. Sholden Class of 1979 – Dallas County Justice of the Peace.
Kenneth L. “Ken” Woodfin Class of 1940 – Admiral, U.S. Navy (retired).
Lawrencde O. “Larry” Karl III Class of 1968 – National Wrestling Hall of
Fame member, won 31 District Championships as coach of Men’s and
Women’s Wrestling teams at Skyline High School, Former Dallas Cowboys
waterboy.
2004 INDUCTEES
Anna Michele Bobadilla Class of 1973 – Associate Vice President,
University of Texas at Arlington.
William Lewis Lester Class of 1929 – Acclaimed painter who helped
develop Texas Regionalist Style, has works in the Dallas Museum of Art,
Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Whitney and Huntington Art
Museums. Chairman of Art Department, UT Austin 1952-54, Triptych
“Development of American Industry” hangs in Woodrow Library.
Mary M. Brinegar Class of 1965 – President and Chief Operating Officer,
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society.
Bill L. “Bulldog” Cunningham Class of 1949 – City and Community
Leader, known in East Dallas as “The Insurance Wizard”.
Vickers L. Cunningham Class of 1980 – Judge, 283rd Judicial District Court. John Paul McCrumbly Class of 1971 – Woodrow Wilson’s first AfricanAmerican football star, propelled 1969-70 team to Texas State Semi-Finals.
C. Buckner Fanning Class of 1943 – Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, San
Also played for Texas A&M and NFL Buffalo Bills.
Antonio for 43 years, has led mission ministries throughout the world.
Mariano Martinez Class of 1963 – Accomplished restaurateur. In 1971, he
Burton Gilliam Class of 1956 – Former Dallas firefighter, popular
modified a soft-serve ice cream maker into the world’s first frozen margarita
Hollywood character actor, appeared in films such as “Paper Moon,”
machine, which is now displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of
“Blazing Saddles,” and “Honeymoon in Vegas,” Golden Gloves Title Holder.
American History.
Gary E. Griffith Class of 1966 – Member, Dallas City Council, East Dallas
Steve Miller Class of 1961 – Steve Miller Band. World famous musician and
Representative on the Park Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Center
guitarist, album The Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits 1974-1978 has sold
City TIF Board.
over 13 million copies, continues to perform at sold-out concerts.
James A. Rogers Class of 1965 – Executive Director and Chief Psychiatrist,
Danielle Drury Petters Class of 1985 – Successful International Fashion
Child Guidance Center in San Antonio.
Model before pursuing a career in education, former member of Woodrow
Toby Lloyd Shook Class of 1976 – Former Dallas County Assistant District faculty, now principal at J.L. Long Middle School, first of seven siblings to
Attorney and Chief Felony Prosecutor; now noted Criminal Defense
graduate from Woodrow.
Attorney.
Marjorie Hardwick Schramel Class of 1982 – Acclaimed Ballerina and
Peggy Hill Taylor Class of 1939 – Founder, Peggy Taylor Talent, Inc., first
successful International Fashion Model. Danced with Mikhail Baryshnikov at
talent agency in the Southwest, has developed careers of hundreds of actors
American Ballet Theatre, now Director of Schramel Conservatory of Dance
from New York to Hollywood.
in New Orleans, Associate Director of New Orleans Ballet Theatre, soloist
with Dallas, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and Miami Ballets.
George N. Zarafonetis Class of 1937 – Credit Card Pioneer, Founder,
MasterCard (originally named PrestoCharge).
Inez A. Sookma Class of 1983 – NATO. Colonel in U.S. Air Force,
currently serving with International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters in
2009 INDUCTEES
Brussels, Belgium.
Ed Richard Bentley Class of 1940 – Chairman of the Board and CEO of
Republic National Bank, longtime supporter of Woodrow programs and Barbara Galleher Tonry Class of 1954 – Held 12 national titles in tumbling,
qualified for U.S. Olympic Trials in 1960 before a knee injury redirected her
Juliette Fowler Homes.
focus to teaching, organized first Women’s Gymnastics Team at Yale and has
Elizabeth Cupples Blessing Class of 1936 – First woman to campaign for been Head Coach since 1973. Won 14 Ivy Classic Championships.
Mayor of Dallas; second woman elected to Dallas City Council. Heralded as
Ruth Allen Vail Class of 1991 – First alum to serve as Woodrow’s Principal,
a pioneer who helped open Dallas politics to women.
beginning in 2008 spearheaded efforts to upgrade Woodrow campus resulting
Alan R. Bromberg Class of 1945 – Senior fellow of Yale Law School in building restorations and recently-opened Science/Performing Arts Wing,
faculty, visiting professor at Stanford Law School, professor at SMU Law as well as IB Diploma program..
School. Acclaimed author of numerous academic legal books and articles.
Lawrence George “Larry” Wright Class of 1965 – Pulitzer Prize Winner.
James Robert “Bob” English Class of 1942 – Borrowed $1,100 from Author, screenwriter, playwright, staff writer for New Yorker magazine. His
parents upon graduation from Texas A&M, started English Color, built it into book, The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, was an
the largest distributor of automotive paint and body supplies in the Texas- international bestseller and won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for general nonOklahoma-Louisiana region.
fiction. His book, In The New World: Growing Up In America 1960-1984, is
Neil “Skip” Fletcher Class of 1953 – Served as “official taster” in the family set in Dallas and recounts his experiences at Woodrow during the Kennedy
kitchen as father Neil and Uncle Carl developed recipe for world famous assassination period. Co-writer of The Siege, a 1998 movie starring Denzel
Washington. His most recent book is Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood
Fletcher’s Corny Dog at the State Fair of Texas.
and the Prison of Belief, published in 2013.
Robert Lawrence “Larry” Good Class of 1968 – Distinguished architect
whose projects include University of Texas-Dallas campus master plan,
Lakewood master planning, Dallas Civic Garden Center, and Victory
Development District.
Bob Goodrich Class of 1963 – All-America and All-State end for Woodrow
who has had illustrious career as TV sports producer; winning 15 Emmy
awards. Responsible for ABC’s Monday Night Football, Super Bowl
‐11‐ WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL AND ITS BEGINNINGS
Woodrow Wilson opened its doors for the first time on September 14,
1928 at a grand opening heralded in the local press. As The Dallas
Morning News reported:
Dallas’ newest and finest school building – perhaps the finest in
Texas – the Woodrow Wilson High School was inspected by about
5,000 persons at a housewarming which opened the institution….
Hundreds of automobiles were parked about the structure, which,
fully equipped, cost about $7,000,000, and the campus and
corridors of the building swarmed with admiring people….
Although the skies were threatening, with light flashing repeatedly,
a great part of the crowd seemed in no hurry to get home until
thoroughly inspecting the structure…. With light flooding from its
multitude of windows, the three story huge building presented a
rare spectacle from afar.
In 1989, the Woodrow Wilson High School building was recorded as a
Texas Historic Landmark by the State Historical Commission. The
bronze plaque reads:
Woodrow (as the school is called) was completed during a period of
tremendous prosperity in Dallas and in the nation. The “roaring
twenties” had ushered in a decade of style and extravagance that was
unprecedented in the United States. Within Woodrow’s first year of
operation, this changed suddenly when the stock market collapsed in late
1929. Consequently, Woodrow’s classic architecture represents the end
of an era. In fact, it would be almost two decades before another high
school was built in Dallas.
Built in 1927-28 to serve the growing population in East Dallas,
this was the seventh high school in the city. An important example
of the period revivals which characterized architecture of the
1920s, this structure reflects the Jacobean Revival style.
Outstanding features include prominent entry bays and stone
detailing. Many of the school’s graduates have enjoyed successful
careers in business, politics, science, sports, and the arts.
The school also is on the register of Dallas Historical Landmarks.
Woodrow’s Original 1928 Teacher Assignments
G. B.[?] Ashburn, Principal
Ruth Abernathy
Virginia Adams
Frances Alexander
Erna Beilharz
Eleanor Benners
Helen C. Braack
Myra Brown
Rush M. Caldwell
Sadie Cannon
Eunice Carman
Belle W. Collins
Mary Collins
Carrie Deen
Sue Denny
D. L. Mantle
Lila Marberry
H. D. Martin
Flora Morgan
H. B. Morgan
Edith Morris
Ernest Muller
Winnie D. Nance
F. E. Norton
O. E. Parris
Alma Patrick
M. L. Petty
W. A. Pile
W. O. Pipes
Ethel Reed
Susie Downs
Lena Lee Edwards
Frd [sic] Erney
Burney Flaniken
Cecilia Gillmore
S. M. Glazener
Mabeth Goff
Erna Griffin
N. H. Johnson
Mildred Juniger
Ruby Keith
Johanna Klotsche
Helen Kuchne
Flora Lowrey
Patience Lumpkin
Clara Rowe
Fuy Smith
Margaret Spencer
May Stephens
Wade Thompson
Zada Wells
Maurine Whorton
Bonnie Wilkins
Allene Work
(the foregoing was published in the September
2, 1928, Dallas Daily Times Herald, Sec. II,
p. 3, col. 1-4. Of course, the Principal’s name
actually was G.L. Ashburn)
WOODROW UNDERGOES A “REBIRTH”
By 2008, DISD administrators began talking about “redesigning” all
DISD high schools to achieve better academic outcomes. Rather than
waiting for it to be “redesigned” by others, the Woodrow Community
embraced the concept and developed its own “redesign plan.” The
architect of Woodrow’s “redesign plan” was Woodrow Principal Ruth
Allen Vail, who also graduated from Woodrow (’91) and whose father
also was a Woodrow Alum (the late Dr. Edward Allen ’65). Principal
Vail consulted, involved, and relied extensively on input from a broad
cross section of the Woodrow Community (including individuals from
Woodrow’s faculty, staff, PTA, Site-Based Decision Management
Committee, Alumni, and area business and community leaders.
Together, they investigated and explored options for how Woodrow
could better meet the needs of 21st century students.
After many meetings and brainstorming sessions with stakeholders
throughout the Woodrow Community, Principal Vail developed a bold
and comprehensive plan for “redesigning” Woodrow that would make it
both more career-focused and more academically focused by creating
several academies within Woodrow and aligning Woodrow’s curriculum
to the needs of those academies.
The basic concept of the “redesign” was to restructure the school’s
existing programs and add to them new programs necessary for
Woodrow to be able to offer its students four distinct collegepreparatory academies. Built on the school’s existing strengths, the
purpose of restructuring the school into academies was to provide an
educational environment that would be more college and career-oriented
than the traditional high school model. These four academies are:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Business, Entrepreneurship and Finance (BEF);
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM);
Creative and Performing Arts; and
the IB Diploma Program.
In 2009, with the strong support of the entire Woodrow Community,
Principal Vail presented her “redesign” proposal to DISD’s
Superintendent and Board of Trustees, who enthusiastically endorsed
and authorized her plan for Woodrow’s “redesign.”
Even before the “redesign,” Woodrow already was nationally ranked by
Newsweek and The Washington Post for its students’ participation in AP
(Advanced Placement) courses, but Principal Vail’s “redesign” plan set
Woodrow’s academic goals higher yet. Specifically, the first – and most
difficult – step in the “redesign” was to pursue accreditation from the
International Baccalaureate Organization for Woodrow to offer the
prestigious IB Diploma Programme (IB Diploma Program) – something
never before accomplished by a Dallas public school. (The details of
how this difficult goal was conceived and achieved are described
separately below).
The remainder of 2009 and the first part of 2010 were a firestorm of
planning and making important changes. Then, starting with the 201011 academic year, the four-year rollout of the “redesign” plan officially
began, with each incoming freshman student choosing an academy and
proceeded to ‘major’ in that area of study, while also being allowed to
continue to enjoy the full range of Woodrow’s traditionally popular
artistic, athletic, and other extracurricular activities and programs.
When those students graduate in 2014, Woodrow’s “redesign” plan will
have been fully implemented. The BEF and STEM Academies have
been accredited by the National Academy Foundation, which provides
additional support for curriculum and financial aspects of those
Academies. And, as described below, Woodrow has become the first
Dallas school certified to grant the IB Diploma to those students who
successfully complete that program. Achieving an IB Diploma is
difficult, but it pays off, as evidenced by the fact that Texas law requires
every state college or university to grant 24 credit hours to a student
with an IB Diploma.
‐12‐ WOODROW ACHIEVES INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE STATUS
The cornerstone of Woodrow’s “redesign plan” is the IB Diploma
Program, which aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring
young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world
through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end, the IBO
(the Geneva, Switzerland based organization overseeing the curriculum
of, qualification for, and supervision of all IB Diploma Programs) works
with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop
challenging programs of international education and rigorous
assessment. These programs encourage students around the world to
become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who understand
that, despite their differences, other people and their perspectives can
also be valid. The IB Diploma is offered by more than 4,000 schools in
137 countries.
In the United States the rigorous IB Diploma Program is available in
only 807 schools (less than 3% of the 37,000+ public and private high
schools in the U.S.), of which only 54 are in Texas (about 0.3% of the
1,721 high schools in Texas). An IB Diploma is a prized academic
accomplishment, as it automatically earns a student at least 24 credit
hours in any Texas state college or university, as well as similar (or
more) credit at other universities throughout the United States and in
other countries. Obtaining an IB Diploma requires a capstone course
with an extensive Theory of Knowledge essay similar to a dissertation,
as well as many mandatory community service hours. Each IB course is
far more detailed and rigorous than similarly named courses in a normal
high school curriculum.
Woodrow’s journey to becoming an IB World School began with its
application to the program in spring 2009, after it successfully petitioned
the DISD board to authorize Woodrow to become the first Dallas public
school to offer the IB Diploma. The IBO approved Woodrow as an “IB
Candidate School” that same fall. Shortly thereafter, rigorous teacher
training began and the IBO notified Woodrow that it was sending a site
inspection committee in the fall of 2010. The school began an intense
campaign to ready itself for the visit, including an entire month of
cleaning, painting, landscaping, and repairs.
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and all the top DISD brass
were on hand for the site inspection visit, as were numerous academic
and international dignitaries, including former school board president
Brad Lapsley (WW ’44), Dallas Asian and Japanese Society official
Philip Shinoda (WW ’62), SMU International Religions professor H.
Neill McFarland (WW ’41), former Woodrow parent and head of the
SMU French Department Dr. Maurice Elton, and former Woodrow
parent, school board member, and state legislator Dr. Harryette
Ehrhardt.
Woodrow passed the site visit with flying colors and became fully
accredited as an IB World School in March 2011. A flag raising
ceremony, an open house, and a dedication ceremony were held on
March 30, 2011.
Woodrow now offers 46 IB, 22 AP, & eight dual-credit classes.
Woodrow IB students have traveled to China, Spain, Costa Rica,
London, and Paris. Not only do international speakers regularly come to
Woodrow, it has become an official stop in the U.S. State Department’s
Lecture series.
Since becoming an IB school, Woodrow’s enrollment has grown to
levels not seen since the 1950s, increasing from the 1300s to over 1600.
Some transfers by application are allowed for the IB Academy and for
Woodrow’s other college prep academies and, as a result, even students
from outside DISD have transferred to attend Woodrow, including
students who formerly attended Highland Park and DeSoto schools.
After Woodrow became certified as an IB World School, the Woodrow
Community turned its attention next door to J.L. Long Middle School,
the only middle school in Woodrow’s feeder pattern. Under the
leadership of Long’s Principal Danielle Drury Petters (also a Woodrow
alum and a former Woodrow teacher), J.L. Long became certified in
2014 as an IB Middle Years Programme school, an achievement shared
with only 46 other Texas middle schools. J.L. Long’s embrace of the IB
concept will provide valuable preparatory skills for those middle school
students who want to continue on the IB path at Woodrow. Not
surprisingly, several of the elementary schools in Woodrow’s feeder
pattern now are exploring the possibility of becoming certified for the IB
Primary Years Programme, which would give students in those
elementary schools the ability to experience the IB concept from
Kindergarten all the way through graduation from Woodrow.
WOODROW’S NEW SCIENCE & PERFORMING ARTS WING
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Science/Performing Arts
Wing at Woodrow was held on May 23, 2011 and the project was
completed in January 2013. This 40,000-square-foot structure was
authorized in a 2008 DISD bond election that brought $14 million to
renovate and expand Woodrow’s facilities, and it is only the third
extension of the school in its near 85-year history. (A boys' gym was
added in 1953 and another addition was opened in 1979 in time for
Woodrow's 50th Anniversary.) The new wing is a three-story structure
connected to the original building at the southern end of the school’s
original east wall on the 7-acre campus. It houses the Performing Arts
Academy and three “state-of-the-art” laboratories for the STEM
Academy. The new wing’s design was specifically developed to
facilitate the school's “redesign” into the four Academies.
The new structure was designed by Brown Reynolds Watford
Architects, which has offices in Dallas, Houston, College Station, and
San Francisco. The project’s Principal Architect was Craig Reynolds,
who was then a parent of a Woodrow student, which gave him a more
complete perspective on Woodrow’s needs. The new wing features twostory separate choir and drama rooms. The choir hall includes practice
rooms and the drama room features a “black-box” theater, a costume
shop, and prop facilities. A large dance rehearsal hall is also on the first
floor and houses the Woodrow Dance Theater. Three large science labs
are on the third floor, along with new restroom facilities. The new wing
replaced portions of the 1979 $1 million addition (including the former
wood and metal shops) that were no longer needed under the school's
new college-prep curriculum. The remainder of the 1979 addition was
remodeled into a larger band hall and more athletic facilities, including a
new varsity locker room and an extensive weight training facility (next
to which space remains available for connecting a competition-size
gymnasium in the future).
RESTORATIONS TO WOODROW’S ORIGINAL BUILDING
The proceeds of the bond program not only brought the new wing to
Woodrow, they also funded needed repairs in and restorations to the
existing school building. The original wood windows in Woodrow's
main 1928 building were individually removed and completely restored.
The old HVAC system was replaced, including installation of new air
exchangers in the auditorium courtyards. The front first-floor hallway
ceiling was restored to its original height and light fixtures similar to the
originals were installed. The outdoor ornamental lanterns and porch
fixtures that originally had been fashioned by Potter Metal Art in 1927
and 1928 were restored by that same company at a cost of $100,000
under the supervision of the grandson of the founder. Historic marble
and wood features in the first-floor restrooms were restored, and the
second and third level restroom facilities all were completely remodeled
with modern fixtures. Electrical fixtures and computer lines throughout
the campus were brought up to current standards. Substantial drainage
and landscaping improvements were included in the project, along with
resurfacing of the parking lots and the Tim Brown-Davey O'Brien
Running Track.
‐13‐ WOODROW’S CAFETERIA REMODELED
Woodrow’s historic third floor cafeteria received its first complete
remodel since the school opened in September of 1928.
When the cafeteria originally opened, the Dallas Morning News boasted
that it was "the largest eating place in Dallas.” Built with “Roaring 20s”
money, the lunchroom featured multiple skylights, fans, Italian terrazzo
floors, white ceramic tile, and Thorne bentwood chairs. Woodrow was
the first school in Dallas to have a cafeteria on its top (third) floor
(earlier schools had those facilities in their basements). It even included
a freight elevator (another 'first'), which later provided endless
fascination for students and sparked the tradition of Woodrow upper
class students selling false 'elevator tickets' to freshmen.
The skylights and floors in the cafeteria were restored and new additions
include food stations offering healthier choices and quicker transactions,
a spot for students to purchase food and leave the cafeteria quickly,
along with all new tables, chairs, counter-seating, and booths. The
cafeteria has a new color scheme throughout, with graphics detailing the
history of the school and featuring Wildcat logos and the traditional
"Keep Thy Heart" school shield.
DISD Food Services paid for the cafeteria renovation with additional
funds, so the cafeteria remodel project did not adversely impact the $14
million allocated from the 2008 bond program for the other needed
improvements and renovations to the existing building or construction of
Woodrow’s new Science & Performing Arts Wing.
WOODROW’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES ITS SILVER ANNIVERSARY
AND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT WOODROW AND ITS HISTORY
The Woodrow Wilson High School Alumni Association, Inc.
(WWHSAA) recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Barbara Byrd
Adamson (’56) and Kyle Rains (’76) formed the Alumni Association in
1987 after meeting at a homecoming celebration at the old El Chico
restaurant in Lakewood. Shortly thereafter, WWHSAA had its first
official party at the Lakewood Country Club and it was packed wall-towall with enthusiastic Wildcats.
Only a few weeks after that party, Woodrow became part of national
history when the 1987 Heisman Trophy was awarded to Woodrow alum
Tim Brown (’84) for his remarkable collegiate football accomplishments
at Notre Dame. Only given to a single player each year since first
awarded in 1935, the Heisman Trophy is an award that rarely strikes
even the same college twice. And, until 1987, no high school in the
country had ever produced more than one Heisman Trophy winner.
But Tim Brown’s Heisman Trophy changed that because, combined
with the 1938 Heisman Trophy awarded to Woodrow alum Davey
O’Brien (’35), it made Woodrow the first high school in the country to
have produced TWO Heisman Trophy winners! This occurrence was
particularly startling because – unlike colleges and private high schools
that can recruit students from across the country – Woodrow is a public
school, so all of its student athletes must reside within a well-defined
“attendance zone,” which – for Woodrow – meant a relatively small
portion of East Dallas (while attending Woodrow, Tim Brown and
Davey O’Brien each lived less than 5 miles from the school). Years
later, a couple of private high schools not limited by such “attendance
zone” restrictions also touted their second Heisman Trophy winners.
Nevertheless, Woodrow alums take pride that Woodrow always will be
the FIRST high school that produced TWO Heisman Trophy Winners
and, even at this time, Woodrow remains the only public high school to
have done so!
So, after such a huge event in its inaugural year of 1987, WWHSAA
began celebrating its significant anniversaries, starting with the 60th
Anniversary Celebration in 1989, and thereafter has held Anniversary
Celebrations for Woodrow’s 70th, 75th, 80th, and now 85th Anniversaries.
Woodrow’s 80th Anniversary Celebration
Planning for the 80th Anniversary Celebration began in 2008. Paul
Dalton (’68) took over as WWHSAA President and the Board of
Directors then included the co-founders, Barbara Adamson and Kyle
Rains (both as Vice-Presidents), as well as the late Dennis Roe (’71,
Secretary), Karen Matney Brown (’76, Treasurer), Teresa Musgrove
Gibson (’77), Sam Blair (’50), Bradley Sue LaFon Howell (’51), Don
Autry (’63), and Don‘s brother, the late Miles Autry (’71). Along with
the Board, the very active 80th Planning Committee included Monica
Hartmann Shaw (’78), Taffy Merrell Goldsmith (’48), Kathy Kilmer
Moak (’67), Burton Gilliam (’56), and Reena Papanickolaou Morris
(’80).
In honor of Woodrow’s 80th Anniversary, WWHSAA received a U.S.
Congressional Proclamation celebrating Woodrow as:
[T]he only public high school in the United States proudly
hailed as the alma maters of two Heisman Trophy winners:
Davey O’Brien and Tim Brown. Other notable alumni include
legendary real estate developer Trammell Crow, Congressman
Sam Johnson, Congressman Jim Collins, [former Congressman
and] Texas Attorney General Jim Maddox, Chief Justice Tom
Phillips of the Texas Supreme Court, civic leader Ruth Sharp
Altshuler, and seven Dallas area mayors.
Finally, on April 25, 2009, the 80th Anniversary Celebration got under
way with the late Carroll Shelby (’40) as Grand Marshal leading a
parade of scores of vehicles, including many Shelby-customized
performance Mustangs driven by his fans who joined our parade just to
honor and be near him. That excitement was followed at the school by
alumni class meetings and a ceremony inducting twenty-two (22) new
members into the WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME.
That evening, alums attended a dinner-dance, at which eight different
Woodrow alumni bands entertained several hundred Woodrow’s alums
and their spouses and friends. The 85th event was a huge success!
Other Alumni Developments and News
THE FOUNDATION: Also during the Spring of 2009, while
preparations were underway for the 80th Anniversary Celebration,
Woodrow alums were also making plans to launch something new with
a goal of tremendously magnifying and enhancing community support
for Woodrow: The Woodrow Wilson High School Community
Foundation. Dallas banker and Woodrow alum Richard Vitale (’91)
conceived the idea of starting a foundation to support Woodrow and its
feeder schools. Vitale sought and received enthusiastic support for the
concept from WWHSAA and other Woodrow-related organizations and
people affiliated with Woodrow. Shortly after the 80th Celebration
concluded, the Foundation was formed and – to clarify their respective
Woodrow-related fundraising roles – the Foundation and WWHSAA
agreed that the Foundation will be responsible for major long-term
fundraising activities to support Woodrow and WWHSAA will assist in
those efforts when needed, thereby enabling WWHSAA to focus its own
fundraising activities on alumni-specific projects and needs. WWHSAA
and the Foundation continue to work together closely to identify and
maximize financial and other resource opportunities to benefit
Woodrow.
ALUMNI ONLINE: WWHSAA is dedicated to finding new ways to
increase communication and involve Woodrow alums, including
establishing a website (www.wwhsaa.org) and two Facebook pages to
regularly
communicate
with
alums
(main
page
at
www.facebook.com/wwhs.dallas and the memorials page at
www.facebook.com/www.memorials, where we post obituaries of fallen
Wildcats).
‐14‐ WOODROW ARCHIVES: When the school renovations got underway,
it appeared that some of Woodrow’s archives and memorabilia were in
danger of being damaged or thrown out. So WWHSAA took action to
preserve Woodrow’s history, as Board members (and brothers) Don and
Miles Autry (’63, ’71) and Bradley Sue Howell (’51) collected
numerous file cabinets and boxes of materials from the school and
moved them to Autrys’ Auction House for safekeeping and eventual
inspection and preservation. So far, the WWHSAA Board has
conducted a few Saturday sessions at the Autrys’ facility to begin
identifying and cataloging these materials, some of which date back to
the school’s beginnings in the late 1920s. It’s a huge undertaking. Little
more than a dent has been made in this chore, but thanks to the Autrys’
generosity and patience in providing the temporary home for these
materials, WWHSAA will continue reviewing and organizing these
materials for the benefit of future Wildcats.
THE SANGER TROPHY: During 2010, WWHSAA learned that the
Sanger Trophy had been found, lost, and found again. Long thought
lost, the Sanger Trophy was a 36” tall silver-plated trophy originally
given in 1929 by the Sanger Brothers Department Store to be inscribed
with the name of, and travel each year to, the Dallas high school with
the best overall sports record. (The six Dallas high schools competing
with each other back then were: Adamson; Forest Avenue (now
Madison); North Dallas; Technical (a/k/a Dallas, Main, & Crozier
Tech); Sunset; and Woodrow.) During its 25 years of “traveling,
Woodrow won the Sanger Trophy 9 times, exceeded only by Sunset’s
having won the trophy 10 times.
In the mid-1950s, Dallas started adding new high schools, so the Sanger
Trophy was retired after Sunset won it in 1954. Because Sunset had
won it more than any of the other schools, the trophy was retired at
Sunset. Sometime during the 1960s, however, it was reported as “lost”
because no one at Sunset was able to find it. To make the long story
short, it really had only been misplaced and, in 2006, it was found in the
basement at Sunset in battered pieces . Sunset alums raised the money
to restore it and gave it to the Old Red Museum in Downtown Dallas
(formerly, the Old Red Courthouse) to put on permanent display. But,
after the original Museum Director left, the Sanger Trophy was
relegated to a closet and “lost” again. When a curious Sunset alum
asked why it wasn’t being displayed as promised, he was told that the
Museum didn’t have the funds necessary for a trophy case to properly
display it.
Consequently, the Alumni Associations of the six original high schools
(including WWHSAA) formed a group to return the Sanger Trophy to
public display, but had difficulty getting responses from the Museum.
Through the assistance of Woodrow Hall of Fame Member Boone
Powell, Jr. (’55) (who serves on the Museum’s Board of Directors),
WWHSAA contacted the appropriate people at the Museum and
facilitated more effective communication between the Museum and the
alumni group. Over the course of many meetings and many months, the
group met with Museum representatives to identify what was needed to
properly display the Sanger Trophy, then worked with an architect to
design a trophy case, and eventually located a professional trophy
company that could supply just what the Museum said was needed.
Then the six alumni associations shared the expense of purchasing the
new display case for the Sanger Trophy and, in March 2012, WWHSAA
participated in the dedication ceremony for the new Sanger Trophy
display case at the Old Red Museum, in which there are pictures of all
six of the old Dallas high schools, a list of some of each school’s
distinguished alums, and the Sanger Trophy illuminated and slowly
turning to display the inscribed names of the schools that won it during
its 25 year history. The new Sanger Trophy display case now sits
prominently on the first floor of the Old Red Museum, next to the Flying
Red Horse.
GOVERNANCE: Since the passing of Board members Dennis Roe and
Miles Autry (both ’71) and Emeritus status taken by Sam Blair (’50),
WWHSAA has added several new members to its Board of Directors.
These new Directors are Kathy Kilmer Moak (’67), Taffy Merrell
Goldsmith (’48), Ken Kuesel (’68), Jane Walker (’82), and Randy
Patterson (’82). WWHSAA expects to further expand the Board to
include Directors specifically to represent Woodrow alums by decades.
HALL OF FAME: WWHSAA established Woodrow’s HALL OF FAME
in 1989 with 17 members. Since then, 14 more members were added in
1990; 20 in 1999; 11 in 2004; and 22 more were inducted in 2009. With
the new members being inducted during Woodrow’s 85th Anniversary
Celebration, Woodrow’s HALL OF FAME includes more than 100
members! Each year we learn of more notable individuals who attended
this one little high school in East Dallas. We are proud to continue
celebrating the many Woodrow alums who have so strongly impacted so
many different facets of our society.
WWHSAA accepts nominations of alums to be considered for
membership in the WOODROW HALL OF FAME at any time. The easiest
way to nominate an alum is to send the nomination to the email address
shown below. The nomination submission requirements are: (1) A
good photo of the nominee; (2) current contact information for the
nominee; (3) sufficient biographical and background information about
the nominee that the review committee can identify the nominee’s
accomplishments, and (4) a brief narrative explaining why the submitter
believes the nominee should be a member of Woodrow’s HALL OF
FAME.
WWHSAA’s goal and principal purpose is to facilitate camaraderie,
communication, and renewed involvement of alums with the school
across the eight plus decades of Wildcats. WWHSAA is instrumental in
preserving Woodrow’s archives and memorabilia, works to insure that
the history and traditions of the school are honored, and is dedicated to
diligence in maintaining the architectural integrity of the building.
WWHSAA is an IRS 501(c)(3)-approved Texas nonprofit corporation,
so the donations and gifts it receives to help it support Woodrow and
increase involvement of Woodrow’s alumni can be tax deductible as
charitable contributions. Because we believe everyone who has
attended Woodrow is a member of the Alumni Association, WWHSAA
does not charge dues. We sincerely appreciate all contributions and we
encourage all Woodrow alums to stay in touch with us and make sure
we have your current contact information.
Contact us at [email protected].
Visit us at www.wwhsaa.org
and on our two Facebook pages:
Main (www.facebook.com/wwhs.dallas) and
Memorials (www.facebook.com/www.memorials)
THE WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Founded in 2009, the Woodrow Wilson High School Community
Foundation, Inc. (the Foundation) is an IRS 501(c)(3) approved Texas
nonprofit corporation created to support and benefit Woodrow, the
schools in Woodrow’s feeder pattern, the Woodrow Community, and
public schools in Dallas.
Founding members include Woodrow alums Richard Vitale (WW ’91,
President), Gary Griffith (WW ’66, Vice-President) and Paul Dalton
(WW ’68, Director). Other Alumni on the Foundation Board include
Jason Kulas (WW ’89, Chief Financial Officer), and Leigh Peden
Straughn (WW ’91, Member).
The Foundation’s Board also includes longtime Woodrow supporters
Emily Martin (Secretary) and Susan Schuerger (Member), as well as
DISD Trustee Mike Morath (Member), State Representative Kenneth
Sheets (Member), North Dallas Chamber of Commerce President Bruce
Bradford (Member), along with a number of other active community and
business leaders.
‐15‐ PURPOSE: The purpose of the Foundation is to support excellent 
education in the public schools in the Woodrow feeder pattern in the
form of loans, grants, scholarships, and coordination of other resources.

VISION: The Foundation’s vision is that it will provide resources and 
support for a wide range of needs and opportunities within the 
community that is tightly connected to Woodrow Wilson High School
and the schools in its feeder pattern. Our dream is to be able to help 
fund large projects, such as physical facilities within the schools, as well 
as smaller causes, including loans or grants to meet the special needs of 
school-connected individuals.

The Foundation provides general financial support to the Woodrow area 
campuses, including specific initiatives such as:

 Providing the early financial support required to help Woodrow 
achieve certification for its International Baccalaureate Diploma 
program;
Ann Jacobus Folz Fund for International Baccalaureate Financial
Assistance
J.L. Long Middle School International Baccalaureate Fund
Friends of J.L. Long Middle School Fund
Friends of Stonewall Jackson Elementary School Fund
Friends of Lakewood Elementary School Fund
Friends of Robert E. Lee Elementary School Fund
Friends of William Lipscomb Elementary School Fund
Launch Collaborative Fund
Education Opens Doors, Inc. Fund
Miles Autry Memorial Fund
Monty Holamon Memorial Fund
Phil Rolland Memorial Award for Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
School of Rock Financial Assistance Fund
C. Albert Tatum III Community Leadership Fund
 Assisting J.L. Long in its successful effort to become certified to offer 
the International Baccalaureate Middle School Program;

 Bringing and expanding volunteer reading programs to elementary
schools within the Woodrow feeder pattern;

 Partnering with major businesses in the Dallas area to bring new

financial and volunteer resources to Woodrow area schools;

 Establishing liaisons between Woodrow and major colleges and

universities to provide more opportunities for Woodrow graduates;

 Serving as a clearinghouse for scholarships given by groups and

individuals to selected graduating Woodrow seniors each year.

In just its first five years, the Foundation already has established a

number of funds and scholarships, and formed alliances with ten
educational organizations. In addition, it forged an agreement with 
Texas A&M Commerce (formerly East Texas State University) to 
provide special services to Woodrow and, as a result, 28 seniors from 
the class of 2012 were accepted at the university, many of whom are the

first in their family to attend college. The Foundation currently manages
and awards twenty college scholarships. If you, your family, your 
business, or your class is interested in funding a scholarship, please visit 
us at http://www.woodrowfoundation.org, where you will find more 
information.

CURRENT FOUNDATION FUNDS AND MANAGED SCHOLARSHIPS:

Foundation Funds








Undesignated
Woodrow Wilson High School General Supply Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Capital Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School International Baccalaureate Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Academy of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Academy of Business,
Entrepreneurship,
and Finance Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Academy of Performing Arts Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Fund for Advanced Placement
Financial Assistance
Endowed Scholarships
Richard H. Vitale Family Scholarship
Amy & Jason Kulas Family Scholarship
Alise and Roberto Cortez Scholarship
Todd and Amy Williams Family Scholarship
Marca Lee Bircher Vocal / Music Theater Scholarship
Amelia and Jesse Moreno Scholarship
Bob & Mary Jo English Scholarship
Sally Poe Turpin Memorial Scholarship
U.S. Army Col. Jay Cozby Memorial Scholarship
John Quinlan and Brandon Gordon Memorial Scholarship
The Kuesel Family Scholarship
The William E. "Bill" Dickenson Memorial Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson Class of 1942 Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson Class of 1968 Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson Class of 1991 Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson High School Class of 1971 Dennis Roe
Memorial Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson High School Class of 1978 Hal Hammond
Memorial Fund
Woodrow Wilson High School Class of 1991 Scholarship
Veritex Community Leadership College Scholarship
Gustavo Ipina Memorial Scholarship Fund



Other Scholarship Funds
Funds for scholarships to be awarded in future years:
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‐16‐ Woodrow Wilson Class of 1992 Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson Class of 1993 Scholarship
Woodrow Wilson Class of 2005 Scholarship