Memories of Hefner Junior High School (Putnam City Schools)

[jmpokc1957]

Anyone have memories of Hefner Junior High School especially during the 1970's? I was there from 1970 - 73. Yes, a long time ago but the trauma still remains! I remember the vice principal, a Mr. Dillard, who thought the paddle to be the answer to most problems. A view shared by much of the faculty. I remember Mr. Moore and Mr. Chandler, shop teachers who were pretty nice.

I also remember you could drive a motorcycle at age 14, which would be the 9th grade. Anyone who had a motorcycle and was able to park it in the fenced-off area where all the kids riding the bus could see them were untouchable cool! I, of course, was never allowed to have one!


Mike

[Prunepicker]

A million years ago I student taught there and eventually subbed.
A sibling of mine went there, too.

At that time I was teaching music. I eventually became a
Science teacher in the OKC public school system.

[ddavidson8]

I had a lot of friends that went there. I went to Heritage Hall and got along much better with my youth group friends from PCN.

[johnfmstr]

I went to Hefner jr. high from 68 to 70. I remember Mr Dillard very well. He would not let me put my name on his paddle ( board of education ) I think I might have warn out that paddle during my time at the school. At the awards ceremonies at the end of 9th grade I received an award for most achievement, I had gone from C's D's and F's in grades 7 & 8 to A's and B's during the 9th grade. I was in boy scout troop 84, and Mr Dillard became one of the scout masters. and there is where I learned he wasn't such a bad guy. And was able to build and maintain a good relationship with him. A relationship that I remember to this day. probably why my grades got better in the 9th grade. I found out that he always had my best interest at heart. P/S While in Mr. Chandler's class I wrote my name on his paddle and when he saw it and I got 3 lick's to earn my rite to have my name there.

[mugofbeer]

LOL. What a national story it would become, today, if teachers gave wooden board licks to someone! I didn't go to Hefner but they gave their share and more at Taft - yes, l partook a few times.

[traxx]

I didn't know this thread existed. I'm glad someone resurrected it.

I went to Hefner in the mid 80s. Apparently I'm a lot younger than you guys. I also still have all my hair and can bend over to tie my own shoes. lol

I remember 9th graders trying to sell elevator passes to the new 7th graders each year. Also, that's back when nearly every kid rode the bus. You were weird if your mommy dropped you off. Now it seems hardly anyone rides the bus no matter which school it is.

I ended up at North (PCN) in the late 80s and liked it so much better than Hefner. Graduated during the 10th year of PCN being open.

[OKCexpat]

Hefner 67 to 69, and the bus stop was a nightmare for a skinny/geeky guy like me. I was regularly assaulted by the bigger/older bullies. BUT the Hefner cafeteria food was far better than at Coronado Heights!

Things got much better when I moved along to PCHS and found my space and place working with the local rock bands and at KWHP radio.

[PCSchoolsMuseum]

Those with histories at any PC school should drop by the Putnam City Schools Museum at NW 40 and Grove (just north of the Central Elementary School) during Saturday hours of operation (10-2). We have many thousands of artifacts including old yearbooks (and many extras if you have lost one), photos, etc. We also have a centennial history of the district covering 1914-2014.

[Pete]

Those with histories at any PC school should drop by the Putnam City Schools Museum at NW 40 and Grove (just north of the Central Elementary School) during Saturday hours of operation (10-2). We have many thousands of artifacts including old yearbooks (and many extras if you have lost one), photos, etc. We also have a centennial history of the district covering 1914-2014.

Thanks for posting this.

I've been many times and it's a great place to visit with tons of things to look through.

[billokc]

I went to Hefner all three years. First year I was there was 66-67 for 7th Grade. Hefner opened one year before that. I did Grade 5 and 6 at Coronado. I had a couple of "meetings" with Dillard's paddle, but Dillard couldn't cause near the pain that an 8th Grade math teacher named Williams could inflict. Even just one contact from his board would create heat that would last for hours. Made sitting EXTREMELY uncomfortable.

[sacolton]

I remember Mr. Thurman gave the best swats. He even drilled holes in the paddle for speed. A true pioneer. Built character too.

[belder]

I remember Mr. Thurman gave the best swats. He even drilled holes in the paddle for speed. A true pioneer. Built character too.

I went to Hefner in the early 70's and then taught there for 28 years. In my opinion, Dillard, Williams, and especially Joe Thurman were abusers. Their only consequence was to paddle. Joe Thurman paddled me for touching a Christmas ornament on the tree in his room and then another time for chewing gum. Thurman was a large, fat man who paddled boys as hard as he could and strangely, that was the norm in the 70's. True character builders were teachers like Stan Bryant, Grace McCormack, Humberto Cortez, Carole Heitz, Catherine Cary, Clarabelle Sneed, Beverly Johnson, Carlyle Yates, Bill Bates, Joanne Stuever, Gordan Gibson, and Wiley Chandler. Thankfully, corporal punishment is no longer an option for classroom management

[Pete]

^

I wonder if we overlapped. I finished 9th grade in 1975.

Stan Bryant was a great math teacher who instilled in me a love for mathematics and problem solving that has served me well in life. I still love math.

Besides Dillard and Thurman, the PE coaches were very abusive. I was really good at PE and took it all three years because it was a small escape from the ridiculous oppression in that school, but I know many, many people who were traumatized by the humiliation, belittling, and corporal punishment those guys (Pinkerton, Townley & Fowler) dished out. All 7th graders were mandated to take PE and thus if you were heavy or unathletic, it was an ugly experience. We played masochistic games like "Viking Ball" where the only rule was trying to hit the square of a backboard with one of those red rubber balls (Dodge Ball wasn't much better). Hitting, punching, shoving, tripping and everything else was not only allowed but encouraged. I think people hearing these stories now must think we are exaggerating but if anything, the abuse is understated.

My HS class has an active Facebook page where so many talked about physical and mental abuse at Hefner. Principal Dillard reminds me of the warden in The Shawshank Redemption: using religious beliefs to justify and inflict ugliness on those with no recourse or even ability to defend themselves.

As I said, I was one of the lucky ones. A good athlete, a good student, never got in any sort of trouble. But most people weren't so lucky and even I have terrible stories to tell (was also paddled by Thurman for doing next to nothing; I had large welts for a couple of weeks). After all these years, I still find it upsetting.

[Pete]

I wanted to add that these forms of abuse were at least mostly out in the open.

I'm sure there was more abuse of other types. I can clearly remember being fondled by a female teacher more than once which I didn't fully understand at the time other than it made me crazy uncomfortable. I suppressed it for decades and I only recently remembered it and then it made me furious. I found out this particular teacher passed away a few years ago, but how many other students did she touch inappropriately over her decades?

I'm sure tons of that sort of thing went on because, like me, no one ever told anyone. And even if you were to do that, kids were "to be seen and not heard" and you were likely to get further punishment. Absolutely no one would believe you anyway.

I loved elementary school, high school, college, and graduate school and have taken tons of classes as an adult. Yet, I absolutely abhorred Hefner and I think the same is true for almost everyone who went there during this era. If anything, I had it better than probably 95% of the people there and I still hated it.

[belder]

Stan and I retired from public school teaching the same year. All of the teachers I referenced were gold in my opinion.

[Pete]

Stan and I retired from public school teaching the same year. All of the teachers I referenced were gold in my opinion.

I recognize the names, but Bryant was the only one I had as a teacher.

[Crisko]

^

I wonder if we overlapped. I finished 9th grade in 1975.

Stan Bryant was a great math teacher who instilled in me a love for mathematics and problem solving that has served me well in life. I still love math.

Besides Dillard and Thurman, the PE coaches were very abusive. I was really good at PE and took it all three years because it was a small escape from the ridiculous oppression in that school, but I know many, many people who were traumatized by the humiliation, belittling, and corporal punishment those guys (Pinkerton, Townley & Fowler) dished out. All 7th graders were mandated to take PE and thus if you were heavy or unathletic, it was an ugly experience. We played masochistic games like "Viking Ball" where the only rule was trying to hit the square of a backboard with one of those red rubber balls (Dodge Ball wasn't much better). Hitting, punching, shoving, tripping and everything else was not only allowed but encouraged. I think people hearing these stories now must think we are exaggerating but if anything, the abuse is understated.

My HS class has an active Facebook page where so many talked about physical and mental abuse at Hefner. Principal Dillard reminds me of the warden in The Shawshank Redemption: using religious beliefs to justify and inflict ugliness on those with no recourse or even ability to defend themselves.

As I said, I was one of the lucky ones. A good athlete, a good student, never got in any sort of trouble. But most people weren't so lucky and even I have terrible stories to tell (was also paddled by Thurman for doing next to nothing; I had large welts for a couple of weeks). After all these years, I still find it upsetting.

OK, here's my story. Rather, my wife's story. Newcastle schools. Wife was in second grade, got caught doing something as innocent as throwing a wad of paper at someone. She doesn't remember for sure, but a very trivial thing. Teacher, Mrs. Osborn (had her in 1st grade, Osborn moved to 2nd grade the next year, to her horror) and did this "terrible" thing. Mrs. Osborn had a circle drawn on the wall, about 6 inches or so higher than the height of the students on the wall. She had to stand tippy toed with her nose in the circle for maybe 15 minutes or so (she can't remember how long, for sure). Was called out if she took a break and was not tippy toed the whole time. Time forward to 6th grade. Had a teacher named Mrs. Murdock. Wife said something to another student during a test. Called out, taken to a storeroom. Murdock had a teacher friend named Mrs. Hoy who was her "witness" to the crime. Murdock had a paddle with holes. Wife was wearing a thin dress and given 5 licks. Moved her forward a foot or more every lick. Then, get this, her SENIOR year. Played basketball, good player for the school in basketball and other sports. Caught by principal Joe Cox coming back from lunch late. OMG. LATE. She ducked down in the car so as not to be seen by Cox, walking the grounds. He sees her, calls her home, parents send her back to school as he requests. He asks her if she wants study hall or 3 licks. She chooses licks. He wallops her, and not with a light wallop. After she worked so hard to help the school in her sports endeavors. This, along with a rape, brain aneurysm, and she's still a trooper. Not too many people can say that. Try if you can.

[Crisko]

I've tried removing "Try if you can." because I'm not trying to say my wife's life has been worse than most. I'm just trying to say if your life or someone's life has been as bad or worse, I'd like to hear about it. Because life on earth is a challenge at times. It helps to hear about others' lives if they've had hard times and wasn't trying to outdo anyone.
Thank you.

[sacolton]

Anyone remember the peek-a-boo hole in the Men's upstairs gym room that peeks down into the Girl's Gym? Kinda reminds me of Porky's.

[oktxatty]

I went to Hefner in the early 70's and then taught there for 28 years. In my opinion, Dillard, Williams, and especially Joe Thurman were abusers. Their only consequence was to paddle. Joe Thurman paddled me for touching a Christmas ornament on the tree in his room and then another time for chewing gum. Thurman was a large, fat man who paddled boys as hard as he could and strangely, that was the norm in the 70's. True character builders were teachers like Stan Bryant, Grace McCormack, Humberto Cortez, Carole Heitz, Catherine Cary, Clarabelle Sneed, Beverly Johnson, Carlyle Yates, Bill Bates, Joanne Stuever, Gordan Gibson, and Wiley Chandler. Thankfully, corporal punishment is no longer an option for classroom management

I was there at the same time. & agree with your assesment on the teachers. I had a math teacher, Mr. Eagon, in the 9th grade. in 1984 I saw this in The Oklahoman ...."Dennis Eagon, a seventh-grade math teacher at Hefner for 16 years, was fired in an unanimous board vote on grounds of willful neglect of duty, cruelty and incompetency." I wasn't surprised.

[sacolton]

Did anyone have Miss Hazelwood for a teacher in Hefner? Pretty blonde teacher who picked us up and took her students to go see The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was her first time too.