Contributions By Our Classmates
Contributions By Our Classmates
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Contributors
01. Gordon Dailey
02. Doris Richardson
03. Delma Jacks (former English & Speech teacher)
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The Contributions
01 Gordon Dailey: Class of 1959
Awe for the carefree days we all had,
Teachers giving us their all.
Giving deserved licks when we were bad,
Education that helped us all stand tall.
Sports, pep rallies, camaraderie and such,
Solidified lifelong friendships, marriages for a few.
We always prayed at every event, keeping in touch,
Asking God’s blessing and safety too.
Senior play, proms, parties for all,
Taught us manners and etiquette for all to see.
Holding our heads high, large or small,
Making teachers and us all one big family.
Even a song was written for the “Class of 59,”
Showing the world how great we are.
Letting all know our HHS days were fine,
Standing heads and shoulders above others by far.
We learned respect, honesty, good and bad,
English, math, science and skills we would need.
Our word was our bond when happy or sad,
And “Hail Handley High School” was our creed.
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02 Doris Richardson: Class of 1959
Not by Chance nor Happenstance
by Helen Steiner Rice
Into our lives come many things
to break the dull routine,
The things we had not planned on
that happen unforeseen,
The unexpected little joys
that are scattered on our way,
Success we did not count on
or a rare, fulfilling day-
A catchy, lilting melody
that makes us want to dance,
A nameless exaltation
of enchantment and romance -
An unsought word of kindness,
a compliment or two
That sets the eyes to gleaming
like crystal drops of dew -
The unplanned sudden meeting
that comes with sweet surprise
And lights the heart with happiness
like a rainbow in the skies ...
Now some folks call it fickle fate
and some folks call it chance,
While others just accept it
as a pleasant happenstance -
But no matter what you call it,
it didn't come without design,
For all our lives are fashioned
by the Hand That Is Divine
And every happy happening
and every lucky break
Are little gifts from God above
that are ours to freely take.
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03 : Delma Jacks, former teacher
23 September 2011
Greetings former HHS students,
How good it is to hear from the students which I taught so many years ago! I've pulled the old HHS Yearbook down and had a good look at all of you and I'd love to see you now. You are among my very students within 31 years of teaching. I have only good thoughts of Handley and the students there. In fact, there are times in which we are talking with today's teachers who find teaching a very difficult job, mostly, because of discipline problems and little desire to excel.
Mrs. Delma Jacks, taken circa 2006
It is with pleasure that I share about the years in Handley wherein your class was my pride and joy. With pride, I tell them that in two years at Handley High School, I only had one boy who "sassed" me. The other students reminded him that he didn't "talk to Mrs. Jacks like that." The next day, we found that his parents had split the night before, and he was suffering the pain of it. I think of him from time to time and wonder how his life has been. In fact, you might be surprised at how often memory takes me back to those halls of learning.
As I read the treatise [the tribute] sent to me about the students all trying to find themselves, I laughed because, I, too, as a new teacher was trying to find my place and I was experiencing many of the same feelings that you students faced. Nevertheless, it was a happy, happy time for me and much too short.
At midterm, the second year, my husband, Claude, graduated from the Seminary and we moved to Cotulla, Texas, in South Texas. We were there for seven years while he pastored the Baptist Church and I taught school. Except for eleven years pastoring a church in Houston, we've spent the rest of our time in South Texas, where he became Associational Director of Missions, coordinating the work of all the churches from Beeville down south to the Valley. I retired from teaching a little early due to Atrial Tachacardyia. Nevertheless, God had other plans for me and they were the best years of my life, I do believe.
From the time I was a very little girl of five or six years, I had always wanted to tell others about Jesus. Soon after retiring, I went to Nanning, China to teach ESL in our Baptist Center. What a wonderful experience that was! It was the setting for future mission work in China, Phillipines, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago (West Indies), Zimbabwe, Zambia, as well in West Africa and in Belgium, and England. In between assignments the Lord gave opportunity to become a Retreat Speaker which I did for several years and loved every minute of it, even the time of preparation. In the midst of this it has been my great pleasure to serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Belton, Texas, for the last eight years. This will be the ninth and final year to serve. To serve on the Board for the school from which I graduated in 1949 has been a great honor. It is quickly becoming the school of choice for Christian education,. Our new President, Randy O'Rear, is a graduate of the school! An unbelievable young man!!
Claude will soon be 86 yrs. and I am now 83. On the 25th of August, we celebrated our 64th wedding anniversary. He has suffered post traumatic stress from WWII years, now has prostate cancer and diabetes, but we can do about anything we want to do. He has had some mini strokes in recent months. Most days, I feel no older that I did at 35 or 40. Through the years, I was an active tennis player, golfer, and walker. It has paid off with good health except for the heart problems which are kept in check with medication.
I would thoroughly enjoy seeing all of you! David, your writing is more than excellent! Thank you for sharing! (I don't think he wants any credit for that!) I do see Bill Roe occasionally at various meetings we attend. He, also, became an Associational Missionary.
This is hurriedly written but, perhaps, it will give you an idea where life has taken us. We will be attending a Study Conference in Philadelphia and Baltimore, Maryland in October. We will study The History and Prophecy of Israel before cruising the Bahama Islands and studying the Book of Revelation. We will be taught by Marv Rosenthat, a Messianic (Christian) Jew.
I am deeply pleased to receive word of this class. Do you remember that Marvin Harris allowed me to move up a grade with you for our rapport was so conducive to learning.
My husband is attaching a picture taken about 5 years ago for our Church Directory. I'd love hearing from any of you who would care to write, and do send pictures. My address is Delma Jacks, 1402 Mockingbird Lane, Beeville, Texas, 78102. Our phone is 361-358-0393. For now, I must sign off.
Mizpah,
Delma Jacks
(delmajacks@sbcglobal.net)
[Webmaster: Mrs. Jacks taught at HHS during 1956, 1957, and 1958. She appears in those HHS yearbooks. The yearbooks may be downloaded by clicking on the link on the main page in the column on the right.]
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