EPHS Centennial Celebration

Just for kicks, Click > for the original recorded version of Tiger Rag performed by The Original Dixieland Jass Band on 25 March 1918 while the  El Paso High School was still quite new.  The recording to which you listen was made on a shelac disk.  Tiger Rag  was copywrited by the band in 1917.  Geaux Tigers!

 1916   El Paso High School Celebrates its First Century  2016  

   The doors opened for the first day of classes at The El Paso High School the morning of 18 September 1916.  The school has experienced several "firsts" and other accomplishments since moving to its  location "on the hill" overlooking the city.  EPHS will mark its first century of leadership and achievement with a year of commemoration and celebration during the 2016 calendar year.   The class that graduates in June 2016 will be the Centennial Year Class and the Class of 2017 will have the distinction of being the first class of The El Paso High School's Second Century.   The Class of 1966 has the proud distinction to always be the Semi-Centennial Class of The El Paso High School!

   On this page and subordinate pages, you may find information about plans for programs and events which are sanctioned for the EPHS Centennial Celebration.

 
Currently Scheduled Official Centennial Celebration Activities*:

 

The Centennial Celebration Year 2016
The Year of The Tiger!
 
21 January 2016             100 Years of  Excellence of  History                                   
7:00 PM at EPHS Auditorium                                                                                              
 
24 March 2016                100 Years of Excellence in Sports
7:00 PM  at EPHS Auditorium                        
El Paso High Centennial Night at the Chihuahuas
2 May 2016      The AAA El Paso Chihuahuas Baseball Team helps to celebrate the EPHS Centennial with a special promotion featuring EPHS history, band, cheerleaders, and noted alumni.  Discount tickets to be available through the EPHS Alumni Assocaition.  Watch for ticket information and further details.
 
12 May 2016                   100 Years of Excellence in Military
7:00 PM at EPHS Auditorium or RR Jones Stadium
 
8 September 2016          100 Years of Excellence in the Arts
7:00 PM at EPHS Auditorium                     
 
 13 September 2016       "El Paso High School Day" City of El Paso Proclamation
              
19  September 2014      100th Birthday of the El Paso High School Building Observed  
 
1916-2016 EPHS Homecoming & Centennial Festival
3-8  October 2016      El Paso High School Homecoming Week
6 October
                Homecoming Parade & Eve the E Celebration  
5:00 -10:00 PM
                                       EPHS66 Quinquagenary Reunion Opens:  Registration & Mixer                               
7 October                 El Paso High School Open House & Pep Rally
Noon-8:00 PM
                 Guinness World Record Registration &
                                          Decade Reunion Parties at venues throughout El Paso
                                       EPHS66 Quinquagenary Reuion Assembly, Homecoming Events, & Dinner & Dance
8 October                 Festival Day
Noon-10PM                        Campus Tours
10:00 AM                     Guinness World Record Class Reunion Attempt
2:00 PM                       Battle of the Claw Game: El Paso Tigers vs. Austin Panthers
5:30 PM                        Alumni Band Concert & Fireworks Display
                                        EPHS66 Quinquagenary Reunion Participates in Festival Day
9 October                            EPHS66 Quinquagenary Reunion Hasta la Vista Brunch
 
17 November 2016       100 Years of Excellence in Leadership & Academics
7:00 PM at EPHS Auditorium
          
24 November 2016       Thanksgiving Day Parade: EPHS Centennial Section
 
* Activities subject to change

 

BACKGROUND

   From a meeting on 18 March 2014, between Principal Kristine Ferret and the EPHS Alumni Association's Centennial Celebration Committee, the following preliminary plans were revealed:

  • The El Paso High School Centennial Celebration will be observed from January through December 2016;
  • The EPHS Alumni Association will organize two principal events (in addition to its traditional, annual projects) during the Centennial Celebration:  a Centennial Carnival on Saturday, 17 September 2016, and major participation in the Sun Carnival Thanksgiving Day Parade (both projects will involve students and alumni working together);
  • The Centennial Carnival will attempt to qualify as a new Guinness World Record for the largest high school reunion (current record is 3,299 alumni attendees);
  • The Centennial Carnivall will include the following elements:
    • An afternoon carnival on campus open to the community;
    • A late afternoon football game in RR Jones Stadium (possibly with arch-rival Austin Panthers as opponents);
    • A concert in the stadium following the football game with a fireworks display in the skies above "The School On The Hill";
  • Alumni Classes holding reunions in conjunction with the Centennial Carnival will be asked to include the Festival in their schedules; there will be events during the day at EPHS on the Friday prior to the Festival, but Friday night will be reserved for class reuion activities as will Sunday;
  • The EPHS Alumni Association will encourage the Sun Carnival Parade Committee to designate an EPHS Centennial Celebration section in the parade;
  • The El Paso High School, the EPHS Alumni Association, and other supporting organizations will contribute units such as these to the EPHS Centennial Celebration section of the parade:
    • A float depicting RR Jones Stadium with the neo-classical, Trost & Trost designed EPHS building as the backdrop; students in period cheerleader uniforms will surround the float;
    • A trolly commemorating El Paso's public transportation in 1916 will carry all living past-principals of EPHS; EPHS Student Activities Managers, each of whom are alumni of EPHS, will also be featured;
    • The El Paso High School, First In Texas, Junior ROTC Battalion and drill teams;
    • The El Paso High School Tiger Pride Marching Band and Tigeretts dance team;
    • The Centennial Celebration Year El Paso High School Outstanding Ex-Student and possibly previous Outstanding Ex-Students;
  • The EPHS Alumni Association is exploring the concept of having an orange, block "E" (possibly "EPHS") displayed in lights on the Wells Fargo Building in downtown during the week of the Centennial Festival and possibly during other periods in the Centennial Celebration Year.

   The EPHS Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble are already researching period popular music representing each decade from the 19-teens through the present for presentations throughout the Centennial Celebration Year. The Drama Department is in early stages of creating original vignettes, with authentic costumes, to recreate historic events at EPHS and in El Paso to present in probably four programs during 2016.  A Centennial Lecture Series, featuring EPHS Alumni, is also being explored.   Traditional events such as Spring Fiesta, Graduation, Homecoming, and the CD Jarvis Basketball Tournament will, of course, have a Centennial Celebration component.

   The EPHS Alumni Associations involvement in the Centennial Celebration is being coordinated by four alumni with very long involvement as El Paso High School faculty and in alumni affairs.  They call themselves "The Quirky Quartet" and they welcome suggestions for activities, memoribelia, sponsorships, underwriting, and help.  The "Quirky Quartet" will set-up an E-mail addess through the EPHS Alumni Association's website (www.ephsalum.com), but they may always be contactacted through this website's "Contact Us" menu button, Subject:  Quirky Quartet, please.



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