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.

 

 

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.