ELNOR JACKSON BOONE, no doubt has a real problem with her picture being used to record the 50th Reunion of Phillis Wheatley High School’s Class of 1952 into the annals of Houston’s Black History, although she is the current president. For sure, Elnor would have deferred to the late Ethelyn Beal Guidry, Miss Wheatley 51-52, if she had made the call. However, the fantastic job she and Johnny (her husband of 45 years who also graduated in 1952) did coordinating the historical event that was held at the Radisson Hotel-Hobby Airport on June 20-23, 2002, compelled African-AmericanNews&Issues’ Fiesta’s Black History 24-7-365 was compelled to use her photo.

History records, however, that Ethelyn Beal (1934-2000-- the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Holland Beal, and the niece of the legendary Beal brothers who opened the first medical clinic in Houston, Texas’ Fifth Ward community in the 3900 block of Lyons Avenue) was certainly worthy of the honor. Ethelyn was elected Miss Wheatley over an awesome group of young ladies that, of course, included Elnor. Also among the seniors vying for Miss Wheatley 1951-52, were Gwendolyn Allen, Birdie Mae Grace, Erma Godfrey, Mildred Powell, Harriet Ramos and Dorothy Verdun.

The Purple and White Royal Court 1951-52 consisted of Ethelyn (Miss Wheatley); Erma Godfrey, maid of honor; Patricia Scott, 11th grade attendant and Verna Chavis, 10th grade attendant. One of their greatest honors was to reign at the nationally renown Thanksgiving Day showdown between the Phillis Wheatley Wildcats and Jack Yates Lions, that played before the largest crowds to watch a high school football game during that era. Many African-American leaders, including Rev. William “Bill” Lawson, have pondered that something very special was going on in our community in the 1950s, that produced, perhaps the nation’s greatest generation of Black youths.

When it comes to being a special generation, you certainly won’t get an argument from Wheatley’s class of ’52, that unequivocally claims to be the great school’s best class ever. And when you start calling 1952 Wheatley’s roll, it’s difficult to disagree with that accolade. Naturally, the name Barbara Jordan, the first modern day Black State Representative and member of United State’s House of Representatives, tops a very long and illustrious list. U.S. Congresswoman Jordan, who admittedly wasn’t the smartest kid in her class, teamed with Wheatley classmate Otis King on Dr. Thomas F. Freeman’s most formidable debate teams in the history of Texas Southern University.

Dr. King went on to carve out his place in history, by becoming Houston’s first Black City Attorney. King has also served as Dean of Texas Southern’s Thurgood Marshall’s School of Law and was a very capable interim president at TSU after the untimely death of Dr. Robert Terry. Like Barbara, when it comes to smarts, Otis is quick to defer to his best pal, Dr. Samuel Biggers, Jr., who became one of the nation’s most distinguished and published neurosurgeons. Sammy Washington, who flew in from Washington, D.C. to serve as master of ceremony at the Reunion Banquet, is convinced that Wheatley’s Class of 1952 was the best ever.

Washington, is certainly remembered by his contemporaries, insofar as he founded “The Mikes,” a group of Wheatley Glee Club members that included: Ernest Bradford, Jack Goodman, the late Melvin Garner and the late Oran Bryant. Their career was blossoming, after singing in a special matinee for youth at Club Matinee. The recording impresario, Don Robey, was ready to sign the sensational group to a contract, until it was learned that they were too young to work in establishments where liquor was sold. Incidentally, Washington, the super talented musician/vocalist, is the brother of super talented Anna Washington Curtis, who recently retired as director of the Kashmere Gardens Multi-Service Center.

“We were really good, even when we later used Horace Grisby (now a renown Jazz singer), who went to Yates,” Washington recalled, while reliving the days when his group was discovered by Arthur Godfrey, during a talent hunt at BTW, years before the great Johnny Nash made history in Houston by become a regular member of the Godfrey hour. Unfortunately as memorable as Wheatley’s 50th class reunion was, there was a tinge of sadness when the once great Fifth Ward school’s future was discussed. What future? One is inclined to ask that after hearing rumors that HISD plans to merge Wheatley with Kashmere Gardens and phase it out as a high school. But that remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, proud Wheatley alums are planning the school’s 75th Anniversary and saluting the 50th Reunion Committee for a job well done. The general chairperson was Joyce Brooks Mays and the co-chairs, were Elnor Jackson Boone, Harold Trahan, Don A. James, Mary Lou Davis Sheridan and Blossie Vaughn.

Committee Chairpersons included: Georgia Botley Massie (souvenir Book, T-Shirts & contact); Johnnie Ruth Fisher Washington (meet & greet); Margie Walker Merrell (tickets-invitations & site); Shirley Caldwell Gould (host-hostesses & awards); Mildred Thomas Brown (registration); Johnny Boone (publicity); Walter Mae Cole Hendry (decoration & picnic); Elnor Jackson Boone (memorial Service); Harold Trahan (hospitality); Mary Lou Davis Sheridan (theme search); Joyce Brooks Mays (dinner-dance) and Don A. James (finance). Congratulations Phillis Wheatley’s Class of 1952.