Western High School

Interesting Facts about 1953

  • The average car cost: $1,850
  • Gasoline: 29 cents/gal
  • House: $17,500
  • Bread: 16 cents/loaf
  • Milk: 94 cents/gal
  • Postage Stamp: 3 cents
  • Stock Market: 281
  • Minimum Wage: 75 cents per hour

Harrison Schmitt

Not all of these names will be familiar to everybody, but most people will know Harrison Schmitt, especially people from right here in New Mexico(How could we not know him, there's a school in Silver City named after him.) For those who don't know him though here's a little information: Schmitt was an astronaut who was on the Apollo 17 mission. He helped to train members of the Apollo crews as geologic observers. He also became a republican senator in 1976. During his years at Western, Schmitt was part of football, band, student council, tennis, basketball, Honor Society, Letterman's Club, and many other activities.

Class of 1953

1953 was an exciting year. It was the year that "Peter Pan" came out. It was the year Joseph Stalin died and Dwight D. Eisenhower became president of the United States. In 1953, Watson and Crick announced their discovery of the structure of DNA. 1953 was also a very exciting year for 75 students at Western High because 1953 was their last year of high school.

  • Left to Right: Teddy Young, Bill Mullane, Joan McCabe,Bobbie Ball
  • Bottom Left: Marion Alred
  • Bottom Right: Mary Jane Althus

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  • Left: Josie Andazola, Bobbie Jeannie Ball, John Boren, Genevieve Briggs
  • Right: Mike Andazola, Jerry Barker, Barbara Brancheau, Barbara Burchfield

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  • Left: Wilma Burgess, Pat Chester, Bill De Soto, Manuel Duarte
  • Right: Jewell Chandler, Jerry Dieter, Burch Drake, Dan Dunagun

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  • Left: Eddie Duran, David Gonzales, Frances Gonzales, George Hefley
  • Right: Ellen Fahrlender, Fannie Gonzales, Jackie Hawkins, Dora Holguin

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  • Left: Tuck Hollimon, Onofre Horcasitas, Wayne Jones, Roy Lee
  • Right: David Holt Jr., Shirley Johnson, Elizabeth Keller, Glenda Little

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  • Left: Bonnie Mae Littlefield, Robert Lyon, Clara Martin, Charlene Micheals
  • Right: Bill Lowe, Robert Madrid, Ealr Merritt, Patricia Micheals

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  • Left: Leo Montoya, George Munoz, Evelyn McBride, Bennie Ornelas
  • Right: Bill Mullane, Mireya Munoz, Joan McCabe, Tom Pebworth

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  • Left: La Verne Peck, Cruz Perez, Nancy Reed, Sue Rhinesmith
  • Right: Prestene Pennington, Margarito Quintanar, Frances Reed, Marysue Riggs

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  • Left: Erlinda Rodriquez, Vicky Sanchez, Beverly Simmons, Peggy Spurgur
  • Right: Tony Sanchez, Harrison Schmitt, Joel Simmons, Frances Terrazas

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  • Left: Ellen Uhli
  • Right: Teddy Young

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Not Pictured

Of course, not everbody made it to school on picture day. So that nobody is left unmentioned, following is a list of people from the class of '53 whose pictures aren't in the yearbook.

  • Arthur Flores
  • Margaret Cordero
  • Ramona Downen
  • Ben Gallegos
  • Henry Garcia
  • Thayne Peters
  • Leon Terrazas

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