A new feature of The LoJo is looking back at school publications from years gone by. We have found some old copies of The Panther Chatter , which was the school newspaper of Russellville High School during decades past. We would welcome reviewing similar publications from Logan County High School or the pre-consolidation Logan schools.
October 22, 1975
*A cast of 39 girls and no boys in the Speech and Drama Club presented Clare Booth Luce’s drama The Women three times, including a dinner theatre. The leads were Diane Gilliam (Walker), Marianne Rhea, Elizabeth Wilson, Terri Hatchett (Rogan) and Debbie Williams (Johnson). Also in large roles were Sherry Gilliam (Winecoff), Renee Fuqua (Kilgore), Shannon Kirkpatrick (Reade), Rhonda Simmons (Miles) and Sonya Violett (Webb).
Also in the cast were Shelly Adler, Madonna Anderson, Michelle Beasley (Starks), Beth Clark (Switzer), Sharon Dockins (), Marjorie Flowers, Anne Fuqua (Herr), Sandra Graham (Kinser), Catherine Hancock (McCarty), Tammy Hankins (Lorden),Samone Hardy (Neely), Marsha Johns (Orndorff), Dede Jones (Slagle), Pam Jureka (Sixt), Kelly Kirkpatrick (Orndorff), Terry Martin (Rudd), Molly Mattingly (Yancey), Carol Miles (Watkins), Belinda Morris (Ray), Lisa Neagle, Cheryl Shelton, Debbie Shoemaker (Grise), Kaye Simmons, Pam Statton, Meg Threlkeld (Hancock), Cathy Wheeler (Jones), Regina White, Beverly Williamson (Holder) and Mary Ann Young.
*Rhonda Simmons (Miles) was Tobacco Festival Queen. In her court were Catherine Hancock (McCarty), Cathy Wheeler (Jones), and Madonna Anderson along with Lewisburg’s Nancy Mullen (Schiess). Renee Fuqua (Kilgore) was Miss Congeniality. They were pictured in the Panther Chatter in 50s cheerleader outfits.
Also in the Queen’s Pageant were Deborah Dudley, Diane Gilliam (Walker), Molly Mattingly (Yancey), and Terri Hatchett (Rogan).
Shown competing in the Tobacco Festival pie throw were Michelle Beasley (Starks), Marjorie Flowers, Sheryl O’Brien (Jackson), Molly Mattingly (Yancey), Sherry Gilliam (Winecoff), Joe Foster and Andy Humphries. Renee was pictured walking in the parade with Mr. Tobacco, Lon Sosh.
*Homecoming Week activities concluded with Renee Fuqua (Kilgore) being crowned queen by football co-captains David Duncan and Jimmy Hampton. Other candidates were senior Sheila Johnson (Ryan), junior Hattie Sydnor (Bush), sophomore Angelia McMillen (Bentley), freshman Melissa Baldwin (Clark) and Pep club representatives Debbie Taylor and Terri Hatchett (Rogan).
Winners of various contests during the week were Hattie Sydnor (Bush), Cynthia Stewart, Samra Linton (Smith), Hampton, Jimmy Smith, David Ashby and Ellis Bellamy. Rhonda Simmons (Miles), Elizabeth Wilson and Shannon Kirkpatrick (Reade) coordinated activities as Pep Club officers.
Pictured in homecoming activities were Melinda Lewis (Cobb), Dede Jones (Slagle), Belinda Morris (Ray), Renee Farmer, Sandra Graham (Kinser), David Ashby, Thomas Gowan, Cathy Wheeler (Jones), Leonard Bellamy, Bobby Bibb, Vicki Steppe, Mike White, Sandra Eggleston (Brown), Ricky Posey, Jeff Klein, Eric Blackwell, Sharon Dockins, Debbie Williams (Johnson), Terri Hatchett (Rogan), Principal Larry Chelf and teachers Joann Flowers, Randy Jedele, Donna Wofford, and Bob Armstrong. Faculty members Joe Marcum, Beth Currence and Mike Houston were quoted.
Football players dressed as girl cheerleaders. Pictured were Ronnie Croslin, Steve Noe, Timmy Bray, Rusty Burchett, Craig Johnson, Joe Foster, David Ashby, Ricky Dean Bibb, Ricky Smith and Dalmaria Hampton. Coaching Powder Puff football teams were Jimmy Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Thomas Gowan, Robert Cross, Paul Sansom and Wayne Hampton.
The Panthers won the Homecoming football game, beating Warren Central 26-20. The winning touchdown came on a 52-yard pass from Jimmy Smith to Dennis Sydnor. Smith also threw touchdown passes to Jerry Allen and Greg Meacham; he also rushed for another TD. Jimmy Hampton scored on a rush, and Meacham kicked extra points. Joe Foster led the defense.
*Keena Sydnor and Debbie Taylor (Todd) won cake decorating competition in Marie Lennon’s Food Services classes. Amateur cake decorator Hazel Carver served as judge.
*Performing at SAE’s regional meeting at WKU was one of Hazel Carver’s later singing groups, the Swing Choir. Members with feature spots were Jeff White, Tim Barr, Marjorie Flowers, Debbie Shoemaker (Grise), Mary Ann Young, John Kees, Archie Gordon Beck and Jay Joines. Dancing to some of their songs were Ellis Bellamy, Ronald Todd, Kenny Crenshaw, Forrest Killebrew, Debbie Shoemaker (Grise), and Penny Vaughn.
*The bother sister team of Renee and Randy Fuqua won the Tobacco Festival Mixed Doubles Tennis Tournament, beating the team of Sandra Eggleston (Brown)-Kevin Robbins. Semifinalists were Charles Emberton-Lisa Nuyt (Hall) and Ronnie Gibson- Michelle Beasley (Starks). Also playing were Scott Gregory-Dana Richardson and Lloyd Howlettt-Sherry Gilliam (Winecoff),.
The RHS track entries won the Log Olympics, led by Vincent Weatherford and Forrest Killebrew.
*Jeff Klein place second in prose at the LaRue Novice speech tournament in Hodgenville.
*The environmental science classes of Marie Turner prepared for a pond on school property, which was planned by District Conservationist Bill Johnson. Mike Baugh was president-elect of the Science Club, which took trips to Bernheim Forest and My Old Kentucky Home. Teacher Larry Brown drove the bus.
*On the Panther Chatter staff were Mike Baugh, Beth Clark (Switzer), Ronnie Gibson, Lloyd Howlett, Kenny Kerr, Jeff Klein, Melanie Markham (Randolph), Don Menser, Belinda Morris (Ray), Denny Price, Marianne Rhea, Mike Robbins, Theresa Shewmaker, Debbie Shoemaker (Grise), Duane Spurlock, Vickie Steppe, Katie Tinch (Violette), Regina White and Bob Williams.