1880’s
Grigsby Bluff School, corner of Lee and Marion in Port Neches
1900’s
1902-1910: Two schools in Port Neches, one at Nall Street and another in Abbeville
1910’s
1911: C.O. Baird School, corner of Nall and Port Neches Avenue
1919: First Port Neches graduate
1920’s
1923: First school bus, mainly transporting students from Groves to Port Neches
1923: First graduating class
1925: Port Neches Common School District #16
Port Neches High School on Main Avenue
Colors: Purple and White
Mascot: Indians
First football game against Silsbee, then Nederland
Highlights: Second building added to C.O. Baird building
Organizations: Forum Club, Dramatic Club, Science Club, Choral Club, Commercial Club, Writers’ Club, Home Economics Club, English Club, Jolly Club, Music appreciation Club, Literary Club, Campfire Girls, WAR WHOOP, Nutcrackers’ Club, Debate, Model Builders’ club, Mathematics Club, Spanish Club, Shorthand Team, Woodwork Club, Alumni Society, Typing Team
Activities: Leap Week, May Carnival, field trips, one-act plays, shirt-tail parades, Homecoming
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Gold, Wrestling, Swimming, and Volleyball
1930’s
1930: Texas Interscholastic League Football
Texas Company sponsored adult night beginning reading classes
1933: First district football championship
1936: Indian band performed at halftime; pep squad had purple and white uniforms; Betty Ruth Wager was the first drum major
Highlights: New classes added—Trigonometry, Commercial Law, Commercial Arithmetic, Night classes; Ella Ruth Hebert wrote school song; during Great Depression, Indian football thrived into a winning team; Hall of Fame
Organizations: Band, Pep Squad, Glee Club, Latin Club, Little Theatre Club, WAR WHOOP Press Club, Dramatic Club, Poetry Club, Hi-Y, Sportsmanship Club, Tom Tom Club, Library Club, Class Officers, Campfire Girls, National Honor Society, Boy Scouts, Model Builders’ Club
Activities: Homecoming, May Queen, Senior Play, Junior Play, School Fair, Christmas Pageant, Football Banquet, Style Show, Valentine Party, Sophomore Picnic, Annual dance after Nederland game, Senior Day, Mickey Mouse Wedding, Flag Pole Dancing
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Wrestling, Swimming, and Volleyball
1940’s
1940’s: High School achieved full accreditation by Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges
1940: New stadium seated 4000
1942: 12 grades system started
1942-1945: War brought industrial boom to area which greatly increased student population, schools were overcrowded
1943-1944: No marching band as a result of instrument shortage and difficulty hiring directors who were serving in armed forces; Band uniforms were gray one year due to shortage of material
1945: County Common School District #16 became Port Neches Independent School District
1949: Groves Junior High built (now Groves Elementary)
Highlights: 1942-1945 World War II dominated education. Eighteen year-old boys who were passing were drafted and received diplomas, younger boys had to have parent permission to volunteer, school officials approved advancing diplomas to those; war effects included civil defense black-outs, war bonds, ration stamps, tire and gasoline shortages; few had cars; teachers took census in afternoons and issued ration books; classes were over-crowded due to population growth in area as industry expanded to meet war needs. Extension classes were offered in English for Spanish-speaking students. One teacher of the ‘40s describes the difficult school situations during the war as the “worst conditions Port Neches schools ever seen.” One student recalls the band playing “The Beer Barrel Polka” after each touchdown. Indians reclassified in ’44 to upper division, got beaten by Port Arthur 89-0. Students led a Strike in 1946 to keep the popular head football coach which resulted in immediate concessions by the school board; later that spring, a new school board was elected along with a new superintendent, new high school principal and new head coach. Stadium lights were installed during 1946 that allowed night games; also, the Indians were undefeated/untied and won the Regional Championship (as high as they could go). In 1947 the Indians kept Nederland from gaining a first down all game and beat them 71-0.
Organizations: Leaguers, Coral Club, Band, WAR WHOOP Staff, Press Club, Drama Club, Hi-Y Club, National Honor Society, Home Economics Club, Spanish Club, Hall of Fame Members, Student Council, Alpha Beta Club, Class Prophets, Assembly Program, POW WOW, Pow Wow Staff, Future Homemakers, School and Class Favorites, Cheerleaders, Typing Club, Checker Club, Air Scouts, Slide Rule Club, Photography Club, Girls’ Athletic Club, Future Business Women’s Club, and Senior Military Training Corps (in order to prepare the boys of Port Neches High School for the time when they will take their places in the armed services of the United States)
Activities: Senior Play, Coronation, Band Concerts, Variety Show, and After-game Dances
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, and Volleyball
1950’s
1951: Completion of new stadium
Indianettes were formed
1952: 3A Classification
1953: Completion of Port Neches High School on Merriman and Woodcrest Elementary
1954: New high school gym built
1955: Totem Pole placed in front of school
Completion of West Groves Elementary (West Groves Education Center) and Port Neches Elementary
1956: Port Neches-Groves High School name change
1958: Completion of Port Neches Junior High (Port Neches Middle School), Van Buren Elementary and Ridgewood Elementary
1959: Completion of Woodlawn Junior High (Groves Middle School)
Highlights: First long line of ticket buyers for the game against Temple in 1953, and the Indians won their first state title at Indian Stadium. In 1954 the Indians flew to state championship game in two chartered propeller planes and lost because the team was airsick. Gene McCollum became superintendent in 1954 and served 19 years. “Cherokee was played at halftime for the first time in 1955; also the Indian football team was state champs that year. The Indians defeated the Jackets for the first time in 1957. Lynne Jeffery wrote the words to “Cherokee” in 1959. At Homecoming, the Football Sweetheart was chosen by football team nominations. The Sweetheart Campaign included fundraising and talent shows to determine Homecoming Sweetheart. Twirlers of 1959 created white fringe Indian “dress” with individually sewn sequined belts. Cecile Holstead, drum majorette, wore first headdress borrowed from Mr. Alexander at TeePee Club.
Organizations: National Honor Society, Class Officers, School Favorites, Safety Patrol, Future Homemakers of America, Twirlers, Band, Cheerleaders, Lettermen’s Club, Teenage Library association, Radio Club, Contest Play, Drama Guild, War Whoop/Pow Wow Staff, Drum Majors, Junior Red Cross, Student Council, Quill and Scroll, Choir, Devotional Club, Reading and Writing Club, Future Teachers of America, Future Secretaries, Drawing Club, Science Club, Future Nurses, Tennis Club, Hunting/Fishing Club, Orchestra, Hi-Y Club, Drafting Club, Slide Rule Club, and Math Club
Activities: Senior Play, Queen’s Coronation, Pep rallies in auditorium, bonfire, Sweetheart Dance, TWIRP Week, Junior-Senior Prom, Senior Picnic at Lake Tejas, and Senior Day
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, and Bowling
1960’s
1961: First Indian Spirit—Jamie Rohe
1962: B-Wing added to PNG
1963: New Cafeteria
1966: Completion of Taft Elementary
1968: Completion of new gym
Highlights: A small Indian head named Geronimo to football games; Candy sales and Variety Shows put on by classes were used to select Football Sweetheart; sophomores were initiated by bowing to Totem Pole on patio; Marching I added to halftime
Organizations: Band, Indianettes, Cheerleaders, National Honor Society, Student Council, War Whoop, Pow Wow, Future Homemakers of America, Drafting Club, Choir Future Secretaries Club, Red Cross, Hi-Y Club, Future Nurses Club, Contest Play, Math Club, Slide Rule Club, Science Club, Future Teachers, Devotional Club, Speech Club, Chess Club, Junior Rotarians and Lions’ Sweethearts, Orchestra, Photography Club, Distributive Education, Art Club and Number Sense
Activities: Pep rallies, bonfires, Senior Play, Junior-Senior Prom, Senior Picnic, Hi-Y Annual Christmas Food Drive, TWIRP Week, Queen’’ Coronation and Ball, One-Act Play
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, and Volleyball
1970’s
1972: Rock-a-Noos won State Championship
1974-1977: Indians Football Team advanced to playoffs, making ten trips to the Houston Astrodome, breaking attendance records—38,570 in 1977 game against Houston Kashmere in Astrodome and 49,953 in 1977 state championship game against Plano at Texas Stadium; not only communities of Port Neches and Groves went to playoff games, but the Indians attracted fans from other area school districts; purple mania hit fans
1975: Indians Football Team won State Championship in Texas Stadium
$7.9 million bond issue passed for building additions and air conditioning
1977: Computer Math classes added
1979: Rock-a-Noos won State Championship
PNG Planetarium and new science classes added
Vocational buildings added
Highlights: Football successes fueled enthusiastic Indian fans to purple obsessions, setting attendance records and gathering a following of area fans; success in all UIL academic events, including Band success at district, regional and state Marching Contest; student enrollment increased as an influx of families, wanting to be a part of PNGISD, moved in
Organizations: Band, Indianettes, Cheerleaders, National Honor Society, Student Council, War Whoop, Pow Wow, American Field Service sponsoring foreign exchange students, Organization of Indian Athletes replaced Hi-Y, Future Homemakers of America, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Office Education Association, Chess Club, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, TACH, Cosmetology, Indian Singers, and Student Work Experience Program in Education.
Activities: Variety Shows and Candy Sales highlight Homecoming Week, Community Pep Rallies, TWIRP Week, Queen’s Coronation, School Musicals, Junior/Senior Prom, One-Act Play, White Christmas Food Drive
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball and Swim Team
1980’s
1981: Rock-a-Noos won State Championship
1982: Freshman class added to PNG; Middle Schools consisted of grades 6-8; Elementary Schools restructured to grades 4-5 and K-3
1984: Extra-curricular activities limited by House bill 72
1985: TEAMS Test (Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Required Skills) required by state for graduation
1989: Indians Football Team advanced to playoffs and made two trips to Astrodome
Highlights: Sweetheart Campaign including candy sales and variety shows was eliminated after House Bill 72, Homecoming Sweetheart chosen by popular vote instead of by fundraising; No Pass, No Play focuses on raising academic standards with the results putting limits on participation in extra-curricular activities; Homecoming Dance; and Awards Day recognizing scholarship recipients resulting in a dramatic increase in scholarships awarded to students
Organizations: Band, Indianettes, Cheerleaders, Student Council, National Honor Society, Organization of Indian Athletes (for boys), Association of Indian Athletes (for girls); Looking Glass Literary Magazine; Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Office Education Association, StuCo Volunteers, Just Say No Seniors (anti-drug campaign)
Activities: Sweetheart campaign through 1985; Homecoming Dance, OIA-AIA White Christmas Food Drive, Fire-up Rally in which PNG letters are burned; School Musicals, One-Act Play, Student-Faculty Basketball Games, TWIRP Week, and Junior/Senior Prom
Athletics: Football, Basketball, track, Baseball, Volleyball, Tennis, and Golf
1990’s
1990: Project Graduation held to celebrate after graduation
TEAMS Test changed to TAAS Exit Test
Added Boys’ Soccer
1992: Texaco Computer Lab added
1993: Added Girls’ Softball
1994: PNG shifted to Block Schedule
$39 million bond issue passed
1999: Added Girls’ Soccer
Indians Football Team advanced to state finals, carrying fans to four trips to the Astrodome and A&M’s Kyle Field; over 30,000 Indian fans were at the state championship game
Highlights: Bond issue financed renovations of all schools in the district; four-year construction projects; computer labs and internet added to all schools, PNGHS earned Exemplary rating by Texas Education Association for 1997-1998 and 1998-1999
Organizations: Band, Indianettes, Cheerleaders, Student Council, National Honor Society, OIA-AIA, Looking Glass becomes DreamCatcher, Just Say No Seniors becomes Students Helping Out Uninformed Teens, First Priority, Key Club, and Madrigal Christmas Dinner Production in traditional Shakespearean style
Activities: Power Puff Football, Homecoming Dance, OIA-AIA White Christmas Food Drive, Fire-up Pep Rally, Howdy Dance, TWIRP Week, Junior/Senior Prom, Project Graduation
Athletics: Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, Powerlifting, Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer, Girls’ Softball
2000’s
History in the making! Stay tuned for more.
