Aldine Alumni Scholarship Association
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Aldine ISD was founded in 1934 as an Independent School District and the high school was named SMN Marrs, after a former state superintendent of schools.
William E. “Bill” Rao and Robert “Bob” Pinckney, Class of 1938, began talking in 1987 about planning their 50th Class Reunion and wondered if they could find enough classmates to attend. They first located Valasta Walla and Doris Spivey. These four searched the telephone books and placed articles in newspapers. As their search continued, one newspaper, The Leader, interviewed Bill Rao and took a picture of him. Bill heard about an Aldine High School Reunion to be held in 1987 at the Aldine Senior High School cafeteria. He was unable to attend but contacted Mervel Rogers, who was on the committee, and asked him to post information on the bulletin board at the 50th Class Reunion for 1938. Nellie Patterson Upchurch, Class of 1936, responded to the bulletin and provided additional names.
After a year of planning and perseverance, the Class of 1930 held the first 50th Class Reunion at the Marriott Hotel on Kirby, with 82 people attending. Others in attendance at this reunion were the Classes of 1934, 1942 and 1943. The Class of 1938 graduated 32 students. Nine attended the reunion. Seventeen additional classmates, including William “Bill” Svec were found the following year. The largest attendance at a class reunion held by the SMN Marrs High School was in 1989 at the Marriott Hotel in the Medical Center, with 250 attending.
The SMN Marrs High School Reunion was renamed the Aldine Alumni Association in 1997. That was the first year of the “Duffers” Tournament. Mitchell “Mitch” Raymond, Class of 1947, contacted Bobby Idom, also of the 1947 class, and asked for help in calling classmates to play a round of golf the day before their 50th Class Reunion just to have fun! A small group attended and the “Duffers” Golf Tournament has been held the day before every reunion since then.
With the Tax Exempt status being applied for, another change was made and the Association was renamed again to Aldine Alumni Scholarship Association in 2001.
The Association presented Life Memberships to William “Bill” Rao and Robert “Bob” Pinckney at the 2004 Reunion for their vision, leadership and many contributions to the Association over these past years. Also honored with a Life Membership was William “Bill” Svec, their classmate of 1938.
The Class celebrating its 50th Reunion is honored annually and asked to plan and present the program for the Association at the Annual Reunion.
As it was in the
beginning………it will be in the future.