Dear Fellow Alumni & Friends,

On behalf of the San Marcos Education Foundation and the San Marcos High School Alumni & Friends Association, I cordially invite you to attend the 2008 Rattler Round-Up All SMHS Class Reunion. The celebration will take place during the SMHS Homecoming Weekend of October 3-4, 2008 in San Marcos. We have several activities planned throughout the weekend and attendees are free to pick and choose the events they wish to attend (see attached Schedule of Events).

We are proud to begin the festivities with our annual San Marcos High School Distinguished Alumni Presentation and Reception at Bobcat Stadium. Once again we will be recognizing and inducting several deserving former SMHS Classmates into the San Marcos High School Alumni Hall of Fame. Following the reception and beginning at 7:30 pm, the San Marcos Rattlers’ football team will take on New Braunfels Canyon. We have also given special attention to request by individual classes to have time to gather throughout the weekend. Later on Friday night, several graduating classes will have their own class socials at various locations throughout San Marcos. On Saturday we have a few more opportunities for classmates to mingle, including at our annual Chili & Fajita Cook-off, made up of individual class teams competing against each other (Current Chili Champs- Class of 1983). Also on tap for Saturday morning is our Alumni Golf Tournament (Current Golf Champs - Class of 1969). Both of these events are open to all alumni and the public but each will have special awards limited to teams made up of individuals from the same graduating class.

Additionally on Saturday we will be co-hosting with the Hill Country Restaurant Association our 2008 “Taste of the Hill Country” event at Plaza Park from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. Come sample foods from several of San Marcos’ favorite eating establishments. During this event we will also have free live music featuring American Idol Alum and son of the legendary Roy Head, Mr. Sundance Head and his band, The Derailers, and local favorites Rabb & the Killa Hogs.

Saturday night brings us not quite all together but together at (2) locations. We were hoping to have our Annual Alumni Dinner & Dance at the new Embassy Suites & Conference Center but unfortunately the center will not be completed in time for our event this year. So, similar to last year we will be hosting the graduating classes from the 1950’s - 1975 at the Texas State University Student Center Ballroom where we will have as honored classes, the classes of 1963, 1968 and 1973. Across town at the San Marcos Activity Center we will be hosting the classes of 1976 - ? and will have as honored classes, the classes of 1978, 1983 and 1988. Of course, you are more than welcome to attend the location of your choice regardless of your class year but advanced registration is required.

Once again, thanks to all of you that have joined us in the past and we look forward to seeing everyone as we join together to reminisce and show off a little “RATTLER PRIDE”.

Sincerely,

Rene Ruiz ‘78
San Marcos Education Foundation
VP of Alumni Affairs

Download the 2008 General Invitation, Schedule of Events, and Registration Form as well as a quick list of Special Rate Participating Hotels in the area.

For a complete list of hotels, please visit www.toursanmarcos.com or call 888-200-5620.

See ya there!

The deadline for submitting nominations for the 2008 San Marcos High School Distinguished Alumnus Awards is July 31, 2008.Award recipients are SMHS graduates who have excelled in their chosen professions, who have served the community through volunteerism and social service, and/or leadership, integrity and stature serve as an example to the San Marcos community and beyond.

Please email your nomination information to Diana (Becker) Finlay Hendricks (SMHS Class of 75), SMHS DSA Chair, at dianahendricks@mac.com; or mail it to San Marcos Education Foundation Attention Distinguished Alumnus Nomination, PO Box 671, San Marcos, Texas 78667. For more information, please call 512.396.1045 or email dianahendricks@mac.com.

Please note: We must have the nomination in writing - and it should include a cover letter about the nominee; a biography, resume or professional vitae; the class year of graduation; and contact information on the nominee and the person who submits the nomination. We cannot accept verbal or phone call nominations.

As a part of the 2009 Rattler Roundup and Homecoming Festivities, the recipients of the 2008 SMHS Distinguished Alumnus Award will be honored on Friday, October 3, in the End Zone Complex at Bobcat Stadium prior to the Rattler Homecoming Football Game and will be introduced on the football field during homecoming festivities.

Former honorees include Dr. Gwen K. Smith, ‘33; Handler Smith, ‘53; Ross King, ‘54; Walter “Bud” Burnett, ‘56; Virginia Cox Witte, ‘56; Harry Max Reasoner, ‘56; Dolores Crittendon, ‘56; Joyce Able, ‘58; Bill Pennington, ‘60; John Diaz, ‘61; Dale Linebarger, ‘61; Rusty Phillips, ‘62; Reece Morrison, ‘64; Richard Cruz, ‘65; Frank Arredondo, ‘65; Tricia Tingle, ‘73; Troy Kimmel, ‘75; and Rob Thomas, ‘83.

Following on the heals of last year’s great entertainment with Roy Head & The Traits, Sundance Head and Pete Denny, this year’s event promises to keep the music coming. On Saturday, October 4th at Plaza Park from 11:00 pm - 3:00 pm free live music will feature the return of American Idol Alum and son of the legendary Roy Head, Mr. Sundance Head and his band. Also performing will be the pure honky tonk sound of The Derailers and local favorites Rabb and the Killa Hogs.

Sundance Head

Duck Soup

Derailers

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The SMHS Classes of 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983 & 1988 have jumped on board and are coordinating their class reunions with the Rattler Round-Up All Class Reunion in October. 

WOW, What A Reunion! Our thanks go out to all those who attended the 2007 SMHS All Class Reunion (aka Rattler Round-Up) this past October. The attendance jumped from a little over 100 individuals in 2006 to over 600 in 2007. We would also like to thank you for your patience as we fine tune and grow this special event into one that we hope will be enjoyed by Rattlers of all ages for years to come. The Rattler Round-Up Event and the SMHS Alumni Association has taken on the challenge of reuniting alumni each and every year during the SMHS Homecoming Weekend to help in creating a “true homecoming tradition”. No longer does anyone need to wait for their next 10, 25, 30, 45, etc. year reunion to see old friends. This Round-Up event is open to ALL SMHS Alumni and Friends with special attention given to help in facilitating the traditional 10 yr. 20 yr. 30 yr, etc. reunions as honored classes during the reunion festivities.

Classmates from 1951 - 1997 were represented throughout the 2007 Rattler Round-Up Weekend with several classes drawing large numbers of attendees!

A well deserved congratulations goes out to our (6) newly inducted SMHS Distinguished Alumni; Bill Pennington ‘60, Richard “Rusty” Phillips ‘62, Frank Arredondo ‘65, Ruben Ruiz Jr. ‘69, Tricia Tingle ‘73, and Rob Thomas ‘83. They join an elite group of Rattlers inducted into the San Marcos Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.

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The Rattler Pride Distinguished Alumni Reception was held in the Sac-n-Pac Room in the End Zone complex at Bobcat Stadium at 5:45 on Friday evening prior to the Homecoming football game. The reception was open to the public and former teachers and classmates are cordially invited to attend.

This year’s inductees include (from left to right)
Bill Pennington (‘60), Richard E. “Rusty” Phillips (‘62), Frank Arredondo (‘65),
Ruben Ruiz, Jr. (‘69), Tricia Tingle (‘73), and Rob Thomas (‘83).

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by Dan Buie

Introduction
In 1956, the present Joe’s Crab Shack was the icehouse where you could buy ice by the block, and out back, high school and college students alike enjoyed diving into the falls of the beautifully clear headwaters of the San Marcos River. San Marcos High School (SMHS) was located on Hutchison Street between Ranch Road 12 and Blanco Street. There was discipline in the classrooms back then and respect was shown to teachers with “the paddle” being used from time to time when students got a bit too rambunctious.

Texas State University was known as Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College with a student enrollment in each of the fall and spring semesters averaging around 2,100. A former student, Lyndon Johnson, who had represented San Marcos, Texas as part of his congressional district and who would later become President of the United States, was that year elected Majority Leader in the United States Senate.

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Mark your calendars: October 19-20, 2007
RATTLER ROUNDUP 2007 TO BE THE BEST EVER HOMECOMING WEEKEND

Get ready to paint the town “Purple” the weekend of October 19-20, 2007 as The 3rd Annual Rattler Round-Up converges on San Marcos. Our Annual All-Class Homecoming Event is excited to join with area restaurants in presenting the HILL COUNTRY FOOD FESTIVAL as a new addition to this year’s event. Go to Registration News for details on the entire weekend’s events!

The SMHS Classes of 1977, 1987 and 1997 are celebrating all weekend and will be gathering at the San Marcos Activity Center for the “1977-1987-1997″ Gala - and all other classes are welcome to join in the fun! If you have not yet reserved your seats for the Saturday night gala, please contact Rene Ruiz to do so now!

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