Beta Club has seen lot during 50 years
The Times-Argus, Central City, Wednesday, February 15, 1989, Page 9
Caption: First Members
Members of the very first Central City Beta Club included Cecil Baker, Henry Batsel, Edna Blanks, Harry Culbertson, Martha Eades, Jenny Foster, Berl Fortner, Martha Francis, Laura Nell Gish, Charles Kimbley, Mary Francis Mason, Hexter Newton, Gondee Rich, Zona Scott, Harold Soder, Helen Ruth Sparks, Mildred Turner, Nellodean Vincent, Carrol Vincent, J. Morris Watkins and Christine Williams. Pledges were Bobby Millard, Tommy Simpson and Alberta Watkins.
According to information provided with this news clipping: First row, second from the right, is Willodean Vincent. Second row, first person on the left, is Hester Newton (she married J.W. Soder); third person from the left, Martha Francis (she married Hughlon Richey); second person from the right, Edna Blanks (she married J.R. Dunning).
The Central City High School Beta Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week and it is celebration time. Friday, Feb. 17, between the junior varsity and varsity games there will be a short recognition of the Beta Club. A reception will be held in the cafeteria following the game.
The National Honorary Beta Club was founded in 1934 in the state of South Carolina, but was not given a national charter until August 1936. The local chapter was one of the first clubs organized in Kentucky. Founded in the spring of 1939, it was chartered with 21 members.
The Beta Club is a non-secret, service-leadership club for high school students instituted to stimulate effort, reward achievement, and encourage high school students to continue their education after high school.
Through fifty years the Beta Club at Central City has been active in school affairs, supported city and county projects, and made financial contributions to state and national organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation and the Kosair Children's Hospital.
Mrs. Alma Sparks, whose teaching career spanned parts of three decades at Central City, was the first sponsor of the local club. Also sponsoring the club were Ola Mae Clark, Mildred Countzler, Lou Stewart, Jim Wilcox, Izora Ford, Lexie Albach, Jo Ann Moore, and Sarah Lamb.
Members from the World War II years saw the football team play its last game as the number of male students declined and equipment was hard to replace. They also remember registering men for the draft and signing up people for ration stamps. Betas, along with other students, were dismissed from school during the day to collect scrap metal for the war effort.
In the 50's the renovation of the grade school and the building of the present gymnasium had Betas out marching and carrying signs to encourage passage of a local tax increase.
In more recent years Beta members went door-to-door doing an income survey which resulted in the interest rate to be lowered on a federal grant to Central City.
Money making projects by the Beta Club have provided the club with the opportunity to buy items that were of benefit to the school, to donate to local charities, to help support Kentucky Educational Television, and to defray convention cost for members.
Many extra curricular activities were added to school life because of the Beta Club. Having the first basketball queen was a Beta Club idea and the Beta Club still sponsors the homecoming queen and the homecoming dance. Anyone who graduated 20 or more years ago can tell stories of the Sadie Hawkins races. The bell would ring and the boys could all leave the building, but not the school yard. At the sound of the second bell, the girls went in pursuit. The girl who caught a fellow provided him with transportation (even if it meant walking) to the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance and covered all expenses. Maybe Daisy Mae and Li'l Abner will show up at the celebration.
Even though the club was organized in the early months of 1939, several members attended the state convention in May in Lexington. Attending the state convention is a fun part of being a Beta. In 1942 Marion Miller representing the Central City Beta Club was elected president of the state convention for the 1942-43 school year. He never had the opportunity to preside at a meeting because all the state conventions were canceled during World War II and not resumed until 1947.
All of the high schools in Muhlenberg County have strong, active Beta Clubs. Beta members and former Beta members from all the county schools will be honored at the celebration.
The high school will be open after the games for visiting, looking at pictures, and for reminiscing.
A reception in the cafeteria following the game is open to everyone.