MUSEUM MATTERS

The teachers were excellent leaders and the boys had lots of energy. The athletic boys who lettered in the spring of 1925 thought that Dublin needed a gymnasium for their school. High school basketball was still in its infancy in 1925.

The school board must have told them if they want a gymnasium, they would have to build it themselves. So, the lettermen of Dublin High School formed the “D” club and made it their goal to build a gymnasium for their school. The first thing they did was canvas the town and get subscriptions for donations for the building. The school donated the land. Many citizens and businessmen in town donated time and money to the project. Mabry Milhollan the agriculture teacher and Coach Hallmark both provided the leadership to get the project moving. (Dublin Progress, February 20, 1925, February 27, 1925)

Mr. Milhollan kept the boys engaged. He met with them early in the morning to work and would keep them busy through the summer months. In the fall, he would meet with the boys early so that they could work on the building before attending class.

“Never before in the history of Dublin have we seen such splendid cooperation as is shown in accomplishing the completion of this wonderful monument to the Dublin boys. Parents ride up to the building and see these lads at work, doing honest to goodness men’s work; mixing cement, shoveling sand and gravel, running the mixer, etc., with the sweat running down their grimy faces, which have such a set and determined look. They have a purpose in view.” (Dublin Progress, November 6 1925)

“The club has the promise of over $700 dollars in personal donations, the high school has donated $135, the state will probably give $200 toward the building and the school board $200. Also the Lions Club has approximately $100 at its disposal which it will give toward the gymnasium.” (Dublin Progress, May 1, 1925)

Others in town wanted to support the “D” Club on their gymnasium project. Miss Faye Mahon’s folk dancing class gave a program with proceeds going to the gym fund. (Dublin Progress, July 31, 1925)

The building was huge. It measured 70x90 feet with walls 20 feet high. It allowed for a basketball court and room for two classrooms. It stood in the same plot of land as the agriculture building that would be built later in 1961. It had a line of windows along the top of the walls for ventilation and three doorways. Bleachers were built on the north wall of the building with seating for eight to nine hundred. The floor was concrete with hardwood laid on top. W. Z. Bolton was the foreman for the project.

By September of 1925 the building was being finished with the coat of white paint. (Dublin Progress, September 4, 1925)

The senior class had a dance in the new gym hosting guests from De Leon and Comanche. It was the first dance that took place in the gym. (Dublin Progress, December 18, 1925)

The high school boys were also improving the football field located at the city park. A fence was needed to enclose the field so spectators would have to pay to watch the game. That helped to finance the upcoming games and the team equipment needs. The city provided the lumber and the boys supplied the labor. (Dublin Progress, September 11, 1925)

The idea of the school boys building their own gymnasium was remarkable in itself but what happened next was amazing.

Over the next 2 1/2 years, the girls basketball team was getting better and better. It looked like 1928 was going to be their year. In the spring of 1928 they went to Dallas and won a game against Huey and Phillips. (Dublin Progress, February 17, 1928) They kept winning games against towns near and far. By March, tournaments were being arranged for here in Dublin. After all, we had a great team and a high school gymnasium. The headline read “300 girls playing in the AAU high school basketball meet here.” (Dublin Progress, March 16, 1928) There wasn’t enough room in the hotels here, so arrangements were made so the girls could stay in people’s homes. The newspaper talked about the outpouring of goodwill that was shown to the visitors who came to play in our new gymnasium. (Dublin Progress, March 16, 1928)

The Dublin girls basketball team won state in the same gymnasium that the boys had completed 2 1/2 years before. Coach D. C. Arthur wrote a tribute in the newspaper to the girls who worked hard and won their state championship. “Each of the girls have endeared themselves into the hearts of the Dublin people and we are glad to have them. (Dublin Progress, March 23, 1928)

On another note, we had an email from Jean Pinner a good friend of Mary Yantis, who went to school here in Dublin. Jean loves Dublin and the museum. She remembers singing on radio station KFPL when she was about 10 years old. She sang Ghost Riders in the Sky and South of the Border. We thank her for following our articles and her support of the museum.