Goodbye to a home away from home
By Timm Lewis
Special to the Times
E-mail this storyThe second weekend of June 2008 was a memorable reunion for former students of Winslow High School.
This was no ordinary high school reunion. The former students who gathered were alumni of the Winslow Indian Dormitory and were residents during the period of 1955 to 2008.
The alumni met to rekindle and restore their friendships that they developed with their former classmates.
This was a joyous event, but also sad. They were meeting because the dorm that they once called "home away from home" is scheduled to be demolished this summer to make room for a new facility.
The alumni reunion of Winslow dorm was like a who's who as there were notable attendees and VIPs who came to pay tribute to their old dorm, revive old memories, and to rekindle their friendships all over again.
Well-known VIPs included Tommy Lewis, Judge Louise Goldtooth Grant (Dilkon District Court), Apache County Supervisor Tom White, Navajo County Supervisor Jessie Thompson and one of Winslow's renowned athletes, Jim Store, who was also a former council delegate.
Even the legendary high school football coach Emil Nasser was in attendance and was recognized for his services to Native Americans students.
Current Winslow High School coaches that also were recognized for their services were girls' basketball coach Don Petranovich and baseball coach Artie Griffith.
These coaches all had a role in providing excellent educations and leadership to the dormitory's student-athletes. They advocated for the students' rights to attend a public school during a time when Native Americans attending a public school was unheard of and was still controversial.
The dorm alumni also included former Miss Navajos Rose McCabe Wauneka (1968-69), Sarah Johnson Luther (1966-67), and former Miss Hopi Debbie Secakuku Baker.
The dorm also produced its share of council delegates and politicians.
The alumni also paid tribute to the former dorm employees who were their surrogate parents. They were recognized with pride and honor and thanked for raising and guiding the students, teaching right from wrong and acknowledging that the discipline they applied was for a reason.
Past employees who were in attendance and recognized for their services were Bruce Williams, Ernie Joseph and Victoria Brown Jones.
Yes, it was a memorable event as the alumni talked about their dorm days, roamed the empty halls and walked down memory lane. They ate one last meal together in their old dining room before it is torn down, remembering the days of walking a total of four miles to school each day.
They remembered all the good times and bad times and they laughed and cried. There was talk of mischievous deeds, proud moments and accomplishments.
At the end of the day, each alumnus went their separate way, some back to distant places they now call home, such as Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix.
They paid tribute to their dorm and in their own way they said their goodbyes to what they once called home in a far distant memory.
This reunion was the closing of the chapter of their once youthful lives.
Lewis was a resident of the Winslow dormitory from 1976 until he graduated from Winslow High School in 1980.
