By By Patti Trujillo,Special to the Daily News
PANTEGO—The Pantego Academy Historical Museum was decked out in lights and bows Sunday for its first Christmas Past &Present open house.
Frank Hollowell, museum president, opened the program recounting all the work that has been done on the old school in the last few years.
The belfry has been repaired and the bell (made in Baltimore in 1879) was brought downstairs, “where people can touch it—we tend to like that a lot better anyhow,” Hollowell said. The old bell was rung throughout the afternoon to signal each door prize drawing.
Hollowell pointed out that a brick structure built in 1925 to house Pantego High School “is gone already.” He dedicated the open house to “those people of the past and in their honor—we’ll have fun here today in their honor for keeping this building together.”
Barbershop quartet Men ‘n a-chord sang and led sing-alongs of popular and seasonal music. Members Larry Ahlman, Jim Bilbro, Mike Hall and Bartow Houston offered such favorites as “Silent Night,” “O Shenandoah” and “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.”
Martha Davis, who “has been singing and playing the piano for as long as anyone can remember,” according to Mary Hubers, directed the audience in several traditional Christmas songs, including “White Christmas,” “Rudolf” and “Up on the Rooftop.”
Mara Coltrain, 9, and her father, Greg, entertained the 50 attendees with stirring spiritual selections. Pantego Mayor Glenda Jackson said the celebration is the “opening of our holidays.”
Metta Dunshee, 92, read the lyrics to a song she used to sing at school. “I can’t sing anymore,” she said. She went all through school here, and when the lunchroom was installed, she was its manager.
Museum board member John Radcliff went to school here and taught seventh-grade biology, English, social studies and math from 1967 to 1972. Radcliff said the celebration is being held to “raise awareness and for the celebration of the Christmas season.”
In the audience Sunday were “a number of Pantego High School graduates from the 1940s to 1981; many community members; the principal from about 1952 to 1981, Joe Windley; and many new citizens of the Pantego area who have never been here before,” Radcliff said.
Hollowell said, “In 50 years, there won’t be any alumni, somebody else needs to carry it on.”
For more information on the Pantego Academy Historical Museum, visit yeoldeacademy.com.
Metta Dunshee, 92, addresses attendees at the Pantego Olde Academy open house Sunday. (WDN Photo/Patti Trujillo)