OHS HISTORY

Reflections

"There are many schools around the state...indeed, around the nation, which I suspect would love to be able to lay claim to some of the traditions which have been fostered and nurtured here at Oceana High School. There are many communities, large and small, around the state, around the nation, wishing they could have a school as exemplary as Oceana High School has been."

Paul Ray Blankenship, Last OHS Graduation, June 2, 2002.

Principals

Significant Events

• 1909 - Citizens of Oceana District vote for a bond to establish and build Oceana District High School.
• 1910 - Oceana District High School opened; (Principal) L. S. Hutchens (Teacher) Martin L. Jones.
• 1912 - First Commencement, May 17, with one graduate, Emma Roach.
• 1913 - School classified as high school by the State of West Virginia.
• 1920 - First baseball team organized.
• 1921 - First basketball team organized.
• 1926 - New stone high school constructed from $50,000 district bond levy.

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Principals

Significant Events

• 1927 - WV Department of Education rated OHS "First Class School," under principal O. D. Hall, with all teachers qualified.
• 1928 - Gymnasium constructed behind new school.
• 1929 - First "Miss Oceana District" title awarded to Agnes Cook.
• 1929 - First yearbook, The Oceanian, printed.
• 1931 - OHS graduate, Kermit A. Cook, Class of 1924, selected as principal.
• 1931 - The Scarlet Telegram, first OHS newspaper begun by Kermit Cook.
• 1931 - OHS teams were called the "Scarlet Hurricane."
• 1934 - OHS participated in the first Wyoming County Track Meet at Mullens, placing fourth among seven teams. Gene Cozort, Class of 1934, son of Wade and Maude Scott Cozort, tallied 90 of Oceana's 110 points.
• 1935 - The Indian adopted as school's mascot. Previously the teams were known as "The Red Streak" and "Scarlet Hurricane."
• 1935 - School newspaper renamed "The Megaphone."
• 1935/36 - First Oceana High School band organized under the direction of Kenneth Louemiller.
• 1936 - First reference to "Oceana Indians" appeared in the 1936 Oceanian.
• 1936 - OHS students participated in their first State Band Festival at Huntington, May 2. Oceana Students Norma Jean Cook ('36), Vernon Jewell ('39), Posey Amburgey ('39), Robert Cook ('39), James Cook ('40), Juna Cook ('40), Virginia Cook ('41), Wayne Cook ('44), and Junior Evans participated as members of the Combined Wyoming County Band (Herndon, Mullens, Oceana and Pineville) under direction of R. A. Emberger.
• 1937 - First uniformed band donned red and white uniforms with red capes.
• 1937/38 - First cheerleading squad composed of Kathleen Cook ('39), Venice Manning ('40) and Pearl Paynter ('40).
• 1944 - OHS students among the 140 Wyoming County students enrolled for the first time at the Wyoming County Vocational School, which opened September 25, at Pineville.
• 1946 - Scrimmage football team prepares for the inauguration of interscholastic football with drills and practice on the lot in front of the Chambers home on Main Street.
• 1947 - Football initiated under Coach Andy Botney (Record: 2 wins, 7 loses)
• 1947 - Schools colors changed to maroon and white, replacing red and white.
• 1947 - First win in football, October 9, beating Stoco High, 14-6. (Stoco was consolidated in the 1970's into Independence High School.)
• 1948 - Oceana Athletic Association organized to sell non-interest bonds to finance lighting system for the new football field.
• 1948 - First All-Wyoming County football team selected; included OHS players Robert Bostic, Buddy Parsons and Bobby Branham.
• 1949 - School newspaper called The Pow-Wow Times.
• 1949 - First OHS football player selected for All-State honors (Little All-State/Class B) was Bob Branham.
• 1949 - First OHS Homecoming football game; Lois Easter elected by football team as first Homecoming Queen.
• 1949 - Runner-up Class B WV State Basketball Championship, lost to Moorefield, 42-38.

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Principals

Significant Events

• 1950 - The new Oceana High School opened for classes, October 16th.
• 1950 - The Student Council, an organization of elected student leaders, with Gene Hatfield as president, was initiated under the sponsorship of B. L. "Babe" Morgan.
• 1950 - Fund drive to purchase new maroon and white military-style band uniforms.
• 1951 - New gymnasium dedicated with game between Concord College and Beckley College.
• 1953 - First Edition of Tomahawk Times, OHS student newspaper, commercially printed under guidance of Laura Hinchman.
• 1953 - First guidance program in a Wyoming County high school was initiated at Oceana High by Miss Laura Hinchman, who in 1959, became the Wyoming County Guidance Director, before taking a position with the WV State Department of Education in 1962.
• 1953 - First year the graduation class exceeded 50 members, as 75 seniors received diplomas.
• 1954 - Oceana High School accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
• 1955 - Sue Tryee judged best majorette at Mountain State Forest Festival, held at Elkins, with 44 bands on parade.
• 1957 - Phillip Allen Goins became the first OHS graduate to be appointed to a military academy (U.S. Naval Academy).
• 1959 - Brenda Keys penned the school alma mater, "Hail, Oceana."
• 1959 - Barbara Ann Mathis selected "Miss West Virginia Teen."
• 1959 - First year the graduating class exceeded 100 members as 116 seniors received diplomas.
• 1960 - Oceana Student Council donated "Running Bear" to school's gym.
• 1960 - Scarlet and grey replaced maroon and white as the school's colors.
• 1960 - Runner-up Class AA Basketball Championship, losing to Romney, 75-63.
• 1960 - John F. Kennedy stopped by OHS while visiting Oceana during 1960 presidential primary.
• 1962 - James Toler was runner-up in the Golden Gloves Tournament; won award for Most Promising Boxer.
• 1963 - Class AA State Basketball Championship, defeating Magnolia High of New Martinsville, 43-42.
• 1963/69 - Period of largest school enrollment, averaging over 700 students in each of the seven years.
• 1964 - Paul Childress became Oceana High's first National Merit Scholar Finalist.
• 1964/65 - Joe Pendry selected as the recipient of WV football's "Lineman of the Year" (Hunt Award) in statewide competition.
• 1965 - First undefeated OHS basketball team compiled 26-0 record under Coach Paul Greer.
• 1965 - Class AA State Basketball Championship, defeating Williamstown high, or Wood County, 95-72.
• 1965 - School reached its largest enrollment, with 745 students in grades 9-12.
• 1965 - Largest graduating class with 166 seniors receiving diplomas.
• 1966 - First unbeaten OHS football team, 10-0, coached by John Beckelheimer; missed Class AA Championship game by one-tenth of a rating point.
• 1968 - Runner-up Class AA State Football Championship, losing to Hinton 9-0.
• 1969 - Henrietta "Penny" Otter, Class of 1965, selected as "Miss Cherokee Indian" to represent the Cherokee tribe in the Miss American Indian Pageant, at Sheridan, Wyoming.
• 1970 - Runner-up Class AA State Football Championship, losing to Gary, 28-0.
• 1970 - OHS Senior Marcella Williamson named West Virginia's "High School Journalist of the Year."
• 1970/75 - Enrollment averaged over 600 students in each year of the six year period.
• 1971 - Runner-up Class AA State Football Championship, losing to Ceredo-kenova, 14-8.
• 1972 - Class AA State Track Championship.
• 1973 - Class AA State Track Championship.
• 1975 - Joan Perry Pennington, Class of 1970, chosen as "Miss Hope of West Virginia" in a statewide contest to select a representative ands spokesperson throughout West Virginia for the American Cancer Society.
• 1976 - OHS Cheerleaders win first place in State-Wide competition.
• 1979 - OHS had its first foreign exchange student, Miss Caroline Jonsson, from Sweden, who entered the senior class by arrangement and sponsorship of Rotary International and the Oceana Rotary Club.
• 1985 - OHS, ranked seventh, entered the Eight-Team Class AA Football Playoffs, losing in the first round to Buffalo of Wayne County. Larry Cook became second OHS player to win "Lineman of the Year" (Hunt Award) in football.
• 1986 - Oceana, coached by Larry Mathis, entered the Eight-Team WV Class AA Basketball Tournament, defeating Petersburg, of Grant County, in the quarter finals, before losing to Williamson, of Mingo County, in the semifinals.
• 1987 - Oceana, coached by Larry Mathis, entered the Eight-Team WV State Basketball Tournament, losing in the quarter finals (first round) to Williamson, of Mingo County, 61-55.
• 1989 - OHS, with a record of 8-2 and rated 9th in the state, missed the Eight-Team WV Football Championship Playoffs by a fraction of a point.
• 1990 - OHS, coached by John Beckelhemier and with a record of 9-1, entered the eight-team WV State Football Championship Playoffs, defeating Bridgeport, 16-13, in the first round and losing to Spencer, 16-8, in the second round.
• 1992 - Mulit-million dollar bond to consolidate Oceana High and Baileysville High into Wyoming West High School, costing $11.5 million, turned down by the voters.
• 1993 - Runner-up Class AA State Basketball Championship, losing to Bridgeport, of Harrison County, 59-50, for a 23-4 season.
• 1993 - OHS, with a record of 6-4 and rated 16th entered the WV State Football Championship Playoffs, losing in the frist round to Magnolia High School, of New Martinsville, Wetzel County, 34-6.
• 1994 - Class AA State Basketball Championship, defeating Bridgeport, 68-61, capping a 20-5 season.
• 1996 - Oceana High School "Hall of Fame" inaugurated with ten inductees.
• 1997 - Carmella Dawn Evans, OHS Class of 1992, selected to the first team USA Today "All-USA Academic Team."
• 1997 - Carmella Dawn Evans, OHS Class of 1992, awarded the prestigious Order of Augusta Medallion by West Virginia University, recognizing scholarship, leadership and community service.
• 1997 - Runner-up Class AA State Baseball Championship, losing to Chapmanville, of Logan County, 4-2.
• 1998 - Lucinda Tilley, math instructor, chosen as Outstanding Teacher in an awards program sponsored by Ashland Oil Company and was awarded $2,500.
• 1999 - OHS, coached by James Hopkins, won a berth in the Eight-Team Class AA State Basketball Tournament, losing in the quarter finals to unbeaten Richwood High, of Nicholas County, 77-65.
• 1999 - Wyoming County was awarded $2 million from the State Building Authority of West Virginia "toward the construction of a new high school" regarded as the initial step toward the consolidation of Oceana and Baileysville High Schools.
• 2001 - Boys varsity basketball team win's Class A Region 6 Sectional Championship game.
• 2002 - (March) Boys varsity basketball team defeated Mercer Christian by a score of 105-60 to win the Class A Region 6 Championship.
• 2002 - Varsity Cheerleaders brought home the last trophy to OHS by winning the Regional Championship.
• 2002 - (August) The end of an era. Oceana High School closed it's doors for the last time when it merged with Baileysville to form Westside High School.

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