Forty years ago in September of 1976, Parkway South High School opened for the first time.

1800 students walked through the doors of a brand-new building after a six-year construction endeavor that began with a vote from the Parkway Board of Education.

Initially, the construction was supposed to be completed in 1975. The school mascot was going to be a Rebel with purple and orange school colors. However, the construction was not complete in 1975 and had to be moved back a year. Because of the delay, the mascot and colors were changed to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Parkway South is now the home of the Patriots, sporting red, white, and blue colors.

The new school also featured a combined junior and senior high, grades 7-12. The junior high included students grades 7-9 and was located in the current Modern and Classical Language area.

South kicked off the year in much the same fashion as today. Spirit week took place in October. However, since it was South’s first year, students participated in Founder’s Day instead of Homecoming. Themed days included: Sport Day, Career Day, and Patriot Day. Friday night featured a pep rally and bonfire. On Saturday morning came the long-expected parade, football game, and dance which included a king and queen’s court.

A unique event in the first ever semester at South Senior High was Founder’s Day Turnabout in November of 1976. It was exactly like Founder’s Day had been the month before expect the roles were reversed. Junior and senior women competed in a Powderpuff football game with senior men in drag as their cheerleaders. Then, at the dance, a Powderpuff Queen was adorned along with his maids as the first male queen’s court.

Current sophomore Grace Larson believes that it would be an exciting thing to bring back something like Founder’s Day or Founder’s Day Turnabout to South High.

“I like the whole idea of Founder’s Day. Even the name makes me think of the history of our school. It would be cool to bring back the history and see what happens,” Larson said.

While sports are not unique to a high school, the first seasons at South High were definitely memorable. As seasons were drawing to a close, almost every team finished with dismal records. The girls’ field hockey team never scored a goal, varsity football scored one touchdown all year, and the tennis teams both finished with losing records. However, the only sport no longer offered at South, gymnastics, was a light in the dark for South sports with the girls defeating all Parkway rivals: West, North, and Central. Most sports were comprised of varsity and sophomore teams, but boys basketball also featured a junior varsity team.

The first year at South included other unique and fun events. In late February the Senior High Student Council coordinated a 24 hour dance marathon, raising money for the Judevine Center of Autistic Children. Twenty-two students were left on their feet at the end of the night. Another event was called Pipeline, a collage of student talent in an unusual talent-show format. The production included the senior and junior high and all the acts stayed on stage for the entire performance. St. Patrick’s Day brought a Disco Dance, and in May, the foreign language department held an international day, celebrating and highlighting several different countries such as Russia, Mexico, France, and Germany.

Nevertheless, the most important part of a school is its students. Students are the leaders, the learners, the focus of a school. Facebook and the use of the first Declaration Yearbook proved to be a convenient resource in contacting some students from the first graduating class of 1977.

Joe Klevorn was a senior during the 1976-77 school year and was also voted most likely to succeed by his fellow graduates.

“[Parkway South] was a great opportunity to start at a brand-new school in a growing school district in the growing west county area. South had the best facilities for the era and it was right down the street from my home so I could walk to school. Parkway was a great high school district that prepared me well for college and for life,” Klevorn said.

Kathie Harris, known as Kathie Hynes when she attended South, was also a 1977 graduating senior and a Parkway South Patriette.

“ The class of 1977 was only together at Parkway South for our senior year, since campus opened in 1976.  Most of us transferred from Parkway Central or Parkway West, so we knew a few people in our class, but there were a lot of new people to meet as well.  At Parkway Central, there were over 1000 students in our class.  It was nice to go to South with only about 200 in our class,” said Harris.

Students from the first year still remember the teachers they had 40 years ago.

“There were many fantastic teachers at South but I would have to single out Dennis Preiss since he taught me Physics and Calculus during my senior year,” said Klevorn.

Harris also said that she had exceptional teachers when she attended South.

“We had many excellent teachers at South – it was said that the best teachers from Parkway transferred there. Dr. Berger was one of my favorites, and I had an opportunity to see him again many years later when my sons attended DeSmet and he was teaching there,” said Harris.

Even class material was memorable for the seniors.

“I took some great classes that year, including a class that was all about famous legal cases and conspiracy theories — we learned a lot about the theories around the assassination of President Kennedy,” said Harris.

High school is an important time for many people. Students form lasting friendships and prepare for their careers and/or college. They keep memories like laughing with their friends in the hallways and studying late at night for big tests.

Harris also has many memories from her first and last year at South High.

“I remember the open layout was new and innovative at the time. Lots of students gathered in the Commons and around the lockers above the Commons. The principal did a daily announcement on the intercom and always said ‘Enjoy your repast’ — so we learned that repast was a fancy word for lunch,” said Harris.