Permian High School
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| Permian High School | |
| Address | |
|---|---|
| 1800 E. 42nd Street Odessa, TX, 79762 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1959 |
| School district | Ector County Independent School District |
| Grades | 10 - 12 |
| Color(s) | Black and White |
| Athletics conference | District 2-5A |
| Mascot | Panther |
| Information | +1 (432) 366-3652 |
| Nickname | Mojo |
| Website | Permian High School |
Permian High School is a public high school located in Odessa, Texas and is part of the Ector County Independent School District. It was the subject of the book Friday Night Lights which in turn inspired a movie and TV series of the same name.
Contents |
[edit] History
Opened in 1959, Permian High is named for the Permian Basin, the geological formation in which Odessa is located.
[edit] Activities
[edit] Football
High school football has long been extremely popular in Texas. The story of Permian High School's 1988 Permian Panthers team and its run towards the state championship was the subject of the best-selling book Friday Night Lights, published in 1990. A movie based on the book was made in 2004 and the NBC television network airs a TV series loosely based on the school and book. Roy Williams, formerly of the Detroit Lions and the current starting wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, went to school at Permian and portrayed an assistant coach for Midland Lee, Permian's arch rival, in the movie.
The team, whose rallying cry is "Mojo", won the Texas state championship in the 4A classification (the state's largest until 1980) in 1965 and 1972 and the 5A classification in 1980, 1984 (a co-championship with Beaumont French High School, the last time that a football co-championship was awarded by the UIL; it would later adopt NCAA overtime rules), 1989 and 1991. Permian is also considered the unofficial national champions for 1972 and 1989.
The term "Mojo" is supposed to have originated in 1967. When a group of Permian alumni met the team in Abilene Cooper for the game against the Panthers and Cougars, they started chanting "Go Joe" for one of the Permian players. Other fans miss-heard this as "Mojo". The term has come to symbolize "pride", "spirit", "winning" and all the other intangibles that go into a championship program.[1]
Permian plays its home football games at Ratliff Stadium.
Permian's arch rivals are the Odessa High Bronchos and the Midland Lee Rebels.
[edit] Coaching history
| Years | Coach | Record | Percentage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-1961 | Ted Dawson | 21-10-0 | .645 | Bi-District Finalist |
| 1962-1964 | Jim Cashion | 15-15-0 | .500 | No Playoffs |
| 1965-1970 | Gene Mayfield | 62-10-2 | .851 | State Champions and State Finalist 2x |
| 1971-1972 | Gil Bartosh | 23-1-0 | .958 | State Champions and National Champions |
| 1973-1985 | John Wilkins | 148-16-7 | .888 | State Champions 2x and State Finalist 4x |
| 1986-1989 | Gary Gaines | 46-7-1 | .861 | State Champions and National Champions |
| 1990-1993 | Tam Hollingshead | 43-4-2 | .898 | State Champions |
| 1994-1999 | Randy Mayes | 45-25-1 | .641 | State Finalist |
| 2000-2002 | T. J. Mills | 15-15 | .500 | No Playoffs |
| 2003-2004 | Scott Smith | 10-10 | .500 | No Playoffs |
| 2005-2008 | Darren Allman | 38-11 | .776 | District Champions 2x and Regional Finalists 3x |
| 2009- | Gary Gaines | 0-0 | .000 |
[edit] Permian High School Orchestra
The Permian Orchestra was founded in 1959 with the opening of Permian High School. Under the baton of J.R. McEntyre, the program quickly gained a reputation for excellence that has endured nearly half a century. The Symphony Orchestra has received consecutive sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest for over thirty years. The Chamber String Orchestra (Satin Strings) has received sweepstakes every year since it was founded in 1988. The Symphony, Philharmonic and Chamber String Orchestras have each achieved individual success at festivals across the nation. The groups have been named “Best in Class” and “Outstanding Orchestra” at competitions in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The Permian Symphony Orchestra has been selected as the TMEA State Honor Orchestra twice, once in 1980 and again in 1984. The orchestra program has only had five directors in its history: J.R. McEntrye (1959-72), Charles Nail (1972-88), Kathy Fishburn (1988-99), David Golden (1999-2008), and Todd Berridge (2008- present).
[edit] Satin Strings
Founded by Charles Nail, currently directed by Todd Berridge, Satin Strings is an elite strolling strings ensemble of the Permian High School Orchestra. The members of the group "stroll" (carry their instruments while performing), including the cellists, but excluding the bass players.
Satin Strings is regularly asked to play at major state and national functions.
- In 1994, Satin Strings played at the D-Day celebrations in Normandy, France.
- This performance led to an invitation issued by Rudy Giuliani to play at the Inauguration of President Bill Clinton for his second term in office (1997).
- Satin Strings also played for the Inauguration of the Governor of Chihuahua, Mexico in 1998.
- In 2001, the group was invited back to Washington, D.C. to perform at the first inauguration of President George W. Bush.
- The Satin Strings performed for the Tournament of Roses Directors' banquet in December 2003. This performance included a solo serenade by senior violist Brett Bagwell for conductor/composer John Williams.
- In 2005, the group was invited back to Washington, D.C. once again to perform at the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.
Permian High School Orchestra and Satin Strings website
[edit] Notable alumni
- K. Michael Conaway, usually known as Congressman Mike Conaway, represents the 11th Congressional district of Texas.[1]
- Britt Hager, former NFL linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos and St. Louis Rams; [2]
- Jim J. Bullock, television actor; [3] [4] [5]
- Kimberly Kay Smith, actress and model
- Raymond Benson, author; most recently, for the official James Bond novels; [6]
- Roy Williams, former Texas Longhorn and NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys
- Toby Stevenson, 1995 graduate, 2004 Olympic silver medalist. [7];
- Stoney Case, former quarterback for Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, & Detroit Lions in the NFL. He played briefly with the Tampa Bay Storm and San Jose SaberCats in the Arena Football League.
- Lloyd Hill, 1990 graduate, Texas Tech single season and career receptions and receiving yards record holder
- Felice Wafer, pen name Mechelle Avey, author
- Peggy Meek Venable, former Reagan Administration official and currently public policy advocate, writer and speaker
- Melissa Newton, reporter for the NBC affiliate, KXAS in Dallas, Texas
[edit] Bibliography
- Bissinger, H.G. (1991). Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream. New York: HarperPerennial. ISBN 0-06-097406-0.
- McCally, Regina W. (1986). The Secret of Mojo: The Story of the Odessa, Texas, Permian High School Football Team. Fort Worth: McCally.
[edit] References
- ^ McMurry, Bill. - "Mojo spirit a winner at Odessa Permian". - Houston Chronicle. - January 9, 1988.
[edit] External links
- Permian High School website
- Permian High School alumni website
- ODESSAPERMIAN.COM - Official Home of The Permian Panthers
- MojoLand - Founding Site of Odessa Permian Football
- Permian Baseball Booster site
- Ratliff Stadium provided by KylGrafX.com
- Ratliff Stadium provided by TexasBob.com
- Friday Night Lights at the Internet Movie Database
Coordinates: 31°53′12″N 102°21′30″W / 31.886777°N 102.358203°W
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