September 24, 2024 - The Center High School Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2024 Hall of Honor recipients are Janette Searcy Wittmann, Class of 1950; Frank E Parker, Jr., Class of 1974; and Fannie Watson, Class of 1948 (Tenaha High School) with 47 years of service with Center ISD. Please join the CHS Alumni Association on September 28, 2024 at 10am at the Windham Civic Center to honor these outstanding individuals for their accomplishments and service.
Windham Civic Center opens at 9am and the ceremony begins at 10am. Coffee and cookies will be served. Everyone is invited to attend!
Janette Searcy Wittmann
Janette Searcy Wittmann, born in Center, Texas, into a household of a piano teacher, showed musical talent at a very early age. At age 2, her first public vocal solo performance was in her mother's Christmas recital singing all of the new hit, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". She performed in her first piano recital at age 3. In the summer of 1941, at age 8 she was accepted as a special student at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music to study voice and piano. There she performed in a vocal recital with graduate singers. At age 9 she began playing hymn accompaniments for Sunday School opening assembly at First Baptist Church Center. This was done until she left for college. At the church she was also involved in the youth choir and mission organizations. Growing up, she was active in the Junior McDowell Music Study Club and also several times represented Center's Senior Music Club in performances at conventions.
As a freshman at Center High she gave her first piano solo recital. Always involved, she was especially busy her senior year when she gave a piano recital in Center and at the newly established Panola College in Carthage, had a role in the senior play, played Richard Addinsell's WARSAW CONCERTO with the high school band, was a member of the QMC social club, won 1s place talent in a contest sponsored by KWKH Radio in Shreveport in which several Ark-La-TX high schools participated, 1 place vocal talent at the State Pan American Student Convention, was awarded a High School Diploma in Piano Performance by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, sang a special solo for the Class of 1950's Graduation Ceremony where she ranked 3rd in her class of 85 students - the largest CHS class up to that time.
That summer of 1950 she entered North Texas State College in Denton where she majored in music education with a double concentration in piano and voice. At the beginning of her junior year, Janette saw an opportunity to enhance her studies by transferring to the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. There she continued her vocal studies while serving as staff pianist for the vocal department of the School of Music. She also had her first paid position as a vocal soloist at University Baptist Church. In the Spring, she returned to North Texas to complete her Bachelor degree - received cum laude in January, 1954. During the summer of '54 she attended the University of Michigan music camp at Interlochen as a member of the opera department. While there she sang roles in 5 operas, one of which was a world premiere, and also sang in an Honors Recital. The following fall and spring she took a position as a Teaching Assistant of Voice while completing her Master's Degree with a minor in Theater. While at North Texas Janette was a member of the Acappella Choir and the Madrigal Singers.
From 1955 to 1957 she was employed by Dallas ISD as a public school music teacher and director of a youth choir. Her vocal activities included mezzo soprano soloist in downtown Dallas First Methodist Church, performing the role of "La Ciesca" in Puccini's opera GIANNI SCHICCHI with the Dallas Lyric Opera and was part of a choir which recorded for RCA a work in Hebrew by composer/conductor Samuel Adler. In 1957 she was offered a teaching position in Chambers County at Winnie-Stowell. This job included teaching grades 1-8th and directing two choirs. She remained in this school system for seven years. While in Winnie she also sang with the Beaumont Symphony and enrolled in German language classes at Lamar Tech University. This study was pursued until she was offered, by Beaumont Little Theater, the lead role of "Julie" in CAROUSEL where she starred opposite Broadway star, Stephen Douglass. She became "hooked" on musicals and performed lead roles in WILDCAT (a Lucille Ball vehicle), THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE KING AND I, SHOWBOAT, the world premiere of KITTEWAKE ISLAND and directed the chorus for a production of the PAJAMA GAME. She appeared on stage as "Vinnie", the mother, in the play LIFE WITH FATHER. Performed leads in two operas were added to her repertoire during this period, in addition to teaching 17 private students and teaching school full time.
In 1964 Janette attended the University of Colorado, Boulder to sing the role of "Flora" in Verdi's LA TRAVIATA. The voice faculty and Dean of the Music School were pleased and asked her to stay; so she resigned her position in Winnie and was accepted into the Doctoral program. During her time in Colorado she had the position of alto soloist in the Trinity Methodist Church in downtown Denver as well as performed several times with members of the Denver Symphony. Shortly after, a contract was secured in a North German opera house with the stipulation that she would sing the lead in CARMEN in her second season. After returning to Center after 4 years of being outside the classroom, Janette accepted a teaching position at C.H. Daniels in Texas newly added public school Kindergarten program. She loved working with the little ones for 14 years and has lots of stories to share. When both C.I.S.D. Choir teachers resigned, Janette accepted a position as choir director in the Middle School and High School where she worked with 3 choirs for 10 years until her own retirement in 1992. She taught some choir members for 8 years - first in Kindergarten, then 7 more years as they moved up the choir ladder by grade level.
Students were instructed in vocal technique, music theory, music history and different genres of choral music. They gave performances and also entered auditions.
Choir members who completed the entire program had learned songs in 7 different languages by the time they graduated.
In the 80's Janette taught a course in Music Appreciation in the Center Panola locality. She also opened her private studio where she still teaches piano, voice, music theory and music history. Of her students - both private and school - audition winners have earned 1st division medals in UIL, both Region and State, for piano solo, vocal solo and vocal ensemble as well as awards through the Texas Federation of Music Clubs and the National Guild of Piano Teachers.
Janette has given music programs for Center Civic Clubs and special gatherings for years. She has served as Region Representative for the Shreveport Opera and has been a zealous member of the Center Garden Club for years. She is also active in the local chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Janette was an active member in the Center Music Study Club until its dispersal. She then became a member of the Carthage Music Club, and was initiated into the Delta Kappa Gamma International Organization for women educators. Is also a Life Member of the National Federation of Music Clubs where she was recognized in 2001 for 50 years service in Sacred Music - still 23 years later she is devoting her talent to the Lord as piano accompanist for First Baptist Church Center. With enthusiasm to learn about other peoples and their cultures, and to see God's wonderful world, Janette has proudly travelled to all 7 continents and 54 countries.
Frank E. Parker, Jr.
Frank, a 1974 CHS graduate, served as Senior Class President and Editor of the school newspaper, The Round-Up. He was also a long-time member of First United Methodist Church of Center. After high school, Frank attended the University of Texas in Austin, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
In 1981, Frank joined Hunt Oil Company, working several years in Yemen and throughout the Middle East. He played a pivotal role as part of the advance team in what became the most impactful venture in the history of Hunt Oil Company. Frank later moved to the Dallas office, working in marketing, production, drilling, refining, and projects in Peru, Kurdistan, and Oman. After a 35-year career with Hunt Oil Company, Frank retired in 2016, as Director of International Marketing.
In 2023, Frank re-entered the work force when he joined Buckeye Brine, a Texas based industrial waste disposal company for the oil and gas sectors. He serves on their Management Committee and brings a wealth of financial experience to the company. Frank has also served on the Board of Directors of the Coca-Cola Nacogdoches Bottling Company and Boys Baseball Incorporated of Dallas.
Frank quietly and unassumingly helps the world with his charitable work – from CHS to Kenya and beyond. Frank currently serves as Chair of The Roughrider Scholarship Foundation. He has also served on the Board of Directors of The Bone Hill Foundation, assisting several graduates with continuing their education in college or technical schools. Frank is very active in the Roughrider Foundation, which assists CHS students who otherwise may not graduate to realize their full potential and become successful graduates. Frank’s charitable work extends far beyond Center, Texas, through his involvement with Hope Unlimited Kenya. Hope Unlimited helps a village in Africa access a convenient source of water, electricity, medical care, and education. https://www.hopeunlimitedkenya.org/about-us
Fannie Baldwin Watson
Fannie Baldwin Watson grew up in the Woods Community in Panola County. She is the daughter of Clarence and Bessie Lee Baldwin. Fannie said that they were a poor farm family, living a good life of hard work and simple fun. She and her sister, Ruth, helped in the fields pruning and picking tomatoes, chopping cotton, pulling corn and growing vegetables to sell and help feed the family.
She began her education in the rural Woods school where there was no plumbing and only a wood heater. Drinking water was drawn from a cistern and the bathroom facility was outside. She went to school at Woods until the school consolidated with Carthage when she was in the sixth grade. This was the year that the twelfth grade was added. She and a few other students in the sixth grade were moved up to the seventh grade at the end of the first six weeks which allowed her to skip a grade. When she was going into the eleventh grade, the oil boom hit Carthage and the school became so crowded that her parents transferred her to Tenaha where she graduated in 1948.
Fannie enrolled in Panola County Junior College in Carthage the second semester the college was in operation. She speaks very highly of the college and how much she appreciates the learning experiences and the opportunities to be able to fund her beginning steps of training to become a teacher at the age of sixteen.
After two years at Panola, Fannie enrolled at Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College in Nacogdoches, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1952 and her Masters in 1955.
In 1952 she married her sweetheart, Floyd (Dock) Watson, who had been a teacher at Center ISD but this was during the Korean War. He had left this job to join the Air Force. Upon Dock’s return from service, he became Assistant Principal at Center Elementary and then he was Principal for several years. He took the position of Superintendent in Tenaha for fifteen years and Joaquin for four years. Most people will remember him for being Shelby County Judge for sixteen years. All this time the family lived in the Paxton community where Fannie still resides. They have three children, Brenda, Glenda and Steven Joe. They were blessed with nine grandchildren, ten great-grands and one great-great grandson. She speaks of her family with pride.
Fannie taught her first three years in Timpson, stayed home with her two girls for two years and then taught in Center for forty-seven years. It is not a surprise that wherever she goes, a former student stops to greet her and they reminisce about the time they had together in the classroom. Many still live in the area and remain a part of her life.
In October of 1957, Fannie was asked to be a sixth-grade substitute teacher and Mr. Moffett, Center Superintendent, did not tell Fannie she had the job until Thanksgiving. Most years, she taught language arts, but sometimes social studies, science, speech and art were a part of her schedule. The students especially liked for her to read them books like Old Yeller, Savage Sam and Summer of the Monkeys and for them to have Book Week and Christmas plays.
In 1989, her schedule changed when the school started a gifted and talented pull-out program. She felt honored to be able to teach third through sixth grade gifted and talented students who came to her classroom one day each week. There was no curriculum for this new endeavor so she had to find innovative ideas. After listening to a presentation about Community Problem Solving in San Antonio she thought this might be a good year-long project for sixth graders. At the beginning of the 1990 school year, Mrs. Shirley Shofner gave her a book entitled The New Read-Aloud Handbook by Mr. Jim Trelease. This book included the fact that the Superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools said, “If parents would read aloud to their children just fifteen minutes a day, it would revolutionize the school systems.” This simple act of Shirley’s gift-giving started the year long project which was named Operation: Read-Aloud. This work led the students into many activities encouraging reading. The group won State and traveled to the International Future Problem-Solving Conference in Madison Wisconsin where they were successful in this competition. This project was only the beginning because later students were pleased to be a part of making a difference in Shelby County. Ensuing year-long projects through the years of 1990 to 2004 that were completed were: Patriotism Plus, EnviroKids, EnviroKids II, Kids for Character, Historical Trackers, Historical Trackers II, Operation Helping Hands which helped an orphanage in Ukraine, Pagemasters, Hand in Hand with Zambia which helped a school in Zambia, and Patriotism Plus II. Recently, the Shelby County Museum had an extensive display of the projects and they archived the materials. Five of the projects brought an invitation to the International Future Problem-Solving Program in Ann Arbor Michigan, Providence Rhode Island, and twice to Athens, Georgia. Fannie feels indebted to all the parents and community members who helped each year.
Fannie has been a dedicated member of the Paxton Methodist Church for over seventy-five years and a member of the Gideons Auxiliary. Other activities and involvements in Shelby County have been 4-H leader, the Delta Gamma chapter of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Shelby County Historical Society, Shelby County Commission, and Woman’s Reading Club. For thirty years her family hosted Easter Sunrise Service at their home in the Paxton Community.
Fannie has been the recipient of many awards, including 1990 Optimist Educator of the Year, 1991 Center Elementary Teacher of the Year, 1991 KMSS Television Class Act and Outstanding Ark-La-Tex Teacher, 1995 Sam Samford Masonic Community Builders Award, 1998 Shelby County Teacher of the Year, 2004 Tenaha Hall of Honor, 2007 Panola College Alumnus of the Year, 2009 Community Builders Award from Tenaha Lodge 747, 2019 The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award and in 2021Stars Over Shelby County. Being inducted into the 2024 Center Independent School District Hall of Honor has been a totally unexpected surprise. She feels very humble and honored to have been recognized in so many ways.
Fannie tries to live by the precept of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “It is better to wear out than to rust out.”
In 2017, the Watsons placed a plaque in the Footprints in the Sand Monument in Carthage, that states: “Dedicated in Honor or Memory of Our Students and Fellow Teachers in Shelby County.” Hopefully, together students and teachers all made treasured footprints in the educational field in Timpson, Tenaha, Joaquin and Center Schools in Shelby County.
