The large gathering in SBEC’s redone former high school auditorium and two-story library, called the Spirit Museum, marked a big historical marker for the alumni group as it held its biennial reunion last weekend.
The high school traces its history back to the late 1940’s, but closed due to student enrollment declines and economic woes during the 1980’s.
Dedicated school alums like Della Sivley Mousner (Class of 1953) kept the spirit alive with a highly active alumni association and an incredible history collecting and storing effort.
Mousner is museum curator. Earlier this fall, the SBISD Board of Trustees dedicated the museum to her, and she was also honored at the reunion.
“From the very start, Spring Branch High School was a spirited place. Even though they closed us down, I do believe that they helped us put spirit in all the other high schools,” Mousner told alumni Oct. 21.
The museum, filled with two floors of collected Bear history and high school memorabilia, reflects a small but highly visible piece of the 2007 Bond plan. In addition to museum-auditorium renovations, both Cornerstone Academy, a district charter middle school, and Academy of Choice were rebuilt during SBEC’s bond program redevelopment.
An auditorium morning program was led by Houston City Council, District A, member Brenda Stardig, who is a proud high school graduate. A City of Houston-approved proclamation had declared Saturday, Oct. 21, as Spring Branch Education Center Day in Houston earlier this month.
“This place brings back old memories. How about the Astros?,” asked Mark Thurmond, a Bear who went on to play Texas A&M University baseball and the pitch in the Major Leagues from 1983 to 1990, most notably for the San Diego Padres. He pitched against Detroit in the 1984 World Series.
“For me, everything started at Spring Branch High School. I was focused on two things while here – sports and girls,” he said jokingly. “If not the best, Spring Branch High was second to none. Spring Branch High was a special place for everyone in this room. It’s just like a time machine here. You start up a conversation with somebody you haven’t seen for 20 years, and suddenly it’s just like yesterday. Go, Bears!”
Many visitors no longer live in Spring Branch or Houston. They drove long distances to attend the grand opening.
In addition to visiting with other alumni, visitors toured the museum, which included a towering blue Bruno the Bear, special school year installations, and many significant historical items of high school and district interest.
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