Class of 1975 Homecoming Celebration

Hello, we are the MHS Class of 1975. We are grandparents... before that, parents... before that, adult women and men. But before all of that, we were like all the students and players here tonight. We are Bulldogs! We are gathering here tonight to reunite and celebrate being the first class to graduate from MHS with a varsity football team forty years ago.

The idea of having a football team actually started when we were in junior high. The first obstacle? We needed a football field in order to play games. In order to make that happen, our parents got together, organized as "The Football Fathers Club" and donated time, materials, labor, equipment and money to make the dream of a Monrovia High School football team reality. A few of the key families include Pryor, Harris, Simpson, Watson, Fisher, Speck, Carter, Jackson, Williams, Hadley as well as many others instrumental in making football a reality at Monrovia.

Our fans cheered for us from re-purposed bleachers taken out of the old basketball gymnasium from the center of town. Our concessions stand was the Green & White metal grain bin that stood south of our bleachers for over 40 years until relocated last year to the practice area. Our football field was as brightly lit as any in the state. Every bit of the lighting equipment and labor was donated by parents and IPL.

Some of us were cheerleaders, some played in the band and some simply cheered as loudly as we could to create the atmosphere of community spirit every Friday night. In the beginning we didn't have a "Football History." Unknowingly we were making it and setting an atmosphere for a winning tradition. One of those traditions, the naming of "Mr. Football", continues each year. Tonight the Class of '75 would like to recognize Mr. Steve Brady as Monrovia High School's very first "Mr. Football"!

As a football team, we were just a bunch of of farm kids that grew up together. Rarely were we the most experienced or the most physical or the most talented team on the field. But what we lacked in those areas, we compensated by sheer determination and resolve to stand together to battle our opponents until the final snap of each and every game.

Our head coach, F. Gary Demes, gave us three words to bind us: PRIDE - RESPECT - LOYALTY. Key words to remind us to have PRIDE in ourselves - RESPECT for each other - LOYALTY to the team and our community.

While Monrovia celebrates 40 years of high school football, we, the Monrovia High School Class of 1975, would like to thank the MHS administration and Athletic Department Director Brian Lewis for sharing this moment in KHS history as part of its founding members. We would also like to thank all the classes that followed, including this year's MHS seniors and underclassmen for carrying on that winning tradition.

GO DAWGS!!!

Alumni Profile - William Vaughn '57

William Vaughn graduated in 1957, proud of his high school. His class was a little more than
thirty students, with good teachers (when it was still acceptable to discipline). One of his favorite
memories looking back was how he and his teachers interacted.

He tells us that Monrovia has changed drastically since his graduation from the old high
school. The rooms are larger and the students try harder in school.

 Mr. Vaughn’s advice to the current students at Monrovia is the school system is good, apply yourself in math and science, it’ll help you later.