Fannindel ISD is comprised of two former districts, Ladonia ISD and Pecan Gap ISD. Ladonia ISD actually had two schools, Ladonia and Clark, the black school before the integration in the fall of '66. In the late 50s and early 60s there was a big push by the state to close many of the smaller Texas school districts. Both the superintendents of Ladonia ISD and Pecan Gap ISD were afraid that they were in danger of losing their school systems. So, rather than being forced to consolidate, they chose to consolidate in hopes of making their district larger and permanent.  

So, here we are 50 years later, celebrating our great district which was just recognized by the TEA as a “RECOGNIZED” district!

The current students and staff at Fannindel ISD are reaching out and encouraging all Fannindel, Ladonia High School, Pecan Gap High School and Clark High School alums everywhere to participate in this year's special Golden Anniversary Homecoming Parade.

A communitywide bonfire will be held 8:00 p.m. Friday, October 1 on the south side of the NEW gymnasium, southeast of Bishop Football Field. Saturday October 2, 2010

A little before 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 2, participants in the Golden Anniversary 2010 Homecoming Parade will line up on Mill Street and in front of gym heading west. Fannindel alumni urged to participate in the parade.

This will be just the beginning of an extraordinary day full of events!

All former Rattlers, Panthers, Leopards and Falcons are encouraged to round up as many of your classmates as possible and get in the parade. Whether in the back of a pick-up truck, on a flatbed trailer or just riding in a car, your participation will add to the excitement of the day’s events.

Below is a schedule of events for the Golden Anniversary. Hope to see you in Ladonia, Texas on October 2, 2010.

Fannindel Ex-Student’s Association luncheon and program will be held at noon in the (new) Fannindel Gymnasium.  A Fannindel Jr. High football game begins at 3:00 p.m.  at Bishop Field, followed by the Fannindel Falcons’ 50th Homecoming football game at 5:00 p.m. 

The Halftime festivities will include the crowning of the 50th Fannindel Homecoming Queen and Football Beau (formerly Hero) and presentation of past Fannindel Royalty.  

There will be five new inductees into the Fannindel Hall of Honor during the program on October 2.

Fannindel ISD is hosting a communitywide Golden Anniversary Dance Celebration on the Ladonia Town Square after the football game. 

This is a photograph from The Falcon yearbook of 1962. With this being only the second year of the newly formed school district of Ladonia and Pecan Gap, the Falconettes of 1961-62 put Fannindel on the map in Texas. 

Back row left to right. Shirley Clements mgr., Anita Page, Jeanie Olson, Mary Friday, Mischa Mills, Kaye Wilhite, Kay Bryant, Janice Sansing Mgr., Front row left to right. Kay Smith, Thera Lou Braley, Mary Ola Clements, Emma Milton, Coach Freeman Parish, Margie Weaver, Letha Roderick, Janis Adams, Kay Weaver. The Falconettes of 1962 finished the season as the Texas State Class B runner up with an incredible season record of 32 wins and only 2 losses!

These outstanding athletes shown below finished third at the 1969 UIL Girls Basketball Tournament at UT's Gregory Gymnasium in Austin. 

Back row l-r, Coach Freeman Parish, Virginia Verner, Janice Franklin, Patricia Arnold, Sandra Adams. Middle row, l-r. Betty Crews, Holly Davis, Vickie Erwin, Debbie Verner, Paulette Walford. Front row l-r. Janet Parrish, Martha Fields, Betty Nell Mills, Linda Sansing, Marilyn Hill.

In 1976, the UIL recognized Freeman Parish as one of the top eight girls’ basketball coaches in Texas. His North Hopkins teams won Class B state titles in 1958-59-60, runner-up honors in 1956 and 3rd Place in 1957. His Class A state Fannindel teams were runner-up in 1962 and placed 3rd in 1969.

Coach Parish took seven teams to the UIL State Tournaments. His teams won 15 games and lost four for a .789 winning percentage. Through 1976, he was the most winning coach in the UIL Girls State Basketball Tournament history. (This information was provided via Jerry Don Smith from the Ladonia yahoo users group. Thank you, Jerry Don, for the write-up and to Martha Fields Crews for the picture and identification of player’s names.)

HOMECOMING QUEENS AND STATE DREAMS, WHERE ARE YOU NOW? 

On October 2, the Homecoming Queens and Football Heroes from the first 49 years of the Fannindel Independent School District will once again be on display. The reunion committee members are in desperate search for the former queens and heroes. Hopes are that they will ride together in the Homecoming Parade, and be recognized at the noon luncheon and program and then again be on the field during the halftime of the 2010 Homecoming game to observe and be part of the crowning of the 50th Homecoming Queen and Football Hero.  

Search is under way also for the alumni who were members of the four Fannindel teams that have gone to state in basketball. Please help us to find any of the members of the Falconette Basketball teams from the years of 1961-62 and 1969-70, and the Falcon Basketball teams of 1987-88, and State Champions 1988-89!  

This is a list of names of the first 49 Homecoming Queens/Sweethearts and Football Heroes/Beaus. If you know of the whereabouts of any of the below listed names please contact them and tell them that their presence is requested at the Fannindel Homecoming October 2, 2010!

1960- Janet Sullivan and Thurman Hill
1961- Jeanie Olson and Jerry Fields
1962- Delores Carder and Pete Turman
1963- Frances Fry and Joe Wishard
1964- Mischa Mills and Chandler Burnett
1965- Susan Fry and Paul Jackson
1966- Barbara Fink and Rickey Crews
1967- Nancy Clements and Johnny Burnett
1968- Betty Mills and Clanzell Sweet
1969- Sue Scott and Kevin Carder
1970- Marilyn Hill and Brad Daugherty
1971- Janice Hilburn and Ed Pickard
1972- Peggy Sallee and Randy Verner
1973- Glenda Pruitt and Ray Godfrey
1974- Jackie Smith and Larry Wright
1975- La Marna Tarpley and Sam Houston
1976- Brigitte Moody and Sigmond Wright
1977- Rhonda Cunningham and Charlie Reel
1978- Rosa McCoy and Berry Burnett
1979- Cindy Smith and Darron Cheney
1980- Cindy Goates and Steve Cunningham
1981- Lisa Brunson and Carl Reel
1982- Scott Warren and Jeff Scott
1983- Charlotte Spencer and Jeff Roberts
1984- Michelle Wadley and Marcus Woods
1985- Monica Miller and Johnny Brown
1986- Micki Holman and Dax Derrick
1987- Ann Brown and Mike Duplechan
1988- Melissa Acker and Bruce Jones
1989- Cindy Brown and Cody Derrick
1990- Heather Flud and Michael Crowley
1991- Stacy Oats and Marcus Phillips
1992- Sabrina Aubrey and Thurman Lock
1993- Nakita Wilburn and Derrick Scott
1994- Shamika Wilburn and Cedrick Wilburn
1995- Tonya Harris and David Fisk
1996- Christina Day and James Wilburn
1997- Christina Cade and Ced McFail
1998- Jaletta Scott and Quentin Dowdy
1999- Twanna Williams and Dustin Smith
2000- Bree Walton and Courtney Dowdy
2001- Jentaisha Scott and Derrick Houston
2002- Tara Reel and Sanford Belcher
2003- Ariel Smith and Eloy Lopez
2004- Felecia Brummett and Jarrette Scott
2005- Norail Lopez and Tyson Shaw
2006- Erika Garcia and German Lopez
2007- Catherine Brummett and Keiston Champion
2008- Amy Taylor and Victor Lewis
2009- Tori Kant and Justin Sims

2010- Who will be the 50th Queen and Beau?