Musical postscript: Lakes High School songs

Musical postscript: Lakes High School songs

By Tim Marsh, Lakes High School Class of 1966

Suburban Times, June 6, 2010

Here’s a musical postscript to “Story behind Lakes burnt orange and royal blue colors” article in The Suburban Times of June 1, 2010. The article mentions a 1963-1964 Lakes boys’ basketball game. After the Lancers won the game, Lakes fans were supposed to sing the Lakes Alma Mater. But, there was no alma mater at that point. “Later that school year student-written music and words for the Alma Mater and Fight Song were composed/written and adopted,” the story says.

Lakes students – now Lakes grads — who get credit for the songs:

“Lakes Alma Mater”

• Music by Ron Relaford, Class of 1964
• Lyrics by Evelyne Hendricks, Class of 1965, and Tim Marsh, Class of 1966.

“Lakes Fight Song”

• Music by Richard "Dick" Rossiter, Class of 1964
• Lyrics by Caryl Schumacher, Class of 1965
• Anna LaLande, Class of 1965, played the piano for Dick and Caryl to practice and work out the final "Lakes Fight Song," also known as "Victory."

......................

CP’s Lakes High Will Hold First Commencement

 

TNT/Tacoma News Tribune (Thursday, May 28, 1964)

Lakes High School in the Clover Park district is preparing for graduation of the first senior class in its two-year history. A senior awards assembly will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday. The commencement will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The school’s first alma mater has been written by Ron Relaford, music theory student. It was chosen from among several entries. Lyrics were written by Evelyne Hendricks of the choir and Tim Marsh of the concert band.

Story behind Lakes burnt orange and royal blue colors

Story behind Lakes burnt orange and royal blue colors

June 1, 2010 The Suburban Times Updated 1/12/2024

By Tim Marsh, Lakes High School Class of 1966

There are “givens” concerning Lakes High School. Colors for the school are burnt orange and royal blue. Lakes teams are called the Lancers. In fact, even before Lakes opened in September 1962, the school colors were selected. But, when classes began in the 1962-1963 school year, there was not a nickname for Lakes teams. Nor was there a fight song or alma mater. For that matter, there was not a senior class either.

Lakes Colors

Lakes 1965 grad Rick Austin, 63, Kansas City, Mo., has first-hand knowledge of selection of the school colors and in the selection of the Lancers nickname, too. His father, the late Gerry Austin, was Lakes’ first athletic director and head football coach after serving as the successful head football coach at Clover Park High. Rick was starting quarterback for his father’s first three Lakes teams – the 1962, 1963 and 1964 seasons – and also played basketball and was a baseball pitcher for the Lancers.

“Dad was instrumental in the choice of colors at Lakes, with administration approval of course. The main need was to order the football uniforms for the first season,” said Rick.

Why burnt orange? Gerry Austin thought Darrell Royal was a great football coach. Royal gained his fame as coach (1957–1976) of the University of Texas Longhorns. According to the University of Texas at Austin website, Royal chose the burnt orange color for the Longhorns’ football jerseys. (By the way, before Royal joined Texas in 1957 as its coach, he coached one season, 1956, for the University of Washington, Gerry’s alma mater.)

Another reason for burnt orange and royal blue color scheme, said Rick, was because it was not used by other schools in the Puget Sound League or used by many high school teams in the state.

Rick remembers before the football season began when his father brought all the Lakes football jerseys – they were burnt orange with white numerals – to the Austin home not far from the northern shore of American Lake. “We had the jerseys spread out all over the family room floor and I got to pick my own number by ‘coach’s son privilege,’ Rick said. “The jersey manufacturer only put lower numbers on smaller jerseys. I needed a larger jersey, so that’s why I picked number 42,” he said.

Lancers nickname

Lancers was one of the several nicknames names suggested by Lakes students during the 1962-1963 school year. Rick Austin was one of the students casting a vote in favor of the winning “Lancers.” Other nicknames in the vote were “Lakers” and “Blue Devils.” During that first school year, Lakes teams played varsity teams from smaller schools and junior varsity teams from larger schools. Thus, until that vote, those Lakes teams in early games of the first year wore burnt orange and royal blue, but they did not have a nickname. In the 1963-1964 school year, Lakes began playing full varsity schedules as a member of the Puget Sound League: NORTH DIVISION of PSL: Evergreen Wolverines, Glacier Grizzlies, Highline Pirates, Kent-Meridian Royals, Mt. Rainier Rams and Renton Indians. SOUTH DIVISION of PSL: Auburn Trojans, Clover Park Warriors, Enumclaw Hornets, Franklin Pierce Cardinals, Lakes Lancers and Puyallup Vikings.

An interesting sideline to Lakes not having a senior class in 1962-1963 concerns the classes housed in the then new Lakes High School. Sophomores used the school’s sophomore wing. Juniors used the junior wing. However, seventh graders were housed in the senior wing. Many of those students would return to Lakes in the 1965-1966 school year as sophomores. Consequently, as seniors during the 1967-1968 school year they were in the senior wing for a second time.

Postscript

What was the first time Lakes High’s school colors were mentioned in print? Perhaps in the Clover Park High Clover Leaves student newspaper. Bob Newland’s “Sports Corner” column in the paper’s issue of May 19, 1962, said, “By the way, the school colors at Lakes are orange and blue.”

Lakes Fight Song & Alma Mater

=Lakes Fight Song:
Fight, fight, fight for victory
Orange and Blue with courage true
Win the battle and with honor reign
All will know that Lakes is the best in all the West so
Fight, fight, fight with colors high
Mighty Lancers, Lakes will do or die
Let this song forever be our cry
Victory Lakes High
Victory! Victory! Go Lakes High!


=Lakes Alma Mater:
Lakes High we salute you
Pride to us you bring
For Friendships true and victories won
Your praise we sing
We honor orange and blue as days go by
And give our heart’s devotion to Lakes High

Is there a page missing in your life?

By Tim Marsh, Lakes High School Class of 1966

One photo posted here. See this story with more photos as it was posted Dec. 18, 2017, at The Suburban Times at this URL link:

 https://thesubtimes.com/2017/12/18/is-there-a-page-missing-in-your-life/

Is there a page missing in your life?

There was a page (specifically page 7) missing in mine.

As a Lakes High School student 1963-1966, I had an OK – probably from Gerry Austin, LHS athletic director -- to create large framed sports boards. Behind glass with wood frames were photos of each Lancer sport team from a respective school year. The frames were to be displayed on a wall or in a trophy case.

(Did the sports board project continue after I graduated in 1966?)

Lakes opened in 1962. I made frames for the 1962-1963, 1963-1964, 1964-1965 and 1965-1966 school years.

For the 1963-1964 frame I sacrificed a page (actually back-to-back pages 7 and 8) from my printed program from the 1964 boys’ state high school basketball tournament. Page 7 showed team photo/roster/season scores of Lakes. (Page 8 provided the same for Renton.) In early March 1964, Lakes beat Renton, 47-46, in PSL championship game at Highline.

Since that fateful sacrifice in the 1966 I’ve sought page 7 (and 8) to make my printed program complete again.

In recent years I’ve perused ebay, contacted members of the Lakes 1963-1964 team, people connected to 1964 state champion Hudson’s Bay High School of Vancouver and others. Did they have a copy of the complete program? Could they copy pages 7 (and 8) for me? No, they did not. So, they could not.

Recently I contacted the WIAA/Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, the “governing body of athletics and activities for secondary education schools in the state of Washington.” The WIAA answer: Yes! Now I have page 7 (see it posted with this story). Finally. The search is over. I have a copy of the page I sought.

If you have a missing page. Keep looking. You may find it.

POSTSCRIPT - LAKES 1964-1964 BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Tipoff for the Puget Sound League (PSL) boys’ basketball championship game was 8 o’clock in the evening Friday, March 6, 1964, in the Highline High School gym (neutral court) in Burien.

It was Lakes, winner of the PSL south division versus Renton, PSL north division winner.

Victorious team would be PSL champ and get a berth in the state high school basketball tournament. Losing team could go to state, too, if it won two more games.

While it was Lakes, coached by Holly Gee, vs. Renton, coached by Irv Leifer, it was also David vs. Goliath.

Lakes, opened in 1962, had 1,150 students. Student enrollment for Renton, opened in 1911, was 3,397. At the time Renton was one of the largest, if not the largest, high schools in the state.

Do the math, Renton had 2,247 more students than Lakes. Another way to put it, Renton had almost three times as many students as Lakes. While there can only be five players per team on the basketball court in a game, Renton had more students to pick from for its team than Lakes.

According to the printed program, both teams had 10-player rosters for state tourney. Lakes had two seniors and eight juniors. Renton had four seniors, three juniors and three sophomores.

Despite the expectations, David (Lakes) beat Goliath (Renton), 47-46.

Late in the Lakes vs. Renton game, the public address announcer said fans of the winning team could sing its school alma mater at the game’s conclusion. Lakes won. There was momentary silence, no alma mater. That was followed by the Lancer team players, coaches and fans cheering. Lakes was in its second school year, it did not have an alma mater or fight song. (Later that school year student-written music and words for the alma mater and fight song were composed/written and adopted.)

=In 1964, Renton coach Irv Leifer was already a heralded coaching success. At that point, he had two (1953, 1960) Renton teams winning state championships. After a 30-year coaching career at Renton his many successes included two more state titles (1966, 1967).

=The 1963-1964 season was Holly Gee’s second as Lakes head basketball coach. He coached that sport at Lakes through 1969. He came to Lakes from Clover Park, where he was head baseball coach and an assistant boys’ basketball coach. During his time as at Lakes he served as p. e. department chair, asst. baseball and asst. football coach, senior class adviser and administration rep to Lakes student govt. Go to link for more about him:

http://lakes-1966-50-year-reunion.blogspot.com/1970/03/coach-holly-gee-clover-park-lakes-high.html

Lakes and Renton (because it won two other games after losing to Lakes) made the 1964 state boys' 40th basketball tournament (then called AA, now 4A). Unlike past seasons, not all the 16 teams making the 1964 tourney played at Hec Ed (Hec Edmundson Pavilion) on the UW campus in Seattle.

A Seattle Times sports editor’s column explained: “Educators … scuttled the show, blaming disruption of book-learning in the 16 schools whose teams are invited. Next year, according to plan, the disruption will be diminished by a week-end regional playoffs leading to a four-way shakedown back” to Hec Ed.

For 1964, there were four regional (cover of printed program calls them “district” games, story inside printed program calls them “regional” games) sites: Region 1, UW Hec Ed, Seattle, for Seattle Metro, Northwest Leagues; Region 2, Puyallup High School and UPS Fieldhouse, Tacoma, for Puget Sound, Seattle Metro Leagues; Region 3, Chehalis High School and Mark Morris High School, Longview, for Southwest, King County, Olympic-Seamount Leagues, and Region 4, Spokane Coliseum for Spokane City, Southeast, North Central and Yakima Valley Leagues.

Thus, Lakes and Renton played regional games on Friday, March 13, 1964, Lakes versus Cleveland of Seattle in the Puyallup gym and Renton against Lincoln of Tacoma in the UPS Fieldhouse, Tacoma.

Lakes lost by 41 points to Cleveland before 2,300 fans. Although it would play a consolation game in Puyallup and win (over Lincoln of Tacoma) the next night, the loss to Cleveland meant Lakes would not advance to the tourney finals at UW Hec Ed, Seattle.

The Lakes vs. Cleveland game was broadcast on Tacoma’s KTNT radio thanks to sponsors Lakewood Lumber & Hardware, Paulson's Appliance, Lakewood Insurance Agency, Veterans' Cleaners, Lake City Drug, Lakewood Refuse, Veterans' Garage, Lakewood Ice Arena, Ed Selden Floor Covering, Binyon Optometrists, Walbert Spraying, Leaning Tower of Pizza and Geno's Imported Cars.

The 1963-1964 season ended in disappointment for Lakes and its fans. But, the season was a major accomplishment. The season before, 1962-1963, in Lakes first year of existence, the sophomore dominated Lancer team had a 2-18 (or 2-16 according to the Seattle Times) win-loss record, according to a Lakes Legend yearbook. One of its losses was 64-37 to Renton.

HOW A 1963-1964 PUGET SOUND LEAGUE (PSL) BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAM GOT TO 1964 STATE TOURNAMENT

LAKES, PSL Southern Division champ: 12-2 in PSL and 3-1 non-league for 15-3 season record prior to win over Renton at Highline. (Lakes went to tourney with 16-3 record.)

RENTON, PSL Northern Division champ: 13-2 in PSL and 1-2 non-league for 14-4 season record prior loss to Lakes at Highline. (Renton went to tourney with 15-5 record.)

=FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1964

::: Highline High School gym (neutral court), Burien

-Lakes beat Renton, 47-46. Lakes to state as #1 PSL team. Renton plays winner of Auburn vs. Kent-Meridian game.

::: Enumclaw High School gym (neutral court)

-Auburn (PSL Southern Div. runner-up) beat K-M (PSL Northern Div. runner-up), 55-49. Auburn advances, K-M goes home.

=SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1964

::: Highline High School gym (neutral court), Burien

Renton beat Auburn, 58-39. Renton to state as #2 PSL team. Auburn goes home.

::: Puyallup High School gym (neutral court) in Regional (West Central District?) playoff.

Lakes lost to Cleveland of Seattle, 89-48. At Puyallup, Lakes plays Lincoln of Tacoma in consolation.

=FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1964

::: UPS Fieldhouse (neutral court), Tacoma in Regional playoff.

Renton beat Lincoln of Tacoma, 33-32. At UPS, Renton plays Cleveland of Seattle in championship.

::: Puyallup High School gym (neutral court)

Lakes beat Lincoln of Tacoma, 49-39. Lakes and Lincoln go home.

=Saturday, March 14, 1964

::: UPS Fieldhouse (neutral court), Tacoma (West Central District?) playoff championship.

Renton beat Cleveland of Seattle, 65-54. Renton to state tourney finals at UW Hec Ed, Seattle. Cleveland goes home.

In 1964 State tourney finals at UW Hec Ed (neutral court), Renton won game, 47-44, over Richland on March 20, 1964. On March 21, 1964, it lost, 50-42, in championship game to Hudson’s Bay of Vancouver.

Corrections, comments, additional information? Contact writer Tim Marsh at wildcatville@gmail.com

Also, you might be interested in these:

--Lakes boys basketball team won 1964 PSL championship
http://lakes-1966-50-year-reunion.blogspot.com/2015/03/lakes-boys-basketball-team-won-1964-psl.html

--Coach Holly Gee – Clover Park, Lakes High Schools
http://lakes-1966-50-year-reunion.blogspot.com/1970/03/coach-holly-gee-clover-park-lakes-high.html

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Also see ... 

1963-1964 LAKES BOYS' BASKETBALL: Won 1964 Puget Sound League title, beat favored Renton at Highline High. Post-season (in Puyallup): Lost to Cleveland of Seattle. Beat Lincoln of Tacoma.

https://lakes-1966-50-year-reunion.blogspot.com/2015/03/lakes-boys-basketball-team-won-1964-psl.html

Lakes High School Conquistadores

Mascot of our high school, Lakes High School on Southwest Farwest Drive in Lakewood (in Pierce County, near Steilacoom and in suburban Tacoma) is “Lancers.” 

But, it wasn’t always so. 

Initially, when Lakes opened in the fall of 1962, Lakes had burnt orange and royal blue as school colors, but no nickname. It was up to students in the school’s first academic year, 1962-1963, to select finalists and pick a winner. 

Somewhere are stories – presumably in the Lakes Ledger, Suburban Times and TNT/Tacoma News Tribune newspapers -- listing the nicknames given final consideration. Even without that, memory serves that “Lakers” was a contender.  The winner was “Lancers.” 

This brings us to the cover of the 1964 Lakes Legend, the second issue of the student yearbook. See it here, with this posting. What apparently is supposed to be a Lancer appears to be a conquistador.

Nothing wrong with “Conquistador or Conquistadores as high school team nicknames. But, when the nickname of your school is “Lancers” it was a perplexing cover design decision.

Postscript: You might be interested in reading “Story behind Lakes burnt orange and royal blue colors,” June 1, 2010, Suburban Times

http://thesubtimes.com/2010/06/01/story-behind-lakes-burnt-orange-and-royal-blue-colors