The legendary "PSJA BEARS" Once a Bear Always a Bear "Lost in the 1930's to 1990 Era"!!!!!

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Listen to the song as you read the story; it will transport you to another era.

It all began in the 1930s when there weren't enough schools to divide the students. The Pharr San Juan Alamo area is the site of many wonderful memories that many of us will always cherish. We got into trouble, laughed, and lost many of our classmates when we were very young.

Why do many of us find PSJA so beautiful? I suppose I could say that things were different in my day. I can only imagine how the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s where, even though I was from the era 1992 through 1995.

I will only include images of many of the yearbooks found on classmates.com in this story.

The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 until the start of World War II in 1939, was the worst economic crisis in modern history. Slowing consumer demand, growing consumer debt, a decline in industrial production, and the rash and fast growth of the US stock market were all contributing factors to the Great Depression.

We thank all those who served our nation every year. It's very important to keep these brave men legendary alive always.

The Second World War, also known as World War II, was a worldwide conflict involving two alliances: the Axis powers and the Allies. It lasted from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945. Almost every nation in the world, including the great powers, took part, and many of them used every economic, industrial, and scientific resource at their disposal to pursue total war, making it difficult to distinguish between military and civilian resources.

The post-World War II boom, the start of the Cold War, and the American civil rights movement all occurred during the 1950s. In 1945, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that America "stands at the summit of the world at this moment."

The term "termination era" describes the 1950s and 1960s as a time in American history when the federal government attempted to integrate Native Americans into the general population and stop recognizing their tribal sovereignty. Significant cultural, social, and economic upheaval occurred within Indigenous communities as a result of this policy, which sought to abolish the reservation system and encourage individual land ownership among Native Americans.

Texas is home to both the Indigenous peoples of the Americas who have historically resided in Texas and the Native American tribes that where currently based here. PSJA invited this man to perform for the students.

It may surprise you to hear that cheerleading was exclusively a male sport when it first started in the middle of the 1800s. Cheerleading, which was characterized by gymnastics, stunts, and crowd leadership, was regarded as having the same prestige as football, the American symbol of masculinity.

In fact, three U.S. presidents owe their political careers to cheerleading. Cheerleaders included Ronald Reagan, Franklin Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Princeton's head cheerleader was actor Jimmy Stewart. Tom DeLay, the Republican leader, was a well-known University of Mississippi cheerleader.

The male cheerleaders add a lot of beauty to this image. I wish I had lived in this time period. It's like living in the movie of a "Grease" movie but better.

In the 1950s, wearing a varsity jacket was a sign of being a "jock." Students who excelled in sports like basketball or football were known as jocks. The team captains or the best players on the squad received Letterman jackets. In the 1950s, the letterman jacket was a symbol of respect and complemented the preppy fashion trend of the era. On occasion, jocks would give their letterman jacket to their girlfriend.

I never had the opportunity to visit the former PSJA high school. Many of my loved ones did, however. As I understand it, they dubbed it Memorial 9. Even then they had the popular kids, as you can see. "Jocks" as you would call them.

High school sweethearts conjure up visions of prom nights, youthful romance, and dreams shared by both parties. These are the couples who meet in the busy high school hallways and find a lasting connection.

It feels like you're in a movie that the city of PSJA neglected to show us all when you look at these images. The stories I've read and the research I've done have influenced my mindset in a different way. We still have sweethearts today, but things really took a different turn.

High school exchange programs saw a period of experimentation and expansion in the 1950s and 1960s. Both large and small organizations began developing programs to bring together students from different backgrounds. The objective? not only introducing them to diverse cultures but also fostering enduring bonds and friendships between people and families, which may lead to improved ties between countries.

PSJA even hosted international exchange students in the 1950s. How awesome is that? It reminds me of the movie Grease. Exchange students "Sandy and Michael" initially struggled to make friends, but by the end of their senior year, they were the most popular students.

We no longer have exchange students in this era, and I'm not entirely sure why. However, if it were permitted, it would be awesome to change someone's life by bringing this back.

So many of these stores don't exist anymore. My mother was one that worked in southern frozen food when she was able to work.

My best friend's father was employed there as well. Back then, the minimum wage was 3.35.

If we think we got it rough, picture our aunts' sensors, who worked for pitiful pay to support their families.

One of the most turbulent and polarizing decades in world history was the 1960s. The civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar demonstrations, countercultural movements, political killings, and the emergence of the "generation gap" were all significant events during this time.

The opposite was true in the late 1960s. Vibrant, whirling hues. People often had long hair and beards and wore tie-dye psychedelic shirts. Men wore capes and tunics, and women wore incredibly short skirts. Just ten years ago, people would not have believed the fantasy venture.

It seems as though everyone was so stifled in the 1950s that the late 1960s erupted like a pressure. More skin was being exposed by women than ever before.

The 1960s witnessed a revolution in music consumption due to new technologies, and the explosive rise of rock and roll, led by the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, as well as the emergence of diverse music genres like soul, Motown, and psychedelic rock.

"Felix Trevino Died in an explosion in Psja Bears May 24,1967"

"Candy Walters Died in a car accident In Edinburg." May 24.1967

"Margaret Ilene Slade died in a car accident In Corpus Christy July 1, 1967"

May all of them be at peace.

Times were changing in the 1970 the kids of this era where dressing different and acting different.

Kids were showing a little more skin on their clothing. Kids were also letting their hair grow long especially the females.

This decade was all about defying expectations, rebelling, and expressing oneself.

The 1970s were a time of great change, with changes in politics, culture, and technology impacting the world at large.

Examining the 1970s timeline reveals that this decade was characterized by important occurrences like the breakup of the Beatles and the advent of personal computers. At that time, Star Wars' reels started to spin, laying the groundwork for decades of recognizable science fiction narratives.

The 1970s were a cultural revolution that influenced fashion as we know it today, not just a decade. Flared pants, groovy patterns, and vibrant colors are typically associated with '70s fashion. It wasn't just about the bell-bottoms, though.

Fashion made a strong statement during the self-expression era of the 1970s. Individuals defined themselves through their wardrobe, frequently in opposition to popular trends from earlier decades.

In addition to serving as the decade's soundtrack, rock music was evolving into unique movements that represented the turbulent social and cultural changes of the era. The Ramones, Pink Floyd's glam rock/heavy metal

In addition to being a musical style, disco fever in the 1970s was a cultural phenomenon that swept the nightclub industry, with venues like Studio 54 coming to represent the movement.

Throughout the 1980s, music was as much about image and theater as it was about sound. With the emergence of music videos, Music Television (MTV), and niche television, music was reacting.

The time of fun and enjoyment was being embraced by music. Bright colors and self-expression were popular in America, and the development of new technology keeps expanding our creative horizons.

Their sound was influenced by hard rock bands such as Aerosmith and Metallica. Beginning in the early 1980s, hair metal gained popularity in the United States on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip. Hair bands were one of the most popular musical genres in the 1980s, with massive radio and MTV hits during their peak.

This decade's music scene was essentially all about image, and when Music Television (MTV) debuted in 1981, the artist's accompanying visuals became even more important. MTV was accessible on more than 2,000 cable channels by 1983, compared to just 300 when it first debuted. In 1984, VH1, another music channel, debuted with a more classic rock format.

Many people recall the 1990s as a decade of comparatively calm and prosperity. The Cold War came to an end with the fall of the Soviet Union, and the Internet brought about a completely new era of business, entertainment, and communication.

The World Trade Center bombing, the Rodney King beating and the ensuing L.A. Riots, and the genocide in Bosnia were among the tragedies and acts of violence that marred the decade.

Lethal standoffs between federal agents and armed civilians at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Waco, Texas, followed the devastatingly deadly Oklahoma City bombing by a domestic terrorist, and the Columbine High School shooting marked a somber chapter in gun violence.

Everyone was dancing to the catchy songs of pop stars like the Spice Girls and Britney Spears. Boy bands like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys also rose to fame in this decade.

Big hair and shoulder pads, which were popular in the 1980s, gave way to a wave of minimalist styles in 1990s fashion.

The 1990s fashion trends were greatly influenced by casual, stylish ensembles characterized by sportswear, slip dresses, and baggy T-shirts.

Over the course of the decade, 1990s fashion changed. While early 1990s fashion featured vibrant hues and sportswear that harked back to the 1980s, late 1990s fashion shifted to elegant slip dresses and preppy prints.

The music industry's mainstay was cassette tapes. Blades of Glory by Bon Jovi was a hit song for all the men, women, and kids of the 1990s.

As the decade hosted the shift, the glory vanished when CDs entered the scene. In your big brother's room, cassette tapes were transformed into dust magnets for the rest of the world.

One of the most lucrative ways for booster clubs and organizations to raise money these days is through football mums. "Biggest money maker" is how many booster clubs and schools describe this project.

For years the football mum has been spreading in popularity across the south and is now very common in states such as Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas and North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia are catching up fast.

The adage "everything is bigger in Texas" applies to both team spirit and corsages. There is a real Monster Spirit among Texans.

Folkloric is known in Spanish as folklorico. Folklorico is a style of dance, music, and costume that showcases various cultures in Mexico.

Throughout the generations that have passed on. What made "PSJA BEARS" so unique and continues to be so, I'll tell you: as children attended classes and learned from their teachers, they created a plethora of memories; school wasn't just a place to receive education; it was a home that we created with each other.

As we got prepared for the future all we have left now are the memories of this Great school that left its legacy within us.

We are family and we will always be family. Once a Bear Always a Bear!!!!!!

   PSJA Bears had it all: love, friendship, laughter, memories and each other.

Photo By Britney J Torres

Story By Britney J Torres

All Pictures from PSJA BEARS years books.