Donna High School (DHS) is a 9th through 12th grade campus in the Donna Independent School District (DISD) located in Donna, Texas. It is located in the center of the Rio Grande Valley.
History
The following information was adapted from the Barbara Edwards 1986 “ Donna School System” historical research report for the Hidalgo County Historical Commission,“The History of the Indian Sweetheart” by Art Del Barrio, and the Handbook of Texas.
In 1904 a long two-roomed school building, the forerunner of the Donna school system, was built at Runn; located south of Donna. This building, known briefly as the “Hester School”, was equipped with desks and a large fireplace, first housed twenty-two students and one teacher. A disastrous flood in 1909 some years later damaged the building to such an extent that it was abandoned. Later in 1910, a building would later be built near the former “Hester School” site which is now part of Runn Elementary. This event caused most of the original settlers (Hesters, Ruthvens, Norwoods, Champions, Holloways, Vertrees and others) to move to present day Donna. Donna students first attended classes on a central campus in the fall of 1911. A new building, constructed of yellow brick, housed all students from the first grade through high school. In 1913 the first class was graduated from this school. Enrollment increased rapidly during those early years. The first Donna High School was completed and occupied in the fall of 1919.
Donna High School No.1 (1919–1955) In 1919, a three-story high school was opened on the corner of Eleventh Street and Hester across from the First Baptist Church. This complex stood where the Moye Elementary parking lot now stands. In addition, to regular classrooms, this school had a home economics lab with a separate dining room boasting of sterling silver flatware and Haviland china, a manual training department and an eight piece orchestra, the foundation of today’s band. This newly constructed high school building continued to serve the needs of Donna students for a period of thirty-six years until 1955, when it was torn after a new high school was built. The roof of this school was blown off by Hurricane No. 11 in 1933 and many of the school records were lost. The 1933 hurricane financially devastated the school that there was no money for extracurricular activities. As a result, the Donna High School Junior Class of 1934-35 originated the Indian Sweetheart Contest to raise money for the junior-senior banquet prom. Little did the students know that they were creating Donna High School’s longest and most respected tradition and honor for a female student which continues today.
The Donna-Weslaco rivalry
On January 20, 1921, a motion was passed by the Donna Board of Trustees to establish the Weslaco Independent School District and students from the Weslaco area were separated from the Donna district to attend their respective campus. It was from this time of 1923 that the intense football rivalry between Weslaco and Donna began. Members of the Weslaco team, former Donna Redskins, plowed their own football field. When their former classmates arrived to play the game, they looked on plowed field instead of turf. The now Weslaco Panthers had the advantage of practicing on the plowed surface so they were able to win the game. The Donna-Weslaco game for many years was played in the afternoon of Armistice Day, November 11. It was one of the largest attended games throughout the Rio Grande Valley with people coming from throughout the area. In the earlier years, the hometown band and drill team would host the visitors with lunch served in the individual homes. The half-time fest ivies were shared by the schools and it usually was an elaborate entertainment for capacity crowds. It was a school holiday for both schools. The rivalry has been placed on hiatus since 2007 and will possibly be reinstated in 2012.
During World War II years, there was much patriotic activity. The students became involved in selling victory stamps and savings bonds, collecting scrap metal, the band performed victory concerts, a Victory Corps was formed, the Fourth War Loan drive was supported and the inevitable memorial service was conducted. Just prior to the war, on October 11, 1940, Donna High school organized its first Student Council. Some of the original charter members were Hazel Hart (Anderson), Jose Zuniga, Dorothea Gray (Wilkerson), Isaac Avila, and Gordon Wood.