GAH -TSO RALLY

Breaking News:
The  Gah-Tso Rally is returning to MHS! The Class of 80 has worked hard to bring it back. The school has agreed and the Class of 2011 is working out the details.
Carry On MHS  

Photo was obtained from MHS class of 80 Facebook group page

• DOUBLE CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

KEN MURDOCK AND JOANNE RAY

The Gah-Tso Cup competition between classes was a wonderful tradition at Mesa High School. It was a way to get as many people involved in activities as possible. I was in Gah-Tso Club my senior year and I believe Ken Murdock may have been president. They were in charge of organizing the over-all competition. Each Class was responsible for getting people involved in the activities which were: A Gah-Tso Rally which involved making a float that was supposed to have a theme to spur us on to victory; a water carnival which involved swimming races and relays; a spring track event; and, of course, a musical assembly. Participation in these activities were also counted for spirit points. I loved working on these events and was involved because I was Junior Class Vice-President which was the year we robbed the seniors of their traditional Gah-Tso Cup Victory. They were not very happy! I loved getting as many people involved in the activities as I could. I wrote and directed all three assemblies with Carol Shelley. In order to get more people involved we had a chorus and an orchestra. We had different committees working on costumes, sets, sound, lighting and props. Working together gave us all an opportunity to get to know each other and appreciate each other's talents in ways we would not otherwise have been able to do. I think these activities are part of what made our class so close. Everyone felt like they were a part of and necessary to our success. I was sorry to see this tradition left behind when the new Mesa High School was built. I think too many kids get lost in a big high school when they are not involved in working together on a common goal. I loved having the opportunity to work with so many classmates. Barbara Sato or Ken Murdock may have more to add about the Gah-Tso tradition and where it came from.
CARRY ON MHS!!
Joanne Ray

 

 

I remember the Gah-Tso Cup and all the competition that came with it. It really was a wonderful experience in that it gave so many people the opportunity to participate and develop talents they never knew they had! It was fun, clean competition. It brought people together to have fun and to stay busy doing good things. I would encourage the administration and anyone with 'pull' to restart this fun tradition. I think Mesa High was truly unique in that it allowed so many people to participate in school activities. I think often of Miss Entz and all she did for the girls to be a part of a performing group, the Rabbettes. What a wonderful person she was and so dedicated! I wish I could thank her now.
Jayne Winterton Weight, Class of '63

JOAN LAYTON, BERTA LEWIS, JAYNE WINTERTON, DIANA TATE, MARCIA CHALK, KAREN JONES, MARY LOU REED, KENNI HENDERSON, LINDA ROWAN, CAROL HUBER, SANDY SEAY, LANELLE PORTER

SENIOR ASSEMBLY

FROM JOANNE RAY AND DONNA JOHNSON
JO BUFFINGTON, MARY LOU REED, KENNY HENDERSON, MELVIN PHELPS, MELVIN PERKINS, DONNA JOHNSON, RICHARD STILES, MARCIA CHALK, SYLVIA BOREN, DONALD FULLER, CURLY MONSOUR, MARGIE THREET

SENIOR ASSEMBLY DRAMA

FROM JOANNE RAY:
JO BUFFINGTON, NANCY ARNETTE, DAVID ADAMS, MELVIN PERKINS, ROBERTA LEWIS, PEGGY LISONBEE, OLA MAE TRYON, JIM KLEIN, JARED HUISH, CAROL HUBER, KEN MURDOCK, KENNI HENDERSON 

Gah-Tso is a Navajo word meaning "Big Rabbit." Awarding the Gah-Tso Cup was one of the longest-honored traditions at Mesa High from the 1920s until 1993. The trophy was presented at the end of the school year for the class who earned the most points during the year in class competitions, which included homecoming floats, Gah-Tso Rally, Water Carnival, attendance at after-school events, participation in Spirit Week and class yells. The purpose of the Gah-Tso – it was ALL about promoting school spirit and class unity. The cup was prominently displayed in the trophy case in the office at Mesa High and each year the winning class was engraved on it, generally that was the senior class, but not always. The classes listed are: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979/1980, 1980, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993. For some reason, the last year engraved was 1993 and then sometime afterward the cup was donated to the Mesa Historical Society, when it was located recently to be displayed at a class reunion. Museum workers didn't even know what it was when MHS alumni approached them about it! We have since learned from alumni from the 1920s that there was a smaller cup awarded then (we don’t know where that is) but the competition activities were much the same.  The MHS Class of 80 has contacted MHS student council advisors with the hopes that Student Council and administration will bring back this great tradition. They are trying to collect more information on the cup and the traditions and activities associated with it. PLEASE comment on the Class of 80 Facebook group page and post your memories about the cup. Many graduates of Mesa High School hold those memories dear and hope that the school with “Bring back the Gah-Tso Cup! Thank you Class of 80 and Carry On!!