When Ashley(my daughter)first started middle school at Verity
she came home one day in tears, she said that some girl was threatening to beat her up. I sat down and as a good father told that would never happen when I was her age. I told her at that time there were two Jr. high schools in Ashland. All the good people went to Putnam and all the bad people went to Coles. Of course I was joking but Karen failed to see the humor in it... To this day that is still a joke around the house.

I attended Coles and began teaching there in 1963. By the time our girls were in Jr. High, I was teaching at Putnam, so they insisted at the Kiwanis Bowl game I sit one half on the Coles side and the other half on the Putnam side.
One of the most difficult years of my career was the year we first combined the 2 junior highs. Old grudges among the students and even some faculty were hard to overcome. The result eventually was a beautiful blending of both groups in a middle school, one of the finest in the state. I still think we should have named it Ashland Middle School !

Oh Brent, those of us who went to the superior junior high pitied those of you who didn't. Where else but Coles could you smoke cigarettes down in the sand pit after lunch, dodge pieces of the ceiling falling on you during class, and watch Mr. Warnock's balls bounce out of his super-short shorts during the faculty/student basketball game. And I bet nobody at Putnam DROVE themselves to school. We had several students who were driving age!

As a Coles alum I take offense that anyone would say we were not as good as those snobby Putnam kids!!! lol
I too remember the walls crumbling. In Mrs Boutin's sixth period she would always go knock loose plaster down before the bell would ring so it wouldn't fall on our heads as everyone thundered though the halls. I'm surprised the old place is still standing. I always thought is was a neat old school with all the different passage ways.
My favorite thing was to watch Mrs Martin do cartwheels down the hall.
A great past time was to get a hall pass to the bathroom and watch the pidgeons on the window sill do unspeakable things!! Oh the small joys in Jr High.
Not only did we have kids driving, but a couple had babies.

What about those Coles Broncos.........the best Junior High ever. Loved that school and I believe we pretty much whipped Putnam in the Kiwanis Bowl every year and of course had the prettiest Kiwanis Queens.....LOL.....Sheila Mullins, Gale Belt, Sherry Henderson, Libby Norris to name a few.


Can't forget the hot cheerleaders!!!!

I think your right!!! Even if you were one of each! huh Larua!!! lol

I am usually not one to brag.....but had to throw that in....lol

Coles had the best of everything.....including a few hot guys too. LOL

GO BRONCOS!!!!!

Let's give a cheer for Cole's Junior High,
Let's raise the ceiling out of the sky....
Broncos, Broncos ain't gonna yield
to their opponents down the field...

rraah rraaah rrraaah rraaaah...

With all their vigor and all their Vim
We're gonna help our good ole' team win...
Broncos, Broncos grand old name...
To preserve it let's win this game!!!!

WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO............................

And don't forget Sam's Pizza shop on the corner of 29th St at the Belmont intersection, not there now. Pinball galore.

Where are all the Putnam fans!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Coles!!!
Lots of memories there!!

Record of Past Kiwanis Bowl Games:

52: Coles 0 - Putnam 7
53: Coles 7 - Putnam 0
54: Coles 7 - Putnam 21
55: Coles 6 - Putnam 25
56: Coles 12 - Putnam 25
57: Coles 0 - Putnam 0
58: Coles 24 - Putnam 7
59: Coles 13 - Putnam 10
60: Coles 0 - Putnam 7
61: Coles 6 - Putnam 6
62: Coles 7 - Putnam 0
63: Coles 13 - Putnam 7
64: Coles 0 - Putnam 0
65: Coles 26 - Putnam 0
66: Coles 0 - Putnam 13
67: Coles 7 - Putnam 32
68: Coles 13 - Putnam 6
69: Coles 16 - Putnam 28
70: Coles 6 - Putnam 12
71: Coles 8 - Putnam 12
72: Coles 28 - Putnam 0
73: Coles 8 - Putnam 8 ** Our 7th Grade Year **
74: Coles 0 - Putnam 14 ** Our 8th Grade Year **
75: Coles 14 - Putnam 20 ** Our 9th Grade Year **
76: Coles 18 - Putnam 6
77: Coles 8 - Putnam 6
78: Coles 6 - Putnam 0

Ties - 4 Bowls
Coles Won 11 Bowls
Putnam Won 12 Bowls

Beginning in 79 Ashland 9th grade has played Russell 9th grade in the Kawanis Bowl:

Russell Won 20 Bowls
Ashland Won 7 Bowls

Barker,
Now look what you've done . . . Bud's gone and found the facts out about the Kiwanis Bowl win/loss record . . . doesn't look like the Broncos faired too well back in the day. But, then again, we always seemed to have a good time at Coles no matter what the outcome of the games were, lol! Plus, football was only one sport the Broncos and the Bucs competed against each other in . . . how about basketball Bud, or more importantly, the volleyball tournaments at the Armory! Now those were fun . . .

Maddog

Remember our late night painting lesson??????

Remind me . . .

Thanks a lot, Buddy. Leave it to a Putnam guy to be a total buzzkill.

Susan Wilson wrote:

You know, all us Putnam guys wanted a Coles girl to "go steady with"..............Why was that...........there certainly wasn't any shortage of beautiful girls at Putnam.........what could it have been......OH YEA, now I remember....never mind

We are better kissers.

Brent, I agree w/ you!

Maddog

I think the staute of limitations have expired. You took a can of spray paint and painted COLES on the front of Putnam the night before the Kiwanis Bowl. A certain adult drove us over there. Remember now??? I think Barker was in on it. Karen

Wow Buddy.....only you would be able to come up with the statistics....it was a good try anyway....lol If we would have combined into one Middle School back in our day....we would have been unstopable....lot of talent from both Coles and Putnam.

Only Buddy!!!! I tried...lol. Help me out Manley...got any basketball or volleyball scores?

Susan Wilson wrote:

Thank You BUDDY!
I knew we beat those jerks our senior year. You & I were on the team THAT WON! Coles STINKS, and my wife is one of them!

Maybe in football. But, I know for a fact we punked you guys in basketball. As I recall, wasn't even really much of a game. Then, did the same thing in the tournament to take the conference title. So, Kentucky being a basketball state, we won the most important title. No wonder though, seeing as to the type of gym (I guess it was a gym) Putnam had to play ball in.

One of the funnier moments looking back is when David Arthur ripped the jersey off Steve Clark in one of the games. Almost a good fight.

Nick Brown wrote:

Nick Brown, you are my hero. Way to set the score right! Yes, we redeemed ourselves in the ultimate sport, basketball. Take that Buddy Coburn/Larry Sennett. What are you going to do now, dig out the ping pong scores?!

Nick Brown wrote:

Ummmm, Jill, sorry but you are wrong on this one. There was most definitely a conference tournament that Coles won in basketball. I bet I could even find the trophy we received for winning when I make it back to Mom and Dad's. The tournament was for 9th grade teams. And, btw, we were in 9th grade in 75-76.

What’s that I hear in the background? Is that Bruce Springsteen singing Glory Days?

(Nick, you didn’t happen to be on that team did you?)

Oh my gosh guys....I really started something didn't I??? Whether from Coles or Putnam we are all buddies now. Let's just look forward to the good ole high school days and everyone needs to come out and cheer on Sigmet to whip Ro in that volleyball match! LOL

LOVE ALL OF YOU AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!

XOXOXO

Brian Busch wrote:

What’s that I hear in the background? Is that Bruce Springsteen singing Glory Days?

(Nick, you didn’t happen to be on that team did you?)

Gosh all those football and basketball games were fun but I am really enjoying this forum topic. I vote to keep the topic going and find those track and field and ping pong scores. No girl's teams scores were posted let's find those. Yeah and let's all kiss at the reunion just to find out the real truth.
Snobby? Humph!8)
Thanks everyone for making this so fun.

I'll kiss you, Jenny.

Susan Wilson wrote:

Wilson...you are crazy!! I say let's maybe have game of spin the bottle......anybody up for it!! Have to leave your significant other at home on Friday night. LOL Remember in Junior High hanging out at Ann Quall's house in the basement and everyone laying under the ping pong table making out....the things we use to do!! Fun though! Alot different from now.

Okay I pulled out the old Coles year books last night and the following scores were listed for BASKETBALL!!!

73-74 our 7th grade year
Coles 40 Putnam 33
Coles 38 Putnam 35

74-75 our 8th grade year
Coles 15 Putnam 58
Coles 36 Putnam 65

75-76 our 9th grade year
Coles 52 Putnam 36
Coles 41 Putnam 42

Cattletsburg tournament
Coles 66 Buffalo 30
Coles 77 Boyd Co 58
Coles 62 Putnam 47

Y tournament
Coles 40 Greenup 28
Coles 55 Cattletsburg 39
Coles 42 Boyd Co 36


Hope this makes you feel better Nick.
The year book had the fiddlin' five for our 9th grade year and had the starting five pictures in action (like UK). lol
Now it can be put to rest once and for all!!

Brent, I thought the story that initiated all this was just hilarious. I LMAO. All this Jr. High School Spirit is killing me though, 30+ years after the facts. Nick, I understand your stance, as you were always a fierce competitor & good athlete from what I remember. I also trust your memory of the basketball history as well. I believe we got beat 9th grade year at the Kiwanis Bowl on a questionable face masking call at the end of the game. I grew up just down the street from Ann Qualls & also remember all her parties. Her parents were pretty cool! I remember my first kiss at her house playing spin the bottle. Thanks for the good memories all.