Home

History

Alumni Registry

Golf Tournament

Contact Us

 

  

History of R. L. Osborne High School

  

 

 

The Early History
1880 – 1970

By Jack Darnell

Robert Lee Osborne

Robert L. Osbore High School had its beginning as Olive Springs Community School, and its early history is tied very closely to the history of Olive Springs Baptist Church which was constituted on April 12, 1880 and occupied their first building in April of 1881.

In the spring of 1919, Mr. Robert L. Osborne became the principal of Olive Springs School. The school served grades one through eight. At this time there were no high schools in the county school system. The only high school was in Marietta and county students were allowed to attend there by paying tuition. The school continued to occupy the building on the site of Olive Springs Baptist Church until 1928.

In 1928 Olive Springs School moved from its original location to a new building located on a block surrounded by Oak Street, Poplar Street, Joyner Avenue and Barber Road. This building contained ten classrooms, an auditorium and three small rooms, which were used at various times for book storage, office and lunchroom.

By the year 1936 Mr. Osborne had been in the community for 17 years, his devotion both to the school and the community had been demonstrated repeatedly. Recognizing this and showing gratitude in the best way they know, the name of Olive Springs School was changed to Robert L. Osborne School. It was also known as Robert L. Osborne High School.

That same year Ruby Lee Hildebrand wrote the words to the Alma Mater.

In the heart of ol’ Cobb County,
reared against the skies.
Proudly stands our Alma Mater,
as the years go by.
Osborne High School we will honor,
true and loyal be.
Ever crowned with grace and glory,
Osborne hail to thee.

In 1937 Mr. Osborne persuaded county school officials to add the 10th grade. The 11th grade was added in 1938 and Osborne High School became a fully accredited Senior High School.

The year 1937 was the beginning of another movement Mr. Osborne was instrumental in organizing. That year he called a meeting of all concerned citizens in the Fair Oaks Community for the purpose of starting a water system. After many meetings and great effort on the part of Mr. Osborne, in 1940 the Cobb County Water System began. The water system originally only served the Fair Oaks area but was expanded over the years to include the entire county. This beginning also lead to later establishing of the Cobb Water Authority, which now supplies water to all of Cobb County, as well as several neighboring counties.

Few people realize the impact Bob Osborne had on Cobb County’s progress. Mr. Osborne was president of the Cobb County Athletic Association for 20 years. He served on the Cobb County Fair Board for 33 years. He was one of the founders of the Cobb County Federal Savings and Loan Association and served on its Board of Directors until his death in 1970. He was a member of the Cobb County Association of Classroom Teachers and was their president for two years.

The years during World War II saw many changes at Osborne High School. Many of the boys were entering service before or just after finishing school. All athletic competition between schools was suspended and 1944 saw the smallest class ever to graduate. There were only 16 students (12 girls and 4 boys).

After the war, and the coming of the Bell Bomber Plant during the war years, Osborne school district’s population began to explode and in 1945 another addition was built. This addition was know as the high school annex and consisted of 15 classrooms, a business department, a music department, and a lunchroom. The high school annex costs $141,000.00 to build. Today’s cost would probably be around three million dollars.

In 1948 the first Junior-Senior Prom was held. Before this year the junior class sponsored a banquet for the senior class. They didn’t dance because dancing was considered sinful, but in 1948 they decided to have a dance after the Junior Senior Banquet. Being in the middle of the Bible Belt, some of the preachers came thundering down out of the pulpit. They thought it was terrible that boys and girls were dancing, touching each other. Despite the protest the dance was not only held, but became an annual event. The banquet and prom were held together until 1962 when the banquet, not the prom, was eliminated.

1952 Prom
In 1949 Osborne got its first band, this was also a first for Cobb County School System. Ken Stanton, owner of a Marietta music store organized Osborne’s first band with about ten students. He remained Osborne’s band director until 1952. There was no director for a year and then Mark Caldwell became Osborne’s band director in 1954. He remained as Osborne’s band director until his retirement and was responsible for many excellent ratings for Osborne bands at the county, district and state level. His dedication and concern for his students made lasting impressions far beyond their school years.

In 1952 Osborne built a gym. It would be the last high school in the county to have one. After the addition in 1945 the lunchroom was used for basketball practice. It was not regulation size, and basketball games hadto be played at other gyms.

 

The year 1953 brought the 12th grade to the Cobb County School System and the four-year high school became grades 9 through 12. In 1954 Osborne High School held its first beauty pageant. It was held in February and was called the “Queen of Hearts”. The date was later moved to March and the name changed to “Miss Souvenirian”. Two former winners have gone on to win state titles - Marilyn Olley in 1967 was crowned Miss Georgia and Larinda Matthews in 1978 was crowned Miss Georgia World.

The 1954-55 school year began with Mr. Osborne as principal and Mr. G. W. Dowell as assistant principal. Mr. Dowell later left to become the principal of Milford Elementary School and Mr. J. W. Tippens was named assistant principal for the remainder of the school year. Charles Kennedy came to Osborne at the beginning of this school year and would later become assistant principal and then principal of the high school when Mr. Osborne retired.

The year 1955 saw another addition to the school campus a two-classroom addition was added at the south end of the original building, which housed the elementary school. This addition had a basement level, which was finished for a band room. This would be the last addition to Osborne High School on the 10 acre Barber Road site. There would later be two more additions on this site for the Osborne Jr. High School and the Osborne Middle School.

The 1955-56 school year began with Mr. Philip E. Adelsheimer being added to the Osborne staff as assistant principal. Mr. Adelsheimer came to Osborne from Rabun County where he had served as an instructional supervisor. He would be assistant principal at Osborne through the 1958 school year. This was the year that John C. Glenn, the former astronaut and now a United States Senator from Ohio, visited Osborne High School serving as an assistant to the President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was director of the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge and it was in that capacity that Mr. Glenn visited the Cobb County High Schools. He had great praise for Cobb County Schools and wrote Mr. Sprayberry, Superintendent of Cobb County Schools.

In 1956-57 Osborne High School began to be regarded as a powerhouse in basketball. The girls’ team coached by James Harmon only won 12 out of 23 games. In 1965 James Reynolds would become the girl’s coach. The girls’ team of 1962 through 1965 gave Osborne four straight Cobb County tournament wins. The boys’ team of 1956-57 won its first Cobb County tournament under the direction of Coach Charles Kennedy. They finished second for the year in the region tournament.

1964 Girls Basketball Team - Win Second of Four Straight Cobb County Champsionships

Front Row: Pam Mitchell, Billie Jean West, Carolyn Dowell, Cheryl Gallman, Pat Barfield, Paula Dressel, Sharon Wilson. Second Row: Mickey Fetner, Carol Roberts, Donna Miller, Carol Phillips, Coach Harmon, Carolyn Brooks, Mary Freeman, Margaret Gallman and Margie Townsend.

In 1957-58 Osborne’s first football team was organized. The head coach was Ben Brown and his assistants were Norman Bigham and Charles Kennedy. Osborne did not have a stadium for its first year and all home games were played at other schools throughout the county. Mr. Henry Mosely was the field announcer for the first year of football and Jack Darnell held the job from 1959 until 1980. Osborne played a non-region schedule that first year and won only three games with six losses.

The Osborne campus was not large enough for a football stadium so the county school board allowed them to build a stadium on a track of land between Fair Oaks Elementary school and South Cobb Drive. There were no funds provided by the state or county for the football program so this beginning sport was completely funded by Boosters of the Osborne School under the leadership of Mr. Osborne, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Myron McNeal, President of the Osborne Booster Club in 1958-59. Money was raised for uniforms, equipment and materials for a new stadium. Community volunteers assembled bleachers and erected the lighting system. On September 25, 1959, Mr. McNeal presented to Mr. Osborne the symbolic “Key” and Cardinal Field was officially dedicated.

In 1959 Charles Kennedy became the assistant principal for Osborne High School. Milford Young joins the Osborne faculty and replaces Charles Kennedy as an assistant football coach. Osborne’s boy’s basketball team was runner-up in the Region 1-A tournament and goes to their first ever State tournament.

1960 was a good year for Osborne. There were seventy-seven graduates; seventeen of these were honor graduates. The band was rated Superior for the second time in District competition. The 4-H Club had a district winner in the essay contest. The Debating team placed in District competition. The Cardinal sold more school papers than had ever been sold in the school’s history. A new Pep Club was organized. The football team under head coach Young won three ball games the second year they played a region schedule. The girl’s basketball team coached by James Harmon placed third in Region 1-A, and the boys’ team coached by Charles Kennedy won its first ever State Championship. The Cardinal boys lost the region title to Troup County by one point and would be underdogs throughout the State tournament.

1960 State A-1 Basketball Champions

Bobby Davis, Bobby Moore, Dean Anderson, Frak Nations, Roy Noggle, Coach Kennedy, Jerry Warren, Manager, Howard Cook, Kenneth Dobbins, Larry Leigh, Billy Noggle, Richard Partain and Paul Moore.

The State Tournament was held in Macon Coliseum and Osborne defeated Statesboro, Ringold and Winder-Barrow to win the state crown. One of the players on that winning team was Bobby Moore, the first of Paul Moore’s five sons to graduate from Osborne. Paul Moore proved to be one of the school’s finest supporters. He was largely responsible for the modern athletic facilities that exist at the school today. He was given leadership and contributed much of the physical work to almost every improvement in athletic facilities since the early 60’s. The baseball stadium built in the late 70’s bears his name. Bobby Moore returned to Osborne after this education and in the 70’s followed Ben Theodocian as head football coach.

During the year 1960, Jasper Griffin was elected as Cobb County School Superintendent. Shortly after the election a 40-acre tract of land on Favor Road was purchased and plans were started for a new facility for Osborne High School. The school and its present location were greatly overcrowded.

Osborne had a student body of 672 in 1961 and produced 116 graduates, 23 graduating with honors. Five of Osborne’s band members were selected for the Georgia All-State Band and Orchestra. The football team under head coach Milford Young won six out of ten games. The girl’s basketball team was 10 and 10 while the boy’s team as 12 and 9 in both teams first year in AAA classification.

The year 1962 was to be Osborne’s last year at the old school site first occupied in 1928. There were 12 honor graduates in this class of 79 seniors. A new record for enrollment was set in 1962 with 274 freshmen. Coach James T. Harmon led the Lady Cardinals to their first of four straight County Championships in basketball.

In 1962-63 Osborne High School moved into its new facility on Favor Road.

The year 1962 was to be Osborne’s last year at the old school site first occupied in 1928. There were 12 honor graduates in this class of 79 seniors. A new record for enrollment was set in 1962 with 274 freshmen. Coach James T. Harmon led the Lady Cardinals to their first of four straight County Championships in basketball.

After several delays, Osborne High School moved into its new facility on Favor Road at the beginning of the 1962-63 school year. The one million dollar facility was in various stages of completion. Most of the classrooms could be occupied, but the library, gym and lunchroom would be completed later in the school year. This building was the state of the art school facility in 1962. It’s gym; library and lunchroom were the largest in the county at that time.

At the beginning of that school year, Mr. Robert L. Osborne retired after serving this community and Cobb County Board of Education for 49 years. OHS must ever be diligent to uphold the fine tradition over those 49 years.

Mr. Charles Kennedy had served as assistant principal since 1958 and was selected by the Cobb County Board of Education to become Osborne’s second principal. Mr. James T. Harmon who began teaching at Osborne in 1950 was named assistant principal. Mr. Harmon would continue to coach the girls’ varsity basketball team winning their second straight county tournament. Mr. J. L. Padgett would succeed Mr. Kennedy as boys’ varsity basketball coach and they too captured the title in the county tournament. Jessie Howard became Osborne’s head football coach. Mr. Howard had been with Osborne since 1959, coaching baseball and helping with football and track. Osborne’s season was 5-5 but had one major highlight; they defeated Forest Park by a score of 53-13 revenging a 53-0 lost in 1959. Osborne graduated 139 students in 1963, 17 of those were honor graduates. Diversified Cooperative Training was added to the curriculum for the first time. This allowed students to work toward various professions while attending school. Five members of Mrs. Jacque Hutson’s chorus were named to the All State Chorus. Despite the fact of having no band room or facilities until late November, the band continued to receive Superior ratings placing members both in the All State Band and the University of Georgia Honor Band.

Jack Darnell was the Charter President of the Osborne High School PTA at its new location.

The 1963-64 school year began with Charles Kennedy and James Harmon as principal and assistant principal. They had 50 teachers on staff. That year 204 seniors would graduate, among them would be 31 honor graduates. A Camera Club was organized for the first time and Mark Caldwell began his 10th year as band director and marched his band on the new Cardinal Field in September of 1963.

The Osborne football team had its best record ever in 1963. Coach Jesse Howard led them through the season with seven wins, two losses and one tie. The Cardinaletts repeated as county basketball champions and were runners up in Region 5-AAA. The Osborne boys’ team coached by J. L. Padgett won the County, Region and the State championships.

During the 1963-64 basketball season, Osborne boys’ played South Cobb High School on five occasions: two in the regular season, one for the County title, one for the Region and one for the State. Osborne won all five games; three of them went into overtime.

1964 County, Region and State Champions - Region 5AAA Basketball Champs

Front Row: Kenny Thompson, Fred Smith, Mike Nordholz, Jim Van Ex, David Phillips, Thad Burgess, Doug Chandler. Back Row: Dale Cannon, Joe McCoy, John Riley, Robert Carlson, Johnny Marshbanks, Marion Graham, Eddie Evans & Clifford Haley.

 Mike Nordholz, the Most Outstanding Player of that year went on to be an All-American at the University of Alabama. He signed a pro contract but his height prevented him from being successful in professional ball. He was only 6 feet tall. He coached for several years and now is a representative for one of the athletic equipment suppliers. His number “31” was officially retired in a special ceremony during the 1994 basketball season at Osborne. This event was attended by the 1964 team, Coach Padgett, and several members from the South Cobb Team.

On September 23, 1965, the Robert L. Osborne Junior High School building that was built in 1928 was destroyed by fire. Several weeks later a teenager who was determined to have mental problems was arrested for arson. The school was rebuilt and is now Oakwood High School.

Charles Kennedy was principal and James Harmon and Douglas Sharp were assistant principals for the 1964-65 school year. The sophomore class had over 500 members. There were 29 honor graduates and the band won its fifth consecutive superior rating under direction of Mark Caldwell. The boys’ basketball team won the Region 5-AAA tournament and the Lady Cardinals won their fourth straight County title.

From 1967-69 Mr. G. W. Dowell became Osborne High School’s third principal.

Between 1970 and the present, several principals have served at Osborne but none will ever have the impact that Mr. Robert L. Osborne had on the history of Osborne High School.

On March 4, 1970, Robert Lee Osborne died. He was 78 years old and had been retired from the Cobb County Board of Education for eight years. One of Cobb County's greatest educators and finest citizens had passed from the scene, but his name lives on in the school he adopted in 1919.