We regret to inform you that Mr. Leonard Morris, former principal of San Dieguito High School, has passed away. He was 83.

He was listed as the principal of the school in the 1969 through 1976 yearbooks. You may find an obituary here. Some quotes:

He advocated “The Warm Fuzzy” around San Dieguito High School and liked giving the yellow half-sheets of paper with compliments and thank-yous to students, friends and staff members.

A beloved principal at the Encinitas school, Leonard Morris could often be found eating lunch with students or standing on the manhole cover he dubbed “Morris’ manhole” during passing periods.

“The kids loved him and he was always out there on campus with us,” recalled former San Dieguito student Debbie Rowe. “He’d stand out on that manhole cover that he had painted and watch over the kids.”

[snip]

Mr. Morris moved his family to San Diego County from Monrovia when he got the job as principal at San Dieguito High in 1969. He later served as assistant principal at Torrey Pines High School and retired from the San Dieguito Union High School District in 1984.

Melba Kooyman said Mr. Morris found creative ways to serve his students. She recalled a time when students were throwing plums at each other, making a mess on the walkway.

“Many teachers wanted those kids disciplined . . . he recruited the home-ec department to help and got those students making jam. I’m sure the boys involved didn’t do anything like that again,” Kooyman said.

Mr. Morris also started the practice of sending a “Warm Fuzzy” to thank or compliment any person on campus. Although some thought the idea “too hokey” at first, the yellow sheets proved popular and teachers enjoyed getting them.

— Leonard Morris, 83; beloved former San Dieguito High principal, by Blanca Gonzalez, April 1, 2008, San Diego Union-Tribune.

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We regret to inform you that Mr. Thomas C. Cunningham passed away on February 4, 2008. He was 87.

Senior portrait of Thomas C. Cunningham, from the 1939 Hoofprint

A San Dieguito Union High School graduate and World War II veteran, Mr. Cunningham returned to the high school in 1952 to teach. For over 40 years he guided students in the art of husbandry before his retirement in 1994.

In his later years Mr. Cunningham made use of his white beard and jovial appearance to portray Santa Claus in the Encinitas Christmas parades.

Godspeed, Mr. Cunningham.

Mr. Cunningham’s teacher portrait from the 1952 Hoofprint

“… A graduate of the high school in 1939, he returned from England after World War II ended and obtained a master’s degree in education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Then he went back to his old high school in 1952 as an agriculture teacher and no-nonsense adviser to the Future Farmers of America club on campus.

Mr. Cunningham’s teacher portrait from the 1992 Hoofprint

“…He served the district 43 years and five months. During the early decades, he was a stalwart of the agriculture program. Remember, in those early years, this was a small community. There were no houses around the high school like today. Many of his students went on to become horticulturists, veterinarians or teachers.”

From the February 16, 2008 obituary by J. Stryker Meyer of the North County Times/Californian. You can read this obituary in its entirety here.

More information on Mr. Cunningham may be found at the Cal Poly Alumni site. (Scroll down to find his obituary.)

In listening to Tom Dempsey reminisce about Coach Zeno, we thought we’d add this biographical information we found in his obituary.

Ernest Zeno
San Dieguito High School Icon

Ernest “Ernie” Zeno died peacefully on April 3, 2004, in Encinitas, California, after a lengthy illness.

Ernie was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, the fourth son of Italian immigrant parents who had been interned at Ellis Island during World War I.

Ernie attended Waltham High School, where he was recognized not only as an outstanding student but also as an all-star in swimming, track, gymnastics, the shot put and football.

Ernie’s high school summer months were spent at Walden Pond, in Concord, Mass., where he served as a public lifeguard. Ernie attended Boston College during his freshman year on a football scholarship, but soon transferred to the University of Nevada on a more appealing scholarship to play for the “Wolf Packs.”

Continuing to set records on the football field, Ernie was scouted by Arizona State College and picked up on a full football scholarship, where he starred for four years as a running back, linebacker and fullback for the Arizona “Sun Devils.”

Ernie earned his teaching credential from San Diego State University and was signed on in 1956 as a U.S. and world history teacher, track coach and later as head football coach at San Dieguito High School.

His personal philosophy, which he made certain those around him never forgot, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” also drove his coaching philosophy. Coach Zeno led the San Dieguito High School Mustangs to the CIF (Avocado League) playoffs three consecutive years.

Later, accused of being “too tough” by the administration, Ernie was relieved of his coaching assignment. He was quick to inform the administration that he was running a football team, not a ladies’ “garden party.” “Playing third stringers does not make a winning team” he was fond of saying. Always outspoken and unwavering liberal, Ernie was an advocate for the disadvantaged, making it his focus to assist young people, urging them towards a higher education and excellence.

A vociferous advocate for teacher’s rights, Ernie served for many years as the chief negotiator with the Teachers’ Labor Union and the school district. An equally demanding classroom history teacher, Ernie is remembered for his vast knowledge of world affairs, U.S. history and ancient history and his keen intellect.

Ernie traveled extensively in Western Europe, accruing more than two dozen trips abroad before he became too ill to travel.

In 1983, he and his family acquired a Fulbright Scholarship to Lea Bridge, Derbyshire, UK, where he coached at the Anthony Gell Comprehensive School in Wirkswirth, Derbyshire, UK. …

… During that academic year, Ernie and his family resided in the original, three hundred year old home of Florence Nightingale.

Following his retirement from the San Dieguito Union High School District, Ernie made his home variously in Port Angeles, Wash., Boise, Idaho, and Las Vegas…

From the 4/11/2004 Obituaries pages of the North County Times/Californian. You can read this obituary in its entirety here.

This letter was published in our Winter 2008 issue of “Mustang Memories.” If you’d like a free subscription to “Mustang Memories,” please let us know!

Dear Mustangs:

Jr. Stefanson, Class of 1940

In answer to your request for history of San Dieguito alumni, I would like to tell you what my husband, Hellebort Stefanson Jr., (”Stef” or ” Jr.”, as his classmates called him, because he hated his Swedish name!) did, after we graduated in 1940. He loved football, and was the Manager of the Mustangs. He was too slight of build to play, but in that way, he could be with the team. That was about the only memorable thing he really did in high school.

We went on to college and became engaged, after going steady for two years. He was excellent at Mechanical Drawing and majored in Civil Engineering, while I went on with my music. One Sunday in 1941, after I finished singing in church, we borrowed $20 dollars from his dad to go to San Diego (supposedly) for dinner and a show, but drove to Yuma, Arizona to get married.

Jr. Stefanson and Dolly Rice on their engagement day

When Stef failed to pass the physical examination twice to be inducted into World War 2, he began working as a surveyor in the Harbor Dept. for the City of San Diego. After several promotions, he became the Property Engineer for what had now become the Port of San Diego. The first big plan he drew was the G Street pier, where the Fish market now stands next to the Nimitz.

His next big plan was designing Harbor Island, across from the San Diego Airport. The Navy wanted that area of the bay dredged out for larger ships to enter that part of the harbor, and the Port was going to transport the dredged-out sand to deeper waters. Since Shelter Island in Pt. Loma had become such a success, it was suggested that another island be formed from that sand instead, including hotels, restaurants, and boat slips. In 1962, that island began to rise out of the bay. It has also been very successful, and I’m so proud of him, every time I pass by there.

Jr. Stefanson on Shelter Island, date unknown

His final achievement was Seaport Village, an outstanding part of San Diego. It was completed in 1979. Two weeks before he passed on, we anchored out in our sailboat opposite that area, while he pointed out to me what all the buildings were. He was so pleased with the way it had turned out. What a glorious day!

The first flowers I received were from the Head Contractor of Seaport Village, when Stef passed on in the office that July of 1979 and hadn’t shown up at Seaport that day. It was pretty shocking — no warning at all. But after all these years, I still rejoice that he left such a rich legacy to our area.

Dolly Rice Stefanson Brabant, Class of 1940

After reading about Mrs. Janie Grice’s oft-requested dish called “More” (described in the Winter 2008 issue of “Mustang Memories”) we wondered if we could find the recipe.

Mrs. Grice’s daughter Bettie told us she remembered it had olives and hamburger in it, but couldn’t find the recipe anywhere. None of her family members could find a copy of it, either.

We then looked for someone else who might know the recipe, specifically, retired members of Mrs. Grice’s cafeteria staff, and that’s when we found Mrs. Edna Palmer.

Mrs. Grice hired and trained Mrs. Palmer to work in the cafeteria and then later to take over as manager when she retired in 1961. Mrs. Palmer retired herself in the early ’70s after cooking thousands of breakfasts and lunches for double sessions at SDHS.

We asked her if she had a recipe for “More” but sadly, she does not. She did, however, have a recipe for Tamale Pie, another popular dish Mrs. Grice’s daughter says she still hears about at reunions.

Mrs. Palmer very kindly shared it with us and we now present it here for you:

Tamale Pie
From the recipe files of Mrs. Edna Palmer, former manager of the San Dieguito High School cafeteria

1 cup yellow corn meal
6 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium-sized onion
2 tablespoons of fat (butter or oleo)
2 cups of chopped beef
2 cups of tomatoes
2 pimentos
Cayenne pepper

Cook the corn meal, water and salt as for mush for about 30 minutes.

Chop the onion and fry it in fat until brown. Add the meat and fry it until the red color disappears. Add the tomatoes and the pimentos and the pepper.

Line an oiled casserole with the mush. Put meat mixture in the center and cover with mush and bake in a moderate oven 350 degrees for 2 to 2.5 hours.