Although the past six months may feel like 60 years, anyone can tell you that 1960 was a real long time ago. 

Warren County looked much different in terms of high schools. There were seven of them, not just one as we have now. No private schools existed here in 1960.

Imagine no pandemic. No social distancing. No debate about to wear or not to wear a mask. McMinnville was celebrating its sesquicentennial (150th year of existence). 

Babies were being born at the clinic. The Blue Building was fully functional as City Grammar School. Main Street was full of stores and activity. High school football was a major cultural event. Three high schools, Bernard, Central and City High, all had football teams.

The Central High Bulldogs were coached by Robert D. Fisher and John Brock. They opened their season at home against Woodbury on Friday, Aug. 26. Central soundly beat Woodbury, 25-0, and had 10 games remaining on its schedule. Yes, an 11-game season.

City High opened its season on the road that same day at Tracy City. Co-captains were Frank Hennessee and Ray Simons. City High had beaten Tracy City the three previous years. Hennessee and Simons had started at City High since they were freshmen. Tracy City jumped out to a quick lead, and defeated City High, 21-14.

Ray Simons, the City High fullback and co-captain, remembers 1960 well. Simons who lived on Viola Road with his family, decided to go to City High because it was a new school. It gave him a chance to play as a freshman. 

Simons said, “Nunley Stadium was a great place to play. The stands were full. We started at City High in 1957 and were the first class to go all four years there.”

There was actually “open-zoning” when City High started. It was a new school, and according to Simons, they were trying to fill it with students. Therefore, you did not have to live in the city when City High opened.

Bernard High’s opening game has been more challenging to document. Wayne Wolford at the Black History Museum provided contacts who played on that 1960 team. 

The best recollection was that it was either Hartsville or Tullahoma that Bernard High opened against in 1960. The Bernard Tigers football team tied Tullahoma 6-6.  The Hartsville score was not documented.

In 1960, Bernard played at Memorial Stadium at Central High School. The next year Bernard started playing home games at City High. For a good look at local black history, the Black History Museum in the old clinic building is a great place to visit.

The 2020 football season may be like none other in history. Yet, McMinnville has a long history of high school football. Wonder what Warren County High School football will look like 60 years from now? 

Will there still be one high school playing football or more like there was in 1960?