The Graduates - Hernando High - Part 2 - 1952-1972

Old Brooksville
May 17
3 min read

Updated: May 18

The Hernando High Graduates (Part 2) features graduates from 1952 to 1972. I'm sure you'll find many people you've come across in your life in Hernando County. Notice how the number of graduates escalated in 1964, the first official graduation year for baby boomers. By 1972, there were over 100 more graduates than just ten years before.

Thanks to the following for their contributions

John White

George Allen Jr.

Elaine Crum Sullivan

Donnie Varn

Hernando High students rock around the jukebox (1955)

Charles (Thomas) Martin and Gay Burdin take a pause that refreshes with a coke at the famed Cottage Dinette, a popular teen hangout and famed restaurant during the 1950s until 1993.

1956 Senior girls pose in front of Amstutz Ford

A 1959 Hernando High program lists the names of Varsity and Junior Varsity teams

1959 Seniors hanging out at the Cottage Dinette

1962 Teen Hall

Tom Fisher - Class of 1962

The legendary Tom Fisher was a 6'3" quarterback at Hernando High School. He won a scholarship to the University of Tennessee where he became an All American linebacker. The New York Giants drafted him as a Junior in 1965. Tragically, he died in an auto accident outside of Knoxville, Tennessee in March, 1966. Hernando High honored him by naming the school's football stadium, Tom Fisher Stadium. He was a true gentleman and scholar.

The 1963 Hernando High Senior class visited the Capitol and the Smithsonian (and a lounge) in Washington, DC before going to New York City, visiting Radio City Music Hall and a Broadway play. John F. Kennedy was president.

1963 Hernando High track team

Front: Robert Draper, Bob Martinez, Barry Stewart, Donnie Brown, Lynn Thompson

Center: Bruce Snow, Freddy Varn, Alex Herrera, Mike McCormick, Charles Coles, Fred Blackburn

Back: L. Varn (Manager), Jack Coppedge, Victor Lord, Bob Wardlow, John Townsend, Tim Harrington, Duane Mountain, Coach Hubbard

Fred Blackburn would receive a scholarship to the University of Miami as a miler.

1964 Moton High School graduate Maulty Moore

There is only one undefeated NFL team in history, the 1972 Super Bowl champs, Miami Dolphins. One of its players was from Brooksville, Florida. Maulty Moore was a defensive tackle on that team.

Before 1966, Hernando High was segregated and Moton High was the African/American school. Maulty Moore was a 1964 graduate of that school. He played at Bethune-Cookman College and was later picked up by the Miami Dolphins. Who would have thought a Brooksville grad is a member of the only NFL undefeated team in its 100 year history?

The 1964-1965 Hernando High basketball team won 22 games in a row to win the West Coast Conference Championship, only to lose the next two games in the state semifinals.