Where Are They Now…A Story of Two Friends from the Class of ’62

By Misty Cryer

George Hurd and Curtis Mize both graduated from Carlsbad High School with the Class of ’62. Currently, Curtis lives in Tennessee, while George resides in Arizona. Memories of growing up in Carlsbad and life experiences play a role in their effort to contribute to the Class of ’62 Scholarship Fund at Carlsbad Community Foundation.

“I’ve been asked why I give to the scholarship fund,” said Curtis. He said, to him, it is a way of paying it forward.

George sees it as a way to help poor kids who can’t go to school.

In seventh grade at Alta Vista, Curtis and George were both interested in basketball. “We became fast friends,” said Curtis. Both George and Curtis said they have remained in touch over the years.

Curtis said they were starting guards, and they would try to beat “the big boys” in two-on-two.

“Curtis and I played in championship basketball in 1962, our senior year,” he said. They both recalled that the game went into triple overtime and that they lost.

Curtis said that, after high school, coming from a family with six kids, going to college wasn’t feasible for him, so he enlisted in the military.

George said he wanted to be an American history teacher. Coach Pollard helped him get a partial scholarship in basketball at Adams State in Colorado. To register to finish his freshman year in college, George said he was $37 short. He tried to borrow the money, but couldn’t, so he quit and went to Albuquerque, where he stayed at the YMCA for $4 a night before returning home. He said he appreciated that L.A. May helped him get a job with Cavern Supply as a cook at the Caverns, but he decided to enlist in the military instead.

George said Curtis was in the Army, while he was in the Air Force, with both being Vietnam Veterans.

Curtis said that after serving in the military, he used the GI Bill to attend Memphis State University, earned a degree, and secured a job. He said he feels very fortunate, “I always pay it forward.”

George chose to pursue a career in the Air Force, in which he said he excelled, obtaining his goal of becoming a Master Sergeant (E7). He said he was offered an opportunity to go to school to become an officer, but he wanted to remain an enlisted man. After 21 years, five months, and 14 days of service, he said he retired.

Aside from their experiences in basketball, both Curtis and George shared some of their greatest memories of attending school in Carlsbad.

Going back to elementary school, Curtis said he attended Joe Stanley Smith and was later transferred to Hillcrest. “Mr. Richardson would sit down and read to us for 30 minutes,” he said, which developed an interest in reading for him. He said he had no interest in art class, but he liked to draw maps and developed an interest in U.S. and world travel. Inspired by his teacher, who used maps and knowledge to engage him, he said it served him well in the military.

George said his favorite teacher was Ms. Phyllis Shackleford. “She took a liking to me.” They were selling magazines, and he said he won a $25 reward and a Kodak camera. He also recalls being the only student to achieve perfect attendance for three years in a row at Alta Vista.

Curtis said he is looking forward to September 11, when the Carlsbad Community Foundation Reception will be held at Pecos River Village Carousel House to celebrate philanthropy and honor benefactors.