A few of the high school students and their guests are pictured at a prior Hillsboro After Prom Party held at the Hillsboro Elementary School. The gym shown in this picture is just one of several rooms used to entertain students at the after prom.
Times-Gazette file photo
On May 15, 1953, four young people who had attended the annual Hillsboro High School Junior Prom were on their way home in the early morning hours after visiting Greenfield when every parents’ nightmare unfolded. The vehicle they were in slammed into a bridge, according to newspaper reports at the time, at a high rate of speed. Three of them died.
In the years since, various groups have held events after the regular prom to give students something to do and keep them in a safe and fun atmosphere for the remainder of the night. For several years now the Hillsboro High School After Prom Committee has held an event that includes a wide variety of games and other activities, lots of food and beverages, a hypnotist performance near the end of the event, and the awarding of a large and wide variety of prizes.
This year’s event takes place Saturday, April 27 following the prom that’s being held at Roberts Arena in Wilmington. Students can report to the Hillsboro Elementary School after returning from the prom. The doors are locked at midnight and no students can get in after that time. If a student wants to leave before before the after prom is over, their parents are contacted, and they cannot return to the after prom once they exit the doors.
It is a fun event and the awarding of the largest prizes donated by the community is held off until the very end to entice students to stay. But it is not a cheap event to put on.
“Nearly 20 years ago a group of concerned parents came together to come up with an idea that would ensure the safety of all prom participants,” said committee member Elaine Gilliland. “The goal was to provide a safe environment where they could come together and enjoy the rest of their evening participating in fun-filled activities where they could continue making memories that would last a lifetime.
“It is through the generosity of local businesses and individual donors that we’ve been able to keep our After Prom Party alive for so many years. We love these kids and want them to be safe. We are forever grateful to all who continue to support our cause, and hope to continue to keep it going for many years to come.”
The after prom is open to Hillsboro juniors and seniors and their dates. They do not have to attend the regular prom to attend the after prom. The cost is $10 per student. In return they receive a T-shirt with the prom theme on the front and the names of all donors who contributed $250 or more on the back. Everything else is free.
At the after prom there will be a casino and games and activities like laser tag, inflatables, karaoke and many more. Some of the larger prizes include an Apple watch, kayak, concert tickets, cash, a laptop computer, Beats headphones and Apple AirPods. Students are awarded tickets for games and activities they complete at the after prom that can be placed into drawings for the prizes. Only Hillsboro students can win the prizes.
Back on that fateful night 71 years ago, the four riding in the vehicle were 16-year-old Janet Lee Wisby, who had been a junior attendant at the prom, 19-year-old Ralph Edward Lowell, 19-year-old James Robert Collins and Phyllis Jane Williams, who had graduated in 1952. Lowell was the driver and was pinned in his seat. Collins and Wisby were found in the back seat. Williams was in the front passenger seat.
Collins died at the scene of the accident. Wisby died at the hospital about three hours after the crash. Lowell died around 24 hours after the accident. Williams was partially thrown through the windshield, but later reports indicated she climbed out of the car and was found walking along the highway. She survived.
Wisby died of neck fractures, a brain concussion and internal haemorrhaging. Collins suffered a fracture skull, haemorrhaging and was administered last rights at the scene. Lowell suffered a skull fracture, multiple fractures of the jaw, leg fractures and other injuries, according to newspaper reports.
If you would like to donate to or volunteer with the Hillsboro High School After Prom Committee, contact Gilliland at [email protected] or 937-763-6023, or reach out to any of the other committee members including Jill Reno at 937-763-3200, Mary Greiner at 937-403-2390, Bobbie Earley at 937-402-8352, Bobbi Bloomfield at 937-403-8240 or Katherine Koogler at 937-763-6298.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
