Co-Writer of the Holly High School Fight Song

Distinguished Service Award Winner

HHS Class of 1938

Back in the day our school colors were orange and black. In 1938, Holly resident and owner of the Holly Hotel, Mr. Dallas Winslow offered to purchase band uniforms. One catch...he would not purchase orange and black since our arch rival Fenton also had those colors. He would purchase red and gray.

It was shortly after that when seniors and best friends Wilbert 'Bill' McKeachie and Robert 'Bob' Bravander were hanging out one rainy day. They loved music and often enjoyed playing the Cornell University fight song. It was then, on that rainy fall day, that they decided to write a fight song for Holly High School. Since the fight song was written in 1938, 2013 marked the 75th anniversary of this original score.

The original words were slightly different as our colors were red and gray. The original text read, "The red and gray will lead the way to fame and glory come what may". 28 years later in 1966 our colors changed one more time, this time to red and white. The reason was that athletic uniforms with red and gray were difficult to find. The fight song was altered slightly to the words we have now which are, "we're red and white, we'll lead the fight, to fame and glory come what might".

After graduation, Bill McKeachie attended Michigan State Normal College and studied education anticipating a career as a teacher. In 1941, his senior year, World War II started. He was drafted when he turned 21 and he joined the Navy. After completing the "90 day Wonder Program", Bill was accepted for radar training and served in California and then Hawaii where he was stationed as a radar officer in the destroyer USS Grant. By the end if the war, Bill was the most experienced destroyer radar officer in the entire Navy.

In 1949, Bill earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan and was hired to remain on faculty. He retired when he was 70 but continued to teach one class each year for free until he was 85. Bill fondly remembers the best year of his life...1975. He pitched three no hitters and was President of the American Psychological Association. To this day, every weekday morning, Bill still goes into his office at U of M.

On October 11, 2013, Bill. McKeachie served our school and community yet one more time as the Grand Marshall of our Homecoming parade.

Bill and his wife Ginny have two daughters, Linda and Karen.

Mr. McKeachie, we appreciate your Distinguished Service to both the school and our country. We are proud to induct you into the Broncho Hall of Fame.