By Evelyn Wall

SPECIAL TO

THE NEWS-HERALD

 

Sixteen students of the former Booker T. Washington High School’s graduating class of 1964 attended their 50th class reunion on the weekend of Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. The class had 32 graduates, but eight members are now deceased.

The schedule included a meet and greet at Magnolia Gardens on Friday, a cookout and dinner/dance on Saturday and morning worship at Metropolitan Baptist Church on Sunday.

The dinner/dance was held at the Second Floor, 136 S. Main St. Highlights included a walk down memory lane, singing of the school’s alma mater, a moment of silence for deceased members and superlatives. Ernest Goode Jr. won the prize for traveling the farthest to the event, from Mesquite, Texas, and Norman Wilson won for being the first person to pay for the event.

Doris Shambley Pilgrim traveled from Irvington, N.J., and said it was a pleasure for her to come home once again to be a part of the class after 50 years to see people, to enjoy good food and to have good fellowship.

“I wish for everyone to stay well and to enjoy many more years of good health and happiness,” she said.

Even during this golden year and at these ages, at least one classmate still has a promising career. Lynette Chambliss Hardt from Southfield, Mich. employed as a stewardess for United Airlines. She also relates her career and life with one of her favorite subjects in school, geography.

“I learned about many countries with this subject and am blessed that I have traveled to many places that I have studied. After this reunion I will be traveling to Beijing, China. That’s why I am not ready to retire,” she said.

Harry Byrd summed up what may have been the thoughts of many students. “We had very strong support systems in our educators, extended families and throughout the community. We are very proud of Suffolk and will continue to come back to future reunions,” he said.

According to Theodore Vincent Jr., chairman, he hopes that the next reunion can be held in 2016. He and Margaret Chambliss Edwards, vice chairman, were the main people organizing this memorable occasion.

“Trying to find addresses of classmates, mailing out letters and planning for this reunion was hard work, but seeing some students that I haven’t seen in many years was well worth the effort,” Edwards said.