Sixty years ago, on Sunday afternoon, May 28, 1961 and Thursday evening, June 1, 1961 the Howard Academy High School graduating class held the twenty-third Baccalaureate Services and Commencement Exercise, respectively, in the Howard Academy Cafetorium.
The candidates for diplomas included seventy-one senior graduates and five adult program students.
Within the sixty years, members have conducted three class reunions. The first, their tenth in 1971, the second, their twentieth in 1981 and the third, their Golden celebration held in 2011.
In 2008, steering committee grassroot class members started the vision for their 50th reunion. With much searching and researching of contacting family and friends, the locals began holding regular planning meetings and sending out newsletters. By 2010 the vision had become a reality having contacted many excited classmates.
The members regarded this stellar event and they wanted it to be special, so, surpassing the typical reunions, this reunion welcomed any classmate who traveled educationally – from elementary, middle and into high school, but did not graduate from Howard- were deemed classmates. They imagined their camaraderie of days past and would make this 50th reunion delightful, as they – “Strolled Down Memory Lane,” reminiscing about the childhood and “Good Ole Days,” at Howard Academy and the pride of being a Bumble Bee. That superb reunion was help on June 17 - 19, 2011.
It has been ten years since that 2011 reunion and we have been saddened by the loss of nine members, who helped plan the reunion and who were attendees. To this date, we have sorrowfully lost forty-four members. Though they are gone, they will never be forgotten. As the grassroot secretary, publica relation chairperson and reporter, I would like to wish my fellow classmates a Blessed and Happy Sixtieth Class Reunion – Mindfully.
Mary McQuay Madison
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