By Dr. Regina Graham

Special to the Enterprise

The students of Davie County Training School/Central Davie High School held their 27th annual school reunion on June 20 at 7 p.m. at Village Inn Event Center in Clemmons.

The hosts, and featured class, were the students of the Class of 1965.

The banquet was opened by the master of ceremony, Stephen Anderson, followed with an invocation by Odell Rhynehardt and a welcome by Sandra Wilson Holman.

The members of the graduating Class of 1965 were introduced by Elton Foote and they include: Steve Anderson, Walter Bell (deceased), William Britton, Jane Brown (deceased), Wayne Brown, Harvey Campbell, Franklin Chunn (deceased), Clarence Clark, Anita Clement, William Clement (deceased), William Crews, Newman Dalton, Ovella Dulin, John Ellis (deceased), Terry Wayne Evans (deceased), Callie Fisher, Calvin Fisher, Elton Foote, Exie Fowler, Mary Gaither (deceased), Willie Holman (deceased), Ann Farrington Howie (deceased), Faye Ijames (deceased), Pearline Gregory Latiker, Eugene March (deceased), Patrishal Parks Moore, Connie Chunn Nichols, Ernestine Peebles, Odell Rhynehardt, Willie Scott, Perry Studevent, Frankie Tatum, Donald Wharton (deceased), and Andrew Woodruff (deceased).

Students who started school in this group, and completed their education elsewhere included Robert “Bobby” Gaither (deceased), Pearline Hall (deceased), Robert Ijames (deceased), Alvin Mayfield (deceased), Glenn Rose (deceased), and William Studevent (deceased).

Perry Studevent read a tribute to former teachers and Odell Rhynehardt provided the grace for dinner.

After the buffet meal, the program continued with a presentation of scholarships. Years ago, the reunion organization began giving a scholarship to a high school graduate who is a direct descendant of a DCCS/Central Davie graduate. As the scholarship fund grew, the account was moved to the Davie Community Foundation.

Clyde Scott, chair of the scholarship committee, presented scholarships to Joel Ryan Robinson, grandson of Dorothy Graham (Class of 1953), Jahkarius Hargrove, grandson of Ernest Hargrove (class of 1959), and McKayla Bohannon, granddaughter of John Bohannon.

The Class of 1965 presented a donation of $600 to the scholarship fund, and the Class of 1960 presented a donation of $625 to the scholarship fund.

With candles glowing, Rachel Carson named the 26 students who have died since the reunion last year, and Ernestine Holman named the deceased members of the host class. This was followed by the annual singing of the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Magalene Gaither, a retired teacher of DCTS/Central Davie, had compiled a detailed history of the school, and copies were distributed. Her information dates back to 1877 when the Davie Education Union met to discuss providing a school for Negro children in Davie County and continues to the current status of schools in the county.

During 1939-1962, the school was named Davie County Training School.  The name became Central Davie High School in 1962 through 1967.  The school closed when Davie County schools integrated and all students began attending the current Davie High School in 1968.

The school was located at 160 Campbell Road in Mocksville, which is now the location of Central Davie Academy.

Clyde Scott presented copies of a proposal recently submitted at the June 2015 meeting of the Davie County Board of Education for renovation of an existing flagpole, and construction of a new flagpole, along with a request for an informational sign with a brief history of the school.

Surviving members of the Class of 1943, Conard Smoot, Delaine Tabor Fleming and Frances Cain Ferrell received special recognition. Since none of the three were able to attend, relatives accepted their plaques. Conard Smoot’s plaque was given to Alice Brown, Delaine T. Fleming’s plaque was given to Azilee Stockton, and Faye Cain Carter received the plaque for Frances Cain Ferrell.

This recognition began at the 2008 reunion when the Class of 1958 honored the surviving students from the Class of 1938.  Recognizing older students has continued in succession and next year the surviving students in the Class of 1944 will receive special recognition.

William Crews announced the oldest person attending the banquet, who was Everlena Garrett (Class of 1941). The banquet concluded with door prizes and singing the school alma mater, written by one of the school’s former teachers, Mrs. C.L. Massey and it reads:

As off springs of our dear Old Gold and Blue

Our Loyalty, we ever pledge to you.

As long as you defend the right and true,

Maintaining morals for aspiring youth.

Dear DCT, the school of all our pride

Thy fame has spread both far and wide,

We’ll cherish and we’ll praise and honor you,

Our school so dear,

Our Alma Mater Gold and Blue.

A fun tradition after the banquet is a time of dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. The reunion committee meets quarterly at Graham Funeral Home and the meetings are open to all students of DCTS/Central Davie.

Current officers include:  Azilee Stockton, chair; Louise Owens, recording secretary; Liz Thompson, corresponding secretary; and Dorothy Graham, treasurer.

The 28th annual reunion banquet is scheduled to be held next year at the same location and time on Saturday, June 18. The host for the banquet will be students from the Class of 1966. To be added to the mailing list, contact Liz Thompson at 492-6091.