MILLARD K. IVES
AMERICUS-SUMTER OBSERVER

AMERICUS - More than 100 people enjoyed AS Staley High School class reunion the first three-day weekend of September. There was a banquet, recognitions, a church service and a video presentation. "It was well planned and well participated," said Curtis Mansfield, who graduated in 1957, the last class before it was converted to a junior high school. "We were a part of history," Mansfield said proudly. Mansfield especially enjoyed the second night of the activities, sitting down for an evening meal and seeing the honorees. Mansfield, who traveled from Maryland for the banquet, said he hadn't seen some people in 53 years.  "Everyone looked good, they were so dressed up," he said. Alumni came as far away as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida and New Jersey as well as across Georgia. Eddie Rhea Walker, class of 1955 and who has stepped down as Americus City Councilwoman, was the guest speaker.

This year's banquet honored the class of the 1940s, a class credited with starting the reunion. And, seeing old classmates was the biggest highlight for many people, including Willie Paschal who graduated in 1944. "I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time," he said. "It was very enjoyable." Margaret Smith Mathis, the salutatorian of her 1955 class, said it was important to hold the reunion because year-by-year many people are getting too sick to travel. Also in attendance was Addie Owens, who called the weekend phenomenal. "It's always exciting about seeing old classmates," Owens said. The school building was on North Lee Street before it burned down in 1972. Mathis said it was a trying time for students of the school. "Of course, people were really, really angry," said Mathis, who wondered if the reluctance to integration played a role in the blaze. Mathis added the church service at Big Bethel Baptist Church on N. Jackson Street was another highlight of the weekend.