| Reunion a big hit Alums gather to paint, reminisce By MICHELLE PIPPIN, Daily News staff writer |
Reprinted with permission from the Neosho Daily News |
| Reunion Hill became all the more colorful Saturday
afternoon as Neosho High School Alumni painted their names and
graduating years. Among them were Jodene Eaglebarger-Stafford, class of '72, and Don Ely, class of '73. The two sat atop the hill, looking through photo albums and reminiscing about their days together at Neosho High School. "We were sweethearts. I beat out all these other guys," said Don, pointing at class photos in the albums. "I was engaged three times before I finally got married, but Don was the last one before I finally took the plunge," admitted Jodene. The couple sat beside their artwork, with many friends from long ago edging them to recall things like prom night and mischievous acts they had all once performed. Jodene traveled from Florence, Ala., and Don from Memphis, Tenn., for the All-School Reunion. Mary Dean Thogmartin-Williams and Patsy Smith DeVoe, both class of '60, painted and shared stories of their first attempt to paint the hill, all those years ago. "We did this in the middle the night the last time," said Patsy. "We had to run and hide when the cops came," added Mary. Mary and Patsy shared their painted space with Mary's daughter, Sheri Speak, class of '82. They talked about the wild crowd that gathered for the class of '62's reunion in 2000, and warned they'd be back in 2005 to paint the hill again, though they speculated they'd add sneaky energy back into the next time by doing it in the middle of the night, under the cloak of darkness. Evelyn Miller-Avery and Viola Millender, both class of '66, expressed their artistic aptitude with an American flag and Wildcat face in their space on Reunion Hill. The pair said they were friends in school because the students were seated in alphabetical order and therefore, could hardly escape one another. Nevertheless, Evelyn and Viola both relocated to Kansas City and are close friends still today. |
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In deed, the once black-top colored Sherman Road, is now a
myriad of colors, a rainbow that stretches far behind Neosho High
School, as classmates of long ago came together Saturday afternoon
to leave their once forgotten legacies of mischief and rebellion
behind just one more time. |
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 CLASS OF 1929 Mr. Emery Prater, co-author of The Black and The Gold, led NHS alumni in singing the school song at the all-school reunion. Mr. Prater was accompanied by Ms. Vi Conrad, class of 1926, on the piano. Mr. Prater told the group of 500 alumni that he and his friends decided Neosho High School needed a school song. One afternoon, when the weather was too nice to stay in class, the young men set out to accomplish their goal. Their teachers just thought they were skipping classes! Here's to the black and the gold; The colors we hold so dear; The loyal sons of Neosho High Salute them from year to year. So, here's to the black and the gold; From dawn to the dark of night. May the flag of dear old Neosho waive The black and the gold so bright. |
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