Class of 1949 celebrates 75th high school reunion
“Can you believe so many years have gone by so fast?” The Surrency High School class of 1949 celebrated their 75th high school reunion on Saturday, October 26, at Captain Joe’s Seafood in Baxley.
Surrency High School was established in the 1920s and closed its doors in 1963. Seven class members are still alive, and four were present at the reunion. The event was organized by Grace Sheffield Craven. When asked if she was the class secretary, Grace says, “No, but I’ve been secretary ever since.” Delbert Lamb was present with his wife, Mary Jeanine Lamb, who graduated from Bacon County Class of 1954. Naomi Blanton and Tom Morris were also in attendance.
The group tries to meet every year, usually at Captain Joe’s. Naomi says, “You can always depend on it.” The previous year’s celebration was held at Sarah’s in the City, although Naomi missed the memo and showed up to Captain Joe’s anyway.
The lunch of salad, soup, and seafood was followed by a dessert baked by Grace Craven: a 14-layer cake made with 16 ounces of chocolate. Grace is fond of baking and cleans as she goes.
What historical information today’s students learned from history books was obtained live through radio and news broadcasts.
Internationally, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established, and the Cold War was underway with Joseph Stalin commanding the USSR.
In U.S. history, the first 12 women received medical degrees from Harvard Medical School. Mathematician Kurt Gödel presented a solution to Einstein’s field equations, known as the “Gödel universe,” which explored unique properties of spacetime within the framework of general relativity.
The RCA color TV was becoming popular, and the film adaptation of Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men” won an Academy Award. The Emmy Awards began the same year.
Under President Harry S. Truman, the minimum wage rose from 40 cents to 75 cents per hour.
A gallon of gas costed 17 cents, and you could buy a house with less than eight grand.
At Surrency High, Halloween Carnivals were hosted annually, where kings and queens were crowned like at Homecoming. The fall carnival of 1948 included a cakewalk and a one-act play. Proceeds were used for school improvements and supplies.
Voice students made their first appearance at the Eighth District Music Festival in Douglas. Seniors Doyle Devereaux and Roland Norris received the highest possible rating.
The choral group, under the direction of Mrs. Aaron Collins, presented a program over Station WDMG.
The senior class presented a play, “Bachelor Bride,” the story of a New England school teacher who travels west for adventure and romance and ultimately marries the wealthiest bachelor in town. The cast included Opal Tyre, Bonnie McCall, Joyce Mills, Elwanda Tyre, Naomi Blanton, Betty Eason, and Jackie Dukes.
“We didn’t study much, but we played hard,” said class president Tom Morris.
