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Dear Old Wesson School Days
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| By: THERESE APEL, DAILY LEADER Staff Writer |
August 10, 2009 |
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Photo By THERESE APEL
Mildred (from left) and Dan Twiner and Louellen Reeves Smith, Sonya Cowen, and Pauline Walker Jackson look through old newspaper clippings and scrapbooks about the Old Wesson School at a reunion held Saturday at Wesson Baptist Church. The school, which graduated its last senior class in 1947, closed in 1960.
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The old Wesson School sits empty, awaiting the possibility of a future as St. Ambrose boys' leadership school, but the people who attended until it closed in 1960 still gather yearly to remember its past.
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"I still have extra special memories about this crazy town and everyone that went to school here," Wesson alderman Bobby Britt told almost 40 former students who gathered at Wesson Baptist Church Saturday.
And Britt was not the only one.
The people who gathered to remember the old school were all ages. The last graduating high school class was in 1947, and the last classes to attend the school when it closed in 1960 were up to the eighth grade.
"I loved the old Wesson School," said Sonya White Cowen, the daughter of former principal N.D. White. "As a little girl, I'd go around with Daddy and turn out all the lights after the events. Everyone that went there has wonderful memories."
The event brought people from as far as St. Petersburg, Fla., where Marvin "Little Cap" Wallace lives as a retired engineer.
There were also the ones who didn't have much of a drive at all. Edward Graham, who graduated with the class of 1936, said he was born in the home right next door to the one he lives in now in Wesson.
The group told stories of classmates who had passed on and who could not attend the reunion, recalling students and teachers of the old school and reminiscing about days gone by.
"I remember Coach Troy Funchess produced winners," said George Boutwell. "In '41 we beat everyone but Crystal Springs, and there was some 'home cooking' there, so we didn't count that as a loss."
Joy Davis Patterson had memories of Coach Funchess as well.
"I just remember he always said, and I think he meant it about the football team, that "there's gold in them thar hills,'" she said.
The group was eager for updates on what might become of their old alma mater. Britt told them the plan that was authored around the turn of the century to make the school into a leadership academy for boys has been put on hold for the time being.
"We had the report on it at city hall the other night, and we do have the financing to renovate the inside," he said. "But something has come up and they want us to hold up on it right now."
Britt also encouraged the reunion attendees to remember to support Wesson, especially financially, in everything they do.
"All of us that love Wesson so much, we need to consider investing in Wesson," he said, adding that times are tough financially for everyone, and that small towns are hit hard when the economy slumps.
"My vision for Wesson is to have Beech Street that runs from the campus to town lit with lampposts," he said. "I see downtown being a part of the college. It is up to us to envision what Wesson can be and make it happen."
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©The Daily Leader 2009
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