The Patrick Central High School Hornets buzzed into Mount Airy, N.C., on June 3 for a reunion. An estimated 140 classmates and guests flocked to the locale also known as Mayberry, arriving from Washington, Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Maryland and various areas of Virginia, including Richmond.
Patrick Central School in Stuart, Virginia opened in 1952 and closed in 1966 when Patrick County allowed the public schools to be integrated. Since the closing of the school in 1966, alumni classmates and all who attended Patrick Central have held school reunions over the years and in various locations: The 50th Patrick Central Reunion was held at L. H Jones Auditorium in Mount Airy, July 30, 2016.
The last Patrick Central School Reunion before COVID-19 was held June 29th, 2019, in Spencer, VA.
The 2023 Patrick Central School Reunion was held in Mount Airy, N.C., at the White Sulphur Springs Weddings and Venue and coordinated by Mary Frances Sawyers Davis.
Schoolmates and their guests who attended agreed that it was time to get back together, to renew friendships, to become reacquainted, and to share memories! The event provided good times, good food, good fellowship, and numerous expressions of gratitude. Sandra Hylton posted “The event was exceptionally good. Awesome venue, perfect organization and good-looking people. Thank you, committee, for putting this together once again.”
Among the activities was a brief video presentation and testimonial by Mary Martin Moss, the Deputy Mayor of Lakewood, Washington. Mary Martin Moss was appointed Deputy Mayor of Lakewood in 2010. She is also the founder of the Lakewood Multicultural Coalition, which she runs. Deputy Mayor Moss graduated from Patrick Central in 1958.
Another activity extended congratulations to John Henry Hill and Arylne Carter Griffin, who were winners of the 2023 Patrick Central King and Queen contest.
During a memorial segment of the event, Gloria Barbour and Lloyd Penn read aloud the names of 54 classmates, three teachers, the last administrator, and the school dietician, all who were deceased between the time of the last reunion, June 29, 2019, and June 2, 2023.
Of all the reunions held, the 2023 reunion was the first without the presence of at least one of our teachers.
Attendees from the various classes are pictured below:
Although I graduated from Blue Ridge High School in 1966, I was part of the class that graduated from Patrick Central for the year 1966. The reunion this year was quite fantastic. It was great seeing classmates that I started first grade with. The Venue was wonderful, the food scrumptious and the atmosphere delightful! Thank you Mary Francis for hosting and organizing this event.