George Clem's Class of 1964: 50 Years of Memories

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Who could have ever imagined what would have happened in the 50 years since high school graduation?

Members of the George Clem High School graduating class of 1964, were trying to answer that question as they gathered to celebrate a half-century of being "grown."

The George Clem Class of '64, gathered for their 50-year reunion at the Ryan's Restaurant in Greeneville, Tennessee during the school's big Reunion gathering on Saturday, August 2, 2014.

"There's been so much since 1964," says Treva Posey-Edmonds, George Clem Class of '64. "It's been a half-century that we have lived to see computers, cell phones, and TV's with clear pictures. None of that existed when we were in school. Our children think otherwise.. they were born with computers in their hands. We remember black-and-white television sets with pictures so blurry that you had to hold onto the rabbit ears just to see 'em, but we watched anyway, because.. it was television. Kids nowadays think 'well, when was there not television.. how do you use a telephone with a dial? What's an operator? They make fun of everything, but we adults know where we came from."

"We also know what it took to get us here."

Mrs. Posey-Edmonds says, it's a blessing to see classmates come together and celebrate their accomplishments over the past half-century.

"We've lost four classmates from our group since we graduated," she remembers. "The first one we lost in the Vietnam War.. he did not come back home to Greeneville from the war. The second one, we lost several years after that. The third classmate passed away 5 years ago, and the fourth left us 3 years ago. Reconnecting and staying in touch with each other is important over the years, because we all grew up as a school family."

"We were also very good friends."

TREVA POSEY-EDMONDS ON WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN LEARN FROM THE CLASS OF '64 50TH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION



 

A special treat for the Class of '64, was reconnecting with one of their teachers. Mrs. Fannye Jones, wife of the former Clem football and basketball coach was welcomed with open arms. She is one of only two George Clem teachers still alive. Her former students were overjoyed to still be able to share school memories with her.

The members of George Clem's Class of '64 agree on one thing.

Nobody makes schools like George Clem anymore.

"When the school ended the next year, '65," says Mrs. Posey-Edmonds, "that was the end of any school as we all knew it. George Clem was not just a community school, it was a neighborhood gathering place. Black people had meetings there, plays, activities, reunions and other community events there. When the school closed, there was no place to hold those events. That's why we're all hoping that the school building can be opened up for neighborhood activities once again. It would mean so much to the community."

And one thing that keeps this 50th class reunion exciting, was the George Clem school spirit.

"The school may have ended, but the school spirit did not," she says. "It was not the end of our feelings for the school. We had very little, but we did have school spirit. I was just looking at the picture of our little spirit band marching through the streets, leading our fans to the football games. We didn't have instrument one, but we did have some drums that somebody gave us. There weren't any horns, just the drums. We played flute-a-phones, and we marched from George Clem through downtown to get to Burley Stadium (where Greeneville High School still plays its football games)."

"You couldn't give me a million dollars for that picture, simply because that's who we were. We were George Clem High School and we were so proud of that."

THE GEORGE CLEM CLASS OF 1964

School spirit. 50 years of it, with the George Clem Class of '64. And many years previous to that.

"We are so grateful that those of us who could be here, are here to help celebrate our 50th anniversary," says Mrs. Posey-Edmonds. "50 years is a big deal."

"It is a spirit that will never die."

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George Clem Class of '64 Reunion - Video Maker