Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

McRae Reunion Daws Large Crowd To 4-Day Event

It was party time in Prescott when the Fifth Annual McRae Reunion hit town.

Opening ceremonies were held in the McRae Middle School cafetorium, with the crown wildly cheering when each individual graduating class was announced.

The stage was draped in purple and gold, school colors for the Tigers, with the McRae Choir getting things started with the class song.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor welcomed the group, telling of his graduation from high school and being amazed at the sacrifices some of the alumnus made to come to the reunion.

Hope Mayor Dennis Ramsey also paid tribute to those present, saying people never forget their alma mater.

Hope and Prescott, he said, compete economically, but also cooperate with one another economically because what's good for one of the cities is good for the other.

When it comes to football, Ramsey said, the competition gets serious.

Hyacinth Deon followed, introducing the Prescott School Board members, praising them for renaming the school McRae Middle School even though there was no pressure on them to do it.

For the sixth reunion, she said, there will be a completely refurbished gym to celebrate in.

Johnny Hamilton was next up, giving the history of Gov. Thomas McRae, who donated two plots of land for the school at different times

McRae, Hamliton said, was a champion of the underprivileged who believed everyone should have a free public education.

Hamilton then introduced a direct descendent of McRae's, Prescott attorney Duncan McRae Culpepper.

Culpepper said he was pleased to be at the reunion as a descendent of McRae's, saying his late relative didn't get a formal education until he was 17, then went in debt for it.

McRae, he said, was a U.S. Congressman for 18 years and spent four years at Arkansas Governor.

The first plot of land he donated was given in 1882 so the black children of the county would have somewhere to go to school.

Culpepper said McRae believed all children had the right to a free education and lived by this belief. The site of the current McRae Middle School is actually the second land gift from McRae to the school district.

As governor, Culpepper said, McRae managed to pass a tax on cigars and cigarettes to help fund education and it took him three special sessions of the legislature to do it.

The fun began with the roll call of classes. Representatives present from each graduating class from 1944 on were called, with the Class of 1963 having the most people present.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, greeted the audience, saying the Chamber was happy to have them in Prescott.

The Chamber, she said, does projects to benefit all of the people in Prescott and Nevada County.

She praised the reunion committees for the work they put in to make this celebration a success.

Godwin issued a challenge to the McRae alums, asking them to let her know what changes and improvements need to be made around the city.

A fireworks display had been planned as part of the closing festivities, she said, but the money wasn't there to pay for it.

Lula Howard didn't need a microphone when she took center stage. She gave the school motto and told of being on the committee to get the school's name restored.

As the opening ceremonies drew to a close the past teachers were recognized, with a moment of silence held to honor those who had passed away.