Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Spiritual side not forgotten at McRae Reunion

It's almost time for the McRae School Reunion.

The reunion is scheduled for July 3-6, with plenty of events on tap, including a worship service Sunday, July 6.

The service will be held at the Prescott High School auditorium, with Rev. C.D. Stuart delivering the message.

Stuart, the pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur, Illinois, has written about his experiences throughout his life and brings them to the pulpit.

He is the product of Munn's Chapel Baptist Church in Prescott, where he was first introduced to religion.

Stuart has been the pastor at New Life, Hermitage, Calvary, Ivan, Macedonia, Sparkman and First Baptist churches across southwest Arkansas.

The services will begin at 11 a.m. with a song by the McRae Reunion Choir. This will be followed by a prayer by Rev. Willie Flowers and scripture by Rev. Robert McCoy.

From there Dorothy Black will provide the welcome, with the Evening Stars Gospel Singers following.

Bertram Garmon will do the memorial, with Rev. Stuart introduced by Freddie Mae Hamilton. Before Rev. Stuart speaks, Margie Dansby will perform a solo.

The remainder of the service includes a call to discipleship, the offering, introduction of the reunion committee, announcements, the McRae Alma Mater and benediction.

Olen Johnson Jr. will be the master of ceremonies for the service.

Other events during the reunion include the Marching Cobra Band from Kansas City, Mo.

The Cobras are led by Willie Smith, who is an ISS teacher in the Kansas City School District. Smith graduated from McRae High School in 1963 and founded the Cobras in 1969.

The band is a nationally and internationally known performing unit known for dynamic and colorful routines.

It was created in 69 when Smith was hired by the KCMO Board of Education as a seventh and eighth grade social studies teacher at Lincoln Jr. High.

In the early years, the group was simply known as the Lincoln Jr. High Boys Drill Team. The school's librarian, Leacy Hollingsworth, jokingly said the group should be called the Cobras while watching them perform one day, because they were "swift as a snake."

The name stuck and the Cobras were officially born.

It has been said, Smith said, instead of it being simply a "drill team" the Cobras are also dancers because of the routines performed.

While volunteers have come and gone with the Cobras, Smith has been a constant since day one throughout its 34-year existence.

For 17 years, the Cobras were sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kansas City, with the help of a grant from the United Way. The "merger" of the Cobras and Boys and Girls Clubs have been a benefit to all involved.

However, on March 27, 2003, Smith decided the Cobras should "spread their wings" and stand on their own.

Other events scheduled for the reunion include registration and a hospitality hour at the MMS gym at 6 p.m. July 3.

On Independence Day, the opening session will start at 10 a.m., with the reunion picnic scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at MMS.

A basketball shoot-around is on tap at 2:30, while there will be individual classes meeting at 5 o'clock. The reunion dance will be at 9 p.m. at MMS.

On Saturday, July 5, the parade will fill streets of downtown Prescott at 10 a.m., with those in the reunion scheduled to tour the Prescott High School Sports Complex and Depot Museum at noon.

The reunion banquet and talent show will be held at 8 p.m. in the MMS cafetorium.

The reunion will conclude with morning worship services Sunday, July 6, at 11 a.m. This will be in the PHS auditorium.