The Douglass Alumni 2009 Scholarship Awards Banquet
(CFN-February 17, 2009) - The Scholarship Awards Banquet was held Saturday, February 14, 2009. How befitting for it to be held on St. Valentine’s Day (the love day). This was a beautiful occasion to share with faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and family.
As a graduate of Douglass High School in 1981, my classmates and I were thought to be the last class of Douglass High. I’m sure that the entire Douglass community along with our class felt that the school’s closing was unfair and unjust.
Words cannot describe the feeling I had as I entered the doors. Walking in with former teachers and students enhanced this excitement. Not only was it beautiful, I was surrounded by beautiful people. Entering the doors brought back such wonderful memories. Hearing “Byrd†again as I walked down the hallways was enough for me because I am and always will be “Byrdâ€.
The closing of any neighborhood school potentially kills the neighborhood, property values, and robs the community unjustly. Neighborhood school closings are usually based on attendance and not what the heart and soul of a community feels. No one seems to care about why attendance levels are low; it is purely a numbers game that leads to the closing. They never thought that maybe this busing idea at that time was not the right thing to do; and an alternative could have been to just let neighborhood children walk to school like we had always done.
It is a new day now and Douglass High School has been restored and brought back even stronger than ever because of community and alumni support.
Mr. Wesley, the principal at the time of the closing in 1981 was there. He is always supportive whenever he is available. Coach Mae C. Williams, Greer, Jones, and Coach Peacock all were in attendance as well. Coach Peacock was there looking the same and still telling those same old stale jokes. :-)
The seating arrangements had students from different graduating classes sitting with others. The arrangements and décor was very nice. The food was delicious and the occasion was overall touching. It was so good to see everyone and everyone looked and seemed to be doing well.
My hats off once again to everyone that worked so hard coordinating this event and those that worked so hard behind the scenes getting the word out.
Also I’m thankful for the awareness shared concerning all the work that the alumni has done throughout the years and the money given to so many students down through the years for scholarship support.
Thank you,
Robin Byrd-Thomas
Class of 1981
40 Years later...and Still No Pension
No clear answers on how to include sanitation workers into City's Pension
(CFN-Memphis TN 7-2008) - The most recent developments in the Memphis sanitation workers plight seems to be the unknown cost or procedure for including new or existing sanitation workers into the city of Memphis' pension plan and getting the city's administration to engage in these talks along with other pressing health and safety issues within the Public Works department.
read more...