CHS Class of ’47 Celebrates 64th Reunion

By Olive Campbell, Central High Class of 1947

CENTRAL — We were born during the “Great Depression,” were teenagers during “the Great War” World War II, and are part of the “Greatest Generation.”  Times were difficult during the 1940’s.  We sent our young men off to war and lost a lot of them.

Women went to work in factories to support the war effort.  Everything was rationed, gasoline, food, clothing, and shoes.  None of us had much money.  This is how the Class of 1947 grew up.

There were 40 in our class.  Twenty-two are still left, 17 attended our 64th reunion, held at Sammy’s Grill on Friday, April 8, with spouses and other family members.  We have gone our separate ways, living across the country and even around the world.  Most of us stayed in the Central/Baton Rouge area, working and raising our families here.

This class includes veterans who fought in three wars World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.  Three had careers in the Air Force.  E.G. Rogillio and Wallace Edwards joined the Navy and came back to graduate in 1947.  We had bankers, plant and construction workers, and workers in daycare, retail, and law enforcement.  One became a rancher and rodeo producer.  Two are still working, Cheley Carpenter on his ranch in Mississippi and Harold Sicard in the construction business.

Our class also produced one of the best basketball teams ever to take the court at Central High.  Several of them were present at the reunion.  There was no football at Central High until 1947-48.

We came together to reminisce about our families, our lives, jobs, and teachers.  We told stories about our principal, Mr. J.A. Smith.  Mr. Smith patrolled the halls.  He knew what you did in school and outside of school.  Sometimes he knew what you did before you did it!

We remembered air raid drills during World War II when the bell would ring and off we would go to hide in the woods until the all clear bell sounded.  Looking back at this — the Germans and Japanese were so busy on other fronts they probably didn’t give a hoot about bombing Central High.

Our class prophesy and will was read.  Gave all of us a good laugh!  Chrystell Lawson Lewis and husband Richard came from Hendersonville, N.C. and Cheley Carpenter came from Magnolia, Miss.  Clyde and Ethel Marie Buhler Gremillion had the largest family, six daughters, 15 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild.  The rest of us did not do that well!

We even read “The Central Wildcat” from 1945.  A picture of Mr. Sandifer’s home room class was displayed on the big screen.  It was hard to believe we were ever that young.  Stanley Browning and Joyce Messer Martin proudly had their class rings on a chain around their necks.  My ring is proudly displayed on the right hand of my granddaughter, Emily Saleh.

We went our separate ways and had our share of joys and sorrows in our lives.  For a little while on April 8, we were all seniors at our old school on the corner of Sullivan and Hooper roads.

We know that we are all better, stronger people for having passed this way.  We left our mark on Central and Central left its mark on us.  We would like to be remembered as part of the “Greatest Generation,” we are proud of that!

Class roll: Maurice Bailey, Ednah Ines Bennet, Evelyn Louise Bennett, Carvin Harold Brown, Stanley Wilson Browning, William Dally Browning, Dorothy Lorraine Buhler, Margaret Alice Cain, Bobbye Carpenter, Cheley Frank Carpenter, James Elder Carpenter, Ruth Chandler, Ethel Davis, Arthur Wallace Edwards, Betty Anne Efferson, Carroll Floyd Forbes, Harold Boyd Forbes, Alma Fugler, Fay Yvonne Gore, James Clyde Gremillion, Nita Evelyn Hodgeson, Joseph Deryl Johnson, James Edward Jones, Audrey Crystell Lawson, Edmund E. LeSage, Janice Messer, Joyce Messer, Thomas Herbert Montgomery, John Mark Morgan, Olive Elese Mullins, Mildred Edith Neyland, Warren Penny, Eugene Gordon Rogillio, Kathryn Sue Shaffer, Harold Lloyd Sicard, Harold Benton Sides, Inez Camille Stockwell, Dorothy Juanita White, and Irene Louise Williams.