The lunchroom had a fresh coat of paint and was air conditioned. But the steps to the auditorium were much the same for the Wetumpka High School Class of 1975 as it returned to the old Wetumpka High School for its 50th reunion.
PHOTOS: Wetumpka High School Class of 1975 reunion
“Our last reunion was in the cafeteria at the new school,” Class of 1975 vice president Ronnie Windham said. “It’s great to see they have been able to hang onto the old building.”
The former students remembered principal Fordyce Tatum, art teacher Bobby Carr and guidance counselor Sally Stephens. They remembered Stokley Bazemore who coached football, basketball and baseball.
In 1975 the class was nearly 200 strong. A few have died since but nearly 60 graduates gathered for their 50th reunion. Some now live in Colorado, Texas, West Virginia and Kentucky. They also remembered their time as students at Wetumpka High School.
Current Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin was the quarterback of the football team. Kenny Marshall was the flashy receiver. He could run a 9.8 second 100 yard dash.
“Bill would just put the ball up and I would run under it,” Marshall said. “He called my number quite a bit in the day. I was like Prime Time.”
Marshall played baseball. He was playing up until a couple of years ago.
“I played catcher,” Marshall said.
Franklin and Marshall were also on the basketball team together. They recalled the finals of a regional tournament against Childersburg.
“We were up by about five with about a minute and half to go,” Franklin recalled.
To help settle their nerves a little, a timeout was called.
“But we didn’t have a timeout left,” Marshall said. “It was a technical foul and we lost by one.”
They finished the season 27-1. Franklin and Marshall’s memory was fuzzy about who called the timeout.
“We had some great times on and off the court,” Franklin said. “It’s great to share this time with my friends.”
One of Franklin’s classmates, Sandra Roper Holley, is now retired. She shared stories of keeping her great-granddaughter.
“She likes to push back from time to time,” Holley said. “She says she will get me in jail. I just tell her, ‘I’m not going to the Bill Franklin Motel. I’ve known him forever.’”
The meal in the old lunchroom was catered Friday night. But the class remembered the meals they had.
“We had really good food,” Connie Roy Glenn said. “We had really good rolls.”
Glenn remembered the extra steps Spanish teacher Sally Bishop took to make sure everyone was welcomed and had a good learning experience.
“Her house was just down the street from the school,” Glenn said. “She would cook Hispanic meals for us. The teachers were more like friends,” Glenn said. “I wish more of them were still around. I wish more of our classmates were still around as well.”
