On Saturday, July 8, 2023, there will be a convening of Gordon High School alumni at Brandi’s Banquet Hall here in Dillon. This event has a special interest and significance to me because I was a member of the last graduating class and also, the last president of the student body. The mere mention and knowledge that there will be people gathering to celebrate and reminisce on the time and experiences they shared while at Gordon High School is truly a remarkable thing. This time of reflection will enable many to journey back in time to the “glory days” of the mighty Trojans.
At this point, I want you to join me as I traverse through time to my alma mater, located on Perry Drive in Newtown, an underdeveloped community in Dillon County where I was raised. There we will find Gordon High School. Through the main entrance, we will find the administrative part of the school where the principal and his secretary are located. Peeping through the glass window of the door, we will most likely see the secretary. Behind her desk, we will see either Mr. H. L. Perry or Mr. H. E. McBride (depending on the time span) sitting in the principal’s office.
I wish I had time and space to take you on a guided tour of the school, but regrettably, I do not. Nevertheless, we cannot talk about the “glory days” of Gordon High without briefly mentioning some of its most outstanding faculty members as well as students who excelled in both academics and athletics. As stated, since I do not have the time or space, the list will not be extensive and all inclusive. I will only name the greatest of the greatest in this piece today and hopefully at a later time mention others. Since I have already mentioned the principals, I will at this time give you the names of the faculty members who helped to make Gordon High an outstanding high school. I will begin with: Mrs. Ruby Carter, the guidance counselor; Mrs. Florea Cagle, who taught both English Literature and French; and Mrs. Lucille Cheeks Belin, arguably our greatest English and Literature teacher (barring none). Then we must not fail to mention Mrs. Rosanna Dukes King, who taught biology and was the trendsetter when it came to social etiquette. In what we called the Ag Shop was one of the journeymen named Mr. Benjamin McTeer. Then there was our most enduring and effective teacher of mathematics, Mr. Charles McClellan. As I bring this mentioning of faculty to an end, I will conclude with the man who made the greatest impact on the student body and community as a whole – more than anyone else – Mr. Paul J. Glen. Mr. Glen taught history and the head coach of all three male team sports, and was the athletic director and booster club president all at the same time. We will never see his likes again!
Now I am going to shift your attention to some of the most outstanding students who excelled in academics, athletics, and other extracurricular activities. In the area of academics, some of the “creams of the crop” were Magnolia Thompson Williams, Jimmy Jones, Kenneth R. Manning, David Manning, Larry McRae, John Roberts, Queen E. McRae, and Cornell Cooper, just to name a few. Since Gordon High School was renowned for producing great champions in sports, here are a few of the athletes who put us on the map: Junior Smiley (baseball), Butch Manning (football), William Toby Page (basketball and football), Victor Blue (basketball), Woody Pernell (all three team sports), Russell “Big Bo” McClellan (football), Aaron “The Rabbit” Davis (baseball and football), Johnny Hamer (all three team sports), Leonard “Jap” McNeil (all three team sports), and the big three who were a part of the Class of 1967 who led Gordon High to two State Championships (respectively in basketball and football). Each of these athletes started and starred in all three sports: Luther “Tick” Bethea, Cleveland “Jungle Baby” Bethea, and Marvin Goings. The outstanding female athletes who starred in basketball during the history of Gordon High School were: Lou Bertha McLeod, Patricia McLeod, Anna “Punch” McNair, Clee Esther Williamson, and Doris Grice Jones. With the implementation of total integration in 1970, we were disinherited and deprived of our traditions and heritage like the May Day celebrations, Homecoming parades, and much more that defined and described our ethnic distinctions and uniqueness.
In conclusion, I want to cite and commend Mrs. Hattie McInnis Barnes and Mrs. Alma Lucy Van-Buren (deceased) who initiated and organized the group who has been responsible for the Gordon High School reunions and events. Others like Mrs. Roy May Richardson Bowens, Mr. Fitzgerald Lytch, Mrs. Jane Carter Crawford, and quite a few more have helped to keep things going. I hope and pray that other Gordon alumni will join in the efforts to keep the history and legacy alive and well.
