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26th▲mnual Reunion HeldBy IRMA DUNNINGTONnPerfect weather greeted the 26th annual reunion of the Rockdale Homecoming Association here Sunday and while the crowd was not large enough to ruffle the Sunday calm, the reunion was fairly well attended.Ran park was again the setting lot 1he annual event. There were few in the crowd who could be counted as “old timers” but many of the old families were represented by their younget genera* tions.The reunion provided tumily get-togethers for some, as well asgiving them an opportunity of meeting many former friends There were some who had madean effort to round up members of their graduating classes, but fewresponded.For a time the prospect! of abole YearAustriaI good crowd was not very | couraging but later there was a gradual increase of late arrivals and a crowd of around 200, counting children, was reached.Business SessionPreceding the lunch hour, MrsC M. Sessions, president, calledthlt; meeting to order and extended a wholesome welcome to all,expressing delight at having the former Rnckdalians return again to meet in reunion with friends and perhaps schoolmatesDuring the business session the regular routine was carried out and the nominating committee offered the names of those in office to be up for re-election. The election followed by a rising vote from the floor „ s \ »Following the meeting lunch was served cafeteria fashion, and the crowd was seated at longable' arranged m the pavilion. These large gatherings grew The menu was baked ham. po-j from a small group of former cit-salad. baked brown beans.tato _ „, _bread, ice-tea, and homemade cakes. The cakes were provided by the local women attending, this being a long established custom.Thirty Years AgoAfter the lunch there was a general mingling of friends. Among the crowd was a former Rockdale woman who left here thirty years ago She was Mrs. Thula Rankin nt Houston and this was her first visit to the home-coming. Mrs. Rankin stated thatshe was born in historic oldWashington county. 'Texas, andthat her first appearance in Rockdale was H}7H, when she was butone yeat of age and was broughtto this town by her parents, I Nathan and Mary Busby. It was I here she grew up. She proudly ;stated that in January she wouldreach her 85th birthday.The attendance Sunday was one of the smallest in history of the homecoming, a until recent j yeais the average gatherings ran around 300 The peak was reached jji 1941 with more than 500 attending, Next largest was 400 in11950 7 -'v- .i/cn who had longed to meet inreunion wdh old friends and drov#to Rockdale one Sunday in 1933, bringing picnic baskets, and stopped at fan- park. Later they eon-tai ted enough friends to form theassociation. HIVisitors ListedThere were visitors who ladedto register but the following out-of-town list is taken from the registering book;Mr. and Mis Ames Davis, AmesDa Mrs Maurine SanfordWai i. Mi S. H B * i • Jr . ofSan Antonio; Mr and Mrs. D. R.Clifton, Fremont; Mrs. Chas. L. Britton, Rob4 town; Miss DorothyT Ferguson, McGregor.From Houston were Becky Lanu Long, Janice R. Long, Mario Dobbs. Mrs. Rush Phillips, Mrs. Marie Gross Storey and sons; Parker and Mervin Talley, Mrs. C H Landis, Delores Rhode, Ijt)uis E Winterberg and son, Mrs.Sarah Montague Boone, Mrs. Clara Rankin Birch field, J. M. Rankin, Mrs. Thula Rankin, Mr. artd Mrs. Tom Brannon, Mr and M s. E A. Smith, Miss Karen Smith, Jackie Fletcher, Mr. and S«• * ■ HOMECOMING, page 4
Newspaper Details
Rockdale Reporter and Messenger
Rockdale, Texas, US
Thu, Jun 18, 1959
Page 1
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 07 Jul 2019
Other Publications Near Rockdale, Texas
Rockdale Reporter
Rockdale Reporter and Messenger
