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Former South Gwinnett graduates - Ginger Hearn Clower, Sherry Moon Williams, Pam Hollis Melton, and Donna Abrams Bowman.
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By Joan Sewell
For fifty years, South Gwinnett High School has occupied a prominent place in Snellville and in the lives of the students who attended there. How fitting it was to celebrate this anniversary. Recently, I had dinner with four former South Gwinnett graduates - Ginger Hearn Clower, Sherry Moon Williams, Pam Hollis Melton, and Donna Abrams Bowman. These ladies have been best friends for nearly forty years. They still live within the community and, despite busy lives, they make time to have dinner once a month and to celebrate birthdays. Three of them married men who graduated from SGHS and have children who later attended the school. In interview mode, I got these responses.
What were some of the memorable things that happened during your years (1968-1973) at South Gwinnett? They enjoyed decorating the gymnasium for the last Junior¬ Senior Prom to be held at the school in 1973. They remembered fondly Ralph Head who was principal. The Voter Registrar came to the school to register all those old enough to vote. This was a good activity worth repeating in our era.
What are some of the funny things you remember? Pam Melton remembered once when she blocked a fellow student's way in the crowded hall, he picked her up and sat her on top of the coke machine leaving her to her own devices to get down. Donna Bowman, urged by one ballplayer, called Coach Lawrence by his nick- name "Bubba". It resulted in her getting punished while the instigator got a laugh at her expense.
The advent of the mini-skirt brought out teacher's measuring tapes and yardsticks. Another fashion, girls wearing pants to school, came with a whole set of regulations. The pants must be part of a two-piece suit could only be worn when the temperature dropped below 32 degrees.
Who was the person that most inspired you? Here there was a unanimous answer. Mrs. Helen Powell, the math teacher, who was also the wife of Mr. Jimmy Powell, an assistant principal. "A gracious lady who taught you lots!." Sherry Williams said.
What significant benefits have you gained from being a student at SGHS? They gained such life skills as following directions, accepting responsibility, working as a team, and developing long lasting friendship. "We cared for each other," added Ginger Clower. "We developed a sense of community and a respect for other people's feeling. This was evident even in an era when racial integration was in its infancy."
There have been tremendous changes at the school in the last few years. They have torn down all the old school except the gymnasium. The school population is larger and much more diverse. They have added a drama department. The school is much larger to accommodate all these changes. New regulations and emphasis on security are apparent.
What would you change about the school and curriculum in the future? We fear the school, with so many diverse students, might lose its sense of community. We would like to see home economics, shop, and driver's education brought back to the school since these are activities all students can use. There needs to be more emphasis on being respectful, not only of teachers but of fellow students also. There is a need for lessons in the art of conversation and civil, thoughtful discussion, table manners and penmanship. All this text messaging may necessitate teaching how to write by hand good thank you notes and letters of appreciation.
Our organization H2U was formerly named "Senior Friends". Nationwide there is a movement away from calling people "seniors". Somehow, I would have liked to hold on to the "Friends" part of the name. As you can see from this article, good friends are worth their weight in gold. It was nice to talk with these friends.
Happy April birthdays to Mary A Martin, Jean McCoy, John Roupe, Hazel Sargent, and Carmen Rice! It was good to see Sophia Britt, Pat Sawchuck, Martha Albrechht, Dan and Gert Fraro, and Nancy Nealon on the mystery trip to Rome where we visited the museum of the Cherokee Indian at Major Ridge's home and then explored the home, campus and accomplishments of Martha Berry who started Berry College. Thinking of you and wishing you better health to John Reagan.
