Dogan High School Alumni

Fairfield, Texas

First Reunion

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Recorded by Bobby Cooper

 

It was in the year of 1977, when Joycie Burns and some other Doganites started reminiscing about dear Old Dogan. The discussion of a Dogan Reunion originated at Joycie’s house in her kitchen one day. Joycie reported that the following former Dogan students in attendance were: Julius Thomas, Arnesta Green, Betty Jones, Barbara Jones Ellison, Christine Gibson, and Leonard Burns.

 

Joycie Burns was the leader for the 1st Reunion. Joycie and Arnesta worked in the Boyd Plaza Center in Fairfield and they could visit and discuss plans for the reunion on a daily basis. Julius agreed to do the cooking for the reunion. Eugene Johnson served as first Treasurer. It was decided that the reunion would be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July 1977.

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Joycie contacted former students who lived in Los Angeles, California. Mack Hunter organized their group and they sent money to help put the reunion together. Some of the contributors included: Calvin McShan, Edison McShan, Mack Alvin Hunter, John Terry and Cartelia Bryant.

 

Joycie recalls those who worked together with the first Dogan Reunion: Marva Golden, Christine Gibson, Arnesta Green, Eula Hatcher, Garna Gibson Fantroy, Betty Jones, and others. The first Dogan Reunion activities included: Mrs. Eva Lois McIlveen was Director for the “Big Broadcast” and also served as Music coordinator for the Sunday Memorial Service. Julius Thomas coordinated the parade. The picnic was held at the Dogan School campus and Julius did the cooking with his Bar-B-Que pit under a tree. Memories are cherished from a Dogan booklet of pictures from the first reunion collected by Joycie Burns. The first Dogan High School Reunion was very successful and would be the beginning of the “Dogan High School Alumni Association.”

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A.D. Gibson, (former teacher), did research on The History of Dogan High School on July 24, 1977 and he stated: “One of the most important chapters in the history of Dogan High School is the high quality of students that it has turned out. Dogan students are making their rightful contribution to our American Society. We have master teachers, dentists, ministers, successful school administrators, pharmacists, barbers, successful business men, university professors, and perhaps the greatest of all, just plain good-old American citizens – all helping to make this a better world in which to live.”