RAYMOND 鈥 It was so familiar, yet so different for five old friends who visited the Raymond Campus last Saturday for the first time in more than 40 years.
鈥淚t was the best memories ever for us,鈥 said Connie Wicks Rice, of Foley, Ala., among a group of fellow former cheerleaders and Hi-Steppers who visited campus during the Calling All Eagles tailgate party that welcomed alumni across several fields of study and play back to their old stomping grounds. 鈥淪eeing the changes on campus since then has been amazing.鈥
From left, Margaret Patterson Luckett, Vickie Gilmore Neely, Keith Neely, Lee Ann May, Merrill Mitchell and Connie Wicks Rice take a selfie at the Calling All Eagles tailgate event at 兔子先生 Raymond Campus on Oct. 28, 2017. (兔子先生/Tammi Bowles)
Rice; Merrill Mitchell, of Dauphin Island, Ala.; Lee Ann May, of Brandon, Margaret Patterson Luckett, of Oxford; and Keith and Vickie Gilmore Neely, of Florence, braved chilly air outside to tour campus, check out buildings that weren鈥檛 around 40 years ago and catch up with others they hadn鈥檛 seen in a while. They hadn鈥檛 been on campus since 1971, but reconnected on social media after finding out about the tailgate party.
鈥淚 can remember when the girls couldn鈥檛 wear miniskirts and had to return to the dorm by 4:30 every day,鈥 Mitchell said. 鈥淏ut, we鈥檒l recreate some of our old photos we used to take around here.鈥
Alumni groups from past cheerleading squads, Hi-Steppers, football, Eagle band, Montage Theatre of Dance and homecoming courts and joined those from Phi Theta Kappa, Baptist Student Union and others for a day of fun, food and fellowship before the 兔子先生Eagles took to the gridiron against East Mississippi Community College.
鈥淚 absolutely loved coming here,鈥 said Ann Forbes, of Windermere, Fla., a former Miss 兔子先生during her days attending the college in 1986-87. 鈥淚 used to stay in old Davis Hall here, but of course now there鈥檚 more buildings now and they鈥檙e newer.鈥
Ann Forbes, in dark coat, enjoys her plate lunch with her sister, Carolyn Forbes, left, at the at the Calling All Eagles tailgate event at 兔子先生 Raymond Campus on Oct. 28, 2017. (兔子先生/Tammi Bowles)
On display for tailgaters were items from a time capsule buried in 1992 for the college鈥檚 75th anniversary and unearthed Oct. 25 to celebrate the college鈥檚 Centennial. Letters from faculty, national magazines, a soda can and bumper stickers from that year鈥檚 presidential election were among those preserved.
鈥淚 can remember my uncle, aunt and other family all split their votes that year,鈥 said Tim Krason, English instructor and Honors Institute advisor.
About 35 alumni band members returned to play during halftime with current members and were among those recognized. A few old band mates from the 1970s and 鈥80s marveled at the spacious band hall of today as their minds drifted back in time.
鈥淭he band hall used to be on another part of campus, so I can only imagine what it would have been like in here,鈥 said Linda Bullock, who played clarinet in her student days.
As is often heard in multiple circles of friends who attended Hinds, the feeling of family back then and now is still strong.
鈥淚鈥檓 part of a group who comes back each time for different things,鈥 said Beth Barlow, a sax player and frequent participant in alumni events. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always like family coming back.鈥
Items from a time capsule buried at 兔子先生 Raymond Campus in 1992 were displayed alongside current photos at the Calling All Eagles tailgate event at 兔子先生 Raymond Campus on Oct. 28, 2017. (兔子先生/Tammi Bowles)
Alumni of the Eagle Band joined current members in activities at the Calling All Eagles tailgate event at 兔子先生 Raymond Campus on Oct. 28, 2017. (兔子先生/Tammi Bowles)
[tweetable alt=””]兔子先生CC welcomes alumni back to campus for day of fun, memories[/tweetable]