Members of the Washington-Wilkes High School Class of l968 and faculty attending the reunion included (lower stairs, front row, l-r) Debbie Brown Lindsey, Jo Meadows Smith, Coach Charlie Davidson, Edna Lamar, Coach Wayne Bradshaw, Barry Bailey; (second row) Ramona Newsome King, Billie Ann Anderson Smith, Sandra Thornton Wheatley, Douglas Armour, Jack Leard; (third row) Eloise Callaway Wood, Jimmy Echols, Gene Guill, Barry Denard and Larry Jordan; (upper stairs by railing) Mike Hardy, Linda Nash Hughes, Joy Hall Hancock, Beverly Appelt Moon, Mary Thornton Jacobs; (second row) Faye Maxwell Lamar, Debbie Hendry Engen, Diana Burton Self; (third row) Tommy Young, Ann Meadows Conrad, Danny McAvoy; (fourth row) Charles (Bubber) Hopkins, David Stover, Johnny Mansfield; (5th row) Charles Clary, Shelby Walton; (sixth row) Ricky Maxwell, Bill Lee, Gene Thornton, Donald Wheatley; and (top row) Tommy Granade, Tom Nash, Steve Brown. Not present for the picture were Melvin Edwards, Jane Granade Prater and Gayle Lunceford McCorkle. Members of the Washington- Wilkes High School Class of l968, spouses and guests, celebrated their 40-year reunion Saturday evening, September 27, in the ballroom of The Fitzpatrick Hotel.

A Welcome Class of l968 banner was displayed outside the Fitzpatrick and in the front hall posts and stairs were festive with big blue and gold bows. Welcome Class of l968 was repeated on the menu board.

Donna Hardy continued the decorations at the top of the steps where tables were placed, one for all to register and get name tags and another which featured pictures of past reunions, old annuals and new booklets with names, updated addresses and phone numbers. These tables, lighted with gold lamps, were covered in white with Tiger blue overlays in addition to gold embroidered overlays.

Inside the ballroom, tables, again covered in white, featured containers of asparagus fern with deep blue and deep yellow pansies. Mantels held varying sizes of candleholders and candles. Gold bows and trailing blue sheer streamers completed the mantels' décor.

Background music of the '50s an '60s added to the evening.

Special guests for the evening were Coach Charlie Davidson and his wife, Vicky Davidson, of Rome; Coach Wayne Bradshaw and his wife, Doris Bradshaw of Gainesville; and faculty member, Edna Lamar of Tignall.

Mike Hardy welcomed the group and thanked the reunion committee with whom he served, Dan and Margaret McAvoy, Linda Nash Hughes, Tommy Granade, Debbie Brown Lindsey and Diane Burton Self.

Debbie Brown Lindsey offered the prayer for the buffet that included a choice of prime rib or stuffed chicken breasts, steamed vegetables, baked potato, rolls, and desserts of chocolate brownies topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate and caramel syrup.

During the evening the ballroom was alive with laughter and enthusiasm as classmates reminisced, many standing to remember favorite moments, who was blamed for "trickery" in the classroom, going to state in football, skiing on the lake, and analogies finally figured out after 40 years. On a more serious note, many noted the discipline in the classroom which when given brought fear that later turned into appreciation, the respect, love and admiration for the teachers, and the lasting friendships that still remain.

Debbie Brown Lindsey discussed "business matters" and tentative plans for the next reunion-celebration.

Afterwards, she asked classmates to bow their heads for a moment of silent prayer remembering the five deceased members, Lorella Williamson Bailey, Marvin Dove, Eddie Jordan, Karen Orr Witcher and Wallace Wheatley.

Class members, spouses and guests attending in addition to the faculty guests were Billie Ann Anderson Smith, Douglas Armour, Barry and Elaine Bailey, Kenneth and Debbie Brown Lindsey, Eloise Callaway Wood, Tommy Granade and guest, Mike and Donna Hardy, Larry Jordan, Jack and Patty Leard, Bill Lee, Ricky and Rosie Maxwell, Gene and Caroline Thornton, Douglas and Sandra Thornton Wheatley, Donald and Barbara Wheatley, and Tommy Young of Washington; Steve and Beverly Appelt Moon of Loganville; Steve and Lou Ann Brown of Rayle; Jerry and Diane Burton Self and Dan and Margaret McAvoy of Elberton; Charles and Grace Clary of Anderson, S.C.; Barry and Wilma Denard of Flowery Branch; Jimmy and Linda Echols of Conyers; Melvin Edwards of Crawfordville; Sammy and Gayle Lunceford McCorkle, Linda Nash Hughes, and Jane Granade Prater and guest of Thomson; Tom and Joy Hall Hancock of Jefferson; Bill and Debbie Hendry Engen of Newberry, S.C., Charles (Bubber) Hopkins of Marietta; Johnny and Julia Mansfield of Hartwell; Ernest and Faye Maxwell Lamar of Tignall; Ann Meadows Conrad of Covington; Sim and Jo Meadows Smith of Rex; Jerry and Ramona Newsome King of Fletcher, N.C.; Tom and Debbie Nash of Savannah; David and Diane Stover of Mount Airy; Rudy and Mary Thornton Jacobs of Monticello; Shelby and Betty Walton of Lincolnton; and Gene Guill, who traveled the farthest from Bala Cynwyd, Pa.