LUMBERTON — Class reunions have inspired intrigue, anxiety and dozens of movies, but what about a reunion of the 1963 second-grade class at Rowland Norment Elementary School?
How sweet is that, said Mabel Prevatte, who taught second grade from 1962 to 1994 at the Lumberton school, which served Godwin Heights, a planned suburban community.
Prevatte was escorted Wednesday by Darrell Jernigan, a member of the class, and John McIntyre, whose twin sister was in the class.
The school has been added to and modified many times during the 56 years, but much of it remains the same. Prevatte found both classrooms where she taught.
Jernigan pointed to a brick wall outside an exterior door and said, “I was the eraser banger at this wall. This brings back so many memories.”
Jernigan brought a photograph of one of his grade school classes. Prevatte quickly located him as the one on the back row making a face.
He may have clowned around a bit, but Jernigan’s handwritten grade card from the second grade had rows and rows of As, with just two Bs.
In neat handwriting, Prevatte wrote in the comments section, “I am so proud of Darrell’s progress.”
The painted cinderblock walls and floor tiles are the same. New to the class of 1963 are a computer room, a beautiful, spacious library and air conditioning.
One of Prevatte’s rooms has been converted into the school’s art room. She remembers the room well.
“This is the hottest room in the school,” Prevatte said. “I asked the principal for an air-conditioner and never got one.”
Prevatte taught second grade her entire career.
“I asked for a change, but never got it,” she said. “I wanted to teach fourth grade.”
Her memories, like those of Jernigan and McIntyre, are strong and happy. Prevatte, now 86 and proud to say so, has enjoyed retirement but has not visited her school since she retired in 1994.
Asked if she would come back to teach, Prevatte answered with an emphatic, “No.”
“I don’t think I would be very good,” she said.
Michelle Ivey, a teacher assistant who gave the tour, said the school has a maximum of 23 students per class.
“I had 40 in each class,” Prevatte said. “We were bumper to bumper.”
She had a question for Ivey.
“Do they still say the Pledge of Allegiance every day?” Prevatte said.
“Oh yes, we do the Pledge of Allegiance every day,” Ivey said. “We have a group of third-graders who raise the flag every morning.”
“Good,” Prevatte said with conviction.
“I was one of the students who raised the flag,” McIntyre said.
After second grade, McIntyre moved with his family across town to the Tanglewood area, where he lived next door to Prevatte. Both Jernigan and McIntyre would move away from Lumberton, but their lives came back together in Stanly County.
“We went to high school together and played sports together,” McIntyre said. “We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“They were my sweet babies,” Prevatte said.
Scott Bigelow can be reached at 910-644-4497 or [email protected].