Tougaloo College Class of 1964

Class of 1964 Statement

 

They enrolled as freshmen in 1960 at Tougaloo Southern Christian College.  In 1964, They graduated from Tougaloo College, slightly older and much wiser.  The Eagle Queen roused the eaglets from the nest, confident they could pass various tests in a hostile world.  She was right.  They could, and they did.  They were, after all, the Class of 1964.  In their innocent fantasies, they were the best Tougaloo students the College had ever had or would ever have.  It is fair to suspect that a half century later, a few of them still hold fast to the fantasy or the possible dream. And to paraphrase Charlene Smith Cole, Class of 1954    , wherever they went, whatever they did, they did not forget dear old Tougaloo.

From 1964 to 2014, we fulfilled the expectations Tougaloo College had for us.  We became productive citizens of the United State of America.  Some of us became famous in accordance with the world’s measure of fame.  Some of us became famous by accidents of history. All of us worked, because not one of us had inherited wealth worthy of mention.  We became doctors, writers, lawyers and judges, teachers, military officers, parents and grandparents,  valuable members of the various communities wherein we lived; we became administrators in commercial, industrial, and educational enterprises, and advocates for civil and human rights, demanding the justice that change never permits to become permanent in our society.  In short, all of us became the valuable adults Tougaloo College wanted us to be.

I am notorious for remembering all the wrong things at the right time.  Therefore, I yield the floor to my friend and fraternity brother John Sheridan Page, Jr.  Far better than I can, John remembers all the right things with just the right flavoring of humor.

Jerry W. Ward, Jr.