By Troy Rogers
A Spark Lit in 1953
The storied tradition of the Winnfield High School Alumni Reunion traces its roots back to May 1953. Just days after a tragic tornado struck Waco, Texas, a casual gathering at the Enterprise-News American newspaper office in Winnfield turned toward fond high school memories. During the conversation, a remark was made about how wonderful it would be to gather the Class of 1925.
That August, Rev. Merle Averett—pastor of the First Baptist Church in Richton, Mississippi—visited Winnfield and rekindled the idea alongside classmate Miss Myrtle Dickerson. Armed with phone calls and an original 1925 commencement invitation, they compiled a roster and sent out mimeographed letters to test the waters. The response was immediate and overwhelming.
The initiative quickly expanded to include the classes of 1924, 1925, and 1926—all of which had graduated under Principal F. G. Phillips. Alumni were asked to share three things: their life updates since graduation, their families, and their favorite memories of the “roaring ’20s”. The mailing list rapidly grew to 185 alumni and faculty members.
The Early Reunions & Evolution
On June 3–4, 1955, the very first reunion was held at the Westside cafeteria, where alumni reminisced to their hearts’ content. A second gathering took place on June 24–25, 1960, at the Huey P. Long Motel. At that 1960 meeting, attendees voted to transition from meeting every five years to making the reunion an annual tradition.
Over the decades, the celebration moved through landmark local venues—including Mercer’s Goat Castle in 1962 and 1963, and Winnfield Senior High School starting in 1965. Eventually, the annual gathering found its home at the Winnfield Civic Center (formerly the Forestry Building) on the Winn Parish Fair Grounds. As documented by the WHS Class of 1963, this cherished tradition continues to bring generations of Tigers together each summer.
Decades of Dedicated Leadership
Keeping thousands of Tiger alumni connected across the nation has always been a true labor of love behind the scenes:
Rev. Merle Averett penned the formal alumni newsletter from 1953 to 1977.
Bessie Eagles Wilson of Springhill carried the quill from 1977 to 1980.
Dennis Shell, with his wife Sara (Jackson) Shell serving as the “deadline promoter,” served as editor from 1980 to 2002. Mrs. Sara Shell faithfully dedicated 32 years as keeper of the database, managing donations, classmate passings, and mailings with a team of volunteers.
In January 2012, leadership of the database and committee passed to Jackie (Bolton) Collins and Shelton Collins, working alongside editor Ron Skains to launch email communications.
For the past five years—stepping up right after the COVID-19 pandemic pauses of 2020 and 2021—the Standing Committee has been led by Jimmie (Frazier) Davies and Penny (Parker) Shelton.
“The former leader was ready to pass the torch, and I just decided to help out,” shared Miss Jimmie. “I wanted the reunions to continue out of love for our school and to keep the tradition alive.”
Adapting to Changing Times & 2026 Reunion Highlights
While reunions were historically held across two nights, Miss Penny and Miss Jimmie noted that shifting logistics—including rising event costs and limited local hotel accommodations—led to establishing the official reunion date as the 4th Saturday in June with a single, action-packed evening banquet. The change has proven immensely successful, drawing strong crowds. At the June 27, 2026 reunion, 265 total guests registered (alumni along with their spouses and guests) and 245 total attended, spanning generations of graduates:
Oldest Attendee Honored: Gloria Dale Rice Hickey (Class of 1950)
Second Oldest Attendee: Edna Jean Finney Strickland (Class of 1951)
Youngest Attendee: Noah Shows (Class of 2026)
Farthest Traveled: Sheryl Mixon Wilemon (Class of 1962), who traveled 1,139 miles from Arizona to join her fellow alumni!
A hallmark of the reunion is also the inclusion of former faculty. Each host class invites surviving former teachers, principals, and superintendents as honored guests.
“Most alumni haven’t seen their teachers in 50 years,” said Miss Jimmie. “It’s a wonderful chance to visit and thank them for giving us such an outstanding education.”
Looking Ahead: The Class of 1977
Planning the annual event is a year-long undertaking requiring monthly meetings, phone trees, and intense networking to locate lost classmates via social media, voter rolls, and local family connections. While individual classes often arrange their own gatherings—meeting up on Friday nights, Saturday afternoons, or tailgating together during football season at homecoming to reminisce—all official reunion events and activities must be coordinated through the 50-year host class committee to ensure smooth scheduling.
In addition to the main Saturday evening banquet, festivities traditionally kick off with a Saturday Morning Coffee Social, typically held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the Winnfield Senior High School Activity Room.
Fresh off guiding the Class of 1976, the Standing Committee is now assisting the Class of 1977—led by Chairman Lynn Bankston and Treasurer Steve Bates, along with additional committee members—as they prepare for their 50th Golden Anniversary reunion on Saturday, June 26, 2027.
The Class of 1977 will hold its next planning meeting on Friday, August 7th at 3:00 PM in the Police Jury Meeting Room, located on the bottom floor of the Winn Parish Courthouse. All ’77 classmates are encouraged to attend, bring updated contact information for fellow alumni, and share their ideas!
Stay Connected!
The WHS/WSHS Alumni Association is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating entirely on alumni donations to cover printing, postage, and event logistics.
The association sends out three newsletters a year. If you are a graduate of Winnfield High School or Winnfield Senior High School and are not currently on the mailing list, please reach out to be added:
Miss Jimmie Frazier Davies
Phone: (318) 628-0540
Email: jimmiedavies380@gmail.com
Address: 131 Oak Ridge Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
Of special need, if anyone has Photos of the Class reunion this year, please forward them to Miss Jimmie.