From left: Rhonda Kaye Walker, Jerry Hudson, and Dan F. Wilkins
October 15, 2019 (Photo Album) - The Center Alumni Association inducted three worthy recipients into their Hall of Honor - Jerry Hudson, Class of '59; Dan F. Wilkins, Class of '69; and Rhonda Kaye Walker, Class of '82. They were each honored during the Alumni meeting held Saturday morning, October 12th at the John D. Windham Civic Center.
With fellow classmates and graduates of Center High School in attendance, Mayor David Chadwick gave a welcome which included updates about the school district. The main topic was construction which has been made possible by a $30 million bond passed last year. Chadwick explained, "One of the major things that they are doing is building a multipurpose facility which will be at the very front of our high school. If you are looking at it today it will be over to your left where a clump of trees are." He continued to describe it as having the ability to seat close to 1,300 people which will be the largest seating facility available. It will have a stage large enough to seat the whole band which is around 200-250 students. The venue will be a 36,000 square feet events center.
He gave a run down of other construction going on at various campuses which will end with the realignment of classes on some of the campuses.
Chadwick was also excited to talk about the construction currently occurring on the downtown square, "This will be a 12 month period, each corner will take us 3 months to complete. But I think you're going to be very pleased when you come back next year for homecoming and it is complete, that you're gonna say that's my hometown. One of our goals is of course, our pride and joy is the courthouse, and we are also emphasizing that we feel that this will draw more attention to the courthouse itself and then allow merchants more access for the inside part so that we will be able to get more customers on the square at one time."
Following the welcome, the main event of the Alumni meeting began with each inductee being praised for their contributions to their field of study and to their communities. They were then presented plaques to commemorate being inducted into the Center Alumni Association Hall of Honor. To learn more about the three Hall of Honor recipients, read the article 'Center HS Alumni Association Announces 2019 Hall of Honor Recipients.'
A large plaque was also on display at the meeting which included all the inductees since 1974. The plaque will soon be on display at the Center High School.
Center ISD Alumni Hall of Honor Awards
1974 - Alfred E. Day
1974 - F.L. Moffett
1974 - Oscar Rushing
1975 - Trudie Nicholson
1975 - N.O. Thomas, Jr.
1975 - Dr. Spencer Warren
1976 - Iva Hurst
1976 - R.J. Eddins
1976 - Wardlow Lane
1977 - Marjorie Hughes Dawson
1978 - Oran Wheeler
1979 - Raleigh Jackson
1980 - Earl Hagler
1981 - Mitchell Jetton
1982 - Judy Walker Wood
1983 - Paul Creech
1984 - Homer Brice
1984 - Opal Liem Chase
1985 - Mattie Dellinger
1985 - R.E. Malone
1986 - James S. McGee
1987 - Dr. L.S. Oates, Sr.
1988 - Perry Brittain
1989 - Grace Slaughter
1989 - O.T. Baker
1990 - Iva Nell Conway
1991 - Frank E. Parker
1992 - James Campbell
1993 - Wilbur Lee Pate, Sr.
1994 - William G. Ihlo
1995 - Mary Jo Davis
1996 - John Reagan Harris
1997 - Thomas Earl Morrison
1998 - Ellis L. Willburn
1999 - Dr. T.G. Carroll
2000 - McNeil Moore, Jr.
2001 - Portia Gaines
2002 - Kate Kimbro
2002 - Jim Ann Taylor
2003 - John Tom Scurlock
2004 - Lucretia Liem Bussey
2005 - John D. Windham
2006 - Buster Bounds
2007 - Everett D. Youngblood
2007 - Morris Cammack
2008 - Dr. Robert Hughes
2009 - Vance Payne
2009 - Dr. Steve Oates
2010 - Malcom Weaver
2010 - Dr. Len Hughes
2011 - Gene Walker
2012 - Dan Dellinger
2012 - Bill Haley
2013 - Charles McClelland
2013 - David Chadwick
2014 - J.W. Braden
2014 - Retha Swindell
2015 - Molly Spears Smith
2015 - Linda Johnson Winder
2016 - Jerry Bradshaw
2017 - Joy Ann Weaver Havran
2017 - Luke Motley III
2018 - Gwen Taylor Stewart
2019 - Rhonda Kaye Walker
2019 - Dan F. Wilkins
2019 - Jerry Hudson
