Class of 1960 reunion dinner with photos

The New Albany High School Class of 1960 held what was nominally its 60-year reunion last weekend. (They had to skip it last year because of COVID-19.)

One of the main events of the weekend reunion was dinner Saturday night, June 26th, in the ballroom of The Rainey in downtown New Albany.

New Albany High School awarded a few more than 50 graduation diplomas in 1960. About 40 percent of the graduates attended the dinner at The Rainey; thus, they are a hardy bunch, celebrating enthusiastically in their late 70s.

New Albany High School, Class of 1960.
(click to enlarge)

Could any of them have imagined in 1960 that they would one day be able to legally drink a glass of wine in downtown New Albany? Mississippi didn’t go wet at all until 1966, and then it was only by county or city option. New Albany did not go legally wet until just eight years ago.

Ike was still president and President Harry Truman had only been out of office for eight years when these folks graduated from high school. Truman was famously and enthusiastically fond of Bourbon whiskey, of which he consumed significant quantities daily. He referred to having a drink as “striking a blow for liberty.” Drinking killed Truman at the early age of 88.

Well, several “blows for liberty” were struck Saturday night as toasts were made and conviviality prevailed.

The NAHS Class of 1960 is an exceptionally sophisticated group by most standards. An uncommonly high percentage of them have been successful in the professions, military service, business, arts and letters, and philanthropy.

The class is particularly well known for its philanthropy, having donated a good deal of money to many deserving New Albany and Union County causes over the last six decades.