USJ Celebrates 35 Years of Excellence

USJ alumni, parents, teachers, staff, and friends celebrated 35 years of school history on May 6, 2006, at the new Lower School.

After an hour of socializing, eating, and looking over school memorabilia, the crowd relaxed for a program that took them into the past and recognized many of the people present who had played a role in the formation and growth of the school.

USJ actually started in early 1970 as two separate groups of parents and community leaders were making plans to start the Episcopal Day School and Old Hickory Academy to provide an educational alternative for their children. The first school year for both was 1970-1971. Seventeen years later, parents again took a big step to provide an even better education for their children as they put their differences aside to form the University School of Jackson.

Interim Head of School Don Coffey welcomed the crowd “home,” noting that the commitment of parents, faculty, and staff has been an important aspect for the success of the school throughout its history.

Emma Lee Bond, who was involved with the formation and early years of Old Hickory, and Patsy Camp, who was active in the early years of Episcopal Day School, talked about the first years of both schools.

Next on the program were Tom Reed and Hunter Welles, who discussed how the merger in 1987 went from being a possibility to a committed leap of faith for both schools. Reed was chairman of EDS’ board at the time, and Welles was chairman of the OHA board.

Current Board Chairman John Burleson ended the program with a look to the future.

Emcee Tyler Hawks, Class of 1991, kept the program moving and the crowd laughing as he introduced speakers and recognized people in the crowd for their role in the history.

Early OHA teachers in the room included Jane Ferguson, Ann Woodall, and Jane Alderson. Emily Shipper, a member of the original OHA staff, got a hug from Don Hopper, OHA’s first headmaster. Other early teachers from both schools present included Janice Baldwin, Barbara Bryant, Sylvia Bell, Jean Norville, Joyce Higgs, and Don Newman.

Dan Rudesill, one of OHA’s first teachers, was there with his wife, Louise, who teaches junior kindergarten, and their son, Rick, a former history teacher and coach.

EDS founders Jonas Kisber and Ab Taylor attended, along with members of the Frank Carruth and the Lawrence families, who played important roles in OHA’s history.

The room included numerous former Holiday Mart chairmen, past presidents of parent support groups, and former and current board members.

The evening’s entertainment included songs from Annie Jr. and Aladdin Jr. by Middle School students and directed by Dr. Tammy Grant; fiddle music by eighth grader Ellen Appleton with accompaniment from her parents, Dr. Joe and Joan Appleton; and songs from members of Upper School choirs directed by Deanna Dunlap. The evening ended with rock music from Hearts and Minds, a local band.

Elizabeth Atkins, Lower School music teacher, was in charge of sound and lights. Linda Truex, a member of OHA’s first faculty and a current Middle/Upper School computer teacher, put together a PowerPoint show of hundreds of pictures from the past.

Five families went home with a door prize: a blanket depicting the school history that is being sold by the Class of 2008. (See Page 7.)

Everyone went home with a printed copy of USJ’s history, Celebrating 35 Years, that was researched and written by Matthew Reed, Class of 2001. (See box at right if you want a copy of the history.)

Sponsors for the 35th Anniversary Celebration were H+M Construction Co., Inc.; The Jones Company; Dr. Michael and Marcy Ibach; Rainey, Kizer, Reviere, & Bell, PLC; Garrett Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.; and Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co.