On Oct. 18 and 19 of this year, Longwood hosted a Fall Reunion for the classes of ’68 and ’73.
It was an exciting spectacle to witness, watching these women reconnect with each other so many years after their graduation dates. A number of things have changed since their time as students at what was then Longwood College, but much like the blue and white spirit of Longwood, some things have also remained very much the same.
The reunion, put together by the Office of Alumni Relations, was a time for these two classes to get together and reconnect with old friends from their time at Longwood. Each participant had the opportunity to participate in a couple of meals with their classes, a class picture, a class meeting, and lastly each participant got a class book. This book included a page for each woman who submitted a memory book form about their current lives and what has happened to them since their graduation. The purpose of this was to update their fellow classmates on their lives in case they were not able to keep in touch.
Unfortunately, the rain prevented the class pictures from being outside on the curved staircase off of Beale Plaza, but that didn’t damper the spirits of these ladies. The time they enjoyed reminiscing about old times at Longwood made the dreary weather seem almost nonexistent.
A lot more than just building renovations and new buildings has changed since these two classes were on campus. For instance, freshmen ladies no longer have a lights out curfew at 9 p.m. Certainly none of us are complaining about that change. Pine Street, or as we know it, Brock Commons, is no longer a street open to traffic. However, that might have helped everyone wake up and be more alert on their morning walks to class.
One of the biggest changes that has been made here at Longwood is that in 1976, Longwood officially became coeducational. There are always jokes flying around about the ratio of women to men at this school, but it was only a short while ago that Longwood was 100 percent women.
Change is constantly in the air on this beautiful campus.
In 2002, Longwood made the big change from being a college to a university. Just last year, Longwood participated in its first year as a member of the Big South. Not only did Longwood thrive in the conference, but the 2012-13 softball team even brought home a Big South Championship.
A lot has changed at Longwood since the classes of ’68 and 73’ were roaming its beautiful campus, but the traditions that made Longwood was it is have remained the same. Any one of the women that came for the Fall Reunion will have stories to share about CHI walks, Birthday dinners with baked Alaska, Oktoberfest (known to them as Circus) and the ghosts in the Cunninghams. We all might be years apart, but we share the same Longwood Spirit.
