By: Vareva Harris, Co-Editor | Vareva@thewoodrufftimes.com
WOODRUFF – On August 30, twenty classmates who once walked the dusty and sometimes muddy roads of Woodruff, Cross Anchor, and Enoree will come together to celebrate a milestone: their 80th birthdays. Born in 1945, these proud graduates of New Bethel School’s Class of 1963 will gather at the Ronald E. McNair American Legion Hut at 1 p.m. for a day filled with food, music, dancing, prayer, and joyous reflection.
The theme of their celebration, “We Have Come This Far by Faith: We’re Still Here,” speaks volumes about their journey. New Bethel School, whose colors were green and white and whose mascot was the bulldog, stood as a pillar of education for African American children during segregation. For many of these classmates, education meant walking two miles each day in scorching heat, pouring rain, or bitter cold. In 1951, tragedy struck when their school was set on fire, forcing students to learn in Army-style barracks constructed behind New Bethel Church until the school could be rebuilt.
Despite the hardships of segregation, the students of New Bethel bonded deeply. They carried a pride in their school, their community, and in the families who supported them. After graduation, many pursued higher education, served their country in the U.S. military, securing employment, or married and raised families. Decades later, the bond remains unbroken. They continue to meet, call, email, and text one another regularly. While most still reside in Woodruff, Enoree, Cross Anchor, Cross Keys, and surrounding areas, a few have moved to other states including North Carolina, Ohio, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
The celebration’s location also carries symbolic weight.rong, proud, and “still here.” The Ronald E. McNair American Legion Post 270 was founded after African American veterans returning from Vietnam were denied membership in existing posts due to their race. The post, named after astronaut and South Carolina native Dr. Ronald McNair, stands as a testament to resilience, inclusion, and perseverance—values the New Bethel classmates know well.
Those celebrating their 80th birthdays this year- the new octogenarians are: Geraldine Simmons Smith, Sue Moates Bryant, Queen Degraphenreid, William Foster, Mary Mays Bland, Doris Browning, Henry Dawkins, William Durham, Carol Durham, Carrie Irby Gilliam, Wilhelmina Jones, Brendell Johnson, Rosa Norman, Betty Geter, Annie Ruth Scott, Donald Massey, David Massey, John Wylie, Arthur Whitmire, Mary Louise Evins, and Rainey Jones.
“We’ve seen hard times, but we’ve seen blessings too. We never gave up on each other, and after all these years, we’re still standing together.”
Geraldine Simmons Smith
Their lives span an era of extraordinary change. Born the same year World War II ended, they grew up through the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and desegregation. They witnessed the moon landing in 1969, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the tragedies of September 11, 2001. They also saw the election and reelection of former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 the nation’s first Black president, the appointment and subsequent election of United States Senator Tim Scott, the first black U. S. Senator from SC in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020 the nation’s first Black and first woman vice president. Most recently, they endured the COVID-19 pandemic, which reshaped communities and lives around the globe, and the historic reelection of President Donald Trump, the oldest person inaugurated as President of the United States at 78. Now, in 2025, they celebrate reaching 80 years of life, reflecting on decades of progress, struggle, and hope.
As they gather in laughter, prayer, and fellowship, their story is more than a birthday celebration. It is a living testament to endurance, education, and faith. For these classmates of New Bethel School, the bulldog spirit is alive and well—strong, proud, and “still here.”
Author: Vareva Harris
