What a Homecoming!

Gas shortages? Economic concerns? Neither could overcome the drawing power of Berry’s most beloved event – Mountain Day!

Mountain Day– the annual celebration of Martha Berry’s birthday – proved to be as popular as ever, drawing hundreds of visitors to the Berry campus for a weekend of fun and excitement that featured a little something for everyone.

New this year was a mega-reunion for alumni on the grounds of Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum. Approximately 300 guests turned out for this first-of-its-kind event, held in conjunction with the centennial celebration for the Berry Alumni Association. Graduates from seven different college classes were in attendance, along with a large number of high school and academy alumni who were on hand for Berry’s first-ever all-high school/academy reunion.

Complementing this new event were many traditional favorites, among them the Mountain Day Olympics, Grand March of Students and, of course, Marthapalooza! Saturday afternoon’s picnic lunch and Grand March drew more than 5,000 people to the mountain campus, while Saturday night’s all-night carnival attracted 2,000 students, young alumni and other guests to the Clara Bowl, where carnival rides, student bands, a Wii boxing tournament and numerous other activities kept the campus hopping well into Sunday morning.

Among the many alumni who returned to Berry this weekend was Dr. Persharon Mathis Dixon (86C), the medical director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Children’s Health Project. Dr. Dixon was the featured speaker at Saturday’s chapel service. You can read more about her by clicking this link to the story that appeared in the Spring 2008 issue of Berry magazine.

Also returning to campus this weekend was Elmer Dillingham (69C), retired president of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Mr. Dillingham was on hand to receive the Outstanding Service to the Profession of Teaching Award, which is presented twice annually at the Charter Fellows Professional Development Workshop for new teachers hosted by Berry’s Charter School of Education and Human Sciences.

Another notable returnee was Herbert Beavers (38H), the newest inductee into the Berry’s Alumni Association’s Golden Guard (for graduates who have been out at least 50 years). Mr. Beavers traveled all the way from Mesa, Ariz., to take part in the festivities. You can read more about his amazing story by clicking this link to a story published by the Rome News-Tribune.

If you would like to share your own memories of Mountain Day with others in the Berry community, feel free to post photos at www.flickr.com/groups/berrymtnday2008.