Last Graduating Class of St. Pius X Celebrates 40th Anniversary


Members of the St. Pius X Class of 1971
Members of the St. Pius X Class of 1971

The last graduating class of St. Pius X High School held its 40th anniversary this past weekend in cooperation with the former school’s alumni association. The Class of 1971 gathered with other alumni at the Hilton Garden Inn on Abercorn for a celebration of the school’s “Era of Excellence” (1952- 1971).

Friday night featured an alumni fashion show and reception with clothes from A Touch of Africa, a store owned by alumnus Odessa Grant. Saturday, alumni met at the site of the school, Anderson St. and Atlantic Ave. for a news conference and show of support for continued use of the now vacant St. Pius X Family Resource Center. Saturday evening a banquet and dance was held, The featured speaker was Reverend Monsignor Fred Nijem, the last moderator of the school who is now pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Warner Robins. Sunday the alumni worshipped together at Resurrection of Our Lord Church, where Reverend Robert E. Chaney is pastor.

Ormonde E. Lewis, president of the St. Pius X High School Alumni Association, says the school had a short but illustrious history: “This school produced hundreds of outstanding alumni. We no longer have a school but we have a legacy that has greatly impacted Savannah and other communities. Hopefully the historic building on Anderson Street will be saved by an agency or group.”

Lewis says the alumni group meets each month to provide fellowship for the alumni and to promote the history and legacy of Savannah’s first private high school for African-Americans.


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