The PurpleHull Pea Festival has become something of a
homecoming for many who grew up in Emerson and the surrounding communities.
Now the festival committee hopes to encourage even more alumni to attend by beginning a tradition of honoring a decade of Emerson High School graduates each year.
Also welcome to attend are any earlier graduates from
Emerson, as well as graduates of the 1950s and earlier years from surrounding
schools that eventually consolidated with Emerson, such as Atlanta, Brister,
McMittress, and Walkerville.
Activities planned for the reception include a program
listing Emerson High graduates from 1946 to 1959, refreshments and door prizes,
a prize for the oldest person attending, and a prize for the person coming the
greatest distance.
“It’s a great way to have a reunion without any
work,” says Melissa Johnson, who, along with her mother, Teresa Burns, is
co-chairman of the reception, sponsored by Burns Dozer Service.
“Something like this is a great time to get together
with someone else doing all the work and supplying the meeting place and
refreshments,” says Johnson. “Just
let us know an idea of how many might show up.”
For more information, or to report your intention to
attend, contact Teresa Burns at (870) 859-3736 or email michael@sprhill.net,
or Melissa Johnson at (870) 696-2920 or email majohnson@arkansas.net.
More information is also available on the festival’s Web site at
www.purplehull.com/reunion.
“If anyone has a list of graduates from Emerson prior
to 1946, or a list of graduates from any school that consolidated with Emerson
of any year, please let us know,” added Johnson.
“We’d love to add them to the program.”
In 2003, the festival plans to honor the graduates of
the 1960s; in 2004, the graduates of the 1970s; and so on.
The PurpleHull Pea Festival will be a two-day event this year, June 28
and 29. The festival’s feature
event, the World Championship Rotary Tiller Race, will be Saturday, June 29.
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