Dodson Schools All-Class Reunion set for Phillips County Fair week in August

It was 116-years ago that Miss Marguerite Moore welcomed five students into her classroom that would be the start of the first school in Dodson. Now, in 2020, Dodson’s Bonnie Lankford and others are organizing a Dodson All-Class Reunion during the Phillips County Fair week this year.

“It is an all-class reunion, but we want anyone who ever had anything to do with the school attend,” Lankford said. “If you attended, but didn’t graduate, or you worked as a custodian, come one, come all. The entire community is invited.”

Lankford and her assistant, Ms. Sophia Hebert, have been working diligently on updating and improving the Dodson School Database of past students and their most recent contact information…a list that boasts over 1,000 names. Lankford said that as much information as possible will be sent to past alumni about the reunion, but if you don’t hear anything from her, give her a call at 406-390-2276 and leave a message with your information.

The DHS Dataebase notes the eldest alum as Hazel Philey from 1921, and includes this year’s grad, the DHS Class of 2020, Shaun Ball, Corbin LoneBear, Landis Walker, and Christina Jaynes. From as far away as Staten Island, N.Y., — Tammy (Solberg) Singler, DHS Class of 1984 — to as close as Malta — Shane Bishop, DHS Class of 1998 — the list is a treasure trove of Coyotes.

“But if we miss anyone, please call and let us know, because we want you there to celebrate with us,” Lankford said.

The last Dodson All-Class Reunion was the 100th annual and was held in 2015. That year, Tom Kirkaldie was the honored guest, the honored teachers where Robert Hicks, Bonnie LaBrie, Cleo Overberg, Janice Edmister, and the annual was dedicated to Cecelia Lankford who was 101 years old when she passed away in April of that year.

The PCN will be publishing a history of the Dodson Schools story entitled “Dodson School History Dates Back to 1904” in the coming weeks of the paper.