History was made on Saturday, July 16, when more than 30 students from the 1971 graduating class of
South Panola High School gathered for a reunion luncheon 51st anniversary for that groundbreaking class.
For the first time since 1971, black and white classmates from the SPHS Class of ’71 planned a reunion
together.

The luncheon was held at the Batesville Civic Center. The 1970-71 school year marked the first
full year of total desegregation in Mississippi public schools.

Approximately 300 students graduated from South Panola in 1971, a school year that also represented
several other firsts for the school. Coach Ronald “Runt” McMinn was in attendance and stated that “the
South Panola Tigers won their first football championship (Delta Valley Conference), and the boys’
basketball team went to the state playoffs for the first time. The girls’ basketball team won the state
championship, the baseball team won the North half championship and the Track team won several state
awards.”

During the luncheon, the Class of ’71 announced a $250 donation to Hope Mentoring Organization, a
non-profit partnership of local mentoring groups that seek to positively impact the lives of Batesville area
youth.