The Savannah High School Alumni and Friends Association Association continues a legacy that took root in 1951.

Savannah School was opened in 1951 in the “Savannah” community of Grifton, North Carolina.
 

When small, wooden frame schools for Black students popped up across the country throughout the twentieth century, one also popped up in the Savannah community of Grifton, North Carolina. The year was 1951, and the site was right next to Savannah Free Will Baptist Church, so the school was appropriately named Savannah School. The school housed Black students from the community in grades one through seven. Later, the school was moved to what became the campus of Savannah High School. In 1950, Lenoir County began building bigger and better school buildings for all students. Savannah's new structure was a two-story brick building that featured 11 classrooms, an agricultural shop, a home economics lab, and a cafeteria.​​​​

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​​In 1952, Savannah became a union school and served all Black students in grades one through twelve. The schools that fed into Savannah were Heath, Gilbert, Mewborne, Whites, Jericho, Bright, Sand Hill, and Grifton. Mr. Rufus L. Flanagan was the school's principal. As the population expanded, so did the school. In 1953, the county constructed and attached a single-story wing to the building that added 17 more classrooms; in 1956, four more classrooms and a gymnasium were added; and in 1965, the county added a metal building that offered 9 additional classrooms. Savannah also had four (4) mobile units to help alleviate overcrowding for a short time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​The last class to graduate from Savannah High School celebrated its commencement in 1970.  In 1971, Lenoir County reorganized its school system.  All the schools in the county were desegregated. Savannah High School became Savannah Junior High, serving grades six through nine, with Rufus L. Flanagan still at its helm.  In 1972, Mr. Flanagan retired and Mr. Jim Henry Jones became the principal. 

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During Mr. Jones’ tenure, Savannah Junior High School was tapped to host Lenoir County's Developmental Program, which was designed to build a stronger learning foundation by providing the school and teachers with additional resources and support needed to ensure the students received an equitable, rigorous, and meaningful education.  In 1981, the Lenoir County adopted the middle school concept. The 9th grader students were transferred to North Lenoir High School, now creating Savannah Middle School. Mr. Jones retired in the same year, 1981.

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After 60 years of service, Lenoir County decided to replace the old Savannah school structure. The campus was sold to Hugo Salvage Company.  A new middle school was built and named Contentnea - Savannah Middle School off Ferrell Road.  

 

Savannah High School graduates began to feel nostalgic about Savannah's no longer existence and joined forces to organize a school reunion. Graduates from the classes of 1953 through 1970 were invited. The first reunion was held in 1980 over the Labor Day weekend. The organizers chose the theme, "A Decade of Renewing Friendships and Acquaintances."  The officers were President Rev. Leamon Daugherty Jr. ('56); Vice President, Rosetta Daugherty Gaynor ('54); Financial Secretary, Elvia Dunk Massenburg ('61); Recording Secretary, Doris Isler Smith ('59); Reporter, Virginia Cox-Daughterty ('61); Treasurer, Jasper Koonce ('54); and Parliamentarian, Dorothy Iser King ('63). The reunion was such a success that Kinston became the home of the National Chapter of the  Savannah High School Alumni Association. The focus of the reunion was to bring all Savannah graduates together for a weekend-long social gathering and fellowship that featured a Friday night registration and orientation, a Saturday morning business meeting followed by an evening dinner and dance, a Sunday morning church service, and a Sunday afternoon picnic.

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In 1984, the Savannah High School Alumni Association was incorporated by the State of North Carolina as a non-profit, tax-exempted, organization. Beginning in 1990, the organization decided to meet every two years. The members decided to expand the organization by establishing two satellite branches...one in New York State and the other in the Maryland-Washington DC area.  Both satellite branches were dissolved in 2011.

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For years, the requirements to join the Savannah High School Alumni Association were to have attended Savannah High School between the years of 1952 through 1970 and pay membership dues.  However, in 2006, the Savannah High School Alumni Association voted to extend its membership to all Savannah graduates and anyone interested in furthering the goals and objectives of the organization. To be all-inclusive, the organization's name was changed to the Savannah High School Alumni & Friends Association (SHSA&FA).

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One of the objectives of the organization was to grant scholarships to deserving high school students, so in 2008, Savannah High School School Alumni and Friends Association applied for and was approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3), tax-exempted, organization.

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The year 1992 marked the 50th Anniversary of the first class to graduate from Savannah High School.  Since that time, the classes who reached that goal were honored at the Biennial Reunion Event.  Graduates of Savannah High in odd years were honored in their 49th year. The 23rd Biennial Reunion for the Savannah High School Alumni & Friends Association was celebrated in 2024 over the Labor Day Weekend.

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Former and current Presidents of Savannah High School Alumni and Friends Association are as follows:  Leamon Daugherty Jr. (1980 - 1982); Elijah Morris (1982 - 1986)...passed while in office, term completed by Rosetta D. Gaynor; Willia Farrow (1986 - 1988); Ella Moore (1988 - 1992); Roland Best (1992 - 1996); Elsie Graham (1996 - 2000); Doris Isler Smith (2000 - 2006); Rosa Wells-Garris (2006 - 2010); Carolyn Ellis (2010 - 2014); James Wells (2014 - 2018); Olivia Chatman-Bracey (2018 - 2022); and James Kinsey (2022 -present).

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Though buildings, names, faces, and ages have changed, The hearts of Savannah's graduates have not. The opening words of Savannah's alma mater, "How We Love This Dear School...," still reveal how graduates feel about Savanah High School today.  For that reason, despite any future changes, the spirit of the Savannah High School Alumni & Friends Association will live on.​

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