Former Warner Robins Middle School staff gather for reunion

When I was invited to Warner Robins Middle School last week by school Principal Brett Wallace to attend a reunion of former staff members, I was a little skeptical about attending.

I didn't attend Warner Robins Middle, but my little brother did -- back when it was Warner Robins Junior High -- and I wasn't so sure I wanted to hang out with his former teachers. But armed with my married name, I went anyway and had a great time.

It is always fun to attend a family reunion. Family is exactly what the Warner Robins Junior High and Middle School staff have been since the school opened in 1970.

The event grew out of an informal gathering that staff members have been doing once a month for the past year. Wallace learned about the luncheons and decided to open the doors of the school for a bigger celebration.

"Y'all are the people that established the tradition of Warrior Pride, and we just wanted to have you back," Wallace told the group before lunch.

Debbie Dean, who taught English, which was later changed to language arts, from 1975-2002, was one of those who had been meeting for lunch. During her tenure at the school, she served under four principals: Joe Musselwhite, Larry Beck, Carol Elderidge and Donald Warren.

"There is a camaraderie here that I just can't explain to you. The staff changed over the years, but whoever came here always bonded. It was a really, really close faculty and staff," Dean said.

The school opened in 1970 as Warner Robins Junior High for seventh- through ninth-graders. It changed to Warner Robins Middle School in 1984, when the Houston County school system decided to include ninth grade in the high school and take sixth-graders out of elementary school.

Among those attending the reunion was Mary Guyer, the school's first lunchroom manager, who is now 90 years old. Guyer said she had no idea how to open a lunchroom when she was offered the position.

"We had the good Lord above helping," Guyer said. "There was a lot of trial and error, but in the 10 years I was here we only served the children late one time -- when the electricity in the school was out."

As staff members went around the room and told stories about their time at Warner Robins Junior/Middle, one name was consistently mentioned -- Joe Musselwhite.

"My life is better for knowing and working under Joe Musselwhite," Joe Posey said. "I observed him continuously and watched how he dealt with people."

He recalled a time when he walked by the office and there were three girls in the assistant principal's office. The girls were uncooperative, and Posey was asked to take them to Musselwhite.

Posey escorted them into Musselwhite's office, where he was asked to stay. Musselwhite asked the girls to sit and then proceeded to just sit there himself.

"He had this way of putting his finger on his face, and he did that and didn't say a word," Posey said. "After about five minutes, he asked the girls if they went to Sunday School and church."

Musselwhite then returned to silence and another five minutes passed before another question relating to church and then five minutes of silence.

"Then he asked what had been going on and those girls spilled their guts," Posey said.

"He had this way with people. People would go in his office mad about something and come out saying he was the greatest person ever. I asked him one time how he did it and he told me, 'I listen to them.'''

The reunion organizers hope to increase the attendance next year. If you were on staff at Warner Robins Junior High/Middle and wish to be included, contact Warner Robins Middle School for more information.

Alline Kent can be reached at 396-2467 or allinekent@cox.net.

This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 8:22 AM with the headline "Former Warner Robins Middle School staff gather for reunion ."