- Alumni
It was getting late Saturday night, slightly past 11:00, and Jack Webb, one of the pillars of the Class of 1975, was attempting to sum up his feelings regarding his 50th Reunion Weekend for this year's Golden M class.
"It has been so special, something we will never forget," said Webb as he stood in the banquet room on the second floor of St. John's Restaurant in the building that formerly housed the Mountain City Club. "To have us honor David Chatman this weekend, our classmate and the first Black graduate from McCallie School, is one of the biggest highlights, if not the biggest, of my 56 years from when I started here in the seventh grade. It should have happened sooner. David should not have been the first Black graduate, but because he was, it was just a blessing to be a part of this weekend."
Honoring Chatman, who now lives in Pittsburgh, with his fiancée Kimberly Holmes by his side, was certainly the highlight of the weekend. It began with an emotional presentation at a Friday reception in his honor that broke the news that McCallie's Black Alumni Council will begin awarding The David Lorenzo Chatman '75 Award for Brotherhood and Belonging to a "senior of any race, color, or creed who exemplifies the values of character, leadership, dignity, respect, and courage and who is fearless in his quest to break down barriers that help make McCallie School a better community for all."
But it was far from the only memorable moment in a weekend that saw Miami real estate mogul Allen Morris receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award, a special tribute to former English teacher and longtime soccer coach Steve George, who passed away August 24, and a host of Alumni Achievement Award recipients and True Blue winners recognized at a Saturday morning chapel program focusing on the school's past, present, and future.
Foremost among those True Blue winners was former head of school Spencer McCallie III '55, who quipped upon receiving his award, "I hope everyone recognizes I am wearing a tie."
Even the painful 38-35 Friday night loss to archrival Baylor—the first time the school from across the river and behind Walmart had won at McCallie since 1996—brought this oft-repeated observation first voiced by former Board of Trustees member Joe Haskins '76: "I hate it that we lost, but that is the best high school football game I have ever seen. So proud of our team."
It was a weekend easy to beam with McCallie pride. From the pregame tailgate on Friday to the game itself between a No. 23 nationally ranked Baylor bunch and a No. 25 ranked McCallie squad that was televised live by two networks, streamed across the country, if not the world, and enthusiastically watched by more than 10,000 crammed inside Spears Stadium, including standing 10-deep in both end zones, to the Saturday chapel reception, subsequent luncheon, and class parties on Saturday night, it all showcased McCallie at its best.
Or as Tim Stump, another Golden M-er, noted: "McCallie is our True North. Whenever I am waffling on something, not sure what decision to make, I go back to Honor, Truth, and Duty. What should I do? And then I know where to go, what the right thing to do is."
Morris has accomplished many of the right things in his life, both professionally and personally, including numerous philanthropic endeavors that contribute to various causes, ranging from humanitarian efforts to academic institutions, such as Georgia Tech and McCallie.
Speaking in chapel on Saturday morning, Morris, author of the self-help book "All In: How to Risk Everything for Everything that Matters,” spoke of his time at McCallie with self-effacing humor.
"I was an average student here and a below-average athlete," said Morris. "When I first came here, I thought, 'How can I fit in?' I decided to become a photographer. I would document the successes of others."
He recalled his first summer reading assignment. "I was not a reader," he said. "What is this? I have to read a book over the summer? How am I going to do that? But I tried, even though I ended up reading the wrong book. I read 'Swiss Family Robinson.' I was supposed to read 'Robinson Crusoe.'"
Current Head of School Lee Burns ‘87 also addressed the chapel crowd, telling them that 50 faculty members have taught for at least 20 years each and that only McCallie graduates are on the Board of Trustees.
"We are committed to Honor, Truth, and Duty," said Burns. "We know who we are, and that is never going to change."
What has changed, of course, is McCallie's commitment to diversity, which started with the arrival of Chatman from Louisville, Kentucky, in the fall of 1972. He may have been the first Black graduate, but the Black Alumni Council can now count over 300 potential members, and the Black Student Union has 91 current students.
Noted Golden M-er Carl McPhail, whose son Carl graduated in 2015, said, "I think I speak for many of my classmates who attended the lunch Friday when I say this: That was among the most emotional experiences of our McCallie lives. Watching David, one of our most beloved classmates, celebrated as a courageous pioneer, left me speechless."
Chatman similarly struggled to find the words to reflect his gratitude. "I am just overwhelmed," he said at Saturday's luncheon. "To have this McCallie community embrace me so strongly after 50 years. To feel this love from both classmates and people I have never known before is irreplaceable. It is incredibly humbling."
Added Holmes, "This whole weekend has been way, way past anything I thought it would be. I could not be more impressed with how they have honored David."
A poignant example of Chatman's lasting legacy: Dr. John Jackson '05, an African American, lost his battle with cancer this past April, a few months before he could have celebrated his 20th reunion with his fellow 2005 graduates.
But in his place came more than 30 Jackson family members, including his parents from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Tony and Mary Ella, who made the 10-hour drive from their home to be a part of the 2025 Reunion Weekend.
"This is such a great event," said Jackson, an ear, nose, and throat doctor, at the Saturday luncheon. "So happy to hear our son's name mentioned. So great to get together with his friends this weekend and celebrate his memory."
Anthony Jackson, John's older brother, who graduated from McCallie in 2003 (sister Janell graduated from GPS in 2008), was also touched by the outpouring of love shown to his family over the weekend, but not surprised.
"That is the McCallie community," said Anthony, who now lives in Nashville. "These were his friends, his classmates. They came around to visit so often after he got sick. That is the brotherhood we all talk about."
The True Blue awards go to someone who promotes that spirit and brotherhood within his individual class. In addition to Spencer III, other True Blue winners were Bob Pahl '60, Breck Grover '65 (posthumously), Robert Betz '70, Waymon Tipton '75, Wart Petty '80, John Campbell '85, Dr. Seong-Joo Jeong '90, LA Galyon '95, Dr. Matt Hitchcock '00, Jim Daughdrill IV '05, and Lue Hale '10.
The Alumni Achievement Award winners were Jack Robinson '55 (posthumously), Bill Womble '60, Lee Gardner '70, Joey Schmissrauter '75, George Bright '75, Jim Ruffin '80, Dave Lowrance '85, Dr. Claude Hutto '90, Jay Williams '90, Cole Gahagan '95, Dr. Nickhill Bhakta '00, Ian Rountree '05, and Henry Self '10.
A word about Gardner. After graduation from McCallie, Gardner and a few classmates took a trip out west to see the sights, such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. One of their stops was Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Gardner eventually moved there and runs the world-famous Lee's Tees T-shirt shop in downtown Jackson, Wyoming.
As the Class of '75, some 62 of them, which is believed to be a Golden M record despite the last-minute cancellation of Erwin "The Big E" Jones, was winding down its Saturday class party, Dr. Jack McCallie showed off his military name tag from his seventh-grade year, the last year of the military, and his stunning rectangle belt buckle from that time.
"We had a graded inspection once, which means we got a letter grade for our appearance," recalled McCallie. "I would work so hard to shine my brass buttons and my black shoes. I was sure I was going to get an A. But John McCall inspected me, noticed my clip-on necktie, and gave me a B. I will never forget that."
The ties that bind are deeper, however. Ed Smith, arguably the best football player in McCallie history after playing years in the NFL with the Colts and Steelers, was the last member of the '75 class to exit St. John's Saturday night before driving to his Murfreesboro home.
"Whenever I get back here," said Smith, "it is like we are all back in high school. I am always surrounded by friends, people who love me."
Always.
Click here to view the full photo gallery. Visit the Alumni webpage to learn more about McCallie's alumni programs.