Berry Academy,   Mt Berry, GA
Berry Academy,   Mt Berry, GA
This site is not affiliated with or sanctioned by Berry College. All opinions on this site are solely those of the webmaster.
Welcome To Memory Lane
It's like a ride down the Stretch!
What Do You
Remember
About Berry?
Dr. Jerry C. Davis
Dr. Jerry C. Davis
Class of 1961
Dr. Jerry Davis is a 1961 graduate of the
Mount Berry School for Boys. His
personal story of the struggle to find his
way in life is an incredible and
heartwarming one. A small portion of his
search for God’s plan for him is
recounted in the article
 "On the Right
Path"  which appeared in the February
2004 edition of  
Guideposts  magazine.
With special permission from  
Guideposts we are able to reprint and
publish this inspiring article about one of
our Berry brothers. From teenage
runaway to broke and homeless to
college president, it is an amazing
journey. Today, Dr. Jerry Davis is
President of College of the Ozarks in
Point Lookout, MO.  
Click here to read the
article.
On the Right Path
The Unofficial Website of
Berry Academy
and the
Mount Berry School for Boys
Mount Berry, GA
Frost Chapel at Berry Academy
In the Spring of 2007, a group of Berry High School athletes from the 1960's honored their former
basketball coach Jerry Shelton. The dinner in Hill Dining Hall was a huge success, attended by
over 100 people. After the tribute, a few of the men decided to create an organization to preserve
the camaraderie of high school alumni and to work to preserve the history of the high schools.
The Berry Breakfast Club was born.
The 1952 Berry Basketball Team standing in front of The Blue Goose
Left to Right: Charlie Underwood, A.C. Holbrook, J.W. Walker, Billy Thomason,
Ike Coleman, Chester Hyers, Vance Parkerson, Josh Hutchinson, Oliver Welch,
Sims Hawkins and C.H. Smith.
Remember the Blue Goose?

Berry High School
Class Reunion Photo Albums
1961
1962
1963
Berry Academy
Class Reunion Photo Albums
1964
1965
1968, 1969, 1970
1974-78


Visit our Message Board or Sign Our Guestbook


John Bertrand
Fred Loveday
Torris Geraldson
Gary McKnight
Mary Todd Harrison
Mabel Thompson
A Tribute to the Faculty and Staff
Mabel Thompson
Mary Harrison
Gary McKnight
Torris Geraldson
John Bertrand
Fred Loveday
This site is not affiliated with or sanctioned by Berry College. All opinions on this site are solely those of the webmaster.
All Rights Reserved
Scholarship
Established in
Memory of
Jimmy Fletcher
Click on the photo to read
more about the scholarship
Spearheaded by his friends
and classmates, the
Jimmy
R. Fletcher Memorial
Endowed Scholarship
has
been established at Berry
College. Jimmy Fletcher,
born with cerebral palsy,
attended the Mount Berry
School for Boys and was the
class valedictorian in 1964.
challenged his entire life,
Jimmy never surrendered to
his disability and inspired
everyone who ever came to
know him.

When Jimmy passed away in
February of 2010, a group of
friends and classmates
immediately began to search
for a way to honor the
memory of this unique
individual. After numerous
ideas were advanced, it was
decided to raise money for
an endowed scholarship that
would honor Jimmy’s memory
forever.

In April of 2010 a scholarship
committee consisting of John
Shahan (64H), Ernie Chou
(66H), Bob Williams (62H)
and Dale Cummings (66H)
was formed. Stacey Spillers,
Senior Advancement Officer
at Berry, advised the group
that Berry required a
minimum of $25,000 in order
to endow a scholarship. An
immediate challenge gift of
$10,000 from Ernie Chou
started the campaign on its
way and by July, the fund
had grown to over $37,000
cash in hand with another
$6,000 that was pledged.

The scholarship was
awarded to a deserving
student for the first time for
the fall semester of 2010.
Qualifications to receive the
scholarship are:

  • The recipient’s
    demonstration of
    financial need.
  • The recipient
    maintaining a grade
    point average of 3.0 or
    better.
  • The recipient’s
    participation in the   
    on-campus student
    work program.
  • The recipient must
    have a permanent
    physical disability.

Contributions to the
scholarship fund are still
being accepted and are
encouraged. The larger that
this endowed fund grows, the
greater financial impact it
can have on Berry students
for years to come.
Click Here to See Who
Signed Our Guestbook
You might be surprised
at who you know
*  *  *  News From Berry  *  *  *
Mt. Berry School for Boys
Memories
Hitchhiking from Rome
Berry Academy
Sports History
Scores, Records and more
Berry High School
Mountain Day
The Grand March
The Story of Swofford
Is it real or is it legend? Click on
the cartoon to find out.
Berry Breakfast Club meetings have
been temporarily suspended due to
COVID-19
Martha Berry
Martha Berry
The Berry Breakfast Club
The story of Berry High
School/Academy and the amazing
impact the school continues to
have on the lives of its former
students is the focus of a new
book,
A History of the Berry
Schools on the Mountain
Campus,
written by Dr. Jennifer
Dickey (77A, 80C). The book was
first envisioned by the Berry
Breakfast Club, a group of alumni
who meet monthly to reconnect
with memories and friends and to
promote the school’s legacy.
Berry President Steve Briggs
commissioned the project, which
was managed by Historic Berry
with the support of the alumni
relations office. The book can be
purchased online at Barnes &
Noble and at Amazon.Com. Or,
you can
click here to order.
Finally, the
Book Is Here!
Six Years in the
Making, from
Conception to
Completion
Scholarship Established by Class of '64
Other Classes Issued a Challenge
The Class of 1964 has established the Berry High Schools and Academy Work
Scholarship. The announcement was made at Alumni Weekend by Charles
Downey at the 50-year reunion dinner of the Class of 1964. Over $21,000 has
been collected and pledged for the scholarship and all other classes have been
challenged to meet or exceed the gifts of the class of ’64.

The scholarship fund needs a minimum of $25,000 in order to become an
endowed scholarship and all high school alumni are encouraged to
support this effort.

The purpose of the Berry High Schools and Academy Work Scholarship is to help
preserve and teach the rich history and heritage of the Berry high schools by
assisting needy students in pursuing their education at Berry College. Read more
about the qualifications of the scholarship recipients by
clicking here.

Click here to download the pledge form.

Did You Miss Some Berry News?
Click Here to see the news archive.
Would you like to nominate someone for the
Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award? If so, follow the
link to download a nomination form and learn
how to do it. It's easy!
NOMINATION PAGE
In Memoriam
Nominations Now Being Accepted
Berry Alumnus - Pastor to the President
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF
TRUSTEES DIES UNEXPECTEDLY

Media release: Berry College is saddened to announce the passing of J. Barry Griswell, chair of the Berry College
Board of Trustees. A towering presence both literally and figuratively, this 6-foot-9 Berry College Viking basketball
alumnus served his alma mater with uncommon distinction during his 17 years as a trustee, the last four as chair.

“His legacy is one of great progress in advancing the mission of the college but his true impact here and elsewhere is
measured in lives touched,” said Berry President Steve Briggs.

His story was a Berry story, as told in his book “The Adversity Paradox” (2009). Griswell came from a broken home
headed by a single mother who worked two jobs and endured abusive marriages. He credits the Joseph B. Whitehead
Boys Club of Atlanta as saving him. He met his future wife and graduated from Atlanta’s Walter F. George High School –
as a 6-foot, 9-inch star basketball player. They both earned scholarships to Berry changing his trajectory.

He rose from humble beginnings to great heights, including serving as CEO and chair of Principal Financial Group in
Des Moines, Iowa. His career success was matched by his passion for service, as evidenced by his sustained work on
behalf of the United Way and many other organizations, Berry among them.

Barry and Michele, with other members of their church, helped found The Harvest Initiative, an endeavor to bring
economic development to the people of Crow Creek County in South Dakota. He has also served as chair of Scholarship
America. His many honors and distinctions included the Horatio Alger Distinguished American Award, the Berry Alumni
Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award and induction into the Boys and Girls Clubs Alumni Hall of Fame. He
was a 1971 graduate of Berry.

Griswell, who died June 5, is survived by his wife, Michele (a 1970 alum), his dedicated partner in service and in life
since first meeting in high school more than 50 years ago, sons John and Michael, John’s wife Abigail, two
granddaughters, three brothers, and a number of nieces and nephews, several of whom attended Berry College.
“We will long remember Barry’s keen insight, wise counsel, impeccable character, quick-witted humor and fun-loving
spirit, witnessed most recently when he joined me in donning overalls and straw hats for a short video meant to open
this spring’s Scholarship Night celebration.
“We will cherish the example he set through his steadfast loyalty and support of Berry and our students. He was often
touched by the stories and potential of individuals he met and would act quietly and directly to make a difference. His
investment wasn’t just one of money or resources but also time. As recently as Wednesday, he was on a video call with
other trustees, discussing passionately the future of the college he loved so much,” Briggs said.

More about Griswell’s life and legacy in this
2016 feature story published in Berry magazine.
Samir Massouh,
class of 1964,
passed away on
January 12, 2021.
You can read his
obituary by
clicking here.
Reverand Dr. Luis Leon, Academy
class of 1967, served as Rector of St.
John's Church in Washington, DC,
commonly known as "The Church of the
Presidents". Read more about Luis and
his service to others by
clicking here.
Marilyn Allen,
former Berry staff
member, passed
away on January
25, 2021. You can
read her obituary by
clicking here.
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John Littleton,
class of 1961,
passed away on
March 31, 2021.
You can read his
obituary by
clicking here.