ROPER, N.C. (WNCT) — Belinda Norman-Martin, Sammy Fields, Sharon Blount McNaire and Mable Norman James were preparing for their class reunion last week and decided to sit down to remember their time in school together.

Norman-Martin and Fields both graduated as the last segregated group of students at Washington County Union School. All of them attended the school together at some point throughout their education.

Some went to the school for 12 years as it held all grade levels at the time. Others attended for a shorter period of time, but were still included in the class reunion. They were also invited to spend time remembering the way things were when they were students there.

“We’ve been graduated 54 years. We had one class reunion in 54 years and I think that was like, five years after we graduated. And then, I don’t know, we just didn’t get back together again. We’re behind the eight ball kind of speaking,” said Norman-Martin.

They each had fond memories of teachers and experiences. Fields said that one of his most memorable moments included discipline that students don’t receive now. In one class he forgot an assignment and faced the consequences.

“Every teacher had a pet name for their paddle … He patted me pretty tight and I never forgot another newspaper article,” said Fields.

The class reunion was held last Saturday.