More than

250 people are taking part in the Academy Street High School reunion, which ends today with a tailgate at the high school playground at 4 p.m.

"It has been very successful," said Sarah Baker, the reunion committee's ad coordinator. "It has gone so well and has been wonderful."

The high school opened in 1906 and graduated its last class in 1970, when its students were transferred to Charles Henderson High School.

The building still stands and is now used by OCAP to house its Headstart program.

Although Baker said they hold reunions every two years, the next one won't be until 2006, when the school will be 100 years old.

Most of the students in the final class still live in Troy and said the reunion was a good place to catch up on each other and the students in other classes.

"It has been a blessing to me," said Jeanette M. Daniels, who graduated in 1970.

She and her old classmates were gathered around a table at the banquet last night laughing about old times.

Two teachers they all remember are Grace Harrison and Ruth Raife. Harrison taught history and Raife taught English and both had strong personalities.

"Miss Raife was a teacher," said Bernice Starts Parker. "In her class, you should have already studied. You either knew it or you didn't and it was to your benefit if you knew it."

Harrison was the type of teacher who knew everything about her students, including their families. She was kind, but she was strict.

Jimmy McMillian said he and his classmates had a nickname for her, "Mokiller."

"She kept everybody in line," he said. "And she didn't tell you but one time."

And she didn't play favorites with anybody, "she got all of us," McMillian said.