The Academy Street High School Class of 1968 will celebrate its 50th class reunion this weekend in conjunction with the Academy Street School Reunion on Saturday.

John Parker, class member, said the Academy Street High School Class of 1968 will begin the activities and festivities on Thursday afternoon with a picnic at a classmate’s farm near Banks. A special event has been planned for Thursday night in remembrance of deceased classmates.

“We will gather at New Beginnings to light a candle for each of our deceased classmates,” Parker said. “The program will include a welcome and a prayer. The name of each of the 15 deceased class members will be called and we will light a candle for each of them. It is important for us to remember them because they were a part of our class and our lives.”

Family members of the deceased classmates have been invited to attend the special service to honor and remember their loved ones.

“On Friday morning, the classmates, 52 of them, and their spouses will tour Troy. Those who have not been here in a while will find a lot of surprises,” Parker said. “Troy has changed a lot since we graduated and especially in recent years.”

Parker said the classmates will tour areas of interest in downtown Troy and Troy University.

“At the university, they will see the football stadium, the basketball arena, the amphitheater, the international arts center and the new dining hall and dorms — the entire campus,” he said. “I believe they will be very impressed. They will be interested, too, to learn about things to come – the distillery, the lumber company and the rifle manufacturer.”

On Friday night, the classmates will travel to Montgomery for a dinner cruise on the Harriott II along the Alabama River.

“On Saturday night, we’ll enjoy the Academy Street High School reunion at Charles Henderson High School,” Parker said. “On Sunday, we’ll all attend the churches of our choice. It will be a fun four days for all of us as we look back and remember, together.”