The oldest public high school in the South created the Hall of Fame and accepted 12 members in October. Committee member Jim Pardue said the school plans to induct new members every year but reduce how many are brought in over time.
“With the school dating back so far, the school needs something like this,” Pardue said. “ARC history is Augusta, Ga., history.”
He said the committee will select eight people to be inducted at the next banquet in October. Nominations must be submitted by March 31. Nominees must have graduated from, coached or taught at the school at least 25 years ago.
For the inaugural class, Richmond Academy selected notable alumni and past
coaches and educators. They included Bennie Ward, the school’s first black student, who went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; coach A.L. Williams, who won seven consecutive state baseball championships at the school; and former Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders,
a politician credited with improving education in the state.
The Hall of Fame is meant to honor those who made significant contributions to the school or society.
Pardue said the committee is looking for a diverse lineup to include sports stars, educators, politicians and humanitarians.
“It’s for people who have gone from Richmond Academy and done very well, represented the school very well,” Pardue said. “We want to have, each year, a mixture of people to represent the older years as far as 1800 and so forth.”
Portraits of Hall of Fame members are in the school’s library. Pardue said the committee is working to create a more visible space that will accommodate the growing membership and help honor the legacy of those involved.
