The Way We Were

The Way We Were Cherished Memories from Our Early Days

The photos may have faded but the stories remain vivid, according to the many alumni who shared memories of their early days at Cabarrus Academy and Cannon School. Read on to learn about the cherished traditions and experiences that live in the hearts of those who attended.

Stephanie Sloop Attended Cabarrus Academy 1969-1972 “As the 1972 graduating class from Cabarrus Academy, we shared many special ‘firsts.’ But what I remember most about the days in the house were the friendships. We knew everyone in the lower grades, we met students from other towns, and we formed bonds with faculty members that exist to this day. Lockers in coat closets, lunch off-campus, parking your car across from the school and just walking across the street, your history class taking a field trip to register to vote, capping ceremony at one of the student’s homes, and a vivid memory of walking out the front door of Cabarrus Academy wearing bell bottoms thinking these were the best days ever! And I was correct.”

Susan Simpson Attended Cabarrus Academy 1973-1979 “My favorite memories were walking downtown to a grill for lunch every day, fun projects in Mrs. Woodard’s art class and recess in the backyard. We also walked to the Boys and Girls Club for PE as well as Pancake Day during school. Performing a clogging routine at the Strawberry Festival and painting Halloween pictures on Ben Mynatt’s car dealership windows were also very memorable.”

Jeremy Hundley Attended Cabarrus Academy from 1985-1991 “My favorite memories are of the annual field days. I remember setting records in the sixth grade! My son, Cannon (Class of ’30) is a student there now, and I love that he can experience some of the same traditions that I did. There are just a lot of connections, and it’s pretty special that he can attend the same school as I did all those years ago.”

Sarah Brown Attended Cabarrus Academy/Cannon School from 1989-2003 (A Lifer!) “I was in Ms. Brown’s first grade class in the Cabarrus Academy house on Union Street. Mr. Snyder’s office was (I believe) on the first floor on the right after you walked in the front door. I always loved how Mr. Snyder would shake everyone’s hand on the way into school every morning. That gesture made him very approachable and friendly. One day I had a very loose tooth I was nervous about losing. Ms. Brown sent me to his office and he talked with me for a minute and calmed me down, got a tissue and gripped my tooth, counted to three and gently squeezed. It came out so easily and I was so excited! He put it in one of those little orange treasure boxes we used to get and sent me back to class. I thought I was so cool that the principal pulled my loose tooth! I love how personally involved he was with all his students and I will remember that forever.”

Allegra Haritan Attended Cannon School from 1998-2008 “I met my best friend, Emily Ranson, in Ms. Abernathy’s second grade class. Seventeen years later we are still best friends and she was Maid of Honor in my wedding!”

Kristen Harris Adamczuk Attended Cabarrus Academy from 1990-1995 “Some of the best childhood memories I have were made at Cabarrus Academy (kindergarten through third grade) at the historic Union Street home. Strawberry Festivals on the front porch, walking to the library, going to the basement for art class and to get our class milk at lunch time. Eating lunch in the classroom (sometimes from area restaurants), taking a bus to the Boys and Girls Club for gym, and of course…wondering why there was a bathtub in my school’s bathroom and who used it?

I was in second grade when we were asked to draw and color what we envisioned for the new school on Poplar Tent. I remember some of us drew pools with slides, as the staff of Cabarrus Academy made it an exciting journey for us to be a part of and look forward to. I remember getting a little sand shovel at the ground breaking and as much as we didn’t understand what we were a part of then, we can all look back and be proud that we were included in such a monumental moment for the history of the school and community.

I remember that when I was probably in third grade, we lined up across the soccer field and picked up any rocks we found as they finalized the creation of the soccer/field day field. Though it was small, those of us who did that can literally say we had a helping hand in forming the school. I was in the fourth grade as the first school year started at the new school, and I can still remember putting our thumb prints on a paper that would be put into the time capsule (which was opened and revealed in November). These among many other memories made our childhoods unique and make us proud to say ‘I went to Cannon when it was Cabarrus Academy.’”