Ulysses Harris had to come back to Demopolis for this reunion. His name wouldn’t allow otherwise.

Over the weekend, nearly 600 people from all across the United States returned to Demopolis for a reunion of U.S. Jones High School. Dubbing the reunion a 50-year affair wouldn’t be accurate because people like Harris haven’t made it quite that far, yet.

In 1958 &045;&045; 45 years ago &045;&045; Harris graduated from U.S. Jones High School, and it just so happens that he graduated from a school of which he bore the same name.

These days, Harris runs a limousine service in Moreno County, Calif., near Palm Springs.

Standing next to Harris was Abrom A. Brown Jr. &045;&045; a member of the class of ’58.

Brown lives in Cleveland, but a few times each year he makes it back home.

Brown admits that he loves coming back to Demopolis because of the close relationship people have with each other.

To Harris, it’s more about being around family.

Laura George Foster, who moved from Demopolis and lived in Boston for 34 years, was one of a few who decided to bring this enormous crowd back to this city.

Foster, along with Eddie Ayers, Charles Hall, Annie Smith and Clarissa Young (along with a host of other people) decided to put the plans in place.

Though a map of the United States would indicate that most of the people at the reunion came from the Northeast, Foster said many have come from California. "We also have one here from Concord, New Hampshire."

The U.S. Jones reunion began on Thursday with registration. Friday, school alumni attended at brunch at the civic center, then toured U.S. Jones Middle School at 12:30 p.m. before holding a banquet at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, a picnic was scheduled from 1-5 p.m. before a dance beginning at 9 p.m.