Between the family atmosphere and the great education and lunches, Brandon Briner said he’s glad he chose to attend Lutheran Central School in Brownstown.

“With small enrollment, it was a very, very close-knit group, including parents, teachers, administrators and pastors,” said Briner, who graduated from the school in 2004 and then earned diplomas from Brownstown Central High School and Indiana University Southeast.

“The cooks were amazing, and the lunches tasted and smelled like they just came out of grandma’s kitchen,” he said. “It was a great experience, and God willing, my children will go there.”

Clay Fritz, who attended the school from 1986 to 1993, also liked the small-school atmosphere and the tasty lunches.

“The young kids knew and looked up to the older kids, and the older kids took the younger ones under their wings,” he said. “Teachers were great, and Bertie Darlage has been a mainstay in the kitchen cooking the best lunches for years and years.”

Fritz now has three children who attend Lutheran Central.

“Although the school has upgraded technology and made some renovations over the years, it’s really still providing the same grade-A, faith-based education,” he said.

On Sunday, the school will celebrate its 50th anniversary on the exact date it was dedicated in 1967. The event, open to the public, will run from 2 to 4 p.m. at the school at 415 N. Elm St.

The Rev. Jordan McKinley from Trinity Lutheran Church in Vallonia will lead a worship service in the gymnasium. Bob Pottschmidt, who retired in 2007 after 34 years of service at the school, will provide the music.

Following the service, light refreshments will be served, and historical exhibits will be set up throughout the school. Also, anyone who buried a bicentennial time capsule in Ray Bachmann’s third-grade class may pick up the contents during the event.

Read the full story in Friday’s Tribune and online at tribtown.com.