This is not only the time of the year for graduations, but there are also high school reunions to be attended. I graduated in January, 1951 from Garfield High School in Akron, Ohio. Yes, we were named for the United States President and our motto was “The Presidents.”
My birthday is in December and hence I entered grade school in January, 1938. When we were juniors the city of Akron told those students behind us to either just drop back a half year, or go to summer school and get a half year ahead. Consequently, we were the last mid-year graduating class.
We had our first reunion in 1956 and had one every five years after that. In 1959, I moved to Georgia, where I still reside. I was privileged to attend 11 reunions consecutively. My late sister lived in the same neighborhood we grew up in and the restaurant where it was always held was in that community. I always had a place to stay and someone to drive me around. And oh yes, the airport was also nearby.
Being a mid-year class we only had 84 in the class. As with all graduating classes, we would lose a few every ten years or so.
Somehow, there were 8 to 10 of us whose face never changed. Even after I was in my 50s, classmates would come up to me and say “Carolyn, how nice to see you,” and I could swear I never saw them before in my life!
I remember, probably about the 40th reunion or so, one of my classmates who had been on the debate team with me, getting really ticked with me because I couldn’t remember the subject we rehearsed in my parents living room. Sorry, Richard.
The 50th reunion did draw more than the usual number of attendees. Oddly enough, a goodly number of attendees were, like me, from out of town. Those still living locally didn’t seem to be as interested.
We have the 54th reunion coming up in a couple of weeks. Same restaurant of course. Sadly, I am no longer able to attend – I have lost my sister and brother-in-law and I can no longer zip around on airplanes.
So the announcement stated: Reunion for the classes of 1951, 1952, and 1953. At our age now, it takes that many to fill a restaurant.
