Monday, October 10, 2022

50th High School Reunion--The Kinder, Gentler Reunion

SHS Class of 71

This past weekend on Saturday night I drove to my 50th High School Reunion. The Stoneham (Massachusetts) High School Class of 1971 met for dinner at Bear Hill Country Club on the north end of our little town.

Bear Hill Golf Club

Since 1971, I have attended four reunions:  the 10th, the 30th and the 40th before the current reunion. Just over fifty of our class of 364 attended this half-century gathering.  Several more wanted to attend by life got in the way.  

The reunion committee: Elaine, Niccie, Bill and Patricia

If my memories are reliable, this reunion was the most congenial I have been to. At all of the previous reunions nearly all of us were working, our kids were still at home, and we were still working out our place in the world.  At this reunion, I spoke with many people who seemed at peace with life--or at least more at peace than I remember.

Speaking of remembering, I introduced myself to about twenty people. Some had not been to previous reunions--or not the the reunions I attended.  Some people were instantly recognizable, but others I could not place.  

I had more trouble recognizing men than women. Our senior year, a lot of boys had long hair, some had shoulder-length hair.  Fifty years later, the men most difficult for me to recognize had the least hair--or no hair.  

Many of my classmates were recently retired. Some missed their jobs, most were happy to be retired.  

At the end of the evening several people were talking about a 55th reunion in four years--since the 50th was delayed a year by COVID.  If that 55th reunion or the 60th happens, I will be happy to go. 


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