Sixty years ago, 63 friends stood together and graduated from Delta High School. Saturday a fraction of that number once again stood together, hugging, crying and reminiscing about days long past.
"This is one of the most exciting times of my life . . . meeting my old school chums," said John "Red" Steele, the master of ceremonies.After 60 years it was difficult to recognize old classmates. Name tags were indispensable. Except for Marc F. Lauper, a furniture store owner from San Leandro, Calif. "This one guy said I was so odd he recognized me even before I put my name tag on."
The Delta schoolhouse burned down during the Christmas holiday of 1928, an event all the graduates remember. The students had to meet in the elementary school for the rest of their senior year.
Mabel Sampson Chapman said they had to go to school from 7:30 a.m. until noon, then the elementary students came in for the afternoon. The seniors had to go across the street to a hotel for home economics and to a dance hall for physical education, she said.
Dorothy Bunker Baker organized the reunion, which included students from classes prior to and following 1929. About 68 people attended the get-together at the Chuck-A-Rama on Highland Drive. Baker said she hadn't seen most of the people there in more than 30 years.
"These kids are doctors and deans of schools. It's quite interesting to see," she said.
Chapman came from North Carolina for the reunion.
"I wouldn't miss a 60th class reunion for anything," Chapman said. "Memories are forever."