It was along toward the end of May that my wife, Marsha, and I went to the St. George High School alumni banquet. Because my school was small, all classes went to the same meeting when the school association was started by Alfred Hocking and others in 1939. Classes were small because back then boys dropped out to go fishing and girls got married. In 1953, there were 18 in my graduating class, which was large for the time.
Do you enjoy putting things in perspective? I do. I’ve been out of high school for 64 years. When I graduated, anyone who had been out of school for 64 years would have belonged to the class of 1889 and would have illuminated their homes with oil lamps for their first 50 years. They would have been over 30 in 1902 when my grandfather wrote in his diary that he saw the first automobile go by. In the 1950s, old folks would stand at the meetings and tell of going to school in “the old sail loft.” I thought they were rather quaint in their speech and dress.
At this year’s meeting the food, as usual. was excellent. Mary Guptill from Nobleboro was the chef. I think she told me that she was a Genthner, so her German ancestors probably came to Waldoboro on the same boat as some of mine 250 or so years ago.
For the first time in 70-plus years there was no election of officers for the upcoming year. Because no one wanted to get out the mailings, we were expected to let the association die. Mailings are important. For some inexplicable reason, some people want a written reminder to attend a meeting that has been held in the same place in the same month and day since 1939.
A few made noises about not letting the association die and allowed that, even though it might not be so fancy, those of us lucky enough to survive would meet the following year and eat at the same tables.
So with no elected officers for next year, I’ll get together with a couple of the willing and get out a promotional mailing for the 2018 St. George School Banquet.
The next meeting might not be as elaborate, but it is just an excuse for old schoolmates to get together anyway. Our high school closed in 1963, when St. George was conned into joining a school administrative district with Thomaston, so when we’re gone there’ll be no need of an association anyway. But as long as those of us who enjoy going to the meetings are able to walk, we’ll try to keep having them. It has been suggested that the association include anyone who went to any school in St. George – a good idea, because it would bring in younger people.
You might have attended an annual free lobster picnic in my backyard. At least 1,000 people showed up for the last one in 1994. Having 1,000 friends in for an afternoon is no problem. It’s easy to do and is a lot of fun for everyone. Once you get an annual event rolling, friends know how to help so it practically runs itself.
The secret to putting on an event is to enjoy doing it. Don’t take it too seriously.
If you’re accustomed to having 1,000 people show up in your backyard for an annual picnic, putting on a supper for 50 old friends at an annual alumni banquet is not even worth talking about. It’s easy to do, and everybody has fun.
Twenty-five or so years ago I got out the alumni mailings. It was a simple and enjoyable task that no one else wanted to do: Remind people to come; line up some entertainment. One year Marty Engstrom treated us to a talk on what it was like to broadcast from the top of Mount Washington. How are you going to top a lecture by Marty Engstrom if you’re looking for an entertaining speaker?
After getting out the mailings for years, I thought it was time to stand aside and allow the young folks who graduated in the 1960s to run things.
But they’ve run out of steam. I’m going to tackle it again because the St. George School Association has a special place in my heart. Thirty years ago I was speaking before the group when suddenly, in a moment of reckless abandon, I asked Marsha, who was sitting in the back row, if she would marry me.
And now you know why 1,000 close friends no longer show up in my backyard every summer for free lobsters.
The humble Farmer can be heard Friday nights at 7 on WHPW (97.3 FM) and visited at his website:
www.thehumblefarmer.com/MainePrivateRadio.html
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