55th Reunion

The 55th Reunion was a great success.. Particularly so because of the classmates and spouses/friends who came the extra mile, some under difficult circumstances. Additionally, Mr. Arthur R. Taylor and his wife, Kathryn, hosted a cocktail hour, actually 11/2 hours) Saturday evening before dinner. Art had his sister, Marilyn, who works on corporate events, work with the Hotel to ensure a top-notch event, and it was.

Hats off to Walt and Flo Punke. They came from Clayton, DE and spent Friday and Saturday evenings with us. Walt missed the 5oth because he has a stroke 3 months before the event. he was determined to make this one AND he did. Many. many thanks to his wife, Flo, who had to go the extra mile to make it happen.

Hats off to Fred and Peggy Schultz. They came from Lancaster, PA. Fred has attended most, if not all the Reunions - and he was not going to miss this one. Fred was able to visit with his son, Greg, from Australia as well as several other family members. Thanks to Peggy for making it happen.

And how about Sandy Gravlee, making it here from Pymble, NSW, Australia. great to see her too. Needless to say, she traveled the farthest.

Special thanks to the Reunion Committee. Joyce MacLean, Harriet Caulfield, Barb Gunn, Joe Cygler and Bill Schaefer made it all happen - with our ace in the hole, acting as a CONSULTANT - Jean Deissler. In reality Jean did a lot of work.

Pages/pics for the Saturday morning & afternoon activities, UCAC Tour and the City Tour are now available:

Go to UCAC Tour

Go to City Tour

Pics from Saturday Evening Cocktail Hour are now available:

Go to Cocktail Hour

Below is the letter we received from our Principal in 1953, John H. Cooper. We had dedicated our Yearbook to his wife thusly:

"We, the class of 1953, dedicate our yearbook to the memory of Mrs. John H. Cooper, Jr. whose courage, faith and thoughtfulness will always be an inspiration to us."

Here we are 55 years later and John Cooper, now in his 90s still has the ability to inspire. Enjoy the letter.

Letter from John Cooper, Principal, RHS, to the Class of 1953-dated 10/17/08

Warmest greetings to you all and a special hearty hello to Mrs. Gilda Musachio, a friend and contemporary faculty member at Rahway High School, and to her husband. The number of us who were on the Faculty that are still around to be with you or to greet you lessens each year.

In 1953 I was beginning to be comfortable with being your Principal at RHS. and all of you were looking forward to being comfortable as adults in our great land. I trust that it has been rewarding for you. At least, all of us over the intervening years have seen remarkable changes take place.

Some changes have been challenging. If you remember, I always liked to look at the lighter side of things so I have forwarded an Email to Mario DiBenedetto that may give you a chuckle or two about the changes that have come about, if he chooses to read one or two of the nostalgic statements to you.

1953 was a year of expectancy. We looked at our lives ahead with confidence that we would survive despite the changes and bumps in the road that would arrive. Speaking from experience let me reassure you that there are still good times ahead, if the Lord is as good to you as He is to me. Reunions, of course are occasions to look back and happily resurrect pleasant memories, but they can be times when, just as we did in 1953, to look to the future and welcome each new day to do something creative and rewarding. Always an optimist, despite not being all I once was, there is joy in living. Stay active even if it is just using the written word to communicate with old friends. Like the title of the song that Rahway's original D.J. Carlton Ransom used to play at the "Y" Saturday Night Hops, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". My traveling days have been curtailed. Yet during the last few years many old friendships have been rekindled, just as our are being refreshed, through the written word.

Life has taken me and my family from Rahway to California where in 1965 I became a Professor of Art and Education. My last post at California Lutheran University was as Dean of Graduate Studies. Upon my third and final retirement from the University we moved to an island in Puget Sound. Many things occupied my time and just recently, at age 95, I retired after 10 years as news correspondent for Harstine Island for the Shelton-Mason County Journal. It has been a remarkable adventure.

One piece of advice (old principals are prone to give advice) to you is to always look toward tomorrow with a purpose in mind to fulfill when tomorrow arrives. For instance, as you begin your reunion on Friday, October 24, on tomorrow Saturday October 25, I will be at the "Arts and Flowers Nursery" on Harstine Island where we live selling and autographing copies of the 2009 Harstine Island Calendar which I have designed and illustrated since 2001. The advice I give is never go to sleep at night unless you have something, little or big, to do tomorrow.

It is a joy to greet you. May your reunion be a joyful time. Keep living each day with joy and love one another.