There were more hearing aids than at a Miracle Ear store. Artificial knees and hips came in a close second, but the young at heart were in full attendance at the “Grand Gathering” reunion of the four original Old Rochester High School classes of 1962 through 1965 recently held in Marion.
Nearly 90 alumni and their guests reacquainted themselves with old friends, many not seen in over a half century. They told “war” stories, exaggerated their academic achievements and athletic prowess, blushed at the mention of an old flame, exchanged photos of grandchildren and generally partied the evening away like it was 1962.
The first graduates of ORR gathered together as one under a giant tent on a sunny Saturday proving that you can go home again, although one alumnus heroically subscribed to the old maxim “the show must go on” as she bore the strain of not knowing if she had a home to return to as Hurricane Irma bore down on her Florida residence. Other alumni from as far away as Indiana, Ohio and Louisiana secretly glanced at name tags trying to recognize faces from their youth. Recognition brought hugs and kisses, and the years melted away.
But in the fall of 1961 they were all strangers entering a brand new high school. Some came from Wareham High, others from Fairhaven High and the remainder from the Tri-Town primary schools. The students were not the only ones new to the building. Alumni formed a long line to greet faculty favorite Norman Fuller who was one of the school’s first teachers who began his career at ORR in 1961 and stayed for 30 years.
The original ORR cheerleaders gathered in a line to practice their high kicks, although suggestions they do cartwheels were summarily rejected. No doubt they remembered how they cheered the first football team and its captain Charles Jefferson, the original bulldog, who was in attendance. Charlie, whose coach heard someone in the crowd call him a bulldog for his fearless play, suggested the team adopt the nickname “Bulldogs” and so a nickname was born soon to be followed by a real live bulldog mascot name “Trouble.”
Memories flowed while the rhythms of ‘60s tunes drew the adventurous, mostly female … just like in high school … to the dance floor, and the guys talked candy red cars and little deuce coupes. As the sun faded and cool temperatures settled in, a warming fire blazed in a giant fire pit. If the diehards who lingered listened carefully, you could almost hear the strains of the Beach Boys singing “Be True to Your School.”
By Dick Morgado (Class of 1964)
