HHS Class of '72: finally, a class reunion

After 50 years, the Harlem High School Class of 1972 held a class reunion, their first. Several commented that over the years there had been attempts to schedule a reunion, but it never happened. One classmate recalled, "For our 40th we got close but just couldn't get our act together." There were 48 graduates in the class. Fourteen are deceased and twelve classmates were at the Saturday session of the 50th reunion.

The reunion was held at Zurich Park this past Labor Day weekend. Activities included lots of opportunities for meeting and greeting and a visit to the area where they attended high school. The Class of '72 was one of the first classes to use the 'new' gym, now home to the modern day Harlem Wildcats. Part of the alums were able to have their picture taken in front of the painting of the HHS Wildcat that's on one wall of the new gym. The new gym came about after the old Harlem Civic Center, downtown, burned.

During their visit to the high school classmates found the framed photos of the graduates from their class. Someone noted, "Our class had about twice as many boys as girls." Another added, "I remember when we marched into the graduation ceremony it was 'one girl, then two boys together, then one girl and so on." The class of '72 also had the distinction of being the first class to have their graduation photos done in color. (Apparently the process had not been totally perfected as the photos have faded a good bit...or, it was the ravages of 50 years hanging in the lobby of the school).

It was interesting that after they found their own class photos, many of them gravitated to the areas with newer and older photos to find parents, aunts and uncles or in more recent photos, siblings, nieces and nephews. For some of the represented families, attending Harlem High was part of a long tradition.

There was also a good turnout of former teachers who were connected to the class of '72. For many of the teachers working at Harlem High was early in their teaching careers. One '72 wag said, "We must not have been too bad as most all of them stayed in teaching until retirement." Another classmate said of the teachers, "I've known these guys since I was a kid but still find it hard to address them as anything but 'Mister.'" (see photo of former teachers who attended the reunion on Saturday).

For the Saturday evening meal, the visitors enjoyed a pulled pork dinner with all the trimmings, including homemade pie and ice cream. After the meal former teacher Dale Mailand presented some of his humorous poetry. Then the group joined in a rousing rendition of the Harlem High Fight song. The singing of the fight song, complete with gestures, was led by former cheerleader and classmate Betty Benson Billmayer, in her cheerleader's outfit, and Ede Breitmeier. Ede and Betty were mainstays getting this reunion organized.

After the evening cheer song and entertainment there was an auction and some door prizes. Ede explained, "We are still a few dollars short on covering our expenses for the reunion so we are having an auction to raise a few bucks." The alums got in the mood of helping, paying $160 for one of Betty Billmayer's homemade pies and generously spending on some other items. Door prizes ranged from a six pack of Miner's Gold beer (from an alum who lives in the Helena area) and candy snacks for the ride home.

Classmates planned to gather on Sunday morning, back at the park, to hold a memorial for the 14 members of their class who are deceased. Then it will be good-byes and maybe some talk of a 60th reunion. Now that they finally pulled their first reunion off they seem really motivated to gather again. It could be the start of a new tradition for the Class of '72. Congrats for making this one so successful.