THAT'S A WRAP! BASH '75 Gets Its Groove On

by Julie Cordingley

BEFORE

“The older you get, the more important it is to know people that knew you when.” Amy Poehler

Damn! Why couldn’t I have said that? My girl Amy is so spot on! Maybe back during high school, you were a geek, jock, mean girl, band nerd, brainiac, wall-flower, ... but 50 years have gone by and it’s probably safe to say that you have evolved into something so much more. And what better opportunity than your class reunion to reconnect and show off the “updated awesome you,” while also celebrating those precious long ago years you were together.  It was time to get reacquainted with your also newly turned out awesome classmates.  

It had been five years since your last reunion and from that time until now, a group of dedicated classmates frequently met to discuss how to create a memorable event. And although many had been involved with previous reunions, even for these veterans, 50 was the biggie! They were energized by the fact that their last one was so successful. As class member Deb Wanner explained, “We had such positive feedback; everyone seemed pleased, and everyone was dancing, and so they are looking forward to this one; especially this one.”     

In keeping with the night’s theme, “An Evening in Paradise, John Koltanuk readies mini drink umbrellas.

Much of the planning committee’s collaboration and closeness can be attributed to Rowan Carter who, by all accounts, “seems to know everyone,” and has that innate ability to bring people together. As vice president for the class of 1975, he has taken his duties as a class officer seriously, including making sure that reunions happen! Carter’s good friend, Keith Weaver, who happens to be the class’s president could not agree more. As Weaver said, “Because I live in Mississippi now, I was unable to be much help to the planning committee. I am thankful for the all the people that were motivated and willing to undertake the hard work and had the foresight to plan these events over the past 50 years.”   

Tables were draped in the class' colors of green and yellow, along with yellow silk roses and small candle votives.

Their venue of choice was Boyertown’s own Friendship Hook and Ladder, but just say Hookies. Round tables were decorated with the class colors of green and yellow, along with yellow silk roses and small candle votives. “When the lights are dimmed, it will look so pretty,” Dawn Haas sighed to her daughter Joy (Class of 2011), who could just briefly nod in agreement. She was busy setting up a new smart TV for the night’s PowerPoint presentation. Jim Mull commented, “If you have trouble with technology, get yourself a millennial.” But to his credit, he then asked “How did you do that Joy?”    

Joy Haas provides tech support to her mother, class of 1975 alum Dawn Haas.

Attendees received official Class of '75 memorabilia upon their arrival.

DURING

After all the pre-reunion final preparations, it was finally time to raise the curtain on 50 years and celebrate. A line started forming a little before the designated start time of six o’clock… and as Doris Derr checked off names and handed out the party favors, there was a bit of a “to do” in the ranks, along with a lot of eye-rolling and laughs.

Turns out Greg Psota was making a bold fashion statement with his pale green, ruffled shirt. He just had to brag to Rowan Carter, “I am not wearing the tux but I can still fit into the same shirt I wore to prom.”

Greg Psota, pictured in his pale green prom shirt, poses with classmate Rowan Carter. "I am not wearing the tux, but I can still fit into the same shirt I wore to Prom!" exclaimed Psota.

A reflective Vickie Dekalb admitted that while she was in school, she was not an outgoing kid, and was not part of the “in crowd,” “but that certainly was not going to stop me from coming to my 50th. I have no expectations. I am just going to see where the night takes me," she concluded.  

As more of the 65+ year old students started to arrive, there were fierce hugs… and the noise level was ever increasing.  Neither the hugs nor the noise seemed to let up throughout the night. Classmates were mingling and the line to refreshments was growing, when master of ceremony, Dawn Haas, announced it was time for dinner. 

Master of Ceremonies Dawn Haas (right) with friends Glenn Neiman and Jean Reed.

Classmates Joanne Rafferty and Annette Richter embrace each other.

As everyone was making their way to their tables, she invited Keith Weaver to say a few words.  “I don’t have a prepared speech but as I was coming up north, it occurred to me that 50 years… half a century… had gone by. I didn’t think I was that old. This [reunion] was never a thought when I was in high school. That time was just too far away,” Weaver said.  Many in the audience agreed. Weaver finished by saying how grateful he was to see everyone and expressed his bittersweet memories of all the classmates who have passed away. He asked for a moment of silence to remember them. 

The attendees paused to remember classmates who had passed away.

Haas then recognized two other special people in attendance: their class advisor, Donald Hendricks, who stood up and thanked “his children” for the wonderful invitation… and Donna Myers, a favorite former teacher whose brother, Lamar Foley, is a member of the class of '75.  

Class advisor Mr. Don Hendricks and his wife Esther were among the special guests at the reunion.

As the night wore on, there was no way to keep up with Marvin Moser’s phone camera. He made sure to stop at every table, couple, and group -- whatever permutation was put in front of him, he captured it for Facebook. There were raucous members of each Boyertown elementary school squeezing themselves in front of the glitter curtain backdrop… friends making their way down the (delicious, CD catered!) buffet food line… reminiscing schoolmates commenting on long forgotten school memorabilia that was on display. There were also heart-warming photo ops of the married couples swaying together on the small, crowded dance floor... those who had found their sweethearts in the halls of Boyertown schools. 

Married classmates sway together on the crowded dance floor.

One of those couples was Bonnie Schanley Simmons and Tim Simmons. Bonnie remembers ...."We were juniors who sat next to each other in Mr. Biever's social studies class, and Tim was also the head of Stage Crew for the plays I was in. Our first date was the Junior Dinner Dance. Bev Spayd graduated the year before. In true teenage girl actions, she had us both write notes to the guy we wanted to go to the dance with. When I asked her for my note back, she confessed she had given it to Tim without telling me, and he had put it in his pocket. I assumed he had read it and wasn't interested. I was so embarrassed. But when he gave me a ride home after play practice, it turned out he hadn't read it. I wanted to throttle Bev, but it all worked out." No doubt about that: Bonnie and Tim just celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary in early May.

Class photographer Marvin Moser did not take this photo, but it was willingly supplied by Colleen Paulson who shared it as "proof that the class of 1975 is still cool."

An old Cub school newspaper revealed the unique titles awarded to several classmates in 1975 based on class vote. Colleen (Flannery) Paulsen – was taken aback that she was considered Queen Lobby Rat as per her superlative. “Oh my God. I can’t believe I was chosen for THAT. All I did was hang out with my girlfriends, and laugh about driver’s ed. We never did figure out which way to turn, did we Rowan?”

Newstell Marable  was surprisingly tight lipped when asked if his title, Most Outspoken, was deserved. He just shrugged, smiled, and then was off for more socializing. That’s a yes!

Memories were eagerly shared throughout the night. Tom Sabo seemed puzzled when asked if he attended all of his high school reunions. “Of course,” he said, as if the answer should be obvious. When asked about his favorite school memory, he said it had to do with a certain somebody driving a motorcycle through the high school halls. “It wasn’t me, but I have to admit I was involved.” When pressed for the actual driver’s name, to his credit, even after all this time, Sabo was not  a snitch.

Keith Smith and his date pose for a photo after enjoying a festive meal.

Joanne Rafferty hesitated when asked about her favorite school memory … “there were so many.” She was happy to be back in the area and to her “not much has changed.” It is important to note that she joined the army soon after high school graduation and is now living in Virginia.

Bev (Geyer) Acker traveled the furthest to attend coming all the way from Seattle. The class’s homecoming queen simple and succinct response of “I wouldn’t have missed this,” echoed the opinion of many in attendance.

Percy Morris  did not own up to any of his shenanigans or superlative as Biggest Gossip. He does remember, however, that as punishment for one of his more egregious acts, his mom made him get into the car and without telling him where they were going, pulled up in front of a barbershop. As they entered, she looked at the barber and then to her son’s long, beautiful, 70’s style hair… “Cut it! SHORT! All of it!”

Keith Weaver credited his class presidency with developing good working relationships with others as perhaps the reason for fulfilling his superlative title:    Most Likely to Succeed. “My high school plans were obtaining a degree in wildlife biology and having a career as a wildlife biologist and thankfully that’s the way the Lord worked it out!”  

Class president Keith Weaver catches up with Dave Smith.

As the night went on, very few classmates left the Hookies, lingering just a bit longer to share one more story, or to exchange phone numbers and emails, or to finalize breakfast plans for the following day. “It was wonderful. Better than I could have hoped,” gushed Haas. There was the realization that it will be another five years before reconnecting once again. Just as the 50 years seemed to go by quickly, so did that night... and classmates were just not ready to let go.   

AFTER ... AN ASIDE ...

Throughout the night, I noticed classmates glancing at my nametag: Cordingley? The look was always the same…  quizzical! More than once, I had to explain --  ‘no, I am not part of your class’ and 'no, you don’t know me’ -- that I was there as a guest of Rowan Carter and the generosity of the Boyertown Area Expression’s Editor-in-Chief, Lesley Misko. This class holds a special place in Misko’s heart because she was a Boyertown first year teacher as these 1975-ers were seniors. Mrs. Greenberg, as she was known back then, was also the adviser of Boyertown High School's student newspaper, The Cub. Not coincidently, Rowan Carter was Editor-in-Chief. As so, we come full circle.

Misko, forever a teacher, assigned me homework that consisted of a deep-dive into the 1975 class archives. This meant getting permission and getting screened (not quite finger-printed!) to get into the high school library during a school day. But all the scrutiny was worth it; there was an incredible amount of 1974-75 school year information gathered in one place… class notes from elementary days up to senior year… receipts for the class trip to Mount Airy Lodge… a playbill from Brigadoon… writing examples from Accent, the school literary/art magazine …photo upon photo of sports teams… the actual green and yellow class flag manufactured to exact specification by the Collegeville flag company… a graduation program… Boyertown Times newspapers, and finally digitized copies of The Cub. I have never seen anything like it. I know my school district did nothing comparable and when asking other non-Boyertownies, neither did theirs. Equally amazing, Boyertown does this for all classes, past and present. Admittedly, some classes have more collectibles than other years. I think I hit the mother lode!   

Two officers from the class of 2025 help Rowan Carter, class of 1975, display the recently unearthed class flag.

It was obvious that Boyertown is a close-knit community that is very proud of its traditions. And because of this, I had no idea what to expect from a Boyertown Reunion. But, I have to admit, I had a great time. As an outsider (actually an upstate, New York transplant who has lived in Gilbertsville since ’87), I felt welcomed and included. The class seemed to be having so much fun that they just wanted to share their memories of the great times with great friends… and if I was willing to listen, they were more than willing to tell. I was even invited to breakfast the next morning! So, to any of the organizers reading this, I humbly ask to be invited to your 55th. It was wonderful meeting such nice people who genuinely care about each other and have maintained their relationships through the five decades that have passed. 

A display featuring the class of 1975's senior yearbook and other mementos from their years at BASH.

It has been over 40 years since a chemist job in Malvern lured Julie Cordingley away from her up state, New York home. She is a proud resident of Gilbertsville! Besides working in industry, at various times she has been a stay-at-home mom, and has just recently retired from Phoenixville Area School District as a (wait for it!) chemistry teacher. It has been a life-long dream to be a writer. She figures she can work at that craft while also traveling with her husband in their drivable RV… a retirement present to herself!

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