43
Graduates share 67 years of memories
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Members of the Fitch class of 1944 enjoyed a light lunch at Barry Dyngle's Pub on Aug. 17. The graduates attribute their close friendships to growing up together during tough times in America's history.
Photo
Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Members of the Fitch class of 1944, along with their significant others, gathered at Barry Dyngle's Pub on Aug. 17 to eat, chat, and reminisce on the 67 years since their graduation.
By SARAH FOOR
Barry Dyngle’s restaurant in Austintown was home to a very special high school reunion on Aug. 17.
To reminisce on the 67 years since their graduation, the Austintown Fitch Class of 1944 gathered for another year.
For most reunions, a short meeting every five years is satisfactory.
However, the 16 members of 1944 class like each other so much, they’ve taken to having their reunion every year since their 50th celebration in 1994.
“We were a close group of kids, we always were,” explained unofficial class historian Marjorie Gessner. “When all of us were growing up, we were living in the Great Depression, and we lived through World War II together as well. It was a time where no one had much, so we had to depend on each other.”
Back in 1944, the class graduated with 47 members.
Ten members of the class attended all 12 of their school years in the Austintown district. When they began school in 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president and he still was when the Austintown students were handed their diplomas in 1944.
The class sent 19 soldiers to fight in World War II and lost two classmates in the struggle.
During their Aug. 17 celebration, the class shared food, drinks and easy conversation.
As a tradition, classmates brought fudge and pies to share for dessert.
Austintown superintendent Vince Colaluca dropped in at the event and shared his admiration for the close friendships still prevalent among the graduates.