Photos courtesy of Pat Decker (‘71)

Co-Chairs Deb & Win Smith write "Letter to the Editor" post-reunion

In a recent letter to the editor published in the Milford Mirror, Deb and Win wrote:

TO THE EDITOR:

Through your newspaper we would like to convey our thoughts to the 1,400 plus Milford High School alumni and their guests who gathered on the former football field June 29, 2013, to enjoy the camaraderie and good times of days gone by. We hope you enjoyed the day. The weather was perfect, and the memories flowed.

We all owe a great debt of gratitude to the committee who worked for over a year to set up the event and provide for a smooth-running affair. Especially the committee officers and chairs of the sub-committees, Joel Baldwin, Nell Moll, Bruce Kuryla, Marty Merk, Ken Hawkins, Gail Sostilio, Jacquelyn Hartmann, Barbara Bourdeau, Stacie Hart Plaut, Carol Molloy Smith, Ellen Richetelli, Valerie Seeley and Chris Carroll, not to mention our Chairman Emeritus Bob Gregory, ’55, who handed over to us a well-oiled machine.

“We honored 100-year-old Dorothy Winkler Paul from the class of ’31 as our queen, and Trevor Davis from the class of ’44 as our king of the reunion. Thanks to Beachwood Florist, who donated the flowers for the queen, king and their court.

“Thank you to Mayor Benjamin Blake for the proclamation, Dotty Kal Kozlowski, for the permission to use her drawing of Ansantawae for our event banner, the Baseball League, who let us disrupt their schedule for a weekend, Foran High School Natural Helpers, Key Clubs from Joseph Foran and Jonathan Law High Schools, the board and tenants at River Park Apartments for opening “old Milford High School”, Steve and Anne Maher for the use of the “cop bucket”, for the Classic Cars on display, Durham Bus company for the shuttles, the Hampton Inn and Fairfield Inn, EMTs, the Public Works Department, Recreation Department, Police Department and Fire Department for their cooperation, and the service clubs; Milford Elks and Kiwanis who sold food and drink to the assembled crowd, along with Oregano Joe’s Pizza and ice cream by Brain Freeze.

“We thank Colleen Birney who sang the National Anthem and Girl Scout Troops 38345 and 30139 for ably assisting with a Flag ceremony and the Pledge of Allegiance. To “RJ the DJ” who spun records from all the eras. You all were great!

“The final tabulation has not yet been made, but we know that there will be a significant contribution to the All-Class Reunion Committee Scholarship Fund that provides financial assistance each year to a graduate from each of the Milford high schools.

“The financial success and the ability to keep the cost of the event down would not have been possible without our sole sponsor, The Milford Bank. Truly a local institution, The Milford Bank has been a dedicated partner to so many community activities.

“Thanks to all who came and made the day a successful one. See you in five years for the next MHS All-Class Reunion.”

Deb Franco Smith, ’75 and Win Smith, ’76
Co-Chairs, MHS All Class Reunion

Reprint from THE NEW HAVEN REGISTER

1937-1983 grads of old Milford High School
gather for reunion

Published: Saturday, June 29, 2013
By Phyllis Swebilius

MILFORD -- They partied like it was 1983 or ’73 or even ’37.

At least 1,500 graduates of Milford High School and their guests began gathering under tents Saturday morning at Daniel S. Wasson Memorial Field to renew old friendships.

They brought coolers and lawn chairs, some danced to tunes from the 1950s to ’80s spun by R.J. the D.J.

Others posed in a scaled-down replica of Milford’s unique “bucket.” Before traffice lights were installed, a police officer (standing in a large metal can) directed traffic at a four-way intersection in the center of town ( New Haven Ave., North and South Broad Streets, River Street, and Factory Lane.

Festivities at the field ended at 5 p.m., followed by a sundown bonfire at Walnut Beach.

In between, there was crowning of the queen, Dorothy Winkler Paul, age 100, class of 1931 and king, 87 year old Trevor Davis, class of 1944; a classic car show; food; presentation of the colors by Girl Scout troops 38345 and 30139;   and a welcome message delivered by Mayor Benjamin G. Blake. 

“Happy day! Go Indians!” Mayor Benjamin G. Blake said.

Several women from classes in the 1930s, who were sitting in the first tent, followed along softly as Colleen Birney sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”  Other individual groups sang MHS Alma Maters ... both the pre and post 1951 versions.

Many grads  leafed through copies of The Wepawaug.  Pointing to themselves as graduates brought laughs while pointing to deceased classmates stimulated smiles as well as tears.

“I’ve been to every reunion,” said Olivia Barbieri Kurtz, ’37". “I’m visiting  from Alaska.”

Way down the row, in the last tent, Randy Mott was holding the fort two hours as the only representative of the class of ’83.

Milford High School began at City Hall downtown in 1842. The last MHS was nearby, in what is now the Parsons Government Center. The final class to graduate was 1983.

“Wow, there’s nobody,” Mott said about noon. “There’s nobody.”

Soon after, a second graduate, Dawn Root Poulin, came into the tent.

“I was the only one here,” Mott told her. “I was getting bummed.”  Perhaps some cell phone contacts stimulated others of their class to mosey on down to Wasson Field and join the party.   They were among the last to leave.

By evening’s end, event organizers could not verify the exact number of attendees due to a large number of WALK INS  who had not pre-registered.  However, Registration Chairperson, Jackie Hartman admitted to over 1500 persons.

Numersous cars parked in the area carried plates from New England, New Jersey and Florida.    Others came from California and Canada, Deb Franco Smith said.

Deb and husband, Win Smith Jr., served as chairmen of the 2013 reunion.

At the classic car show, Alfred E. Benjamin, class of ’58 now of Guilford, brought his 1903 Oldsmobile, an 8 horsepower, 1 cylinder open two-seater driven by a chain, no drive shaft.  It has been in his family since it was new.

Deb Smith said the event was “superb.”  “It went flawlessly in every aspect,” she said.