By David Kilby, Managing Editor
CRANBURY — As students graduated from schools throughout the area, several dozen alumni of Hightstown High School gathered at The Cranbury Inn and reminisced about what high school was like in 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s.
Members of the Hightstown High School classes of 1943 to 1961 were present at the HHS reunion last Saturday afternoon.
Cranbury stopped sending its students to HHS in 1965, then it began sending its students to Hightstown-East Windsor High School.
Cranbury students soon would go to Lawrence High School, then to Princeton High School, which is where they go today.
Marie Perrine, graduate of the Class of ‘43, said a prayer before dinner that brought back memories of HHS.
”We remember with thanks and praise starting the day with entering the auditorium with band music,” she said, “then the reading of Scripture, singing and news of the day’s activities.”
She added, “The remarks by the speaker at our graduating class on June 22, 1943 — saying that what we had accomplished in Hightstown High School, was not the finish of our education but only the beginning — many of us at that time did not want to hear or believe. But each year as we age, we realize how true those words are.”
Every year the senior class took a trip to Washington, D.C., except in 1943 due to World War II.
Betty Wincklhofer, a member of the Class of 1948 and the Reunion Committee, said Cranbury School’s eighth-grade graduating class in 1944 had 24 students, and by the time she graduated from HHS, The Cranbury School had 57 students graduating.
Linda Bozowski, of the Class of 1965, did most of the technical work and research for the reunion, Ms. Wincklhofer said.
The reunion was for all classes celebrating 50 years or more since their HHS graduation.
”Hightstown and Cranbury were very closely connected. We were like one big family. Cranbury and Hightstown had a strong bond,” said Anne Soden, of East Windsor, a graduate of the Class of ‘53.
She said the Class of ‘53 had 53 graduates.
Class of ‘61 graduate Eileen McGillan, of George Davison Road in Cranbury, said her fondest memory from HHS was being captain of the Majorettes, the school band.
”They don’t even have the Majorettes anymore,” she said.
She recalled the band had silver baton twirlers instead of flag twirlers like bands have today.
The Class of ‘61, which was celebrating its 50-year class reunion, had 146 graduates.
”I guess we were the beginning of the Baby Boomers,” Ms. McGillan said.
It also was a great time for sports.
”Hightstown was a big name in sports at that time, especially in soccer,” said Lee Platt, of the Class of ‘61 and resident of Robbinsville.
He said three out of the four years he played varsity soccer, the HHS soccer team was state champion.
”We used to have a great following at that time for sports,” he added.
The alumni shared many stories they remembered from their high school years. One story was about a typical trip to the movie theater in the 1960s.
”We always stayed ‘til the last 10 minutes, then we’d do something to get kicked out. Then the next week, we’d be back again,” said John Bilcik, of Scotts Corner Road in Cranbury, and graduate of the Class of ‘59.
He met his high school sweetheart and wife, Pat Dey, originally from Monroe, at HHS in 1957 in their 10th-grade world history class.
Barbara Beaulieu, of the Class of ‘55, wife of American history teacher Russ Beaulieu, recalled taking the Quaker City bus to New York City.
”We got on the bus and went to plays in New York,” she said. “The (Cranbury) Women’s Club took the Cranbury Girls Club.”
She said the clubs held dinners, dances and parties and helped young women grow and socialize.
She also recalled how the milkman used to stop by.
”The milkman used to leave little candies on top of the milk cans for children,” Ms. Beaulieu said.
She said the milkman for Cranbury when she was growing up, whose name was Frank Brach, used to skate on Brainerd Lake in the winter while listening to “The Skater’s Waltz.”
And the memories kept coming as the day went on.
”I saw a lot of faces I haven’t seen in many years,” said Barry Barlow, of the Class of ‘58, and former East Windsor chief of police.
He was born and raised in Cranbury and now lives in Bordentown.
”Most of all, it’s great to be a graduate of Hightstown High School,” he said.
