Once again, the nation's oldest and active HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION at STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL in CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE is holding its ANNUAL ALUMNI DAY PARADE, which is an most important event for the TOWN that pretends it is a city.
Over the years, newcomers to CLAREMONT have tried to have the school either torn down and possibly re-built or torn down and a new high school built in another area. A rennovation plan recently passed with a better plan than before. Previous plans were turned down, voted down, due to tax issues and bond issues and other things.
Those who do not recognize the importance and value of STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL do not realize that if and when the STEVENS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION dissolves or vanished, there will be little or nothing to bring attention to CLAREMONT after that. To see this, one has only to look at other towns that have rebuilt or shifted high school attendance to other buildings or areas to see the results of such. The town of NEWPORT, one of STEVENS's former rivals in sports, especially football, had TOWLE HIGH SCHOOL but while the building exists and serves another function, the TOWLE ALUMNI HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION does not exist and ended in around 1976.
In CLAREMONT, the ST. MARY'S HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION has their parade and activities at the same time as the STEVENS EVENT since they no longer have a high school which was shut down by the DIOCESE, though an elementary school still exists. If the SHS ALUMNI DAY PARA DE vanishes and is held no more, it is more than likely that ST. MARY'S ALUMNI GROUP will also fade.
What many persons simply do not know or understand about STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL is that it has produced many outstanding graduates over the years and STILL DOES. Graduates and attendees of STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL are all over the world and many hold significant jobs and positions and have contributed much to the nation. They still do. Even those who went to STEVENS but did naot graduate, whether because they moved or had to attend other schools elsewhere, benefited from their STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
CERTAINLY, teachers who served CLAREMONT over the years and even those who did so only for a brief period must recognized how their careers were influenced by their experiences in CLAREMONT and if they had children who attended or graduated from schools in CLAREMONT, especially from STEVENS, how valuable such education is and was for them.
THE OLDEST GRADUATE WHO WILL BE IN THIS PARADE IS HELEN LOVELL, AGE 99, who perhaps is still driving and she graduated in 1932. The second oldest almuni graduate of Stevens will also be in the parade. I believe she graduated in 1934. However, a lady from the class of 1946, has attended since her graduation, every STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION BANQUET SINCE THEN!
Although, the venue for the banquet has changed over the years, it is still being held, though more attendees are obviously needed. The annual dance(s) also need attendance and their venue has changed also. The STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM used to be used for graduations and alumni activities but in recent past years graduations have sometimes been held outdoors, apparently, and alumni activities elsewhere.
THE PARADE still continues but its ROUTE has been shortened and altered and the number of class floats has diminished and the number of other floats and participants have also changed,BUT THE ENTHUSIASM HAS NOT CHANGED!
I graduated in 1954 and only went back to watch the parade on and off over the years, but my two sons and one of my daughter-in-laws graduated from the school. I also did a video on one of the parades and interviewed a few persons for CATV 8 in WHITE RIVER JCT. VT. I do have some footage of other parades and photos.
THE 1954 CLASS SECRETARY & TREASURER, BEVERLEY MICHAUD passed away last year after holding the class together since our graduation day. Our class misses her and her enthusiasm and loyalty to our class and to STEVENS.
I cannot say enough about STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL except to say that it has OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS AWAITING THOSE STUDENTS & GRADUATES OF STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL!
One scholarship set up by an ALUMNI FAMILY dates back to the late 1870's and IS STILL FUNDED BY MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY GROUP!
