Moorestown High School’s Class of 1972 will hold what might be its last high-school reunion at the Community House of Moorestown on June 10.
Since their 40th reunion, alumni have gathered yearly at Ott’s Tavern in Delran Township, but classmates Francine Caldwell, Nancy Wilbur, Beverly Wooten, Carol Lynch, Susan Kline and Marian Incognito planned the upcoming 50th reunion, which will begin at 6 p.m.
“We’re just so blessed to have the class that we do,” Caldwell said. “This class – there’s a unique bond between us all.”
The 45th reunion was held at the Moorestown Field Club, but Caldwell and her classmates decided to have the 50th at the larger community house.
“We have the ballroom, we have plenty of room … It’s just going to be comfortable and great and it’s right on Main Street in Moorestown,” Caldwell said. “So if people are staying in town, if they don’t want to drive, they can walk.”
Alumnus and guitarist Robert Dodelin will play the class song, “Teach Your Children,” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
“We’re a classic rock ‘n’ roll group I would say,” Caldwell noted. “We had a tough time choosing a particular song, but this song really did seem to suit us. It’s a wonderful song and we try to play this every reunion, but this year it’s going to be a special one.”
A group photo is taken at every reunion, but Caldwell said that because of many factors, the 50th photo might be the last.
“We have quite a few classmates that live out of state,” Caldwell explained. “It’s getting difficult … but we will still continue to do our Ott’s annual reunions.”
“The reunion is very important to all of us.”
Caldwell moved to Moorestown from Philadelphia when she was in the seventh grade and praised her classmates for helping her adjust quickly.
“I found it a little difficult coming from Catholic school, not knowing people from the time (of) kindergarten up, and it was a bit of a struggle for me,” she recalled. “But this group, this class, made it easy for me to get over that and to this day, like I said, we’re just so happy to see each other every five (to) 10 years.”
Reunions were canceled for two years due to COVID, but Caldwell cited how social media kept everyone in touch.
“Thank goodness for Facebook, because that was our way of communicating with each other and keeping up with what’s going on with each other and our families, because we all have grandchildren,” she said.
Caldwell looks forward to spending time with her classmates.
“Our class – we’re really a unique class,” she said. “We really all get along really well, and to this day, we still do.”
