By Richard Meagher
The current Varsity football team contributed to the celebratory atmosphere on Saturday afternoon as the Rocks upset North Shore by a 21-12 margin -- but the Class of 1956 began its personal homecoming on Friday evening with an informal gathering at the Fishery on Main Street, with approximately 30 alumni and spouses in attendance. The group included several members of the Classes of 1954, 1955, and 1959. Some schoolmates were instantly recognizable, and some were not, but all were joyfully welcomed.
Despite the rain and blustery wind, almost 20 gathered at 11 a.m. on Saturday for a tour of East Rockaway High School, led by the ebullient Athletic Director Dom Vulpis. Highlights of the tour included the old gym (the only gym from our time) and the new gym dedicated to classmate and former Athletic Director/Varsity Coach / teacher Harry Friesleben.
The Class of 1956 saw the football team arriving to get ready for their away game. Coach Russell Pajer (Class of 1988) greeted them.
The renovated auditorium still looked familiar as the scene of four years of Rock Rivalry, assemblies, and Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, as well as our Senior Play, "Time Out for Ginger" and graduation. During their visit, current students were rehearsing the upcoming production of "West Side Story." One member of the Class of 1956 said, "You can go home again. Neither you nor 'home' has remained the same, but somehow the chain of life and memory remains unbroken."
On Saturday evening the main event was held at the Coyote Grill in Island Park. Thirty-five classmates and 17 spouses were in attendance. DJ Doug Yadanza provided music that blended perfectly with attendees' need for both nostalgia and conversation with each other. Photographer Jen Mercurio of Lasting Impressions Photography took a group picture that was available that night to take home. A yearbook provided each classmate with updated pictures and life summaries to cover the 50-year period after graduation.
The evening was described as "magical." For most, the class reunion ended that evening, but an informal Sunday morning breakfast was also held at the Best Western's Mill River Inn in Rockville Centre. Some classmates said: "See you at the 100th!" -- but the prevailing view was that the group did not want to wait too long to gather again.
