Hiland Class of 1970 treasures friendships, memories of school

The 55th reunion for the Hiland Class of 1970 on Saturday, May 3 was a long time in coming. Their 50th reunion was canceled twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the graduates, all their classmates from elementary school and high school were invited. This included the Walnut Creek, Berlin and Winesburg eighth grade classes of 1966.

Spring blossoms decorated the tables in the main hall at The Gardens at Homestead Event Center in Mt. Hope. A prayer of blessing was followed by a catered meal with lots of visiting around the tables. After the meal classmates formed a large circle around the room and introduced themselves and their guests.

Featured in the evening program were speakers from the three schools who told stories from their elementary school days. Edward Kline and Nelson Hershberger represented Walnut Creek School, Wayne Barkman spoke for Berlin School, and David Lee Miller told tales about Winesburg.

Everyone joined to sing three favorite school songs: “Home on the Range,” “Kookaburra” and “Red River Valley.” Myrna Hershberger Smucker then gave an oral quiz about their high school years, which included memories of classes, teachers and activities.

Special guests were science teacher Mr. Roger Dunn and physical education teacher and coach Mr. Abe Mast and their wives. Of the 55 high school graduates, 30 were in attendance. Seven are deceased.

Including the elementary classmates and guests, 114 friends enjoyed the evening of reconnecting and reminiscing. They had traveled from Texas, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Indiana.

Reunion committee chairperson was Janice Miller Hershberger, class president, and committee members were Barry Hummel, Jon Mast, Becky Gerber Miller, Carol Stutzman Miller, Ken Miller, Sandy Schlabach Miller and Judy Hostetler Rottman. They had assembled an updated class directory and discovered a long-lost film of the 1970 Hiland musical, “Oklahoma!”

This was the class that started first grade in 1958, the year the consolidated Hiland High School opened its doors, and graduated in 1970, the year construction on the middle school addition began. Many students had been together all 12 years.

The grand hall was full of camaraderie as locals and out-of-towners visited with their childhood friends. Attendees realized how special the memory of being young together is and ended the evening with the song,” The Lord Bless You and Keep You.”