The Good Word this week is definitely the 96th annual Windham High School Alumni Banquet scheduled for May 19.

It’s difficult to pin down just why this is such an important event, but it is. How many towns have an organization 96 years old that continues to meet each year?

For many of us who were born here many years ago, Alumni Banquet is the last vestige of the community we grew up in. It takes us back to our roots. For a little while we are without the big stores, the drive-throughs and the four-lane highway.

Everyone who attends has something in common – we all went to Windham High School, at one of the several different buildings it has been in. Most of us were in classes much smaller than today, and we knew everyone – not just our immediate class but all the others for several grades.

Some say Alumni Banquet takes the place of the old town meetings, but I never went to them so I can’t compare the events. I just think it is a unique (in this day and age) event that should be continually cherished. People come from many different states to visit on this day. When the recent graduating students attend, they are totally surprised at the turnout and they always mention the good time they had (often to their surprise).

What it is, is a day we leave our busy lives, forget our cares, and take a few hours to relax, to visit former classmates and old friends. Whole families often attend together, representing several generations of graduates – I think of Merton Johnson and his four generation family. He, along with several others this year will not be able to attend for health reasons, but I know we will all be thinking of them. We all hope to see Ethel Cobb Verrill, the oldest alumnus (just turned 106) and holder of the Boston Post Cane!

Ever since that first Alumni Banquet, almost 100 years ago, an “award” has been presented to a high school student and the criteria is “to the person showing the most improvement….” – it’s unbelievable that those first awards were for two dollars! But, as I’m told often, a dollar went further then! We, the alumni, continue to present an award each year and although the dollar amount has changed, it’s still to the person showing the most improvement from beginning high school to graduation, whatever their future plans.

There is a committee of sorts, comprised of those who would like to work on the banquet and planning is done in someone’s living room or a public meeting room. The committee members change each year and a “core” group (president, secretary, treasurer) takes care of publicity, calling each other and gathering the group. Anyone who attended the high school is welcome to join in. Often, someone whose class is having a 20th or 40th or 50th reunion will attend to find out details about seating.

The night before the event, the committee and others who just want to participate in their own banquet, get together at the Windham Middle School and count chairs, silverware, plates (we purchased our own real dishes and silverware quite a few years ago) and set up big, round tables. We fold napkins, unfold and set up chairs, and count the seats several times. We assemble the raffle items, all donated or acquired by alumni members. The food (prepared by alumni members in the school kitchen) and everything needed is purchased from the alumni fund. Money made on the raffles and any left over after all expenses are paid (use of school, etc.) is put into scholarship funds.

The Windham High School Alumni Banquet is the Good Word this week.

See you next week.