There was a time in Windham when a high school student knew everyone in the whole school and no doubt, knew their families as well. Truly, it was a different time – and town.

Memories from more than a half-century ago are revisited every year when the oldest organization in town calls the high school alumni together for an evening of dinner, news and best of all, the memories. WHS Alumni Association is a community builder.

For some, especially the men, their memories include dropping out of school, albeit temporarily, to travel far away from their hometown – sometimes to another country – to serve in the military and go to fight for our freedom. Here’s what one of Windham High School’s graduates recalls from “way back then” in the 1940s.

“The roads of my youth, that I walked as we had no car, were gravel and stone, often washed out by a sudden rainstorm. The folks of today may not believe the way of life when Windham had a population of 1,200. A journey to get groceries would take a couple of hours by horse and wagon.

“In the first years of high school, we considered it fortunate if we could get a summer job, working for the town. I got on a crew repairing roads and culverts for 50 cents an hour – a blessing back then as it helped buy school clothes. These jobs didn’t interfere with our farm chores, they still had to be done.

“When fall came, and school began, we were excited about suiting up for the Triple C that was the name for athletic events then. “Triple C” stood for Cumberland County Conference.

“Fall was when we prepared for the swimming competition, a premier event. Some of the outstanding participants were Don Rogers who excelled in diving; Sturgis Hodgdon, breaststroke; William Robbins, freestyle and Charley Quimby, 100-yard freestyle – he set new marks. Practice was in Standish off Route 35 in the mile-long basin waterway, in October. No one had indoor pools then except the YMCA. We practiced twice a week. The Windham boys won the Cumberland County meets five years in a row.

“The very spot where the middle school is now was where we finished our two-mile cross country foot race. I still remember how our lungs burned as we put on the last burst of energy.

“When I returned from my duties with the Marines after World War II, I went back to finish high school and was very disappointed to find out I was too old to play sports. Instead, I was asked to help with the JV teams.

“Today, when I read the Windham news and names such as Mel Winslow, Ed Tottle, Elsie Haskell and Betty Davis, I feel a sense of down-home excellence taught in the schools of my hometown of Windham a common sense that makes living such a worthwhile adventure.”

Memories don’t get much better than those of Fred Collins, Windham High School graduate.