BATH — Since it was founded in 1891, the Bath High School Alumni Association has hosted an alumni banquet during each of the past 125 years.

The association may be the oldest active organization of its kind in the country, according to a fact sheet posted at the Regional School Unit 1 website.

Although its alumni weekend is five months away, the association is putting out the word early for Bath graduates who want to participate in the June 10-12 festivities, particularly the alumni parade.

The association derives its name from Bath’s former high school, before Morse High School was established in the early 20th century and rebuilt, after a fire, in the late 1920s.

Although “classes with five year multipliers” – in this case, graduate years ending with a 1 or 6 – normally celebrate on reunion weekends, alumni from all classes will be part of the parade, according to Alumni Association President Brad Walfield, who graduated from Morse in 1982.

Current students, faculty, athletic teams, bands and clubs will also be involved in the parade on Saturday, June 11.

“Most schools and colleges have reunions of some sort,” Walfield said in an interview Monday, “but in terms of an association where they do it all together, I’ve never come across anybody in my travels that does anything quite like we do.”

Approximately 700 people attend the association’s annual banquet, Walfield said; given this year’s milestone, he expects that number to rise above 1,000 this summer.

“I think it’s just a sense of tradition” which draws so many alumni back to their alma mater, he said. “And loyalty to the school, school pride, and relationships. … People enjoy coming back and renewing friendships.”

While celebrating the school’s past, the association is also focused on future alumni. Thanks to alumni donations, and the Blue and White Classic golf tournament held during the reunion weekend, the scholarship fund awarded more than $225,000 last year through more than 70 scholarships, according to the association.

Further details about the parade and other weekend events will be posted on the association’s Facebook page, facebook.com/BathAlumniAssociation, and on the rsu1.org alumni page.

Those who want to participate can contact the alumni association at bathalumniparade2016@gmail.com or 358-0031.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

Members of the Morse High School class of 1986 walk in a 1991 parade celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Bath High School Alumni Association. The organization is planning another parade as part of this summer’s 125th anniversary festivities.