Photo by Stephen C. Fitch
At the city council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 22, a proclamation was presented by Mayor Charlene Lovett to the Stevens Alumni Association. The proclamation pronounced that the week of Sunday, Sept. 26, to Saturday, Oct. 2, will be known as Stevens High School Alumni Association Week.
First vice president Richard Girard, secretary Janet Eno, and executive board member Beverly Janelle were present to accept this honor on behalf of the Stevens Alumni Association.
The alumni banner will be placed across Pleasant Street to welcome all our returning alumni; some coming from as far away as California. It will be an exciting time for all of us who went to Stevens High School. It is amazing that the one thing we all have in common is our years at Stevens High School and is the bond that has united us and brought us so far.
We are celebrating 150 years of existence with so many memories of past parades, banquets, and class parties which have kept our organization active from the original twelve graduates in 1871 to what it is now. We should certainly take pride in the scholarships we have presented over the years to enable students to further their education.
Stevens High School has the oldest active high school alumni association in the country and we are proud of this fact. There is no other high school alumni association that can boast this accomplishment.
The parade this year will be special as it is our 150th and we think that the line-up will prove to be impressive. We have float registrations from the classes of 1955, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1970, 1970 (St. Mary), 1980, 1981, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020, and River Valley Community College.
The American Legion Post 29 will be well represented with a color guard, a rifle unit and a truck with flags from all branches of the military. They will be followed by the American Legion Band from Brattleboro, Vermont. The Yankee Doodle Legion marching band from Rensselaer, New York, will be preceded by the Legion of Honor.
Other marching units are: Stevens High School Band; Claremont Middle School Band; St. Andrews Band; New Hampshire Police Association Pipe Band; Boston Windjammers; Son’s of Italy; Colchester Continental Fife and Drum Corps; Firehouse 6 Dixieland Band; Backwoods Ax Co. Band; Catamount Pipe Band; The Civil War Hemlocks; and Leapin’ Lena will be back with us again this year. Bruce Streeter will be here with his beautiful white carriage and pair of Belgium horses. Watch for the New England Patriots mascot accompanied by a Patriots cheerleader near the front of the parade to sign posters and have pictures taken with spectators. Milo the mascot from New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be present as well as the pace car. We have planned a spectacular parade.
The annual Stevens High School Alumni Association meeting will follow the parade at the high school cafeteria. A light luncheon will be provided, at no charge, of finger rolls donated by Lacey Lawson and a scrumptious array of desserts provided by Tami’s Uptown Bakery. Donations will be accepted.
We have made a location change to the entertainment that was to be at the Visitors Center after the Chile Cook-off. Due to the weather turning cooler and getting dark earlier, it will be upstairs at the American Legion on Broad Street. Music will still be provided by the Backwoods Ax Co. Band for your listening pleasure from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is free and open to the public, so come and enjoy.
Don’t forget the Pop and Jazz Singer/songwriter Kat Edmonson performance at the Claremont Opera House on the evening of Friday, Oct. 1. For more information contact the opera house at 603-542-4433. Tickets are free to any alumni who graduated before 1972. Don’t wait, reserve your tickets now. Thank you to Claremont Opera House for their generous offer.
The Chili Cook-off at the Visitors Center on North Street from noon until 4 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce and the Claremont Parks and Recreation Department.
The parade route begins on Broad Street and remains the same until the Elks Lodge on Pleasant Street where it will take a left on Summer Street, a right onto Pearl Street to Central Street and a right onto Main Street where it will continue to Broad St. and disband at the high school.
The viewing stand location will be in front of The Tremont House of Pizza with Steve Smith, WCNL, of Newport as Emcee. As always, honorary members are welcome to watch the parade from the viewing stand.
If anyone has questions about the parade or line-up contact Dick Girard, parade chairman, at 603-543-6398. Other questions can be referred to the Alumni office at 603-542-8987 or message us through Facebook.
Have a wonderful 150th Alumni reunion weekend!
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