60th reunion for Aldrich High School to be its last

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 9/3/15

In 1955 the final class graduated from Aldrich High School before the school became a junior high. Now, as Aldrich enters its final year, the class of 1955 celebrates their 60th and final reunion. …

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60th reunion for Aldrich High School to be its last

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In 1955 the final class graduated from Aldrich High School before the school became a junior high. Now, as Aldrich enters its final year, the class of 1955 celebrates their 60th and final reunion.

Carol Marble has been organizing and hosting a reunion every five years since their graduation for students and teachers to gather and reminisce about their time in high school.

With only 116 students, the small class created strong bonds that prevail today. Even besides the reunion, Carol and her husband, Robert Marble, who also graduated in 1955 from Aldrich, said they meet for breakfast or lunch regularly with a group from their class.

“We were all very involved with the school, between sports and other activities,” Carol said. “We had very lasting friendships.”

She said there was more freedom back then: schools weren’t as strict and you had the chance to make friends with other students and even teachers. Robert thinks that may be one of the reasons newer graduating classes aren’t having, or aren’t going, to their high school reunions.

Robert said that having been the last class to graduate from Aldrich was a source of pride and brought the class closer in their final year. Even today, many of the students remain in Rhode Island, and those who don’t come back every five years for the reunion, from as far away as Texas and California.

The reunions have always been popular with upwards of 90 guests for the last few. So popular, in fact, that when Carol said the 55th would be the last reunion and she was “retiring” as the organizer, she received numerous emails and phone calls from classmates across the country asking her to do one more.

“We always have a good time at the reunion,” she said. “If it wasn’t fun we wouldn’t have been doing it for all these years.”

Robert said that all of the class is interested in seeing what will happen with Aldrich now that it won’t be used as a school.

“It’s very sad to see our old school go for good,” he said.

Under the school consolidation plan, both Aldrich and Gorton will close at the end of the upcoming academic year. Vets High, which is also closing, will be re-purposed as a middle school under the plan.

The Marbles are also hosting a golf tournament the day before the reunion at the Pinecrest Golf Course and a cookout at their place afterwards.

At the reunion, which will be at the Radisson Hotel, there will be a buffet dinner, music and attendees are invited to speak as well as bring mementos from their high school years.

The golf tournament will be on Friday, September 18,with a tee time of 10 a.m. at the Pinecrest Golf Course located at 25 Pinehurst Dr., Carolina, R.I. The tournament costs $47.50 per person and is payable at the course.

The reunion will be Saturday, September 19 at the Radisson located at 2081 Post Rd., Warwick, from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 a person.

All who plan to attend either event must R.S.V.P. to Carol by September 10. Also let her know if you would like to speak at the event.

All checks should be made out to Carol I. Marble with a notation for Aldrich High School 60th Reunion.

Those looking to rent a hotel room for the event should contact the Radisson, but mention the reunion to have access to the group rate.

For more information or to R.S.V.P. call Carol at 884-9584.

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