Swarthmore High School Class of 1981 Celebrates 40th Reunion

Swarthmore High School Class of 1981 40th Reunion photo.

From 20 different states and three different countries, nearly 60 percent of Swarthmore High School’s Class of 1981 descended on Swarthmore to celebrate a magical 40th reunion weekend on October 8th and 9th, 2021. It was the largest gathering of these classmates since the group’s commencement ceremony on June 8, 1981.

While the great turnout represent a remarkable feat for a class that has 60 percent of its members living outside the Delaware Valley, the reunion was made even more meaningful by the spirit of service that the group showed: they raised over $5,000 for the Strath Haven chapter of A Better Chance .

The 63 returning SHS ’81 classmates (and over 30 guests) attended three separate weekend events in the borough: an informal welcome party on Oct. 8, a daytime event revisiting the old high school stomping grounds at the Swarthmore-Rutledge School building on Oct. 9, and the main event at The Inn at Swarthmore on the evening of Oct. 9. Covid-19 precautions were taken at all events.

“We were beyond thrilled with our turnout,” said Phil Coleman, an SHS ’81 classmate (and current Swarthmore resident), who was one of six members of the reunion planning group and also hosted the class welcome party at his home on Friday evening. “There were a number of factors driving that high turnout. First, 40 is a big-number reunion. Second, it had been 15 years since the last reunion, and finally, we planned it for over a year, so we could locate as many classmates as possible. We also wanted the event to be affordable for everyone, so we were intentional about fundraising. But underlying all of that, most of us spent 10-15 years growing up together in this community. Swarthmore is a special place and there was a real desire to come back here to be together.”

After an hour of cocktails in a tent outside the Inn, the main event on Saturday night got off to a stirring start when all classmates stood to sing the SHS school anthem. The evening continued with an interactive multimedia program that wove together classmates’ reminiscences and stories with some dramatic visual segments, including an original 8mm film of the class from 1981, memorable photographic images dating back more than 50 years, a live cello tribute to seven deceased classmates (performed by classmate Denisa Narmour Borges of Philadelphia), a summary of classmates’ adult achievements, and even an all-class recitation of the first 14 lines of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which all had memorized many decades earlier under English teacher Charlie Law (1926-2009).

Snippets of results from a class survey were provided, capturing a sense of the group’s evolution over the last 45 years and including some interesting insights: 

• How much the class liked their SHS experience: over 80% said it had been “good” or “excellent.”

• What their favorite SHS cafeteria food had been: pizza edged out tater tots.

• How much schooling they did: 97% went on to college and 42% of those went on to graduate or professional school.

• How their lives are now, at ages 57 to 59: over 80% said they were “happy” or “very happy” with their lives.

The final segment of the evening included an auction, featuring the art of ’81 classmate Jessica Rosier, a professional mixed media artist. Sales of her work during the live and silent auctions accounted for a great deal of the $5,000-plus that the class raised for A Better Chance. Rosier also created over 60 personalized small collage works that were given to each reunion-registered classmate as a surprise gift to the class.

Saturday’s daytime event drew over 35 classmates to their old high school building for tours and a box lunch. Classmates noted the many differences in the building since the Class of ’81 had roamed the halls 40 years ago—as one of the last classes to graduate before SHS closed as a high school in 1983, and the building was converted to house the elementary school that occupies it today. 

A highlight of the Friday night welcome party was the presence of Joe Blass, a former SHS algebra teacher and inspirational sports coach. The Class of ’81, which 40 years ago had dedicated its 1981 yearbook to Blass, was delighted to see this beloved mentor again. Blass said he was “very thankful” to share time with his former students.

All in all, the reunion was a great opportunity to celebrate, reconnect, and support the community, and the class looks forward to doing more fundraising in the future for A Better Chance.