Nashua High School "Tusitala" yearbooks for the classes of 1966, 1970 and 1972.

Being among my fellow Nashua High School graduates who chose to remain in this vicinity to launch their careers, grow their families and enjoy their leisurely pursuits, it would seem to make sense that I would be one of the go-to guys (and gals) when the subject of a 50th class reunion came up.

Wait, 50 years? Seriously? Well, a basic exercise in arithmetic proves it – 2022 minus 1972 indeed equals 50.

“Hey, Scoop, we having a 50th reunion or what?” Every so often for the past two or so years I’d field that question, almost always asked by guys who knew me from the old Spring Street Junior High, because it was back then that now-retired educator Jack Daniels, at the time Spring Street’s three-sport coach, bestowed that nickname upon me.

“I don’t know – I hope so,” is the best answer I could come up with. Sometimes we’d toss around some names of fellow ’72 grads, wondering aloud whether any of them might be interested in convening a reunion committee.

As almost always happens, we’d talk a little about it then go our separate ways, only to start the cycle over again the next time more than one ’72 grad happened to cross paths.

Cursing myself for not making more of an effort, I’d just about abandoned the idea of an actual 50th reunion taking place in the same year as our 50th graduation anniversary.

Until, that is, just recently, when I got a text, or maybe it was an email, from fellow ’72 grad Bruce Whitney, who said he’d recruited some folks interested in putting together a reunion this fall.

My first reaction was gratitude; a close second was disappointment that I hadn’t done more and done it earlier for the cause.

So I vowed to get busy looking for classmates who may (probably, in many cases) haven’t heard that we ’72ers are in fact doing the reunion, and it’s Saturday, Sept. 24, at Martha’s Exchange.

There’s a coincidence involved here: Just a couple of days after emailing and chatting with Bruce, I got an email from a 1966 NHS graduate asking if I could put something in the paper about her class’s reunion, which they’re calling, thanks to the pandemic, their “delayed 55th reunion.”

Also a coincidence is the date they chose: Sept. 24, the same night we youngsters are celebrating our 50th.

And then, by chance, none other than Nashua’s Baroness of Bricabrac,

1970 NHS graduate Patty Madigan Ledoux, also called hoping for a mention in the paper.

Also menaced by the pandemic, the ’70ers decided to do a “50 plus 2” reunion on Oct. 8, two weeks after the ’66 and ’72 reunions.

Following is detailed information on each of the three reunions.

Also, anyone involved in planning a reunion for a local high school is welcome to send me the information at the email below, and we’ll put an item online and in the newspaper.

•••

CLASS OF 1966

Friday, Sept. 23, 6-10 p.m.

Impromptu gathering at the Double Tree by Hilton lounge. Casual time to mingle and chat with fellow classmates.

Saturday, Sept. 24, 5-11 p.m.

Nashua Country Club, 25 Fairway Drive

5-7 p.m. Cocktail hour with culinary display; hors d’ouevres

7 p.m. Buffet stations open, followed by pastry station

Tickets: $90 per person. RSVP no later than Sept. 10; send reservation form (available at martytheb@aol.com) to Alan Etlinger, 17 Westview Road, Brookline, NH, 03033.

For additional information, including details on block of discounted rooms, email martytheb@aol.com.

•••

CLASS OF 1970

Friday, Oct. 7: Golf tournament. For information contact Normand Pelletier, normandpelletier77@gmail.com.

Evening get-together. Details TBD.

Saturday, Oct. 8: Tour of “old” Nashua High School on Elm Street; plans in progress, for updates see “Nashua High School Class of 1970” on Facebook.

Reunion, 6-11 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott, 2200 Southwood Drive, Nashua.

6-7 p.m.: cocktail hour, cash bar

7 p.m.: buffet dinner

Tickets: $75 per person. To purchase, fill out form (available on Facebook page) and send check to Timothy Fontaine, 35 Bulova Drive, Nashua, 03060.

Additional information: the Facebook page, or email normandpelletier77@gmail.com.

•••

CLASS OF 1972

Saturday, Sept. 24, 5-10 p.m.

Martha’s Exchange, second-floor banquet room, 185 Main St., Nashua

5 p.m.: Cash bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres (light dinner) stations open

7 p.m.: Program (but really it’s just a big mingle with memorable pictures on screen and 1970-72 period music).

Tickets: $50 per person through end of August; $60 starting Sept. 1

To purchase, make check payable to “Nashua Class of 1972,” and send to NHS 1972 50th Reunion, 114 Allds St., Nashua, 03060; or VENMO to jbrianb@comcast.net (last four: 8384). List names of any guests.

For more details, and to update your profile and photo, go to classreport.org/usa/nh/nashua/nhs/1972.

Dean Shalhoup’s column appears weekly in The Sunday Telegraph. He may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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