Bill O’Brien Photo
The Branford High School Class of 1964 recently celebrated its 50th class reunion and members did so with laughter, joy and style.
There were 219 graduates from the town’s high school in 1964. Twenty-nine graduates have since died. Many of the graduates live and work in town. Those living outside of Branford came from California, Florida and states in between to attend the August event. In all 82 alums returned to Branford, many with their spouses. The total attending this special event was more than 130, a strong turn-out for the class.
When these students graduated from high school the Beatles were first making their debut in America, Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) won his first world heavyweight championship title against Sonny Liston and President Lyndon B. Johnson declared his “War on Poverty.”
The celebration began late Friday afternoon at a Branford-based vineyard owned by 1964 BHS graduate Vincent (Vin) Giordano, who with his brother Michael, oversee Giordano Construction, a major construction company in the state. Homemade pizza was served, along with wine, soft drinks and snacks. Classmates were given a commemorative bottle of wine with a label specifically designed by Giordano for the occasion.
The next night’s events, with Francesca Proto Libby and Peter Hugret serving as toastmasters, took place at Bill Miller’s Castle. Here the alums felt right at home during the pre-dinner cocktail party, which included period music by Bob Nary, who served as the DJ for the evening.
Hugret identified the members of the reunion committee as Jean Charlotte O’Connor, Frank Drago, Vin Giordano, Scott Frankish, Vicki Green Anderson, Peter Hugret, Peg McGowan Piergrossi, Myra Nelthrop Finger, Ann ( Lisa ) Rossini Cabral, Rick Sicignano, Pat Smith Lonergan, Terry Parsons, Linda Brecciaroli Stark, Angie Guarnero Cook, Phil Batrow, Betty Biagioli Finnegan, Francesca Proto Libby and Jeanne Chapkovich Lombardo.
And what were those tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s, the ones to which they danced away the night?
“It’s Now or Never,” and “The Twist,” and “Roses are Red, My Love,” and “Palisades Park,” and “Raindrops,” to name a few.
The dance floor was almost always packed, said Hugret, the town’s former IT chief. Mostly everyone dancing was wearing a Yearbook 1964 ID photo, just to remind them of how they looked back then.
The 18-member reunion committee, headed by Scott Frankish, “received many, many compliments on the job they had done to create such a memorable event,” Hugret said.
And what did the class talk about? What did they remember most? There was lots of conversation about their teachers, their courses and of course, sports, lots of sports. They also remembered the proms.
And the pranks.
Hugret fessed up that he and a buddy named Danny Altieri painted the newly installed football field tower with “1964” for the first time, very late one Saturday night under circumstances not recalled.
“And it was done every year since until the tower was taken down,” he said.
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