Every five years on the third Saturday in June, graduates and friends of the Scranton High School gather for a reunion. After more than a year of planning, the big event is scheduled this weekend.
The big draw is the banquet catered by Lidderdale Country Store on Saturday evening, but there are other activities on tap along with opportunities to visit with friends and relatives on both Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20.
The fun begins on Friday evening with the Scranton fire department serving beverages, starting at 7 pm. Music that night will be provided by Cedar Creek Tunes, operated by Dennis and Janet Matthews of Churdan. They will keep the tunes playing from 8 to 11 pm. An open mic will allow those talented Trojan grads to use their voices with karaoke tunes too.
Saturday is a big day, kicking off with a bus tour around Greene County to showcase all the new and good things happening. A continental breakfast will be served in the school cafeteria, starting at 8 am. Hosting the meal is the Greene County 4-H and FFA horse club.
A bus tour will leave the Scranton Community Center (former school) at 9 am. Two buses with seats for 65 people will take the tour. It will return by noon. Persons who have not reserved their seat are asked to contact Dawn Rudolph immediately.
Places of interest that will be viewed through bus windows are B & D Mfg, *Scranton MFG/New Way, McDonald Washout, *John 15 Vineyard, *St. Patrick Catholic Church, Churdan public library, Paton- Churdan Community School, Churdan Freedom Park and 209 Main in Paton for a rest room break.
Continuing on, the tour will see John Deere, Paton Pit Stop, *Bauer MFG, *Louise Dreyfus, *Rueters Red Power, *Neese Inc, *Hwy 30 Interpretive site, Grand Junction Community Center, Lincoln Highway Museum, airport expansion, Greene County Fairground improvements, Greene County Historical Museum, Thomas Jefferson Gardens/Welcome Center, Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower/courthouse, RVP~1875, Greene County Community Center/Doreen Wilber statue, HyVee, B & D Mfg in Jefferson, Power Lift, *Wild Rose Casino/Cobblestone Inn, AAI, Greene County Medical Center, *Deals’s Orchard and back in Scranton, H. F. and Maude E. Marchant Memorial Library. (*Indicates places the bus will drive through, the rest are drive past.)
The Community Center will be open from noon to 3 pm for anyone who wants to see the building improvements. Banquet registration will begin at 3 pm Saturday in the main lobby of the Community Center. That is located in the hallway by the gymnasium.
Alumni from the class of 1952 and older are asked to use the west gym doors for easier access. The parking spaces nearest those doors will be reserved for those with handicapped permits or special needs.
Alumni from the class of 1953 and younger are asked to use the east doors and enter through the new Scranton city hall. Of course, younger alumni who need greater accessibility are welcome to enter through the west doors.
Alumni and guests should stop there to pick up their name tags and alumni registers. There will be areas available to meet and visit with classmates and friends. Tents will be erected on the south lawn of the facility.
Of special interest is a memory room, filled with photos, annuals, scrapbooks and memorabilia. It is located off the gym, in a former classroom near the cafeteria.
The banquet will be served, starting with the oldest graduates, at 5 pm. A brief business meeting will be held.
One of the biggest changes is that the Community Center is now air conditioned! That could be a huge benefit in hot and humid conditions.
The fire department beverage garden is slated to open at 3 pm and continue while the entertainment is ongoing. Music will be provided by Trips, an Iowa band with very local ties. They are expected to play from 8 to 11 pm, but the time may vary some.
The alumni committee salvaged some of the bricks from the old three-story school building that was torn down a few years ago. The bricks will be for sale at the banquet.
For the latest information, check out the website at www.scrantonhigh.com or on Facebook, “I grew up in Scranton Iowa”. The email address is info@scrantonhigh.com. ~The Scranton Journal
