Staff Report
On May 25, 2026, the Manchester High School Class of 1961 met for their 65th class reunion at Frisch’s in West Union.
Those in attendance were Osman Baldwin of Manchester, Helen Ralston McFarland of Batavia, Shirley Teegarden Pell of West Union, Jane White Brown of Seaman, Robert Tully of Lexington, Kentucky, Gloria King Grooms of West Union, Lois Kirschner Kidd of Manchester, Larry Jenkins of Belleville, West Virginia, Phyllis Chandler Trennypohl of Cincinnati, Jane Boone Plummer and Jerry Plummer of Leesburg, Herman Bradford of Manchester and Gary Gemmer of Lucasville. Spouses present were Ronnie Grooms, Gerald Trennypohl, Tammy Jenkins and John Brown.
Two classmates wrote letters- Cora McGlothin Gearhart and John Kimble- expressing regrets that they couldn’t attend.
As the classmates began arriving, many hugs were given and the chatter started reminiscing about their old school days. Those memories included when Miss Cooley was seen smoking in the little room between the classrooms on the second floor or when she tried to grab Gerald Chenault by his hair only to give up and shake him by the ear. They were supposed to stand up and recite a poem in class and Denver Morrison was called on and his poem was “there was a frog who lived in a bog.” That was it, two lines. Miss Cooley looked irked , but it was a poem. Donna Eads, and Lois Kirschner had to skin a frog by par boiling for about three minutes but they boiled that little guy for almost an hour and took every bit of meat off his little bones. Someone also mentioned the school play, “Bull in a China Shop”.Those were the days.
A roll call of the 34 deceased classmates was read, Ronnie Dryden and Judy Dryden Edwards both passed away just two weeks before the reunion. The first classmate lost was just one year out of school when Janet Hackathorn was murdered at here home in West Union. There was money in the treasury and it was divided up among the class members who were in attendance.
It was mentioned as the classmates were leaving for the evening that they should start meeting every year and also thanking Frisch’s for their great food and service. Thanks to Class President Larry Jenkins for his attempts to locate all our classmates and Jeannie Grooms for making the restaurant arrangements.