It was a time for moments of teary eyes, moments of fear, moments of loneliness, and to some, moments of happiness for achievements of goals, and even to some, moments of uncertainty.
A total of 122 students were disbelieving that 12 years of schooling finally came to an end. June 5, 1970, was the day when all were dressed in caps and gowns ready to face the real world outside of their familiar environment.
Some graduating students came from afar, from the neighboring islands of Tinian and Rota, to the Micronesian islands like Palau, Truk (now known as Chuuk) and the Marshalls. They also shared memories with few stateside classmates. They were all there to bid each other their last farewells, not knowing if they would ever see each other again.
At its 40th year, the class of 1970 will be coming together, whether they actually received their high school diploma or not, but were classmates at Hopwood Junior and Marianas High School during the years of 1964 through 1969.
To honor the memory of those classmates who have passed, a Eucharistic Mass will be held at 3 p.m. at San Jose Church, on the 5th of June. More than 31 classmates have been identified to have left us already. The Mass is also to celebrate the beginning of the reunion for the classmates.
Some classmates will be making the trip to Saipan mainly for the occasion, and to visit with families and friends on island. There are classmates coming all the way from Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Guam. Unfortunately, some classmates are not able to join due to family obligations.
The group will partake at the Class of 1970 banquet at 6 p.m. at the Pacific Islands Club’s Charley’s Cabaret, after the Eucharistic celebration. The banquet welcomes all former teachers, spouses of deceased classmates, and all classmates of Marianas High–Hopwood. Dancing to the music of Maggie Naputi, slides of the olden days, sharing of stories, then and now, and just to socialize with classmates not having seen each other for a couple of decades or more.
Culminating the reunion will be the marching participation of the alumni of Marianas High and Hopwood, Class of 1970, which will take place at the MHS gym on June 14, 2010.
The current graduation class invited the 1970 alumnus to be present and to be acknowledged during their commencement exercise as the first graduating class of MHS.
A brief inspirational talk will be presented to the graduating class by one of the 1970 graduates.
For more information, call John Camacho at 483-6651; Chai Ada Camacho at 235-1951; Tony Cabrera at 483-6367 or 288-6362; or e-mail Laling Sablan Muna at [email protected].
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