Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

This article first appeared in the June 2, 2010 edition of The Somerville News.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

June has arrived, and the Class of 2010 prepares for their graduation and Class Day exercises.

A very nice tradition that has been upheld over the years is to invite the class from 50 years ago to the current year’s Class Day exercises. This year it’s the Class of 1960.

So, a lot of reminiscing has been happening with all the classmates of 1960 as they also prepare for their 50th Reunion on Oct. 1.

Somehow, even after all these years, a lot of the classmates have stayed in touch, and many more have remained very close friends. For the past year, some have joined Facebook and used it to socialize and reconnect with each other.

There have also been “mini” reunions. A few actually meet for lunch once a month at Pignone’s Café in Stoneham. The Class of 1959 started these gatherings last year as they prepared for their 50th. Dave Pignone, owner of Pignone’s Café, and an SHS 1959 graduate, welcomes the Class of 1960, too.

Many of them are retired now, but there have been many graduates with interesting professions, careers, and lives.

Ray Spinosa, a West Point graduate, enjoyed a military career. He is now enjoying his retirement.

Two other grads became psychologists, Susan Kaup and Joan Dias. Robert MacMillan became a physician. Nancy Swett, former editor of our Radiator, has published papers and a book in her profession.

Richard Hart and his wife raised 10 children, some theirs, some adopted, some foster children. Ann Weld- Harrington is an ordained Anglican priest. Joe Bradley and Anthony Spero pursued a religious career later in life and both are ministers now.

The diversity could go on and on, but the common factor among them has always been “We are all classmates of Somerville High School’s Class of 1960.”

The following is in 1960 graduate Diane (DiNitto) Suffredini’s own words:

“It doesn’t matter where we’ve been, what we’ve done, we just enjoy each other at the reunions. We reminisce about our days in high school, the teachers, our mutual friends, the basketball teams.”

Yeah, those were fun. We had great teams 1958-1960. Going to the Homestead Restaurant in Cambridge after the Friday night games.

Walking home from the then Boston Garden to the high school after the Tech Tourney games. Dances, and then the Proms.

Walking up the front stairs of the “old” gym with lower classmen and friends cheering us on, and then enjoying the night of dancing, and going later to a restaurant for a late evening. The memories are very clear and have not been diluted with the passage of all these years.

So, when we meet again on June 9 at Pignone’s Café, some of us will remember what some of us have forgotten, and some of us will want to forget what some of us remembered, all in good fun.

We look forward to the BIG reunion on October 1 when many of us will return as we have done every five years since graduation.

A surprising number come from out-of-state and many will be first-time attendees at this reunion.

Don’t know what took them so long but we can’t wait to see them. We will also remember and honor the memory of our classmates who are no longer with us. They will always be a part of our memories from the days at Somerville High. So congratulations to the Class of 2010 and we hope your memories some day will be as dear as ours have been.”

I would like to thank Diane for sharing her memories with all of us. Congratulations to the class of 1960, who have proved over the years that once a Highlander, always a Highlander.