South Windsor High School celebrates 50 years

South Windsor High School alumni meet and greet at the gala. Pictured (l-r): Heather Brindisi, SWHS social worker; Cliff Lange; and Roxanne Lane, an art teacher at SWHS and the art coordinator of the gala. Lange has been on every reunion committee for his class since graduating in 1975, and drove in from Boston for the gala. Photos by Christian Mysliwiec.

South Windsor High School is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and staff, students and alumni gathered at Maneeley's Banquet and Catering Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 20, to celebrate the milestone during a gala event. The celebration attracted alumni who drove in from as far as Boston, and every living principal of South Windsor High School was in attendance.

Dr. Kate Carter, superintendent of South Windsor Public Schools, gave welcoming remarks and commented on the historical significance of South Windsor High School, which opened Sept. 6, 1963, on the site of the former Ellsworth Memorial High School. She also commended the opportunity to reflect on the school's past and present. “In a world where today's youth seem to move at a dizzying pace, seeking the next computing device, gaming technology or social media outlet, with a fervor that may be foreign to some of us in the room, I am pleased that tonight is about slowing down and taking a moment to think about the past and the rich history that makes South Windsor a great place to live, work and educate one's children,” said Carter.

Board of Education Chair David Joy compared 1963 to today in his greetings, saying it was a time when zip codes and two-letter state abbreviations were introduced, the sixth and final Mercury space mission marked the last time Americans were launched into space one at a time, the Rev. Martin Luther King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, and the Beatles had just released their first song in the United States. “I think ahead to the next 50 years at South Windsor High School, and where we will be as a country,” said Joy. “It will be even more different from today as today is different from 1963,” he surmised.

“South Windsor High School will begin its next 50 years clearly focused on continuing its mission of cultivating intellectual growth, promoting global citizenship, and achieving personal wellness in an ever-changing society,” said Joy.