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The Wellsboro High School Alumni Association was established in 1876. To assure the continuation of the association, the Wellsboro Alumni Council was formed in 1992, in part to plan the Annual Alumni Banquet. The original council was comprised of Betty Frazier (1941), R. J. Dunham (1948), Elwood Austin (1948), Lowell Coolidge (1958) and Dennis Bliss (1968).

The association maintains a current database of over 8,000 Wellsboro High School graduates. The Wellsboro High School Alumni Association is unique in that every year, it brings together over 700 alumni (in five year intervals), retired educators, guests, and graduating seniors. These return to Wellsboro every Memorial Day Weekend for the banquet.

Each class has class agents or co-agents, who donate long hours to maintain the extensive database and plan their classes’ activity. Each year, the 25th and 50th anniversary class agents serve on the council. Beginning in 2006, the council added a high school senior, representing the graduating class to the Wellsboro Alumni Council.

Wellsboro Alumni Council President, Bob Blair, has served as a member of the council for nineteen years. His heart is to reconnect fellow classmates. “You know, it’s pretty amazing, we always give out a ‘furthest-alumnus-of-the-year’ award,” Blair remarks, “They come from overseas, they come from California, Alaska…but it’s too bad more don’t attend.” He encourages those that are able to register for the banquet now, but also noted that walk-in attendees are still welcome.

WHP also spoke to a class agent, Sharren McElligott Hummel, class of 1966. Married over forty years, she remarks on life after high school, “One of my most proud moments, outside of family events, was getting my undergrad and graduate degrees later in life. I…made the decision to get my graduate degree in education. I taught grades three and five in Baltimore City (MD) at William Paca Elementary and in Baltimore County (MD) at Johnnycake Elementary and Woodbridge Elementary.”

Hummel adds, “I will be celebrating my 50th high school reunion from Wellsboro High School this year and am clearly looking forward to reconnecting with my classmates from 1966…Changes to our bodies are inevitable, but we should be thankful we have the opportunity to attend this reunion. I would be willing to bet all our deceased classmates would trade places with us in a second!” Her advice to the 2016 graduating class is, “…Continue your education, whether it be through the military, the trade schools, the community college or university system, or on-the-job workshops. Never, ever stop learning! My second piece of advice is to take risks in whatever you pursue. Don’t be afraid to allow new people, new ideas, new ways of thinking to enter your life. There’s a wonderful world out there just waiting for you!”

Emma Shaw graduated 74 years ago in 1942. She will be 93 years old on June 3rd. Upon graduation, she entered the US Air Force for two years and became a driver for Colonel Bump. After she finished her service, she returned home and was married to Earl Shaw. She now has four children—three boys (Skip, Clifford, and Tom) and a girl (Sarah)—all grown with families of their own. Emma has both grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She has lived in the same home or over 50 years and remains active with community and family. Every year, after 70 years, she attends the Alumni Banquet. She loves to go and find how others are doing, and encourages others to go and reconnect with old classmates!

Classes reconnecting this year are as follow: 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013. If any of these are your graduation year, we urge you to consider attending the banquet! This year’s banquet falls on Saturday, May 28th. Visit the Wellsboro Alumni website to register.

Home Page correspondent, Jessica Smith, will be attending this year’s banquet as a graduating senior. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to meet her!