By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
Memories of their high school years in Freehold Borough and in Howell will come flooding back to the members of the graduating class of 1966 when they reunite over the weekend of Aug. 26-28.
The seniors who graduated in 1966 were a memorable class in the young Freehold Regional High School District.
For their freshman and sophomore years of high school (1962-63 and 1963-64), the members of the class of 1966 attended what was then known as Freehold Regional High School on Broadway in Freehold Borough. Students from throughout western Monmouth County attended the school.
As suburbia began its expansion into western Monmouth County, the administrators of the Freehold Regional High School District constructed a second high school, named Southern Freehold Regional High School, on Squankum-Yellowbrook Road in Howell.
When Southern Freehold Regional opened in September 1964, the Freehold Regional High School District class of 1966 was split between the two schools for their junior and senior years (1964-65 and 1965-66).
On June 22, 1966, 240 seniors graduated from Southern Freehold Regional in Howell and on June 23, 1966, 330 seniors graduated from Freehold Regional in Freehold Borough, according to Ann Malsbury, one of the reunion organizers.
Later this summer the former classmates will reunite 50 years after they graduated from high school.
On Aug. 26, the Freehold Regional graduates will meet at Federici’s in Freehold Borough and the Southern Freehold Regional graduates will meet at Woody’s in Farmingdale. Both events will begin at 7 p.m.
The combined reunion of the two schools will be held from 6-11 p.m. Aug. 27 at the American Hotel, Freehold Borough, featuring a full buffet and entertainment provided by a DJ.
There is no formal event planned for Aug. 28, but guests may take a ride to the shore or visit other nostalgic locations throughout the area.
The Freehold Regional reunion committee members are John Bennett, Amy Mogland, Steve Herr, Tom Brereton and Jim Mavroleon.
The Southern Freehold Regional reunion committee members are Judi Carstenson Swain, Donna Cusworth Hansen, Judy Harvey Parmentier, Jack Hill, Ann Patterson Malsbury and Pam Porter Hellman.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Donna Cusworth Hansen at donnachansen@hotmail.com for Southern Freehold Regional or Steve Herr at steve.herr@sbcglobal.net for Freehold Regional.
