ZANESVILLE--- Sixty years ago, Zanesville class of 1941 graduated from the old Lash High School. Now they’re getting together again for their 60-year class reunion. The reunion will take place that evening of Sept. 29 at the Zanesville Country Club. Not a lot of entertainment is planned, because, said class member Jerold Zwelling of Zanesville, “so we can talk.”

“Just put us in the same place,” said Zwelling, “and we can talk and chatter and laugh all night long.”

Zwelling’s sentiments are echoed by Dick Taylor of Palm Coast Fla., who stays in touch almost daily with half a dozen classmates via the Internet. Although he’s looking forward the chance to “get together and talk,” he added on a more somber note, “it may be the last time we all get together.”

Actually, Taylor will provide a bit of the entertainment during the reunion, but his contribution is sure to spark memories and talk. He has produced a computerized show, incorporating class photographs, newspaper clippings, photos of notable places around town, and pictures from previous class reunions.

He started putting it together about a year ago, but it really didn’t take a long time with the computer software available today. He was aided by a scrapbook sent to him by Mary Whitacre of West Virginia. Known as “Dusty” in high school, “she saved everything,” Taylor said. So when he started taking digital pictures of it, the show just “kind of evolved.” The show can be viewed on the class website, www.zhs41.com.

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Of the class of 318, about 80 (including spouses) have already made reservations. More are expected. Out of that class, said Dorothy Factor of Nashport, 98 are known to be deceased.

“Two that have never attended a reunion before are coming,” said Mrs. Factor, “one who still lives in Zanesville.

In early years the class didn’t hold many regular reunions, but they’ve been more regular reunions, but they’ve been more regular since the 25-year gathering. After meeting at 45,50 and 55 years, Taylor said, “we decided to go again.”

One event that shaped the lives of the class of 1941 was World War II, which the United States entered only six months after graduation.

Even Mrs. Factor, who seems to be the class record keeper, doesn’t know how many class members served in the military. But four class members died in the war.

One was the class president, Edward Martt. The others, said Mrs. Factor, were William Ruland, Donald Roach, and William Nessline. Two women served as nurses: Maxine Thorton, who died recently, and Mary Eileen Queen. 

The war affected all their lives. Zwelling described it as a “spring-board.” “We were all business when we got home,” said Zwelling, who said he entered school in 1945, graduated in 1949 and got married the same year. A life event had taken place, is the way he describes it, and it had a maturing effect.

Zwelling is looking forward to seeing his classmates, but as he gets older, he advocates having them more often. “Five years just seems to accelerates the losses.”

Mrs. Factor also enjoys the meetings to plan the reunions, but most enjoyable will be the evening to come. some of the class of ’41 may need walkers or canes, some may have to carry oxygen, but on Sept. 29, all will be 18 again, for a little while.

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