Seventy-two years after throwing their graduation caps in the air, WHS gave alumni from the class of 1953 the opportunity to roam the halls, revisit old memories and reflect on the legacy they helped build.
On May 2, 12 WHS alumni from the class of 1953 were taken on a tour led by National Honor Society volunteers and Advisor Andrew Buckner. The tour featured notable, recent additions to WHS, such as the science wing, the BDTV studio and the Dr. Derrick Nelson Memorial Courtyard. One alum, Bev Scaff said, “Last time we were here, they just put in lab tables, and that really blew us away. Now, even more has changed and we truly just can’t believe it.”
Because WHS was originally located in the current BOE building on 302 Elm St., and was relocated after construction in 1951, the class of 1953 marks the first class of students to graduate from the WHS building we recognize today. Alum John Jones said, “The school is truly beautiful. I figured it would be all beat up since there were so many people here for so long, but it’s been updated recently.”
The majority of the group has not visited the school since their senior year and were impressed with the changes they saw. The most notable being the renovations of the school itself, as they attended WHS when it was still two separate buildings instead of the one we have today.
Despite having a different look, the former students’ memories of WHS have remained the same. Alum and Harvard University graduate Charles Brower shared that he remembered his favorite “senior only entrance,” as a fun perk of his final year. “Everybody else had to walk all the way to the far entrances,” Brower said.
While many alumni recounted specific traditions and memories, they also couldn’t help but notice how much the school has grown. As our 448 Seniors are gearing up for graduation, there were notably fewer students preparing to accept their diplomas in 1953. “There were 254 in my graduating class, but I know they’re getting bigger and bigger each year,” Jones said.
Since WHS is a growing community, it is important to look back so we can move forward. Specifically, our current administration reflects on our school’s history to make sure current students remember high school as fondly as the class of 1953 does.
While WHS’ halls may look different, they are undoubtedly full of history. As the class of 2025 prepares for graduation in June, the class of 1953 is living proof that “once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil.”