DIXFIELD – The Dixfield-Dirigo Alumni Association held its annual alumni banquet on June 19 at the T.W. Kelly Middle School. One hundred sixteen members and guests attended a potluck supper.

The meeting was conducted by Frances Carlton and Andy Lane in the absence of President Betty Swan and Vice President Joyce Austin.

Carlton gave an opening statement, thanking everyone for the get-well cards and flowers sent to her last year while a patient at the Maine Medical Center.

It had been reported that some members did not receive a newsletter and invitation to this year’s banquet. Carlton said that due to the postage rates, the association doesn’t send them to members if they haven’t paid dues the previous year.

A notebook of letters and notes from the first Alumni Association, which originated in 1954 with Marilyn Vaughn Beames as the president, was found. The meetings were held at the Grange Hall, Opera House and Masonic Hall. The group earned money for scholarships by having public baked bean suppers and food sales. Scholarship money was $100 to $200, and the first scholarship was awarded to Allan Ellingwood, class of 1956. Jon Holmes presented the alumni with plastic utensils to be used a the banquet.

Several members attended from out-of-state: Norene Dunham Goulet (44) and Myrna Donahue Rankin (58), New Mexico; Dewey Taylor (40) and wife, Carole Arsenault Foley (62) and husband, Artess Stiles Lufkin (44), Louis and Mary Miller Clarity (52 and 54), all of Florida; Faye Smith Oates (52) and family, Illinois; Brenda Kidder Cascio (63) and husband, Massachusetts; Sherry Weston Crow (60) and husband, Erlon Gill (48) and Alfa Martin Gautreau (54), New Hampshire; Barbara McLeod Descy (54), Connecticut; Andrea McGinley Dobbs (66), California; Peter Scholfield (54), Ohio; and Nancy Ross Witheral (51) and Connie Williamson Sudduth (54) and husband, Virginia.

Every year members honor the 40-, 50- and 60-year classes. The class of 1944 had three members attending; class of 1954, nine; class of 1964, six; and class of 1948, nine.

Several members were recognized: Loraine Welch Smith (27), 77 years, oldest member in attendance; Gladys Dunning Masterman (34), 70 years; Therza Holman Towle and Hazel Savage Kennedy (35), 69 years; Dorothy Berry Mason (36), 68 years; Dewey Taylor, Maxine Cox Palmer and Beulah Holman Lane (40), 64 years; and Frances Savage Carlton (41), 63 years. Youngest member attending was Lincoln Stone, class of 1982.

Sherry Weston Crow addressed the alumni, thanking them for the cards, letters and pictures sent to her for her mother, Nat Weston, who celebrated her 90th birthday.

Scholarship recipients were Brandon Berry, attending Southern Maine Community College, South Portland; Kassi Putnam, University of Maine Orono; Jessica Lemay, University of Maine Orono; Ashton McLaughlin, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.; Sheena Hanmer, University of New England, Biddeford; and two alternates, Lacey Bartlett, University of Southern Maine, Lewiston/Auburn campus, and Jessica Blaisdell, Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield.

Also in attendance was former superintendent, Woody Mercier (1953-1964), accompanied by his daughter and son-in-law, Ozzie and Donna Swett, class of 1963 and 1964.

Paul Scholfield won the 50/50 drawing and donated the money back to the alumni. A special thanks was given to Eileen and Joyce Wocester and Alice Rumley for their help in preparing the food for the buffet supper. The Wocester travel each year from Kennebunk.