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Community Corner

Aberdeen Room Hosts AHS Reunion

Aberdeen High School class of 1966 is seeking donations to support the local museum.

hosted a party for the class of 1966 on Saturday. It was the scene of a convivial gathering of  graduates and friends, along with the semi-official class rock band, State of Mind.

Even Mayor Mike Bennett stopped by to enjoy the festivities.

As a part of its 45th reunion, the band chose to give its class donations to The Aberdeen Room Museum and Archives this year.

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“We thought this would be a great opportunity to open people’s eyes about The Aberdeen Room,” said Bill Sissom, a guitarist for the band. He came from central Florida to be a part of the event.

Other State of Mind band members include Bruce Chapman, who traveled from Hawaii, and Harold Baker, who came from Virginia to be a part of the effort.

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Other members live a little closer. Jeff Fiehler resides in Severna Park, and Howard Latham and Paul Ross still call Aberdeen their home.

Sissom said reunions are held every five years, and State of Mind has played the last three. In keeping with the band's motto, "We're better than we sound," the group played for free and donated the money to a worthy cause.

“We’d really like to see HCC or the high school become involved with the Aberdeen Room and get the younger people involved with their local history,” Sissom said.

When Sissom approached Sue Gates Strock about the class making a donation, she said, “I just thought of making a quilt. I didn’t know how else to raise money.”

With the help of Pat Elsner and Peggy Isaac, Strock's quilt has raised almost $1000. The class hopes to double that figure by next week. Plenty of raffle tickets are still available.

Charlotte Cronin, curator at the museum, said visitors donated all artifacts on display in the Aberdeen Room.

“We wanted to do this to show our appreciation for what they’re doing for us,” Cronin said. 

The band wasn’t without its groupies, as they called themselves.

“I’ve been listening to them since they played at Teen Town," said Sue Suttle Rollins, '69. "I had blisters on every toe I danced so much at the last reunion.”

“I literally danced my shoes off at the last reunion,” Darlene Dalton, '69, added. 

“The Aberdeen Room is a hidden treasure. It’s like our own little Smithsonian,” Rollins said.

She also noted that the class of 1969 used the space at the Aberdeen Room to plan their own reunion. That class made a donation to a scholarship fund for the chorus program, in memory of Mr. King, a chorus teacher who taught at AHS.

The reunion and concert will be held Friday from 7-11 p.m. at the Elks Club in Havre de Grace. Strock said 130 reservations have already been made for the event. 

Aside from the numerous exhibits at the Aberdeen Room that give a glimpse into the town’s history, Cronin and her knowledgeable volunteers are always on hand to give voice to the past.

Additionally, there is a vast collection of archives and memorabilia that make the past as tangible as the AHS marching band uniform on display.

The Aberdeen Room is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and on the first Saturday of the month, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 410-273-6325 to donate memorabilia. 

For more information about the reunion and concert, call Sue Strock at 410-658-7144, or e-mail her at susieqcreations@zoominternet.com.

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