Submitted Photo In the back row from left are: Steve Halvorson, Monte Lynnes, Craig Hiller, Cindy Hornstein Nelson, Linda Hagen Korner, Jay Jordan, Adolph Jundt, Loren Drege and Gary Kirchofner. In the middle row from left are: Albert Hoffart, Naomi Smith Rislow, Bev Bundy Paul, Kathy Peterson Halvorson, Margie Bullock, Charlotte Axtman Getzlaff, Terry Hoffert and David Mattern. Seated in front are: Greg Brossart, Pam Berg Anderson, Greg Mack, Nancy Hartman Pajak, Carla Voeller Sorenson and Coralee Paterson Johnson. Not pictured is Jerome Migler, who also attended the reunion.

Twenty-four members of the Rugby High School Class of 1971 came “home” to Rugby Sept. 24 to reminisce and celebrate their 50th reunion.

Class member Pam Berg Anderson said those who gathered for the celebration didn’t travel far. “Most members who live out of state didn’t come because of COVID,” Anderson explained.

“We were a graduating class of 97,” Anderson said. “Twelve members of the class are deceased, including one who was killed in a car accident before we graduated.”

After building and riding on a float dedicated to their class, members visited popular gathering places in Rugby to socialize. Anderson said, “There were a couple of people that did not participate in the homecoming parade Friday but did attend activities on Saturday.” Friday night, a group traveled down Highway 3 to Balta, where they visited the Balta Bar, owned by Stephanie Halvorson, daughter of class members Steve and Kathy Peterson Halvorson.

Saturday evening, the class gathered at the Rugby Eagles for a banquet.

Like many Rugby High graduates who remained in the area after graduation, Anderson has noticed graduating classes from her alma mater shrinking over the years. The RHS Class of 2021 had only 36 members, almost a third of the size of the Class of ’71.

“Class sizes today are a reflection of the diminishing rural populations and smaller family sizes,” Anderson said.