Carson High School graduates to reminisce over the past 50 years

Though teenagers vow to be "friends for life" upon high school graduation, not many keep in touch past a few years.

"We were such a small class, everybody was friends," said Nina Richards Barry, one of the organizers for this weekend's 50-year class reunion.

"It was a small-town atmosphere, and most of the kids you went to school with from kindergarten or first grade all the way through 12th. And most were from the same neighborhood."

Carson High School's graduating class of 1956 will celebrate with a dinner party this evening and a brunch Sunday.

Barry said some of her classmates became attorneys, accountants, teachers and nurses, including George Allison, of Allison, MacKenzie, Russell, Pavlakis, Wright and Fagan, Ltd.

"The town was very involved with the high school sports, too," she said.

Classmate Doug Klawsnik has been taking care of the accounting and reservations for the reunion activities.

"The count for dinner is at 46, with 26 of them being class members," Klawsnik said.

Klawsnik called himself a wall flower when he reflected on his high school years.

"The family had a business and I immediately left (after) school each day to go to work. We had the Dairy Queen on North Carson Street which ultimately became the Penguin."

Barry said there were 56 students in the graduating class of 1956. The group will assemble for a photo before dinner. They will also attend Sunday brunch at the Casino Fandango.

• Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.