Three at alumni bash celebrate 70th anniversary together / By Martha Knight

The valorous Class of 1943 was well represented at the annual Port Allegany Alumni Association dinner-dance Saturday night, with three of its members making the journey to reunite, 70 years after completing studies at “Port High.”

They were Opal Baum Moshier, Ruth Simar Chapin and Lawrence O. “Larry” Griffith. Moshier and Chapin live in the area. Griffith lives near Franklinville, N.Y. with his daughter and her husband, Darlene and Ralph Howard. His son Lawrence O. Griffith III had come from New Hampshire to bring Larry to the get-together.

After all, it was quite an event, marking the 70th year since high school graduation for the war-time Class of 1943.

A good number from that class marched off to war shortly after graduating. Griffith was among them. So was Basil “Bones” Kio, who joined the Navy and went to New Haven, Connecticut to submariner training. 

And so did Larry Griffith. Both men saw service in the Pacific, liberating islands. 

After the war, Griffith returned to Port Allegany, earned a degree from Alfred School of Ceramics (Alfred, N.Y.)  and worked for Pittsburgh Corning (as had his father, the late L.O. Griffith Sr., beginning when the glass block producer was first established). 

Griffith Jr. and his wife Trudy spent some years in Sedalia, Missouri, where Pittsburgh Corning manufactures foamglass. Later Larry Griffith left Pittsburgh Corning and became Port Allegany Borough Manager until his retirement. Most recently he has been a greeter at Walmarts in Bradford and in Allegany, N.Y.

Moshier worked for “Joe” Kallas at the Cameo Doll factory in Port Allegany. She and her husband and family lived in Lorraine, Ohio for five years. They returned to Port Allegany and she worked at First National Bank of Port Allegany for 30 years, retiring in 1984.

Ruth is the widow of Harold Chapin. She worked for North Penn Gas Company, then for the Port Allegany Planing Mill, which manufactured wooden parts for Piper Cubs.  She and Harold owned and operated Chapins’ Market until they sold it and retired.

The recent loss of classmate “Bones” Kio saddened the three 1943 attendees present, for he had been in communication with several prior to the event, and they were looking forward to seeing him. Doris Mitchell is in Sena Kean and was not able to attend.

Also absent was Rosemarie Pritt Cummings, at home but unable to attend. For many years she was secretary/receptionist for American Extract and Barrentan Lab.

In other matters, the Port Allegany Alumni Association re-elected officers Shirley McDowell, president; Jerry Patton, vice-president; and Judy Dates, treasurer. Darlene Anderson Baker was named secretary; Edna Taylor had declined another term.

More than 250 members of various graduating classes from the Arnold Avenue and Oak Street high schools gathered for the annual event.

The largest contingent present was from the class of 1963, celebrating a 50th anniversary of their graduation.