Loey Knapp’s home in Stevensville was the site of a very unusual class reunion this summer. It was the 50th anniversary of the 1967 graduating class of the Kodaikanal International School, located in the city of Kodaikanal in the hills of the Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means “The Gift of the Forest”.
Originally an administrative building built by the British, it was converted into a boarding school by ten different Christian missionary organizations that were operating in that part of India at the time.
Knapp started first grade in the school and graduated in 1967 in a class of thirty-three students. Since that time the students spread around the world but they have come together in small reunions over the years to renew friendships and get updated on everyone’s endeavors. Most of the reunions have been small over the years due to the fact that the group has now spread around the world. But the 50th year anniversary drew quite a crowd, with forty five people attending.
Most of the graduates went on to get college degrees and it makes for some interesting conversation at the gatherings. The conversations at this reunion covered a wide range. There were discussions about Aztec hieroglyphs, Russian poetry, nuclear physics and cancer research among other things.
Time was spent poring over a collection of memorabilia from the boarding school days including a corsage from the graduation ceremony and even a copy of the “Blue Book”, that is the rule book governing dormitory behavior.
Knapp kept the group entertained with scheduled visits to a lakeside cabin, a hike up Bear Creek, a walk by the river and other birding spots. A short walk to the downtown for sandwiches was arranged “for those with canes and walkers,” according to Knapp.
Someone brought the script and the class re-enacted their senior play. They also danced to music from the 1960’s, just like they did every Wednesday at the boarding school and a good time was had by all.