Perdue grads gather to celebrate their own story by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 33 | Thursday, September 29, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Gordon E. Perdue High School may no longer exist, but for its former students, the memories will always remain. The Oakville secondary school, named for ex-schoolteacher Gordon E. Perdue, was shut down in 1989 and then sold to the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) in 1990 for $1. Perdue, also an Oakville Basket Company general manager, felt there was a need for a technical school in town at the time. Opened in 1962 Opened in 1962, a new high school on Maurice Drive was named in his honour. But Perdue's legacy carries on with the numerous reunions that have been held since it closed. The next get-together of former Perdue high school students is set for Saturday, Oct. 8 at Boston Manor in Burlington. Perdue grads share something special "Perdue existed for a brief time as far as high schools go, only 27 graduating years. Perdue alumni represent a unique and relatively small group of people who share something very special," said Frank Gesuale, who graduated in 1983. The front of the former Gordon E. Perdue High School. Gordon E. Perdue High School Reunion website grads so far, will include group photos, slideshow, music trivia, showcase of Perdue trophies and memorabilia and a musical performance from ClassicRockLIVE, a band Gesuale is a member of. Seeing old friends "I get so many people requesting a reunion that I've gone ahead and organized it yearafter-year. To me, it's wonderful because I don't do it for any reason except to see people's faces when they see their old friends they haven't seen in 20, 30 years," said Testani. He noted the reunion isn't just for students from his and Gesuale's graduating classes those who attended in the years before and after are encouraged to come. Open to the public The event will also be open to the public. "We really have to work at keeping this alive and trying to make people remember there was another school there (at 124 Dorval Dr.) before St. Thomas (Aquinas) Catholic Secondary School," said Testani. "I would love to do it every year because every year I always get the same message. `Darn, I wish I was there.' There is always somebody that misses it. I want to do it for that person and have them reconnect with some old friends and teachers." see Reunion on p.36 With help from Gesuale, the upcoming reunion will be the fourth one organized by Lui Testani, who graduated from Perdue in 1981. The gathering, which has generated interested or attending responses from 200 MUSIC LESSONS kulele U & l a c o V , s m ru Guitar, Piano, D Sign up today: N FeeS io No ReGiStRat S No CoNtRaCt N oNe o PRiVate - oNe oMe C aLL aGeS WeL DIAMOND O Thursdays 1:00 6:30 pm P E Saturdays 10:30 am 1:30 pm N Sundays 10:00 am 12:00 pm Homemade Ukrainian Food terrace take-away all prepared and easy to warm up F GUitaRS! o N io t C e L e S hUGe 129 ing as low as $ rt New guitars sta ges from $199 a k c a p ic st u o c electric & a om. nds to choose fr over 30 top bra S, KeYBoaRDS, ie R o S S e C C a , aMPS LeS, and more! e L U K U , S M U R D ICE AND EXPERT SERV REPAIRS S WORLD-CLAS 905.337.1400 ext. 116 orders@terracetakeaway.ca cafe@sjucc.ca www.terracetakeaway.ca St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Church 300 River Oaks Blvd. East (at Trafalgar) Oakville ON 905-257-3110 · theguitarworldoakville.com 380 Dundas St. E. (at Trafalgar Rd., in Longo's Plaza)