AUGUSTA -- The Cony class of 1939 lived through the Great Depression, World War II, getting to school without buses -- and, on Wednesday, the lunch rush of hungry teenagers at the 2009 version of their alma matter.

Some 20 members of the class toured the modern day Cony as part of their 70th class reunion. The former students, age 87 to 89, talked and joked about old times, renewed friendships, mixed with the students, marveled at the size of the new school, and had food and entertainment provided by current students.

"Hi Arnold, good to see you," Bob Boggs, of Augusta, said to former classmate Arnold Barrett, of Winthrop as the two finished up lunch made and served by Capital Area Technical Center culinary arts students.

"At my age, it's good to be seen," Barrett quipped, without missing a beat.

Barrett was originally in the class of 1939 but didn't graduate until 1940. He said he dropped a class during his senior year, at the suggestion of his football coach, so he could play one more year of football.

"He told me, 'You're pretty young to be graduating, do you want to play football another year?" Barrett said of his football coach.

Barrett played right guard for the Cony football team, playing both offense and defense. He said he was small but fast.

Lorelei Robie, of Winslow, organized the event, working during the last year to plan the event with veteran Cony teacher, and graduate, Meylon Kenney.

Robie said there were 178 students in her senior class of 1939. "Most of them haven't seen the new building," she said. "We're old enough we don't get around much anymore."

Regardless of age, the classmates seemed to revert back to their younger school days, 70 years ago, at Cony, joshing each other as they gathered in the library.

"We're a close class, we all know each other," said Boggs, who after graduating from Cony served, like many of his classmates, in World War II, receiving the Purple Heart medal.

Boggs, who joked people call him by the nickname "Cranberry" Boggs, was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. His wife, Connie Niles Bogg, died in 2008. She graduated from Cony, too, in 1941, and later became a nurse.

"It's really kind of amazing, they've been through a lot more than most people -- the Great Depression, World War II," said Cony senior Gideon Forbes, who played saxophone for the class of 1939. "I think it's phenomenal, after everything they've lived through, they can find happiness in something like this."

The alumni attended classes in the still-standing Cony flatiron building, as well as an older building on the flatiron site, since torn down.

At times, the visiting Cony graduates seemed almost overwhelmed by the size of the new Cony, especially when making a long walk from the technical center cafeteria to the music room at the opposite end of Cony.

"I think I'm going to need a guide dog to get around this place," joked Frances Smith, of Scarborough. "It's big."

Mary Porter, of Belgrade, said this will likely be the class' last reunion.

"This is going to be our last hurrah," she said.

Each graduate received a pin, with a photograph of the Cony flatiron building superimposed over "1939-2009, 70th reunion."

Arlene Fossett, of Augusta, said she walked six miles to and from school, until she hooked up with a fellow student with a car. She paid him $1 a week to take her to and from school.

Wednesday the graduates got a free ride to school -- from Old Fort Western, by trolley.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com