Immigrant tradition at Edison dates back to 1922

The 85th anniversary for this school and how immigrants built the area. DP

By Gail Olson , The Northeaster

tcdailyplanet.net: In the 1933 Wizard yearbook, Edison High School Assistant Principal Ruth Fitch Cole wrote an open letter to students. "One of your ancestors left home, friends, and country to come to a new home and to adopt a new country. I do not know whether he came with those first settlers in the New England wilderness or whether he came with you in his arms. ...May you, his descendant, be brave to undertake; may you work hard to overcome; and may you have that faith and hope which accomplishes."

Through its entire 85 years, Edison High School has been a home to immigrants. In 1933, the yearbook noted that students came from 23 different nations. The countries they came from have changed; in the early years, many last names were Swedish, Polish, or Russian: Carlson, Tschida, Reshetar. Today, a regular feature of the yearbook is titled Where Are You From? In 2007, the students’ home countries included Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guyana, Liberia, Egypt, Ukraine, Nepal, Laos, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Thailand, Kenya, and France. Students have last names such as Yang, Ali, Hernandez.

And times have changed: In this year’s graduating class there were six Johnsons. Four are African American, two are white.

Edison students and alumni will gather next weekend (Sept. 27-30) at the school to celebrate their 85th anniversary. The four-day event includes food: two dinners and a pancake breakfast; entertainment: the Edison Alumni Band and the alumni cheerleaders will perform at halftime at the school’s Homecoming football game, there are two boat rides, Thursday and Sunday, and a Friday night program in the auditorium.

Alumnus John Vandermyde, class of 1958, said he helped plan a vaudeville show (or variety show), which used to be a regular event at Edison, starting in the 1920s.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.