ATHENS — Before he had a 20-year career at Scott Paper Company in Winslow and served as a diesel mechanic in the U.S. Navy during World War II, 91-year-old Howard Boston attended Somerset Academy and pumped gas at his father’s filling station here.
On Friday, Boston, who now lives in Belgrade, returned to Athens — driving himself about an hour each way — to visit with children at the Athens Community School and attend an early Veterans Day celebration.
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Boston brought photos of himself as a boy, including one at the old high school, and a newspaper clipping from 2007, when the Athens Grange Hall was relocated to a new foundation on Main Street. Boston likes to joke that he is the only person who remembers that the 2007 move marked the second time the grange was moved. The first was in 1936, when he was 14.
“I thought it was wonderful. It was all good,” said Boston, after enjoying lunch with students in the K-8 school and joining about 40 other veterans for an afternoon of patriotic songs in the school gymnasium.
This is the second year the school has opened its doors to area veterans in celebration of the Nov. 11 holiday, which commemorates Americans who have served in the armed forces. A group of teachers started the celebration last year because there weren’t a lot of local events for veterans around the holiday, said Principal Cynthia Streznewski.
“It’s nice to see kids have a connection to the veterans when there are many who may not have a veteran in their immediate family,” she said. “It helps them recognize and appreciate their service and commitment and also appreciate having those sort of connections with older people.”
Boston said he had read about the event in the newspaper and called to see if he could come, though many of the veterans in attendance were invited by students.
Eighth-grader Jack Babin invited a family friend, Robert Whittemore, of Harmony, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
“I enjoyed my time. I couldn’t stop crying,” said Whittemore, 59. “I’ve lost a lot of friends in the military.”
“Yeah, I started to tear up too,” said Babin, 13. “It was emotional, but it was also awesome. I’m glad this is something we do because everyone loves it and loves to come see it. It’s awesome to be able to do this for the veterans.”
In addition to singing patriotic songs, the students recited the Gettysburg Address, the preamble to the American Constitution and John F. Kennedy’s inauguration address. They also created artwork to represent each branch of the military with blank faces in uniform to represent those who have died.
Teachers read a list of names of area veterans who have died and held paper candles.
Boston, who turns 92 later this month, said that before he arrived he thought he would be the only World War II veteran at the event. “There are none left where I live,” he said.
But at least two others were there, including 87-year-old Sumner Jones of Pittsfield, who served two years in the Navy in the Philippines.
“It was an excellent, excellent show,” said Jones.
“I saw him smile the most at the very end when the kids were holding up their signs,” said Boston’s daughter, Darlene Alexander, of West Bath. “A big grin just appeared on his face.”
Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
Twitter: @rachel_ohm
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