DesotoExplorer.com

In an effort to increase attendance, this year's De Soto High School reunion was a one-day catered event.

De Soto High School alumni at last year's reunion voted to consolidate the event into one day, saying it was too difficult for people, especially those from out of town, to get together for two days.

As per tradition, the alumni dance used to be on Saturday night with a potluck luncheon on Sunday. However, this year the event included a catered dinner and social hour followed by a dance Saturday night.

Kay McDaniels, one of the organizers of this year's reunion and 1958 alumna, said changing to a catered event made it easier on older alumni who couldn't cook and those from out of town.

"We might end up with 10 buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken," she chuckled, recalling previous reunions. "This way nobody has to prepare it or clean up. It just kind of relieves everybody of the tension."

McDaniels said consolidating the event into one day also increased alumni participation.

"I already have 50 more people signed up to come to the catered dinner," she said Friday.

About 125 people attended the dinner and dance Saturday, which is the most successful event organizer Zola Stephan, class of '56, had seen.

"It used to be really small," she said. "Here about four years ago there were only about 30 people there."

To help pay for the caterer and also continue its scholarship fund for De Soto High School students, the alumni association charged $13 per person for dinner.

"We wanted to keep the costs low enough, but if you go out to eat and you tip, it's going to cost a lot more," McDaniels said.

The alumni also raffled and auctioned off items donated by local merchants to help with the scholarship fund.

While the event was open to all De Soto High School alumni, the class of 1958 especially was honored for its 50th reunion.

Class of '58 members and their spouses gathered around their reserved tables Saturday night reliving memories and looking over old photos and yearbooks.

Martha Carpenter, Shell Knob, Mo., showed her fellow class of '58 members photos from a previous reunion.

"This is our 40th reunion," Carpenter said pointing to a photo of the group. "I had to bring the photos so I could show them how they all aged."

There were 38 students in the class of '58, a little more than one-third the size of De Soto's class of 2008.

Barbara Barthol, of Olathe, said De Soto has changed a lot since she graduated 50 years ago.

"There are a lot of houses, and the taxes are higher," she said.

Although Barthol doesn't make it back every year for the annual reunion dinner and dance, she likes the new format.

"I like it being all in one day. I think it's great," she said.