HAY RIVER - More than 100 former students of the Hay River Federal Day School gathered recently to renew friendships and reminisce about the old days.

A reunion was held July 31-Aug. 3 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the school, which operated from 1949-1972.

"It's like I never left," said Deanna (Kortash) Dostaler of Hinton, Alta. "The friendship, it's amazing."

Robert DeLancey of Spruce Grove, Alta., also enjoyed the reunion.

"It is just wonderful," DeLancey said, noting the reunion brought back a lot of memories.

Ron Courtoreille, the chair of the reunion's organizing committee, estimated over 100 former students attended the gathering, both from the Hay River area and from out of town.

Three came from as far away as Ontario, and others travelled from all four western provinces.

"It went great, just great," Courtoreille said of the reunion, noting the former students enjoyed themselves immensely.

However, Courtoreille had hoped more people would attend, especially former students living in Hay River.

"I'm not disappointed," he said. "I just expected more."

Courtoreille said there were a number of highlights to the reunion.

One was a prayer service on the site of the old school and a roll call of the names of 119 former students who have passed away over the years.

"There was a lot of emotion there," Courtoreille said.

Former students read out the names while fighting back tears and many in the audience hugged and wiped tears from their eyes.

Some of the former students were hearing of the deaths of schoolmates for the first time.

"There were a lot passed away that I didn't know about," said DeLancey.

Paulette (Lefebvre) Schoenberger of St. Albert, Alta., said the roll call was very emotional.

"I didn't know we lost so many," she said.

Courtoreille noted there was also a lot of emotion at a meet and greet in the Community Hall on the first day of the reunion.

"I couldn't believe the excitement in the Community Hall," he said.

Schoenberger said it was awesome to again meet so many former schoolmates, even if she didn't immediately know them.

"I don't recognize them until they say their names," she said.

Irma Miron, a former teacher at the school, said she enjoyed meeting former students once again. "Some of them I know," said the 87-year-old. "They look the same as when they were children."

The reunion also featured a fish fry and a dinner and dance, and visitors from out of town were given free time to explore Hay River on their own.

Courtoreille said some people are already talking about having another reunion in five years.

This year's gathering was the first all-school reunion, although smaller class reunions have been held in the past.

When it was open, the Federal Day School served both what is now the Hay River Reserve and the Town of Hay River, then concentrated on Vale Island.

The school, which was not a residential school, was operated by the federal government prior to the formation of the territorial government.

The only section of the school still standing is what used to be an industrial arts building, now used as an indoor range by the Hay River Shooting Club.

The school was originally called the Hay River Indian Day School and later just the Hay River High School.