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Lexington school and its two predecesâ€" sors have served their community well for more than a century. As the school prepares to close its doors for the last time June 29, staff, students and members of the community are planning a fitting sendâ€"off â€"â€" a traditional Strawberry Social June 22, followed by a closing reunion Saturday, June 23. Pat Arbuckle Chronicle Staftf ‘*We have received requests from people in the community who want to have a reunion to bring back some of the students and former teachers," explained Lexingâ€" ton principal John Wilson. During the weekend, guests will have ample opportunity to reminisce with former classmates and rekindle old memâ€" ories. Hallways of the school will be lined with displays of old photographs, memoraâ€" bilia and a number of pioneer exhibits prepared by current students in conjuncâ€" tion with their study of Ontario heritage. A special feature will be a slide presentation and display prepared by the Lexington Tweedsmuir History Group of the Women‘s Institute whose members have been delving into the history of Lexington school. As its name suggests, Lexington‘s Strawberry Social Friday evening at 6: 30 Y Summer Day Camps Adventure Camp adventure packed day camp 6â€"12 year olds bus trips, swimming gym, crafts computer option 3â€"6 year olds . full & half program arts, crafts, swimming, local trips qualified preschoo! staff The bell which stands at the entrance to Lexington school was once used at the previous school facility, S.S. No. 18 Waterioo. The sixâ€"room school will close June 29. I e Specialized programs for 3â€"15 year olds e e July 3 â€" August 31 â€" 9 fun packed weeks e ‘n Samiches ‘Waterioo Family YMCA _ 885â€"3500 145 Lincoin Rd. p.m. will offer generous helpings of fresh strawberries, cake and ice cream, with entertainment provided by the primary and junior choirs from the school. While most of the weekend will be devoted to memories of past events, Wilson feels that a highlight of the evening will be an activity designed to help the 150 pupils, currently attending Lexington, look to the future. Each student will release a helium balloon bearing a message conâ€" taining the student‘s name and asking the finder to forward a response with informaâ€" tion as to where and when it was discovered to Bridgeport school. The majority of Lexington students will be bused to Bridgeport school next fall. "All year we‘ve been trying to tie the two schools together and this is the final event to help the children become assoâ€" ciated with their new school," Wilson exâ€" plained. According to Wilson, news of the planned reunion is spreading rapidly among former graduates of the school. Already a number of former students who attended as early as 1904 have confirmed their intention to come, along with several former teachers. "It looks as if we‘re going to have a good crowd," he said. The afternoon‘s events will include a [A closing with class) Pat Arbuckle photos For more information and registration call: e 6â€"12 year olds e half day program * limited registration & sports & games included Mover‘s & Shakers Computer Camp 11â€"15 year olds sports, arts & crafts leadership development computer option special out trips Lexington reunion fitting sendâ€"off to historical community landmark baseball game between former students and staff following registration at 2 p.m., a short informal program at 4:15 p.m. to recognize guests and give them an opporâ€" tunity to recall their days at Lexington, capped by a potluck supper at 5 p.m. The decision to close Lexington school was made by school board trustees in response to a request by Lexington parents, who sought a higher quality of education for their children. Convinced that the present school facility, which lacks a gymnasium and library, was inadequate to accommodate the rapidly growing school population, parents of Lexington students asked the board to close the school and bus their children to nearby Bridgeport school. At that time, Bridgeport itself was threatened with closure as a result of declining enrolâ€" ment. S.S. No. 18 Waterloo was built in 1892 and served Lexington area residents until 1955. The school building located on Lexington Road has since been converted into a home, currently occupied by Donald and Sherry Nicholâ€" Still, feelings in the Lexington communiâ€" ty are bittersweet as the closing date for the school draws nearer. A number of residents, whose homes are in the vicinity, have called to express their concern and a feeling of loss, said Wilson. ‘"There is always a feeling, when you close a school, that the community is losing something,"" he added.. o Children have been attending school in the area, once known as Lexington village, mew & ercting chop in Watertes Delbbte O Enien, cur expert "Fechnician, opectalizes in mail cculffuning., manicures and makeug Lechuigues. We tnvde you ts _ come in for a singls sculptured nail application IREE of change. FTull oc of beantijul seculptened nails Evening and Saturday Appointments Available 22 KING ST. S., WATERLOO WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1984 â€" PAGE 5 Keg. 35 Hoew 20 nad {it outy 4250 _ mani Grand Opening 884â€"0663 for Geastijut ceulptuned nails since 1850, although not always at the present site. Records show that 36 students aged six to 24 years attended classes from September to March in 1851. In 1857, the first schoolhouse was constructed by Lexington villagers on the farm of Samuel Weber, in the area of Hillside Drive. This building was later replaced in 1892 by S.S. No. 18 Waterloo on Lexington Road, a more modern brick facility built at a cost of $835. Jacob Rudy, 90, who attended Lexington in 1902 to 1904, fondly recalls lunch hours when students would eat quickly and then hurry to Kaufman‘s flats to fish, often returning late for afternoon classes. Although the curriculum gradually exâ€" panded from the basic 3Rs to include manual training, agriculture, household science, health and music, children continâ€" ued to attend the oneâ€"room school until 1955 when the present Lexington facility was built. Two subsequent additions in 1958 and 1963 enlarged the school to its present six rooms. _ e _ Lexington school may close for the last time this month, but Wilson feels that an educational tradition, begun more than a century ago in the area, is not dead. Continued growth in the vicinity of Lexingâ€" ton Road could mean that another school will be needed within the next seven years.