Linda Herrold remembers walking around the playground with a transistor radio, listening to reports of John Glenn orbiting the earth.

She and other former first-graders at Chapman-Union Elementary School recalled air raid drills where they stood with their arms stretched out on the wall during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The former first-graders, from 1957, got together for the first time Saturday for their 52nd reunion in the school, which is now Chapman Community Chapel.

Some hugged each other for the first time in 50-plus years while other told stories before they sat down for a covered dish dinner.

“I haven’t seen you in 50 years,” Herrold, of Port Trevorton, said to Penny Billheim, of Middleburg. “I have pictures of us in Brownies,” Herrold said before embracing her.

Janna Longacre, of Boston, and Toby Wolfe, of Selinsgrove, hadn’t seen each in years. They were best friends in first grade. Carol Spicher, of RR Liverpool, stood by Jay Wagner, of RR Selinsgrove, who was her square -dance partner in first grade.

Shelby Klingler, of Selinsgrove, brought Herrold a hula hoop because she only had a black flexible pipe taped together in school. Klingler also got a copy of the movie “Heidi” for Linda Kniss, of Port Trevorton, who never got to see the movie in school.

Their former first grade-teacher Margaret Keller, of Port Trevorton, was able to attend. “This was my first year of teaching,” she said. describing the class, now 58 and 59 years old, as wonderful.

Herrold, Klingler, Ken Frymoyer, of Kreamer, Dale Hoot, of the Selinsgrove area, and Kniss got together to plan the reunion.

“We were able to contact everybody within three weeks,” Klingler said.

“I was surprised how many people were still in the area,” Herrold said.

They expected 40 members from the class of 60. Four are deceased.