25 Years Ago: Nearly 400 hundred students and teachers sat on desks, chairs and floor at the Coginchaug High School Library to listen to four guest speakers talk about the Vietnam War. History teacher Pauline Dyson organized the daylong event.

25 Years Ago: The first day of school in September was unlike any other in many years for Ralph and Jacquelyn Barrett, for they were observers rather than active participants in the drama of a new school year starting. The couple, who combined had 70 years in school system, retired.