Ocean Beach Elementary School alums of all ages shared memories, stories and laughter as they gathered recently to mark the school’s 100-year anniversary. The Ocean Beach Historical Society (OBHS) hosted the event at Point Loma Methodist Church. “This was a thrilling evening,” said Dollie Malcolm Belt, a speaker who attended OB Elementary in the 1930s and was PTA president in 1959 and 1960. “There was a lot of laughter and shared memories. We probably could have talked the rest of the night.” OBHS held the event in conjunction with its monthly meeting. More than 60 people attended the event, filling the room to the brim. “This just shows you how much of a community we really are and how we have folks that have been here for many, many years,” said OBHS president Pat James. “It’s just really great to bring these folks out. I know a lot of these people haven’t seen each other for a lot of years.” The celebration was dedicated to Lincoln Rock, a lifelong Ocean Beach resident who attended OB Elementary and who died Oct. 26. After that dedication, San Diego Unified School District trustee John de Beck — who represents the district’s coastal schools — kicked things off by reminiscing about the area. Following a short video presentation that featured former Ocean Beach resident George Cunningham sharing his thoughts about the school, a panel featuring alumni from each of the school’s nine decades was invited to the front of the room. Each alum shared his or her memories about OB Elementary. “You could pretty much hear from the stories and testimonies just the way people feel about it,” James said. Among the alumni on the panel was local celebrity Noah Tafolla. Tafolla hosts the KPBS show “Wonderland” that takes a periodical look at different neighborhoods around San Diego. Numerous people reflected on the May Pole Festival and the rose arbor in the middle of the school’s grounds. “We used to go out there and take our lunches, too,” Belt said. “That was a wonderful place to sit and visit and play our games and do the naughty things that kids do to each other.” Belt said her fondest memories of OB Elementary included playing on the monkey bars, the rings and the jungle gym. And although she usually brought her lunch, Belt said she loved eating in the cafeteria when she got the chance — especially when they served creamed tuna on toast. Following the panelists, the microphone was passed around the room to whoever wanted to share thoughts, allowing audience members to take a trip down memory lane. More than one person claimed chewing tar from the road as a strong memory from childhood. “I loved it. You’d go out in the middle of the street and dig tar out from the street. That’s where we got our tar,” Belt said. “As a kid, I didn’t have gum, so I ate tar. I’d go dig it out of the middle of the street.” After about two hours, the scheduled meeting ended. But the conversation continued for long after that, as Pelicans of all ages shared 100 years of memories. OB Elementary’s formal centennial celebration will be held next spring. For more information about the school’s centennial celebration, visit www.obelementary.com. For more information on the Ocean Beach Historical Society, visit obhistory.wordpress.com.