Calling all members of the fictitious Class of ’83!

It’s time for a massive 25th reunion for all those who attended the briefly named Warren G. Harding elementary school on Niagara Street in St. Catharines.

Those students were witnesses back in 1983 to the transformation of Victoria School from an ordinary place of education to an A Christmas Story film set.

Dozens of children at the school were used as extras in the Hollywood movie about a boy in 1940s Indiana who longs for a Red Ryder BB gun.

St. Catharines students appear in classroom scenes and schoolyard shots, outfitted in horn-rimmed glasses and fur-collared coats.

Since the seasonal film appeared in theatres almost 25 years ago, it’s gained cult-like status, with a huge fan base and its own museum.

“Especially in the States, there are so many rabid fans of this movie,” said former Port Colborne resident Tyler Schwartz, now living in Oakville.

This November, with help from Schwartz, A Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland is inviting anyone connected with the St. Catharines shoot to its 25th anniversary celebration and convention.

St. Catharines extras are being sought to participate in a panel discussion on stage about their memories.

“We’ll be asking them what it was like when Hollywood came to town,” Schwartz said.

Fans want to hear about what really happened behind the scenes, where students were paid $1 each.

They are hoping some of the grown-up classmates will want to share their experiences.

“A lot of kids were in the background playing in the schoolyard. There were about 20 in the actual classroom who were more prominent. And six were in the flagpole scene,” Schwartz said.

Last year, 5,000 people showed up for convention weekend celebrations at the museum. This year, the 25th anniversary of the film will add heightened excitement.

In addition to the panel discussions by former St. Catharines students, another convention highlight will be the appearance of a fire truck from Chippawa.

The truck was used in a scene in which firefighters rescue a boy whose tongue is stuck to a flagpole.

The St. Catharines Museum is also loaning an original script, Ralphie’s glasses and a Red Ryder BB gun to the Cleveland museum for the event, according to the the convention website.

Several actors from the movie will be on hand and a documentary about the film is being premiered.

Schwartz said he wants to organize a reunion in St. Catharines some time in the future. For now, he hopes the grown-up kids from Victoria School will travel to Cleveland and participate in the reunion Nov. 28 and 29.

Former students won’t want to miss the unveiling of a St. Catharines room, with items from the former Victoria School.

“They’ve got the chalkboard and door from the classroom,” Schwartz said. “They are looking to add more pieces.”

Courtesy of St. Catherines Standard

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