The party was supposed to start, but Betty Toda Kajikawa was worried. "There are two girls still missing from my table!"

The "girls" were 88-year-old women, but in this crowd, it was just like back in school. "None of the wahines can lie about their age," Fred Miyashiro joked. "We know we're all 88!"

The McKinley Class of 1938 celebrated its 70th reunion Saturday with a luncheon at the Pagoda Hotel. Class reunions might go on benders in Vegas these days, but when you're 88, a teri chicken plate at the Pagoda is a good party.

The room was decorated in McKinley's colors of black and gold. The classmates sang the alma mater while holding copies of the lyrics, though most didn't need them. Some things stay with you your whole life.

Thirty-eight classmates came to the party. "We had 1,300-something in our class," Kajikawa said. "I was on the commencement committee and I made all the diplomas so I should know."

In 1938, McKinley students came from all over the island. There were neighborhood elementary schools in rural areas, but the only high schools were in town. Roosevelt was an English Standard school with a required entrance exam. McKinley took all comers. Some country kids lived in church dormitories in town during the week. Others caught the bus.

In 1938, it was a grand-slam year at McKinley. "We won the championship of every sport," Miyashiro said. "Football, basketball, baseball, swimming, track. We took everything." Miyashiro was McKinley's pitcher.

Tamotsu Sahara was a sprinter. "I e-mailed my grandson to tell him I was going to my 70th class reunion," Sahara said. E-mail? Wow. "Oh, sure. If I write a letter, they don't answer. If I e-mail, they e-mail back."

The classmates reminisced about their high school days. Some of the girls whispered behind their hands and giggled. The boys teased each other about how good they used to be at sports. They shook their heads over all the things that have changed.

"I remember we could fill the gas tank for $5," Sahara said. "A movie was 10 cents."

Lynnette Sakamoto volunteered to organize the party. Her mom, Clara Takeda Nishioka, is a Class of 1938 graduate who used to enjoy the twice-a-year get-togethers, which stopped a few years ago. Since this was the 70th anniversary of their graduation, it seemed like an important time to get everyone together again.

"Keep your name tags," Sakamoto told them. "You can take them home for souvenir(s), but bring them back for the next party."

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.