WORCESTER— The last class in a school that assumed the role of a charter school before the first charter was issued met Saturday night for its 40th reunion.

Classical High School closed its rickety doors in 1966 and was reborn as Doherty Memorial High School. But the new school had a different mission. Classical was the school of choice for the college-bound, who came from all over the city. Doherty became a neighborhood high school and remains so today.

Classical alumni believe they were part of something special.

“It was the end of an era,” said Claire R. Nagle of the reunion committee, who now lives in Shrewsbury. The class reunion at the Beechwood Hotel Saturday night was well-attended.

Class of ’66 member John Stubbe, who now lives in Ohio, had a lot to do with that. He put together the Classical66 Web site, which has had classmates communicating with each other for about six months. The class of ’66 held its last reunion 10 years ago. So last night, there was a lot of catching up to do.

“It was a close-knit class with a lot of camaraderie. A lot of people remain friends 40 years later,” said Neal Grace, who made the trip from his California home. Alumni have spread all over the country, and even North America. A few live in Canada. Others hail from Alabama, Arizona, Wisconsin and even the Virgin Islands.

Ms. Nagle recalled that the class was together during a time of great upheaval, the very definition of the 1960s — the assassination of President Kennedy, the culmination of the civil rights movements and the escalation of the Vietnam War.

Some class members fled to Canada, where they still live today, rather than be drafted into military service in Vietnam, recalled Linda Leyden Illiano. Ms. Illiano described herself as a poor student in high school who eventually got a Ph.D. in American Studies and became a college professor in Hawaii. Ms. Illiano, who lives in Manhattan now, admits her incentive for going to Classical was to become a cheerleader.

The Classical66 Web site has revealed that class members have, well, issues about their high school years that were never resolved.

“But the nice thing is the honesty of it,” Ms. Nagle said. “This Web site helped make people more connected.”

Classical High School opened in 1845 under the name of Worcester High School. The building still stands, providing space for the public school administration.

Classical offered courses in ancient geography, Greek, natural theology, and natural, intellectual and moral philosophy. Three of its teachers attended last night: Bruce Wells and Timothy Dumphy of the English Department and Anna Stead of the Math Department.

Ms. Illiano cannot remember anyone having a discipline problem at Classical.

“You didn’t step off of the school grounds without permission,” she said.

Mr. Stubbe agreed, but said the school’s atmosphere was such that people really wanted to be there. It didn’t have the feel of a strict place.

Contact Richard Nangle by e-mail at rnangle@telegram.com.