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Class of '51This summer Alma Warrell Briggs and I met for a mini-reunion at
the home of Rosemary Traynor 50 Meyer in St. Louis. Rosemarys
sister, Dot Desrochers, from St. Johnsbury, Vt., joined us, too.
We enjoyed lots of laughs reminiscing about "the good old days." Class of '54As the author of a column called "Historically Speaking," since
1984, Ive become an authority on Vermont history. During the
past several years, Ive lectured on the subject at an area elderhostel,
and recently I was surprised to meet Bobbie Demarest 53 Robinson
at one of my lectures. She looked like the Bobbie I remembered
from UVM days. In the meantime, I received an email message from
Jean Joslin Evenson in Panama City, Fla. She and her husband,
Loren, celebrated their fortieth anniversary last summer with
a trip back to Waitsfield, Vt., where they were wed. Jean, now
retired, taught for twenty-six years. She and Loren have a daughter
and two granddaughters. Martha Marvin Kelley was honored by the
planting of a tree in her name during the UVM Living/Learning
Centers Twenty-fifth Anniversary Celebration. Martha had been
with the center for twenty-two years. I look forward to hearing
more from my fellow classmates. You can reach me at the above
mailing and email address. Class of '55I encourage more of you to send news of yourselves, your careers,
your family. Were at the age when many have retired to points
unknown. Do let us know so it will be fun to read about what were
all up to in our class column. Margaret McGowan Shirley wrote
that she has taught writing in the English Department at the University
of New Hampshire for the past fifteen years. She also has read
AP exams for ETS for the past three. Margaret was selected to
participate in the annual reading and scoring of the College Boards
advanced placement examinations in English literature. The board
gratefully acknowledged Margarets comitment and contributions
to students and teaching. Peggy Brown Call wrote, "The winter
98 Quarterly recently caught up with us here in Tunisia, forwarded
from our old address in Nonahchott, Mauritania. My husband and
I have just retired and have chosen to live in Tunis, Tunisia,
for at least a couple of years before returning to the U.S. Your
class secretary and husband, Bill, still enjoy running our own
real estate company in the Philadelphia Main Line area. We manage
to spend a great deal of time in New England with our children
and five grandchildren. I was both flattered and pleased to have
been accepted as a life member by the National Registry of Whos
Who recently. This was "in recognition of exemplary service, both
to community and to profession." Sixteen Tri-Delts from the classes
of 55 and 56 continue to meet annually in New York City on the
first Saturday in November. Rumor has it that they all look fabulous
and continue to return year after year from all points North,
South, East, and West. Marty Young is happily and Class of '56George Hansen let us know that he was pleased to find the UVM
Web site. Hell be keeping an eye on whats going on with fellow
alumni through the Web. Lewis Mowry retired in January 1998. He
continues to help out on a 500-cow farm, run by his sons, Lew
and William. Son Tim is outdoor editor of the Fairbanks Daily
News Miner in Alaska. Daughter Elizabeth is married and is a social
worker in Fort Wayne, Ind. Class of '59Last October 2, 3, and 4, I took the opportunity (because I have
plenty of time) to visit the university and attend several seminars.
One of those was on how to submit news with a little more substance
for our class column in Vermont Quarterly. Im working on that.
The other session of major importance was about the UVM Fund as
it relates to the class gift committee for Reunion 99. This spring
will be our 40th. While tramping around campus, it became plain
to me that UVM continues to be a New England hub of learning.
Bright students on their way to class appear motivated. Talented
and competitively-paid faculty interact freely with students.
And the intellectual atmosphere is bursting with boundless curiosity.
Autumn leaves help. Provost Geoffrey Gamble gave an impromptu
talk about where some academic emphasis is being directed: every
graduate will be able to express his or her thoughts clearly in
writing; the university will be computer wired to serve its entire
student body; and environmental studies is a field that provokes
such interest that it currently is offered in every undergraduate
college. For 1999 and our 40th reunion, consider two commitments
to UVM: make a substantial dollar contribution and come to campus
for June 3,4,5, and 6. Towards the $290 million that it costs
UVM to operate annually, the state of Vermont covers less than
10 percent. Amazing. And it will be fun to get back in touch with
each other. One of the featured events at Reunion 99 is the Presidential
Celebration of Classes. Thats where all reunion classes announce
their class gift to UVM and President Judith Ramaley receives
the gift on behalf of UVM. What a perfect opportunity for the
proud class of 59 to make a ringing statement to the University
of Vermont. Nancy Dana Wilson of Glens Falls, N.Y., announced
her retirement from Glens Falls High School, where she has taught
French and English for the past twenty-nine years. She and Grace
Button 58 Korzum plan to travel to the Galapagos Islands in March.
Glenn Skillin wrote from Biddeford, Maine, that he is recovering
nicely from quintuple bypass heart surgery that took place in
January 1998. He works part-time in an antiquarian bookstore and
volunteers weekly at Biddefords hospice bookstore. In 1996, Linda
Hartwell converted her Burlington, Vt., home into the Hartwell
House, a bed and breakfast. She said she thoroughly enjoys this
career as well as providing students with private tutoring. Linda
would enjoy hearing from old friends and classmates. John Webster
of Lutherville, Md., is restoring his familys summer cottage
at Lac Brome, Quebec. Margaret Douglas Hall wrote from Kent, Ohio,
"We had our first grandchild on March 7, 1998. A darling baby
girl." Stuart Kolbert offered this news from Scarscale, N.Y.:
"In October 1997, I took on a new career in commercial real estate,
making deals and having fun. In November 1997, I ran the New York
Marathon." Tomma Keith Sargent of Fort Pierce, Fla., said she
met Mary Arnold Peabody of Bristol, Vt., and Ellen Fullarton Kendall
of Lancaster, Pa., at her Lake Champlain camp last summer. All
were sisters at Gamma Phi Beta sorority. Lola Foster Smith of
North Scituate, R.I., retired last June from a "wonderful" career
teaching secondary school mathematics. She said that one of the
most worthwhile, interesting, and fulfilling programs in which
she participated was called Inclusion, an experience co-teaching
with a special education teacher. Lola wrote, "Now we are enjoying
learning how to live retired, making time to travel, reading for
enjoyment the many books which have been set aside, and watching
young people pursue their interesting lives." Patricia Kinsley
Packard of Bar Mills, Maine, wrote that her UVM nursing education
keeps her deeply concerned about undiagnosed prescription-drug-related
illnesses. She teaches in the community, but her real love is
the arts, and she is involved in concerts and performances by
her sons theatre company, The Originals. She skis and climbs
mountains in her travels to far-off places, such as British Columbia,
Peru, Mexico, Japan, and Madeira. Marian Lau Phin of Syracuse,
N.Y., wrote that she continues to work. She has grandchildren
and enjoys traveling as much as possible. Her most recent trip
was a safari to Kenya and Tanzania. Harlan Sylvester is senior
vice president at Smith Barney, Inc., in Burlington, Vt. He is
also chairman of the board of the Vermont Racing Commission and
of the Greater Burlington YMCA. In addition, Harlan is a member
of the Board of Directors of Keycorp, the Snelling Center for
Government, and the Ethan Allen Club. He also is a member of the
Vermont Business Roundtable. Albert Chaffee of Oakland, Maine,
keeps busy as president of A.W. Chaffee, a wood ship brokerage
and chip plant. Wife Shirley is president of A&S, Inc., a trucking
company. This winter, they will travel to Florida for vacation
to escape the chilly Maine weather. Later in the spring, they
plan to travel to California to visit their daughter, Amy, and
her husband, Patrick. Nancy Crawford Dutton of Silver Springs,
Conn., is chair of the department of English language in Leicester,
Mass. She has been training other teachers for the past four years
in "portfolio development and assessment." Currently, she is spearheading
a task force for the State of Massachusetts to restructure educational
curriculum and is managing project-based learning for the local
school system. Her son is studying for a masters degree, and
her daughter is a senior at Boston Universitys Sargent School
of Physical Therapy. Mary Macey reported from Wallingford, Conn.,
that she is in her second term as president of the New England
Conference of Typographic and Mailer Unions. Currently, she is
working to hold the union together because technological changes
in the industry have caused declining membership. She is enjoying
her six grandchildren, aged three to fourteen. It seems theres
one who could "take UVM by storm," unless his mother convinces
him to go elsewhere. Priscilla Roberts Carpenter wrote that she
divorced three years ago. She lives in Burlington, Vt., and is
happy and busily occupied as a registered dietician and a certified
diabetes educator at Fletcher Allen Health Care. She is proud
of her five children, all of whom are UVM graduates, and she enjoys
all of her ten grandchildren, aged one through seven. Elaine Schneider
Taylor-Gordon lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. Two years ago, she sold
her ad agency, Taylor-Gordon-Aarons, and joined Kenzer Corp.,
an executive search company. Elaine finds it labor-intensive but
very satisfying. Her older daughter, Jennifer, married Adam Gross
on September 20, 1997. Her younger daughter, Heather, was married
to Scott Foldner on July 18, 1998. Diane Weiss Mufson of Huntington,
W. Va., announced that she was appointed to a three-year term
on the State Board of Examiners in Psychology by the governor
of West Virginia. Elliott Brown of Washington, D.C., represented
the U.S. Department of Justice in |
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