April 2008
Greetings to the Class of 1948,
Here is a report on plans for your 60th reunion, as they have developed so far. Reunion Weekend, June 6–8, promises to be very special, and we don’t want you to miss it! Vermont in late spring is so beautiful, and there are a wide variety of events planned that should guarantee a wonderful weekend back on campus. Please return your registration materials as soon as possible or register online.
We hope will this information will help with your planning and encourage those of you who are still undecided to come. There is very little you need to do except make your travel arrangements and then, once here, enjoy the good company of old and new friends, the beauty of the campus, and whatever activities may be your pleasure. If travel is a problem, please call Heather Cahill because sometimes rides can be arranged with other classmates from your area—no guarantees, but it’s worth a try.
Please note that meals and on-campus accommodations for you are provided at half price as a gift from the College. Your spouse or guest, however, must pay the regular reunion fee unless he or she is Middlebury alum who has celebrated his or her 50th reunion.
Arrival: When you arrive at Middlebury, come directly to the Annex Lounge in Gifford Hall (wheelchair accessible) to register. You will be welcomed there anytime after 12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 6, by members of your class and energetic student hosts. There, you will be given your name tag (which serves as your meal ticket this year), an up-to-date schedule of events, and your room key if you are staying on campus. The student hosts will be on hand to park cars, carry luggage, and run any errands that will help make your stay comfortable.
Accommodations: If you are staying on campus, you and anyone accompanying you will be housed in Gifford Hall. The Classes of 1933, 1938, 1943, and 1953 will also be staying there. Gifford is in a wonderful location—right next to Mead Chapel, where a number of important reunion events take place.
Gifford has been renovated, which means it has an elevator. NOTE: Please indicate on the enclosed reservation form if you are unable to DESCEND stairs in an emergency. In such a case, a room on the ground floor will be reserved for you. Another result of the Gifford renovations is that many rooms are singles, so spouses may need to be housed next door to one another. You may also indicate the names of friends you wish to be near. There are now more bathroom facilities (none private) conveniently accessible to all rooms. There is space provided on the registration card to specify any special housing you may need.
You can find parking in the lots behind Proctor Hall (from downtown Middlebury bear right onto Route 125W, turn left at the blinking light onto Hillcrest Road, and the parking lot is on the right).
Clothing: Remember to bring something warm to wear in case the evenings are cool, rainwear to stave off showers, and a bathrobe for the short trips “down the hall.” Dress for Friday evening dinner is more casual, while Saturday evening is a bit more formal. Either way, bring sensible shoes; the ground can be muddy at that time of year.
Activities: Reunion activities begin Friday afternoon, but there is plenty of time to socialize, settle in, and gather before you get started. That evening, you will have your reunion banquet in Proctor Hall.
The morning begins with breakfast in Proctor. Plan to round out the morning with alumni achievement award lectures by Paul Rudenberg ’78, Barbara Bang Knowles ’58, and Dan Curry ’68.
Lunch will be served in Ross Dining Hall. After that, everyone will look forward to your showing up for our class photo. You can then involve yourself in a little pageantry by parading up to the chapel for Alumni Convocation at 5 p.m. In the evening, you won’t want to miss the all-class dinner at the Mahaney Center for the Arts, followed by Grammy winner François Clemmons performing in the Concert Hall. Shuttle buses will be on hand to take you everywhere you would like to go.
Sunday morning chapel will include the alumni choir; so do plan to sing if you wish. End the weekend with brunch in one of the dining halls
If you need help with any plans related to Reunion Weekend, give Heather Cahill, in the alumni office, a call at 802.443.5192. She’ll be happy to help. If you are still on the “maybe” list and have not yet said “YES!” there is still time to make your plans. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the College on the Hill, June 6–8.
Until then, our very best wishes to each of you!
Cheerio,
Elizabeth Bredenberg Ness and Bart Nourse
P.S. If you haven’t made your reunion gift yet, you’ll be hearing from your classmates on the Reunion Gift Committee. Please give them your support, as our goal is to have 100 percent of the class make a gift. Make a gift online.