Class Notes

 

Haven’t kept all of your Midd Mags?

Wondering what your classmates have been doing since graduation?

Anne Beiser Allen writes, “After seven years in Minnesota, we’re moving to Wisconsin where we’ll be closer to some of our grandchildren. In October my latest book, And the Wilderness Shall Blossom, a biography of Minnesota Bishop Henry B. Whipple, is being published by Afton Press.” • Dan Phillips reports, “I retired in June 2006 and am enjoying having time to travel, be with family, and coach soccer for one of my grandchildren.” • From David Taylor we heard, “My wife and I are moving from Huntington, N.Y. (our home for 40 years), to Plainfield, N.H., where we plan to build a house. Our new place is near daughter Sarah ’93 and husband Matt Dunne and first grandchild Judson. We are looking forward to lots of outdoor activity and being considerably closer to Middlebury for its alumni offerings.” • Speaking of alumni events, please keep June 6–8, 2008, open for our 45th reunion! Larry Ring and Jane Ann Bachelder Johnson may be calling for volunteers. The more people involved, the easier for all. Hard to believe this could be the “kick-off” to our 50th in 2013! Have we really been off on our own that long? Here we are now “gray-hairs” coming back for visits.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer(jallen@suffolkcommunitycouncil.org), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Summer 2007

Secretary White reports: I am pleased to say that I have received three thank-you notes from current Midd students who are recipients of scholarships from our 25th Reunion Fund and our Class Scholarship Fund. The notes came from a senior majoring in international politics and economics, a junior majoring in international studies with a premed focus, and a first-year who plans to major in a science. All expressed the thought that without our help, they would have been unable to attend Middlebury, and they spoke to how the Midd experience has broadened their horizons. In total this year, our scholarship aid exceeds $44,000. This is impressive. Let’s continue to augment these funds as they promote diversity of the student body. • A very intriguing and funny article appeared in the January 18 issue of The New York Times detailing life in the Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill row house that Bill Delahunt shares with three other Democrats. Issues brought up were the killing of rodents and the gluttony of certain cereal eaters. Several people have suggested that a reality show of life in the abode would be popular. But then they are reminded that a “story of four middle-aged men, with no sex and violence, is not going to last two weeks.” Topics of discussion tend towards grandchildren and Metamucil. • Another article in The New York Times featured an interview with Charlie MacCormack who spoke of the impact made on him by the visit to Middlebury College in 1962 of Eduardo Mondlane, leader of the Mozambique Liberation Front. A premed student, Charlie had been finding himself more and more interested in international issues. “Hearing Mondlane was really like the final clarification. I decided I wanted to do this, make this my career. I didn’t know what I wanted to do—Foreign Service, international business. I just knew I wanted to be engaged in what was important in the world.” This decision ultimately led him to where he is today as president and chief executive of Save the Children.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer(jallen@suffolkcommunitycouncil.org), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Spring 2007

Roger Ralph traveled from Maryland last November to attend the 60th birthday party of Butch Varno. You may remember Roger was the first person to “Pick Up Butch” when after a football game he noticed a kid in a wheelchair stuck in the snow as his grandmother tried to push him home. A gala event was held on Butch’s actual birthday, November 29, in Kenyon Lounge with about 50 people attending, including Butch’s family, alumni, volunteers, football and basketball players, and coaches. • Sara McPherson Myles writes, “Time to retire and pursue my passion for cross-cultural communications. Have loved our travels and home swaps. Son Chris is sailing in Australia for the winter. Kari has three little girls. Life and love just grow. Mark and I married after 20 years in 2003. It’s a grand time!” • In February, Bruce Bailey coached his 500th game of an official Lakeside Upper School team in Seattle, Wash., when he coached the eighth grade girls basketball team in a semifinal. Congratulations, Bruce!

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer(jallen@suffolkcommunitycouncil.org), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Winter 2007

In breaking news from Utah, well-loved professor Dave Hanscom has retired after 24 years at the School of Computing at the Univ. of Utah. In addition to teaching undergraduate courses, Dave served as director of undergraduate studies, overseeing admissions and counseling for all undergraduate computer science and computer engineering students. He was active in outreach programs targeted at attracting high school math and science students to computer science. The university is establishing a scholarship fund in his name to carry on his legacy, which includes a tribute from his colleagues (and surely his Midd classmates) to his endurance and eternal good nature. As professor emeritus, Dave will maintain his ties to the university, while having more time to enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and, of course, cross-country skiing with wife Mary Leslie Hanscom and sons Brett ’92 and Greg ’95 and their families. They can be reached at hanscom@cs.utah.edu. • In Massachusetts, William Delahunt was reelected to another term in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District. He is a 10-year veteran of the House. Congratulations, Bill! • A class secretary comes out of hibernation? Jan Brevoort Allen (now also known as Jan Allen-Spencer since marrying Jeff Spencer in February 2000) may be one of the few who has not yet retired. After three years teaching English in a NYC high school (a chance to experience a dysfunctional bureaucracy firsthand), she has joined the much-smaller Suffolk Community Council as project director working with countywide programs to help persons with mental illness obtain and retain housing. She notes that it feels great to be back in the nonprofit arena. Her sons are moving up in the world—after leaving Boulder, Jonathan lives at 9,300 feet in Silverton, Colo., using that as a base for skiing and rock climbing worldwide. Older brother Thomas and wife Leslie, both attorneys, recently relocated from SFO to London and are working at Marsh McClennan, within walking distance of the Tower of London on the Thames. Last summer, with the New York Choral Society, Jan traveled to China to sing with the Shanghai Opera and Conservatory choruses. If you are coming to NYC, check for her concert schedule at Carnegie Hall. She also has a guest room!

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer(jallen@suffolkcommunitycouncil.org), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Fall 2006

In 2004, Jim McKeown retired from the world of manufacturing and entered the world of human services. In semi-retirement, he began working a few days a week at Becket Family Services, a nonprofit agency that has been providing holistic residential and day placement services for high-risk youth who have trouble finding success in alternative environments. Regarding semi-retirement, Jim has this to say: “I’d like to suggest to current and prospective retirees that there are things they can do to make a difference, or keep from going nuts, that may seem to be a stretch in terms of what you have done all your life, but aren’t really so. Every day I’m counseling and coaching our young managers on planning, the need for good follow-up systems, the need for consistency, improved communication skills, people management—you name it.” Jim also gets the chance to enjoy the retired side of life with wife Judy—visiting grandkids, playing golf, coaching hockey, and getting to Arizona in the spring. • Deutsche Bank recently announced David Carpenter will be joining its U.S. private wealth management business as a director and lending officer. Since earning an MBA from Rutgers Graduate School of Business Administration, David has worked as VP and senior relationship manager at Bank of America’s Private Bank and most recently as VP and product manager at JPMorgan Private Bank.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Summer 2006

Valerie Vancini Chamberlin reports the first birthday celebration of first grandchild Max Vincent Chamberlin on March 23. “His middle name honors my dad, who lived with us the last 14 years of his life and died in December 2003 at age 98.” • David Arnold reports that he is “retired (almost) from Phillips Exeter Academy.” • Charles MacCormack was on campus in April to give a lecture called “Making Poverty History: Slogan or Reality?” His talk, which took place at the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, was followed by further conversations with students on careers in nonprofit and international development work.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Spring 2006

Elizabeth Meier Tilton (M.A. French '64) and husband John are again living in Santiago, Chile, for a year (until July 2006). "We enjoy living here," she writes, "but miss the easy access to outdoor activities we have in Boulder." • Peter Frame reports that he has launched a new early-stage media investment company, Galileo Management, based in NYC and focused on new digital entertainment. Living in NYC, with summers in Duxbury, Mass., he and Cece are thrilled with three granddaughters-Taylor, Sadie, and Skyler, all under the age of four. They are the daughters of Jennifer and David Frame '91. • Chris White continues to make new Midd connections almost weekly, in places like the trails at Sugarloaf in Maine. Unfortunately, only a few of them are from the 1963 era.


Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Winter 2006

In March 2005, Manfred Nitsch retired and became professor emeritus of political economy at Latin American Institute, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany. • "After 42 years in Southern California," writes Diana Ferris Cotter, "I have pulled up stakes and moved to Vermont. Currently (September) I am renting in Bristol and looking to buy a home in the Middlebury area. It's hard to believe it has only been three weeks since I arrived in Vermont. I am enrolled and attending three classes a week at the gym; every Sunday I attend church and am already involved in some of their activities; I am still unpacking, still looking for a house. Yesterday and today were so incredibly beautiful. Hints of fall were in the air, the sky was deep blue and the air so fresh. JD, the dog, often stops when he is outside and just scents the air for minutes at a time. Imagine the new smells he is enjoying. The cats are also adjusting. Penny likes to sun in the west-facing living room windows and Abby is ridding the place of crickets. If anyone had told me a month ago I would be hanging out my sheets and towels so I could enjoy the wonderful fresh smell, I would have called them crazy. But I have, twice now! An occasional tree or branch is turning red and yellow, so autumn cannot be far away. I can't wait. Anyone want to visit?"


Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Fall 2005

Craig Stewart reports a "good get-together recently with David Holmes '64 in Seattle to discuss Foundations for Excellent Schools. David and wife Toni recently moved to Sun Valley." Craig writes: "We loved the article in the spring issue of Middlebury Magazine about Charlie MacCormack and David's sister, Carol Holmes Shattuck '67, and their relief efforts following the tsunami." • Roger Ralph delivered the commencement address last spring at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Md. Ralph and wife Elaine, who have three grown children, live in Stevensville, Md. After selling the Bel Air Athletic Club, Roger was a business adviser to Bill Ripken and Cal Ripken Jr. at Ripken Baseball. He and a partner are reportedly building a multipurpose athletic and wellness club in Wilmington, Del., within a state park. • A first novel by Victor H. Thompson, The Trumpets of Jericho: A Romantic Novel About Bands and Musicians During the American Civil War (AuthorHouse, $16), is available through on-line booksellers. The story follows a young woman whose journey to reclaim her love leads her and her father to find consolation during wartime in the power of music. Victor teaches at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Va. He also wrote Eudora Welty: A Reference Guide. • After 26 years as a prof. of economics and political economy of Latin America at the Free Univ. of Berlin, Manfred Nitsch is retiring to emeritus status after this winter term. • Helle Thomsen Parker is retired from teaching physical education and French. With children living in Worcester (Mass.), Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.), and Austin (Texas), she has five grandchildren, at last count. • Kaysea Cilley Ray has been retired for 10 years: "In 1997 I met a man who was planning to go cruising on a 32-foot Westsail (sailboat). We married May 1998 and in September sailed out the Golden Gate and turned left. Now we spend winters in Mexico and summers in San Francisco." • Now year-round residents of Maine, Chris and Susan Blume '68 White spent the winter in Bucksport and had a short migration to Cranberry Island for the summer. Chris invested in an Old Town kayak and has been "enjoying cruises on the Narramissic River from our backyard—beavers, turtles, heron, osprey, eagles, etc. Also some blackflies!" • Letters of appreciation have been received from the recipients of our Class of 1963 Scholarship Fund and Class of 1963 25th Reunion Fund. The three recipients (members of the classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008) come from diverse backgrounds, and are majoring in premed, international politics/economics, and environmental science/politics. All express gratitude for our generosity and speak to the strong sense of community engendered within the College.


Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Summer 2005

After 37 years in the power generation business, 25 years with General Electric, Charles Honsberger has retired from GE: "We will move to Palm Springs, Calif., for winters and summers on Lake Seneca in upstate New York. Looking forward to retirement. Thoroughly enjoy being Grandpa to five grandchildren." • A retired ophthalmologist since 1999, Alan Manas reports two new careers: "Winter bird hunting guide in Arizona; summer fly-fishing guide at our River Ranch in Montana." • Out in Ohio, Lynn Baird Shaw '66 and Wendy Millar Busch enjoy curling at Mayfield Curling Club. Wendy writes: "We're hoping Middlebury will start curling, as it's a great lifelong sport." • Up in Maine, John '61 and Koko Hart Harris both have private pilot licenses. In May 2004 they had a fantastic trip flying around the Outback of Australia. According to a fun article about them in the Coastal Journal—including a photo of them with their 1935 restored Ford—they are enjoying their family, which now includes four grandchildren, boating, and flying. • Kudos to Charles MacCormack for the great work done by Save the Children (STC) in the wake of the tsunami. Prior to the tsunami, he had been in northern Africa, where STC distributes food aid in western Sudan to 300,000 people in 44 camps. Since ethnic clashes between the Sudanese government and rebel forces have displaced hundreds of thousands of children and their families, STC has established 14 health clinics, launched a measles vaccination campaign, and supplied drinking water to displaced families. He hopes the international community will strengthen security in that area by increasing the African Union peacekeeping force.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Spring 2005

In a public ceremony at the Vermont State House on October 29, 2004, Governor Jim Douglas '72 and the Vermont Arts Council presented the 2004 Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts to Jane Choate Beck, founder of the Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury. The award is bestowed upon a Vermont artist who has achieved national or international stature for making a significant contribution to the advancement of his or her chosen art form. Jane is the first person to receive this award who is not a full-time practicing artist. For 25 years, Jane has traveled the back roads of Vermont to record oral interviews of everyday Vermonters. As founding director of the Folklife Center, she has been instrumental in keeping Vermont's folk art, crafts, and family stories alive and she has been a force in establishing a rich  multimedia archive based on these interviews. Through her work with the Folklife Center, she has produced and won awards for a variety of media productions, exhibitions, and publications dedicated to preserving the folk art and cultural traditions of Vermont. • Carol Keyes Ferrentino is still coaching figure skating part time, while husband Andy '62 enjoys retirement by playing golf and volunteering as a math tutor at Montgomery College. "We travel to our vacation home in Wintergreen,  Va., every other week to escape the DC traffic and chill in the beauty and peace of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with hiking and golf in summer and skiing in winter. Our daughter, Allison, is finishing her MBA at Wharton." • After 25 years as an elementary school counselor, Sally Brooks House retired four years ago. Now she has finished the initial training to become a life coach and she has enrolled in a leadership program connected with the Coaches Training Institute. "The rest of my time is spent with my grandchildren, an art class, two choirs, and two book groups, plus three hours of weight training a week." 

Class Secretaries
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746



Winter 2005

Carol Nieter Ackerman is very active these days as vice chair of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, entering its 24th year of providing beautiful music each June in Rockport, Mass. • Robert Clarke was recently named to the board of trustees at Western New England College. Bob is past president of Chase, Clarke, Stewart & Fontana General Insurance Agency in Springfield, Mass. He and wife Holly live in Longmeadow, Mass. • Ron and Mary Auryansen Gambolati survived hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in September, their first hurricanes since they moved to Florida in 1995. "Ron continues to enjoy his part-time retirement career as a substitute teacher. His job gives us flexibility to travel. We spent February and March 2004 in New Zealand, when our younger son was married there. He's teaching near Auckland. Our daughter and son-in-law live in Virginia with our grandson (2.5). Our older son and daughter-in-law, who live near us in Florida, had a baby girl in October." • Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children Federation, was on campus in October as a participant in a daylong conference titled "The Privatization of American National Security." • The condolences of the class are extended to the family of Preston Talcott, who died on July 16. A memorial appeared in the fall issue. • Please note the new address for Secretary White. Chris and Susan Blume '68 White will no longer be making those 12-hour treks from Cranberry Island, Maine, to Scottsville, N.Y. They sold their Scottsville home and bought a new winter place in Bucksport, Maine. It's in the country, facing a river—and it's located just 45 minutes from Northeast Harbor, the jumping-off point for Cranberry. The first thing Chris did, of course, was buy a season pass to Sugarloaf!

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Fall 2004

After 37 years with Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., LeRoy Crocker has retired and is living on Dataw Island in South Carolina: "My wife, Carol, and I are looking forward to playing a lot of tennis and golf, enjoying the water on our boat, and spending more time with our children and grandchildren." • Now living in Steamboat Springs, Colo., David Howell spends his time "skiing, writing, biking and hiking-in that order. I didn't know that skiing could be that good on a daily basis." • Retired ophthalmic surgeon Alan H. Manas, MD, reports that "active retirement is great. Live on our Montana ranch. Work as fly-fishing guide and train German Wirehair Pointers." • Janet MacLaughlin Hooper is still working as an oncology and hospice nurse at her local hospital: "Enjoy rural life, dirt digging, hiking, et al, plus trying to challenge the current reigning powers!" • Rick Dauer has retired, after spending 40 years in private school teaching. The Williams School honored him in his preferred style last spring, "with a picnic and baseball game matching alums v. teachers." Rick has accepted a position to teach a couple of courses at Springfield (Mass.) College, where he is "finally putting my Ph.D. in history to good use." He's also going to complete his book on Cold War foreign policy. He and his wife bought a condo in western North Carolina (Hendersonville) and spent most of the summer getting it ready for "full-time living when we completely retire in three years. Although I have a heart condition, my health is reasonable, although my doctor ordered an end to my running and baseball activities. I will spend more of my time volunteering in my community, especially with respect to my church and my library (I am treasurer of the library board of trustees). Life is still good, although it is difficult to admit to myself, as well as others, that I am no longer a young adult!" • David Hanscom was presented with the 2004 Philip and Miriam Perlman Award in April. The award honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the Univ. of Utah School of Computing, through student advising and counseling. Dave continues to spend almost half of his time at the university advising and counseling students, a responsibility he has assumed for 22 years.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Summer 2004

Charles MacCormack was on campus in April to give a talk on "The Politics of Humanitarian Response after 9/11." He is still the president, CEO, and a member of the board of directors of the Save the Children Federation. He's a member of a number of committees and organizations, including the Council on Foreign Relations. He was also selected by the UN secretary general to participate in the founding of the United Nations University. • After retiring from his allergy practice on December 31, 2003, Dr. Keith Megathlin and wife Bonnie moved to Florida. He reports they are enjoying life!

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Spring 2004

Diane Ferris Cotter was in Iowa for the Dean campaign in January. She reported that the energy of the Dean supporters was amazing. Many, including Diane, were planning to go on to New Hampshire after the caucuses.

Class Secretaries
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@worldnet.att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 347 Duck Cove Rd., Bucksport, ME 04416



Winter 2004

Douglas Cooper was looking forward to the publication of his first novel, Hickory Stick, in November. A teacher of creative writing, script writing,  and Web journalism for a media program in the NYC Department of Education, he is also an educational evaluator for an alternative high school program. Rex Brown's book, It's Your Fault!: An Insider's Guide to Learning and Teaching in City Schools, came out recently. Rex, who left his job as a policy analyst to teach in an inner city middle/high school, has written a book that tells it like it really is inside urban American schools. • Some botanical news has been received from Middlebury, informing us that our Class of '63 tree contracted some sort of disease and had to be taken down last summer. Happily a new oak tree will be duly planted this spring. It will be found just north of Old Chapel, not far from the site of our former oak. • Alan Wood was named to the USDA's eight-member Research, Education, and Economics Task Force last spring. After evaluating the merits of establishing one or more national institutes focused on food and agricultural science, the task force was scheduled to report its findings in fall 2003. In 2001, Alan became the first director of the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Institute at Mississippi State Univ. His previous work included biologically based pest management research at Cornell and leadership of a U.S. Forest Service team studying the use of biological pest control agents in forests.

Class Secretaries
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 15 W. Cavalier Rd., Scottsville, NY 14546
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746



Fall 2003

Wet, cold spring gave way to beautiful summer as we arrived for our 40th Reunion. By the time Courtney and Carolyn Cooper '61 Bird arrived with the tap for our Otter Creek Lager at 4 p.m. Friday, we had 65 folks formally on site. However, it soon became evident that others were staying with friends and former professors nearby, so total attendance numbers were difficult to determine. Apparently there were about 48 class members and some 60 spouses and guests, according to the alumni office. The efforts made to join us were impressive! Some who could stay only a short while still came: Arnie Levinson (who is not among the missing, regardless what the Reunion Directory says) stopped in Friday; Joe Meehan flew in from New Jersey, but left at 7 a.m. Saturday for a family wedding in Florida; Lee Cangiano came up from Brookline, Mass., but returned for his son's basketball game; at the other end of the weekend, Holly and Bob Clarke arrived Sunday, in time to join us for brunch at Proctor. • The New England and Mid-Atlantic states were well-represented, but others came a distance to be with us: Bruce Bailey and Craig Stewart from Seattle; Dave and Mary Leslie Hanscom, and Pat Gay from Utah; Charlie Honsberger from southern California; and Larry Ring from Tucson, Ariz. • Able to grab time away from his obligations in D.C., "our" Member of Congress Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), was with us on Friday and Saturday. (We have a commitment from him that he intends to see that there is a prescription drug benefit in Medicare before he—and we—need it.) • Saturday afternoon's briefly inclement weather precluded our Robert Frost Trail hike, but about 35 of us were treated to a wonderful reading/interpretation of Frost's work by retired professor David Littlefield—an unplanned but impromptu treat. He was most gracious to join us. • Later our class picture-taking went per schedule and we had a good turnout at Convocation. President McCardell gave a very entertaining, forward-looking address, tracing how the initial vision of Middlebury's founders—despite the unfortunate fate of its first graduate—continues with the present dynamic growth on campus and the College's reputation worldwide. • A recurring theme overheard was "while a student here, I learned how friends help one discover simple solutions to complex problems by becoming aware of patterns and connections." Folks reiterated often their return to reunion for this reassurance and "grounding."  This was echoed as well in the message offered Sunday morning by Chaplain Laurel Macaulay Jordan '79, who reminded us that a community creates and defines itself by its degree of caring for one another, whether in a small, personal setting or in a world orientation. • In other news, Anne Beiser Allen (abftallen@earthlink.net) writes from Rochester, Minn.: "We're up to three grandchildren now—two in Savannah, one in Winnetka, Ill.—and spend part of our time traveling from child to child. Last year we took a two-week trip to France and revisited several places I hadn't seen since my high school days. I continue to write—poetry, history, fiction—and recently received the Throne/Aldrich Award from the Iowa State Historical Society for an article that appeared in their magazine, Iowa Heritage Illustrated, last year." • Manfred Nitsch writes that he is still a prof. of economics and political economy at the Latin American Institute of the Freie Universität Berlin. He is "involved in rainforest conservation programs in Brazil, microfinance, and all kinds of monetary and banking affairs in Latin America." • Living in Cornwall, Vt., Liam English is enjoying semi-retirement: "Judy and I are doing 'the Vermont thing' and have sheep, chickens, dogs, etc. Judy is busy with part-time work as a social worker and active as a fiber artist. I am busy as an EMT/firefighter, pool boy (summer), plower of snow (winter), and builder of wooden boats." • After 50 years of involvement with Lakeside School in Seattle, Bruce Bailey has been inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Assoc. Hall of Fame, based on his "coaching record, dedication to education, professional honors, and contribution to his community." Craig Stewart was among those attending the induction ceremony and speaking in support of Bruce's selection.

Class Secretaries
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 15 W. Cavalier Rd., Scottsville, NY 14546
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746



Summer 2003

Charles MacCormack, president of Save the Children, recently returned from a weeklong trip to Ethiopia, where he spoke to residents about the food crisis. He reports: "If strong action is not taken, easily a million people could starve to death in 2003." Even when rain falls regularly during the growing season, many Ethiopians are at risk of starving each year. But this past year, the country received little to no rainfall. Charlie reports that one of his biggest challenges is getting Americans to understand the reality of what it's like for those less fortunate and how much they depend on outside help. • Our reunion announcements have shown several classmates as "missing," one being Arnie Levinson. We are happy to report that he is still alive and kicking in Northampton, Mass.

Class Secretaries
Christopher J. White (crnbrycst@aol.com), 15 W. Cavalier Rd., Scottsville, NY 14546
Janet Brevoort Allen-Spencer (janballen@att.net), 2 Arizona Pl., Huntington Station, NY 11746



Inspired to submit a class note of your own?