Yale University

Class Events

Our 50th Reunion was a great success!

Our 50th Reunion took place from May 28 through June 1, 2014. In all, 401 classmates and widows attended the reunion (see the list), which was preceded by a golf outing at the Course at Yale with 46 golfers.

In the words of Pete Putzel, principal reunion chair: "I realized each day of the reunion the blessings that our classmates have brought to my own life. I renewed deep bonds with an incredible number of dear friends and, just as important, I connected with an amazing number of people whom I had only known slightly in college — or not at all — who will be good friends for life. Of course, that is what reunions are all about."

On This Page


The 50th Reunion Photo Album

Below is a video featuring reunion photos from classmates, displayed with no editorial selection, cropping, or retouching, and in no particular order.

The background music is from the original vinyl album by our 1964 Whiffenpoofs.

To enlarge the video to full screen, click the "Full screen" icon at the extreme lower-right corner.

To download all the photos in a PDF file, click here.



50th Reunion Overview

Dates

Our 50th Reunion took place from May 28 through June 1, 2014. These dates included the pre-reunion golf outing on May 28 as well as the reunion itself from May 29 through June 1.

Extra Class Books

There are a few extra copies of our reunion class book "Yale 1964: The Class at 50." If you would like one for your family or someone special, send a check for $30 payable to Yale University to our class-book editor:

Lawrence M. Crutcher
2608 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94115


50th Reunion Program

Here is the day-by-day and hour-by-hour program of the reunion. For more details on any of these events, see a more expansive description of each event on the Yale website.

Wednesday, May 28

8:30am - 9:30am
Golf outing sign-in at the Yale Golf Course
10:30am
Golf outing shotgun start
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Dinner at Mory's

Thursday, May 29

8:00am - 11:00pm
Reunion headquarters open for registration
8:30am - 9:45pm
Display of classmates' books and artwork in Sterling Library and Davenport College, respectively
9:00am - 12:00pm
Tour of Evans Hall followed by a panel on running not-for-profit entities
10:00am - 12:00pm
Tour of the Yale Art Gallery, led by its director
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Reflections by four classmates on the legacy of the 1960s (civil rights, women's rights, environment, national security)
3:15pm - 4:45pm
Forces for change for Yale, discussed by four classmates with distinguished credentials in education
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Cocktails, buffet dinner, and "afterglow" in Davenport courtyard
9:00pm - 12:00pm
Mory's throws open its doors to all alumni

Friday, May 30

7:00am - 12:00pm
Reunion headquarters open
7:00am - 9:00am
Breakfast at Davenport College
8:30am - 4:45pm
Display of classmates' books and artwork in Sterling Library and Davenport College, respectively
9:00am - 12:00pm
Four acclaimed Yale professors lecture on their current work
11:45am - 1:30pm
"Best of Bistro" lunch in Davenport courtyard
1:30pm - 2:45pm
Panel with classmates and former Senators Joe Lieberman and John Ashcroft, moderated by Bob Kaiser
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Stephen Greenblatt '64, winner of the National Book Award, discusses King Lear and old age
4:30pm - 6:30pm
Welcome Reception for all classes on Cross Campus
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Memorial service for Class of 1964
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cocktails on Beinecke Plaza
7:30pm - 9:30pm
1964 Class dinner on Beinecke Plaza and in Commons, with visit by President Salovey
9:30pm - 12:00am
"Afterglow" in Davenport courtyard

Saturday, May 31

7:00am - 12:00pm
Reunion headquarters open
7:00am - 9:00am
Breakfast at Davenport College
7:30am - 8:30am
Yoga on the Old Campus
9:00am - 11:30am
Lectures and tours sponsored by Yale (details pending)
10:00am - 4:45pm
Display of classmates' books and artwork in Sterling Library and Davenport College, respectively
11:45am - 1:30pm
Barbecue lunch at Davenport College
12:00pm - 5:00pm
Book signing by '64 authors at the Yale Bookstore
1:30pm - 3:30pm
"A Kaleidoscope of Passions" — brief presentations by 15 classmates on what inspires them (see the list)
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Asian-American and La Casa Cultural Centers joint reception
3:00pm - 5:00pm
LGBT Alumni Association reception
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Afro-American Cultural Center reception
4:30pm - 5:00pm
President Salovey's university update (Woolsey Hall)
5:00pm - 6:30pm
A celebration of Yale singing (Woolsey Hall)
6:30pm - 7:30pm
Cocktails in Davenport courtyard
7:30pm - 9:30pm
"Cape Codder" dinner in Davenport courtyard
9:30pm - 12:00am
"Afterglow" in Davenport courtyard

Sunday, June 1

7:00am - 2:00pm
Reunion headquarters open
7:00am - 9:00am
Coffee in Davenport courtyard
7:30am - 11:30am
Farewell breakfast at Commons
10:30am - 11:45am
University church worship (Battell Chapel)

Below is a graphical representation of the reunion program. Click here for a larger, more legible, and printable version.



50th Reunion Survey Results

See the complete classmate survey results, as well as the survey of wives and partners, but as a teaser, here are some sample classmate results.

  • Satisfied with yourself?
    • Yes: 53%
    • More or less: 45%
    • Not very much: 3%
  • Happy?
    • Greatly: 78%
    • Sometimes: 22%
    • Rarely: 0.5%
  • Sexual orientation
    • Straight: 98%
    • Other: 2%
  • Divorced?
    • Yes: 40%
    • No: 60%
  • Children graduated from Yale?
    • None: 73%
    • At least one: 27%
  • Believe in God?
    • Yes: 42%
    • No: 37%
    • Not sure: 21%
  • Advanced degree
    • Masters: 30%
    • MBA: 24%
    • PhD: 22%
    • Law: 27%
    • MD: 14%
  • Military service
    • None: 62%
    • Active duty: 30%
    • Reserves: 14%
  • Generally healthy?
    • Yes: 91%
    • No: 9%
  • How many times married
    • Once: 61%
    • Twice: 30%
    • More: 9%
  • Retired?
    • Fully: 43%
    • Partially: 32%
    • No: 25%
  • Worry about aging?
    • Yes: 41%
    • No: 59%
  • Political party
    • Democrat: 53%
    • Republican: 22%
    • Independent: 21%
    • Other: 5%
  • Political leanings since 1964
    • More liberal: 65%
    • More conservative: 35%
  • 2012 vote for president
    • Obama: 70%
    • Romney: 27%
    • Other: 3%
  • Best president since 1960
    • Clinton: 30%
    • Reagan: 28%
    • Obama: 13%
    • Johnson: 12%
    • Kennedy: 7%
    • Bush #1: 6%
    • Carter: 3%
    • Ford: 2%
    • Bush #2: 1%
    • Nixon: 0%

 


50th Reunion Communications



Recommended 50th Reunion Reading

Stephen Greenblatt, our classmate who won the National Book Award for The Swerve, was a featured speaker at our 50th Reunion on the topic "Aging and King Lear." Asked to suggest background reading, Stephen wrote: "If there are really any gluttons for reading out there, I could recommend an essay by the British philosopher, Bernard Williams, from his book The Problems of the Self.  It is called 'The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality.'  I am not proposing to talk about the essay, but it has influenced my own thinking about the play and about life." Download it here.

Stephen also wrote: "The best annotated Lear that I know is my own (not surprisingly), in the Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies." Buy it here.

Another short piece of recommended reading is an article by Bob Kaiser published in The Washington Post and republished on this website. The title is "How Republicans lost their minds, Democrats lost their souls, and Washington lost its appeal." It provides background for the reunion session moderated by Bob and involving Joe Lieberman and John Ashcroft.


Venues for the 50th

... included Evans Hall and Davenport College. See more about Evans Hall.


A Movie from the Reunion of 1969 (our 5th)

Richard Patterson and George McQuilkin, both of the Class of 1964, came to their (and our) 5th Reunion in 1969 with an idea which led to the documentary shown below, titled "Reunion." Read the back story by Richard, who recently re-edited the film. Were you there? Were you in the bar scene? Richard and George would welcome any comments you'd like to share regarding the film.



A Kaleidoscope of Passions

On the Saturday of our reunion, under the guidance of Ed Massey, 15 classmates made a variety of brief, incisive presentations on passions they have pursued during their lifetimes, from the arts and personal journeys to issues they find to be provocative. Each of these talks was limited to six minutes. Here's the list, in the order of presentation, plus an extra one added after the reunion. If the title is a link, you can see the presentation. Or see all of the presentations here.



Cavett on Yale Reunions

Dick Cavett '58 writes about attending a couple of his Yale reunions, as well as one of his high-school reunions. Read it here.


Parlato '64 on Reunions

Ron Parlato '64 writes about a high-school reunion and anticipates his Yale 50th. Read it here.


Gillette '64 on 50th Reunions

Howard Gillette '64 writes about upcoming 50th reunions at Amherst, Dartmouth, and Yale. Read it here.