Class Notes

September/October 2015

by Tony Lavely

In response to a short survey distributed by email to classmates in June, 249 classmates completed the survey. Results show strong sentiments for connections and communications among classmates (see the details). Nick von Baillou emailed: "The older I get, the more I value my Yale friendships, and the more I hope to be able to do with our class." In May, Don Edwards sent a blast email to classmates announcing the formation of a Class Support Network to assist classmates dealing with personal problems. Within one week, the list of volunteers jumped to 37, a strong testimony to classmates' concern for one another. On a less serious, actually hilarious note, you can read Chris Getman's "account" of the spring Class golf outing that was attended by nineteen golfers. Pete Putzel (whose Mausoleum was endowed at the golf outing) reported that 12 classmates attended the May luncheon at the Yale Club of NYC. The main topic of discussion was Howard Gillette's new book, Class Divide. Howard's book was reviewed in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Read the full article with photos. Pete commented: "The book depicts the lives and disparate experiences of an enormous number of our classmates." Five classmates have signed up for the 1963 mini-reunion in France, taking place in September. Plans are underway for a mini-reunion in Atlanta that will focus on the legacy of the civil rights movement. Dean Jonathan Holloway will be the keynote speaker. Please save the dates: April 14-17, 2016. Ward Wickwire reports that our Class contributions to the Yale Alumni Fund for the fiscal year ending in June were over $280,000, exceeding our goal by 13.8%. Well done!

There are 12 new articles posted in Class News on our Website. In May, Norton Hadler delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan Medical School. You can read his text and watch the video. Nortin added: "The video version has a lot more of my soul in it." Bill Fink, Harry Howell, Paul McAlenney, and Ed Trippe did what the Brits call a "row-over" at the Henley Royal Regatta in July. They retraced their 1965 victory in the Prince Philip event. You can see photos and a video in the news article on our Website. Honorary classmate Tony Reno was recognized in a Sports Illustrated article for using mobile apps in recruiting. Jon McBride reported that Squash Haven, the Yale-affiliated organization (sponsored by our Class) that promotes squash participation and college aspirations among inner-city youth in New Haven, had its best season ever by winning 8 of 16 titles (see the news article). We heard from a new undergraduate organization that is focused on a biennial collegiate competition named Solar Decathlon that tasks students to envision the future of sustainable housing. You can read about this exciting undertaking in Class News.

Dick Berk's college-bound son is going to pass on the Ivies. Dick explained: "I'm more convinced than ever that D1 sports programs are out of control and not good for most kids." Gerry Shea emailed: "In May, I was interviewed in Brussels and Paris about my book Song Without Words. Reliving the events in the book can be exhausting if not painful." I heard from our 2012 URI Summer Intern, Amy Zvonar, who is working at a nature preserve in Atlanta. She expressed, again, her appreciation to our Class for sponsoring her internship. Jim Rogers blogged from Singapore: "Most of our lives revolve around Singaporeans. My girls have one or two American friends. They're the only blue-eyed kids in their school."

Pete Putzel emailed: "Make sure you read Howard Gillette's account of Stephen Greenblatt's encounter with Harold Bloom at Princeton some years ago." Separately, Stephen emailed: "We'll all have to brace ourselves for a year of Shakespeare-mania. I turned down a proposal to go to North Korea to write about a production of Hamlet. My wife and I were both in Adu Dhabi recently to participate in a 'Global Shakespeare' conference." Jeremy Wood emailed in May: "Catherine and I just returned from our 'wedding trip,' a Yale Educational Travel river cruise from Prague to Berlin. A great faculty covered all the European history that I slept through in my student days." In June, Jeremy emailed about his 55th reunion at Andover. "Wally Winter was among the organizers, and other classmates attending were: Tony Lee, Nick Danforth, Jim Turchik, Ward Wickwire and Gerry Shea." During May and June, Patrick Caviness and Frederique had an extensive tour of France, Germany, and Spain. The highlight, supported by many photographs on Facebook, was being certified for completing an 11-day Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

In June, Will Elting was in Gales Ferry to watch the Yale heavyweight crew beat Harvard in the 150th edition of the Yale-Harvard Regatta. Jon McBride emailed: "I'm pretty much settled for the summer on the left bank of Lake Champlain. So far, no sightings of the two fugitives from Dannemora." Dan Pollack is going on an Alaskan cruise in August and will visit Bob Hannah in Northern Michigan in October, joined by Mike Mazer. Robert Whitby was tagged in a Facebook photo celebrating his 51st wedding anniversary. In June, Sam Low posted "I went to New York's SoHo District to meet with the New York Outrigger Canoe Club and moderated a presentation about Hokule'a's Malama Honua Worldwide voyage." The New Yorker also covered the voyage. Sam signed copies of his book Hawaiki Rising at the Harvard Club of NY.

Doane Perry, a former Peace Corps volunteer, posted this about his former station in Uganda: "During my studies there in 1971-72, Kampala Secondary School Science had the best science lab in all of East Africa." Ron Parlato posted an article about the architecture of Calcutta and commented: "Calcutta is my favorite city in India. I used my World Bank stopovers to Dhaka to spend two nights at the Grand Hotel." Bob Musil posted during the Confederate flag debate: "I oppose honoring those who carried out secession and armed aggression against the United States of America." Edward Massey was tagged in a Facebook posting as he attended The Sleeping Beauty ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Bill Lear was tagged in a post at Ravinia Festival in Illinois. John Howells was touched by the lovely tribute at Pace Academy in Atlanta to his wife Pat who died in 2012.

Ed Gaffney posted an article about introversion and commented: "I'm a somewhat unrestrained, but otherwise balanced, introvert." He added, "Susy and I have sold our home in Hawaii and are moving back to New Mexico." John Wylie blogged "Does Liberty Mean Anything Without Justice," his account of the debate between John Ashcroft and Joe Lieberman at our 50th reunion. You can read this and John's other blogs on our Class Website in Publications. Stephen Greenblatt wrote a review in The New York Times Sunday Book Review of The Millionaire and the Bard: Henry Folger's Obsessive Hunt for Shakespeare's First Folio. Gus Speth wrote an article for The Leap, titled, "Systemic Problems Require Systemic Solutions: Time to Talk About the Next System." You can read his provocative piece in Class News. Tom Powers wrote a review in London Review of Books of a new book about John Mitchell. You can find it in Class News. As Sam Francis observed when I sent it to him for posting: "The boy knows how to write!"

Sadly, I report the death of Michael Batten in Racine WI in May. His business career and civic duties were admirable. His obituary may be found on our Website at In Memoriam. On the passing of Charles Bosworth in April, Patrick Caviness emailed: "I knew Charlie pretty well when I lived in New Orleans. He was an all-around good guy. He stood for the right things. He was kind and generous to everyone." Ron Parlato commented: "I'm very sorry that Charlie didn't attend our 50th; he was one of the classmates I most wanted to see. I called his widow and spoke with her. So sad." Joe Wishcamper added a remembrance to Bob Kuehn's obituary page. If you want to add a remembrance for any departed classmate, please send it to me. You may also want to consider donating a Mory's memorial brick.