Class of 1970
Winter 2022. Our 50th Reunion is upon us. We have patiently waited these 50 years for this event and then have been postponed an additional year twice. But now in June, 2022, we will gather in Hamilton to reconnect, reminisce and celebrate our milestone. Please join us!! It is not too late to register and easy to do online: alumni.colgate.edu/50reunion2022 or call (315) 228-7433. Let the festivities begin!!!
November 2021.
It is quite difficult to believe that when you read this column, 2022 will have begun. This indicates the closure of a difficult year during which COVID continued to dominate the news and our lives. It also had us debating and discussing the merits of vaccinations along with the appearance of the DELTA variant. Yet, most excitedly for me is that this year should allow us to celebrate the 50th (and 51stand 52nd) Reunion for the Class of 1970.
As of this writing, all indications are that the Reunion will actually take place on campus next year. The dates are June 2nd -- 5th. We'll be joined by friends from the classes of 1971 and 1972. The three Reunion Committees have been working together to put the final touches on a memorable program to celebrate this enormously wonderful milestone. Please mark your calendar and register on-line if you haven't already done so.
According to classmate, Chris Fager, “Now that we have a date for our 50th Reunion, I’m looking forward to seeing you and other classmates this coming June. While you, Scott, and Ray Hartung have taken the laboring oars in making our reunion a reality, I have had the fun of building our Reunion website and gathering content about our class. https://colgate70.org. Right now, we could use more stories (with photos) from classmates remembering their experiences at Colgate. Already, we have wonderful pieces from: Tom Coseo, Doug Moore, Marcus Rosenbaum, Phil Corrinet, John Kihlstrom, Mike “Smitty” Smith, David Appleby, Ray and from you. The story you wrote is one of my favorites –how the Colgate 13 led to meeting your wife. Fortunately, we have the light but superb touch of a skilled editor, our classmate, Mitch Keller, author and a long-time editor at the New York Times.
So please, guys, let’s have your memories –just 250 to 500 words-- for our Reunion site. And let me know if I can help talk you through ideas to help develop stories. chris@chrisfager.com.” Chris, we all are so appreciative of your dedicated efforts in creating and supporting this website. It has proven to be a key component of our 50th Reunion planning and our overall success. Thank you!!
Chris elected to add that, “Peter Braddock and I made our annual sojourn in September to visit Colgate and our classmate Robin White, spending time with Robin at his wonderful home on Poolville Lake and playing golf at Seven Oaks.”
We all deserve to be very proud of our 1970 50th Reunion Yearbook: 2020 Visions. It is a remarkable publication thanks to the lead provided by Co-Chair, Ray Hartung, and the strong and meaningful responses from all of you. We have received accolades from many corners of the College on the quality of this work.
One area in the book that we believe could have been improved is the In Memoriam section. It has been our desire to rectify that situation. Additionally, since the time of compilation of the copy, we have sadly lost additional classmates. Therefore, an addendum to 2020 Visions is being prepared and will be distributed shortly. I thought you would enjoy a preview sampling of several of the entries from that addendum. See the full versions in 2020 Visions.
Our classmate, Michael S. Kalstrom, was lost to us on September 8, 2020. He earned his master’s in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University and worked as Supervisor of the Cuyahoga County Hazardous Materials Department.
Charles Koutsogiane ’72 shares the following: “Guy F. Johnson was one of my roommates in 1966 in West Andrews. Guy was one of the most-sincere guys I have ever met. He ended up being a WO in the Army, as a Medevac pilot flying the UH-1H Huey (USARV, 254 Medical Detachment). He was killed March 26, 1969. “
Ray Hartung shares a funny anecdote about Tom Kingsley, who passed away April 4, 2020. Here’s a snippet: “The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Tom Kingsley is trying to smack him in the face with a pie.”
Back to the news: John McQueen reports that in September his Parke House roommate, Brian McKenna, now living in Phoenix made a trip to Upstate New York to visit family and friends and spent four days with John and his wife, Kathy, as they did a whistle stop tour of the Finger Lakes. One of the highlights was lunch and a boat ride in Skaneateles with Don Lang of the Colgate Development Office.
In October, John and Kathy spent a week in Southern Connecticut with John VanEpps, Ren Perlee and his wife, Patty, John Reid '69 and his wife, Jacquie, and Brian Goldsmith MA '69 and his wife, Maxine. Missing on this 15th consecutive annual get-together of Parke House friends were Mark Pinzur and his wife, Maxine, due to Mark's current treatment for lymphoma. Fortunately, Mark's prognosis is favorable and he has been gratified by the support of friends, including those from Parke House. John provided a quick update on those gathered in Connecticut. John VanEpps who lives in Guilford, CT, acted as unofficial guide as the group visited many towns and cities, including Madison, Saybrook, Haddam, Hartford and Rocky Hill, and saw the several Congregational churches where John was pastor over the past 30 years. John has recently moved to Savannah, Georgia where he will spend part of the year when not in Guilford. Ren and Patty of Jamestown, NY travelled the farthest and look forward to seeing classmates at our 50/52 Reunion in June. John Reid of Binghamton, NY still substitutes at his alma mater Chenango Valley HS and learned while in CT that he will be inducted into the Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame. John starred in both basketball and baseball while at Colgate and went on to play 5 years in the Montreal Expos farm system rising to Triple A. Brian Goldsmith of Pennington, NJ also still works part-time, in the financial aid office of Thomas Edison State University.
Although retired for 10 years from Nixon Peabody in Rochester, NY, John McQueen still maintains an office in order to do pro bono legal work and recently ran into Scott Turner, his former partner, who is breaking all sorts of longevity records as he still is practicing Environmental Law at Nixon Peabody. Two last points from John. First, the annual Parke House get-togethers began in 2007 and have taken place in such locations as the Berkshires, Cape Cod, Newport, Pittsburgh, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Second, early during the pandemic, Mark Pinzur initiated bi-weekly Zoom calls with his Parke House friends and they have continued without fail to this date.” Terrific account of your Parke House gatherings, John. Thank you.
Classmate, Naceo Giles, has crafted a piece with a remarkable and moving historical perspective he has termed: Colgate- Summer 1969. “During the summer of 1969, Terry Gillian and I were in Hamilton New York collaborating with Arthur Meggitt on the creation of the Culture Center and working on the maintenance of Colgate University to support ourselves.
The path to the summer between our junior and senior years began early in our history at the University. During the spring term of our sophomore year, the black balling of a student of the Jewish faith and threats by some people in one of the fraternities to shoot one of the African American students resulted in the occupation of the offending fraternity by Black students until the fraternity was shut down and barred from campus. A rally on the field behind the Student Union followed, leading to the occupation of the Administration Building by most of the 12 African American students and 500 other students.
Face to face negotiation between student leaders and the Board of Trustees followed when the faculty and administration refused to act as agents of the Board to negotiate student departure from the building. In the end, the University agreed to the reforms demanded by the students, including: a commitment to hire more African American and Latino faculty; admitting larger numbers of African American and Latino students and setting up an academic support program to help the students adjust to the academic rigor of Colgate University.
We emerged from the Ad Building with a real-world experience of risks, consequences and possible gains from the application of our ethical principles to important life challenges. Looking back on those events it seems to me that our professors had intended that we discover our own citizenship power by insisting that Wellington Powell, the CEO of AT&T and Chairman of the Board of Trustees negotiate directly with us: 17 to 21-year-old
young men. The University was an all-male college at the time. It felt to me like we were living out the content of our Core 17 and Core 18 general requirements.
The next movement on the path to 1969 was the creation of the Association of Black Collegians (ABC). Although progress had been made toward giving greater voice to Black and Latino students in campus affairs and the University curriculum, it was still a fragile voice. There was still a need for a facility on campus where the members of the ABC could gather to share a meal, explore their culture through invited lecturers and performing artists, and a place to present the historical contributions of Afro and Latino Americans to the social and cultural structure of our country.
In pursuit of the creation of the Culture Center, we met with the President of the University numerous times to see how a center could be built.
We withdrew from the University as a group for a week to make the point that we did not feel welcome and that the University was not really committed to building a center.
We occupied Merrill House for four days to try to bring pressure to have a Culture Center built.
Finally, we had to return to meetings with the President and acceptance of the conversion of the maintenance headquarters popularly known on campus as the maintenance shack, as our future Culture Center.
That brought us up to the Summer of 1969, faced with the task of converting a building associated with manual labor into the physical embodiment of a facility that would make a significant contribution to the life of an institution dedicated to the nurture of the next generation of young people in a diversified community of students and faculty engaged in rigorous academic education and complex contemporary issues.
It is easy to see how a Culture Center would benefit non-white students. But would it benefit anyone else?
Perhaps my father’s experience can provide an example of the benefits for others.
David Giles was born in Jim Crow Mississippi in the 1920s. His life spanned the great depression, WWII, the Great Migration out of the South to northern cities, government redlining, local racial covenants prohibiting home sales to selected racial and ethnic groups, the modern civil rights movement, and the Culture wars.
He won the bronze star and purple heart during WWII and was honorably discharged.
He used the GI Bill to earn certification as a cabinet maker but could not gain entry into the construction union because of racial restrictions; nevertheless, he worked odd jobs on the side while holding down a full-time maintenance job, to save money for a down payment on a house.
Despite a good character reference, a solid work history and an excellent credit rating, David had many loan applications denied.
Finally, he found a banker willing to grant him a mortgage. On the day he went to sign the papers to secure the loan, the loan officer made the comment, “You know, Mr. Giles, I’m taking a big risk giving you this loan.”
My father’s response was explosive. ‘I’m going to have a 30-year mortgage payment to meet every month. If I fall behind, you will foreclose on the property, ruin my credit and put my family out on the street, and you’re taking a big risk? And he stormed out of the office with the banker exhorting him to come back. My father did end up getting the mortgage.
I don’t think the banker was a bad person. I think he was trying to do the right thing in an environment where he did not have much support. I don’t know how the banker reacted to my father’s departure and his words. It’s possible he resented my father’s reaction, or he could have developed more insight into the African American experience.
No single facility or program can make a person more culturally aware, but a University commitment to diversity and a Culture Center might prevent a person of good will from making the mistake my father’s would-be banker made.
After all, Bill Bradley, a white man from Missouri credits his playing time with black teammates on the New York Knicks and opponents around the NBA with raising his cultural awareness. We can’t all play for the Knicks but thousands can benefit from a Culture Center.” Unbelievably disappointing to recollect these events, Naceo. But I know we are all so grateful for this extraordinary remembrance you have so ably provided!
As I leave you now with the conclusion of this column, please know that I and the other members of your 50th Reunion Committee anxiously await the opportunity to excitedly greet you for our Reunion in June. I always find the return to the Chenango Valley and to Hamilton to be exhilarating. I hope and trust that you feel the same. So please do not hesitate any longer and register right now for Reunion.
Learn more at colgate.edu/reunion, then register online or by calling Alumni Relations at 315-228-7433. We look forward to seeing you in June.
Spring 2021. As I write this column, the miracle of a return to some sense of life as we knew it seems to be occurring. All of the uncertainties surrounding COVID 19 and the hoped-for return to normalcy following vaccinations seems to be vanishing. Mandatory wearing of masks and the other requirements of social distancing are being lifted to the delight of so many. All of this bodes well for a return to limited in-person gathering soon and a complete return eventually. I just hope it all sticks and the relaxing is not premature!
This brings us to the “topic of the day” regarding our 50th Reunion, now postponed twice so far.
“It looks like the celebration of our 50th Reunion is actually going to happen next year. Barring another outbreak of COVID-19 we are set to gather on campus June 2nd – 5th to mark this milestone event in our lives,” according to Co-Chair, Ray Hartung. “But we won’t be the only ones. The Classes of 1971 and 1972 will be with us toasting their 50th as well. Anticipating that this could happen, the three Reunion Committees have been working together for over a year to structure a memorable program. Registration should open in October, so everyone is encouraged to sign up early to take advantage of the best housing options. All are reminded that they can always find the most current information about Reunion on our class website – Colgate70.org.”
Ed O’Donnell indicates he is “the first announced Candidate for President of the United States-2024: the 11th time I have run for President.” He believes this to be an all-time record in American History and “probably world history” as well. Ed credits Colgate Phys-Ed teachers and Colgate coaches with giving him his energy.
Peter Corrigan has very proudly shared that, “between our three daughters, Texanne and I are now grandparents x 7 with another expected in October. We still live in Delmar, NY. Although my name is still on the office sign and letterhead of my law firm, Corrigan, McCoy and Bush PLLC, I'm now all but officially retired with time enough to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee with Peter Xeller outside the local marketplace where he is besieged by a constant stream of well-wishing young people. Peter and his wife, Jan, have been popular teachers in our Town of Bethlehem schools for many years. Also worth a possible mention is that I stay in touch with my good friend and former Colgate soccer captain, attorney, John Wabiszczewicz '71 and look forward to seeing him and other Theta Chi fraternity brothers from both classes at the combined in-person reunions next year.”
“I must confess that the early and middle parts of my academic career (Clemson and University of Tennessee) were traditional enough as I assembled publications on twentieth-century French literature in order to earn tenure and promotion, but there was always a certain bent to them that few of my colleagues pursued,” shares John Romeiser. “The reason for this most certainly came from my dissertation topic at Vanderbilt – Critical Reception in the French Press to André Malraux’s Novel, L’Espoir. I had taken a doctoral seminar on the impact of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) on the multinational writers who flocked there to cover it. Malraux, a French contemporary of Ernest Hemingway, became of special interest to me. As fascism mounted in the 1930s threatening Western democracies, both writers became affiliated with leftist organizations and spoke out against Hitler and Mussolini. Their closest contact came with the start of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936 when General Francisco Franco’s Army, supported by Nazi Germany and Mussolini’s Italy, overthrew the elected Spanish Republic. During the three-year conflict, both Hemingway and Malraux were in Spain at different times, Hemingway primarily as a journalist and Malraux as the organizer and flight crewmember of a French government donated air squadron, the only such air force the Republic would have. Unsurprisingly, the Escadrilla España was completely outmatched by German Heinkel bombers and Italian Fiat fighters and failed miserably. Nonetheless, both writers were at the same time collecting real-life material that would soon inspire their two masterpieces (Hemingway derisively called his rival’s a “masterpiss”), Malraux’s L’Espoir (Man’s Hope) and Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls, published in 1938 and 1940 respectively.
My dissertation topic then led me to spend a year in Paris (tough luck, right?) researching French (basically Paris) newspapers during that period of which there was a multitude of countless political stripes and then homing in on those publishing review essays of Malraux’s novel, a fiery, passionate work that rapidly became embroiled in the political and cultural wars of the final days of the Third French Republic. Leftist newspapers celebrated its political engagement and literary merits while rightist publications indicted Malraux for his subservience to Moscow.
Fast forward twenty years now to the early 90s – UT Knoxville – the department that I was heading at the time was approached by a non-profit (so we thought) called the Battle of Normandy Foundation based in DC. Several other state universities, primarily in the South (perhaps anticipating more enthusiasm among such campuses), were contacted as well. The offer they made required a lot of soul searching and vetting. The Foundation was offering to finance an academic program that would focus on the Liberation of Western Europe beginning with the Normandy landings in France in June 1944. Each institution could design a program that fit its mission and academic strengths, recruit its own undergraduates, and develop a nine-hour, semester-long seminar culminating in a four-week study program in Normandy fully funded by the Foundation. As a result, our campus was able to launch its first Normandy Scholars program in 1992. On a personal level, the program brought me back to some of the themes I had studied and written about several decades before. Normandy Scholars still exists on our campus, but it is a pale shadow of its former greatness – funding is much diminished now (the Battle of Normandy Foundation declared bankruptcy in the mid 90s, admitting that it had used donations from WWII veterans to underwrite its operations), so individual campuses had to tap their own resources to carry on.
In my second installment, I hope to tie these earlier events in my professional career to transformative opportunities I gained in 2000 and beyond both in terms of further writing projects and community outreach.”
“I realized, rather belatedly, that with the emphasis on the 50th Anniversary of Co-education at Colgate, that the attached might have been appropriate in a historical sense, so I share it now,” says Chuck Schwartz. “As a result of my involvement with the Pass/Fail process, in my junior year, the Student Council selected me, along with three other students (another junior and two seniors --sorry, I do not remember the names) to be the first student members of the EPC, which reported to the President and made suggestions to the Board of Directors. The step of adding student representation to the Committee was made in response to the rise of student activism that was taking place on many college campuses. One of the major undertakings of the EPC was an evaluation of the possibility of making co-education ‘permanent’ on the Colgate campus. In 1968/69, there were a few women students (exchange students, usually from all-girl schools) who were taking courses for a semester. As there was a positive response to their presence on the Colgate campus, the students on the EPC pushed the idea of making Colgate Co-Ed. We thought their presence could only be positive and would reflect the real world we would enter once we graduated from Colgate. (I will admit that I initially chose Colgate because of its single sex student body). The EPC, after much discussion,
presented the Board of Directors and the President a proposal to do just that which was positively received. In the fall of 1970, Colgate accepted women students as transfers who would graduate with an undergraduate Colgate degree. In 1971, Colgate accepted women as incoming freshman and I would have to believe that everyone on the EPC who pushed for co-education are pleased with the results.”
Guy Stever: “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men / Gang aft agley. In late January/early February of last year I got to cross off a bucket list item when I spent seven days skiing with a group of friends in Austria at Serfaus -- a trip which was made even more amazing by the fact that six of the seven days were sunny and 30 degrees. However, we returned home just as the virus and the news of it began to sweep the world and we all know the rest of that story. My wife Barbara retired in June and we had two trips planned to celebrate her retirement and you know what happened to those trips. About the farthest we go is to the local Walmart to get groceries at curbside. Staying at home during the long northern New Hampshire winter in a rural area can be challenging.
I was disappointed in 2020 when our reunion got cancelled and felt really sorry for those who had worked so hard to bring it off. I talked with a neighbor -- Tom Temme ‘71 -- at one point about traveling together to our joint reunion this spring and you know what happened to that adventure. Actually, for me it has turned out not to be the worst of all possibilities as I have spent most of the winter trying (painfully) to cope with spinal stenosis and am headed either into surgery or the pain clinic later this spring. So, I look forward to the mega reunion next year. With so many classes they should give each class a different color beanie to wear so we can tell each other apart -- then we, the Class of 70, can rip them off again and protest having to wear them -- take us right back to the 60s. I look forward to seeing everyone when I can a) stand up and walk without pain, and b) see everyone’s whole face and not an N 95 mask.”
“Bob Glendening ‘71 has been in touch with me about possibly scheduling an event at our combined 50th reunions for classmates who served in the military services following graduation,” says Jim Tweed. “I was part of the last Air Force ROTC contingent to complete the program at Colgate. There were only eight members in my class and two in the Class of 1971 who had to complete their second and final year of the program at Syracuse. Using the “2020 Visions” Reunion Yearbook our class had published as a resource, I was able to compile a list of an additional nineteen graduates from those who responded to your request for biographical updates. It includes classmates from all service branches, reserves, the National Guard, and all ranks, whether they went through ROTC, OTS, draftees or volunteers and I prepared lists. Looking forward to reconnecting at our reunions!!”
John Romeiser also held a book talk in conjunction with Union Ave Books in Knoxville, TN. He and his co-author, Jack McCall, presented their book: East Tennessee Veterans Memorial-A Pictorial History via zoom. It was a most interesting session attended by many including: Skeeter Capecelatro and his wife, Jane, Chris Fager, and I along with my wife, Pam.
Scott Turner has shared a memory, “As someone who grew up schussing the ski hills (I hesitate to call them mountains) of Central and Northern New York (ok, Whiteface and Gore are mountains), I jumped at the chance to select as my freshman Jan Plan a course to become a National Ski Patrolman. Plus, after struggling to a lousy 1.5 first semester GPA (tops in my room of 3 in East Stillman though), I wasn’t certain I wanted to try something more rigorous intellectually than skiing down Trainor Hill for a month. I have no recollection of our instructors, but there was a fair amount of classroom work as we learned first aid skills, etc. Our qualifying test was at one of the ski hills south of Syracuse (either Song Mountain or Labrador). I was as nervous as I had been for any P&R exam! Thankfully, we all passed. Although I never actually served as on a ski patrol after Colgate, the first aid lessons served me (and a law firm colleague) well later on. At a client dinner one night in NYC at Smith & Wolensky, she choked on a piece of steak and couldn’t breathe. The Heimlich maneuver I had learned in that first Jan Plan really came in handy.”
“I did some fundraising for the University many years ago, so I know it can be challenging,” according to Kim Clark. “Hopefully, your efforts will be rewarded by increased gifts to Colgate. I have always donated over the years for the following reason: I believe I learned in my four years of college everything I needed to know to succeed professionally in the future. Not the substance of the lessons, although some of that pops up watching Jeopardy on TV, but how to think about issues and problems in a coherent and logical manner, how to sift what is important and relevant information from the whole, how to collate and organize facts and theories into a cohesive argument while also acknowledging counter points and dealing with them, and how to anticipate and understand what those on the opposite side are asserting and seeking. These skills were derived from my studies as a history major at Colgate and further honed in law school, and they served me well during 42 years as a practicing attorney.
On a personal level, I am still looking forward to Reunion 50, even if I have had to survive two additional years to get there. Locally, we survived COVID without getting the disease and now are fully vaccinated, although easing ourselves back into pre-pandemic activities is taking some mental effort. Last night we dined indoors at a (mostly empty) restaurant, and then praised ourselves as if we were Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Fortunately, I've been able to play indoor and outdoor tennis several times a week throughout the locked-in period, and golf has resumed now that winter is over. What I'm really waiting for is to return to leading Highlights tours at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History every Friday afternoon before live crowds of unmasked visitors. That volunteer position is, as I tell anyone who will listen, the best "job" I ever had. Where else can an old retired guy bloviate about history for 75 minutes and receive a round of applause at the end?”
Winter 2021
As I opened with last time, the year of 2020 continued to be mysterious, challenging and in many ways devastating. Yet, this time’s worst has generated the best in all of us in so many ways. It has been enormously gratifying to see friends help friends; to see the well-deserved expressions of gratitude for the first responders, along with the outpourings of support in all ways for those in need. The vast majority of these magnitudes have not been witnessed by any of us prior to this pandemic.
All of the uncertainties surrounding COVID 19 and the hoped for return to normalcy following vaccinations continue to be factors impacting our 50th Reunion rescheduling opportunities. A number of options remain under consideration.
According to Reunion Co-Chair, Ray Hartung, “At this time, we are hopeful the pandemic will be over next year, allowing us to gather safely on campus to celebrate our delayed reunion. The proposed plan is to team up with the Class of '71 -- and possibly 1972 -- on a weekend separate from Colgate's traditional, multi-class blowout. That will reduce the size of the crowd as well as the competition for suitable housing. We all knew people in '71 and '72 so there will be more old friends to speak with. Options for early registration are being discussed. We'll do our best to keep the class informed as final decisions are made. The most current information will be posted on our reunion website -- Colgate70.org.”
Mike Finnegan continues to teach Composition and Literature at The Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. He has also been busy publishing his scholarship in various academic journals. His article entitled “Kenny and Ernest: How Hemingway helped me understand the pain of my late uncle, who died in World War II” was published in the December issue of the Forum, the publication of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor society. Dr. Finnegan also published two scholarly articles on the American writer Sherwood Anderson in the February 2021 issues of The Midwest Quarterly and MidAmerica respectively.” Mike lives in Florida with his wife, Laurie, and his interests include tennis, golf and offshore fishing.
"I, too, want to express sadness about the Jan plan no longer being part of the Colgate curriculum,” according to John Romeiser. “The two most notable for me were in 1969 and 1970 in that the first, the Study Abroad Semester in Dijon, France, was formative given my future professional journey, and the second, an intensive introduction to Italian in 1970, was career enhancing. In both Jan plans, now retired professor, Ross Ferlito, led the way. We are still in touch. He was and still is immensely inspirational. The Italian came relatively easily after the French, and he made it both challenging and fun with all of us planning a wine and cheese event at the end of January. I remember well journeying to Utica with its large Italian-American population and finding just the right wines and cheeses. The background in Italian paid off when I picked up a minor later during my doctoral studies in French at Vanderbilt and later had an opportunity to teach entry-level classes at Clemson prior to moving to the University of Tennessee. Indelible memories. Requiescat in Pace, Jan Plan."
“In 1968, The Colgate ‘Jan Plan’ enabled me to study in a field that I had always been curious about: Meteorology. I had spent summers working for the Laclede Gas Company—the natural gas public utility company for the greater St. Louis, MO area. After a tornado had swept through a small town west of St. Louis, my crew—along with many others, was sent into this area to find and repair damaged gas lines. I had seen pictures of tornado damage, but to go and work in the devastation zone for days was a shock and a horrifying trip into reality,” reports Dave Weddell.
“After completing our work, I wanted to find out how such a powerful storm can form and build into such a destructive force. Plus, how can the path of a tornado be more accurately predicted? When the ‘Jan Plan’ for my sophomore year came up, I was able to take a month of intensive study in Meteorology. And even better, I could concentrate on the formation and tracking of tornadoes.
I was not able to follow this up with additional meteorology courses in that my major was psychology, but this ‘Jan Plan’ started a life-long passion for weather maps and forecasting models. Having spent the last 30 years living in a North Carolina town 65 miles inland from the Carolina coast, I am now focused on hurricanes. The best web site for weather nerds to visit is weather.gov---the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So, thank you Colgate and ‘The Jan Plan’!!”
Timothy Strawbridge has unfortunately shared, “I regret to inform you that my brother, Richard W. Strawbridge, who I believe was a member of the Class of 1970, peacefully passed away on 1/18/21 at the age of 73 while in home hospice in Oswego, Illinois, after a 5-year battle with Stage 4 colon cancer. He was only one year into retirement after a distinguished 40-year career as a trial attorney in Chicago prosecuting large commercial fire losses. After Colgate, he spent 6 years as an artillery officer with the First Division, followed by attending John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He played football at Colgate for 2 seasons, but he became weary of trying to tackle future All- Pro Marv Hubbard in practice and took up a gentler sport, rugby, and played on Colgate's highly ranked rugby club for 4 seasons. I believe he joined Sigma Nu but am not sure. He was an English major. He married his first wife Simone during his senior year at Gate, with whom he had 2 daughters, Tasha and Elaine. He is survived by his two daughters, by Tasha's four daughters, his sister Pamela, his brother Timothy, his niece Kimberly, his second wife Lori and her two sons Ryan and Sean.” Needless to say, we were devastated to learn about having lost Rich, yet thrilled to have known him and considered him a friend.
Roger Herr writes, “My wife, Nubia, and I were very much looking forward to our 50th Reunion this year. Hopefully, it’s a go for next year, just with the Class of ’71. We spent more time at our condo in Vero Beach this year due to the COVID-19, and returned back to Glen Cove, Long Island, in June. Nubia’s eldest daughter, Giselle, decided to leave desolate New York City and move in with us. Very quiet summer so far, but we have managed to get out for a few sails on my old sloop located in Oyster Bay. I am retired from Credit Suisse (formerly DLJ) but still actively follow the market for family and a few old friends.”
“One of my reasons for choosing to attend Colgate was their Jan Plan,” writes Chuck Schwartz. “For my sophomore Jan Plan (1968), with the guidance of Professor Sumner, Department of Education, I prepared a questionnaire/survey about Pass/Fail grading that was circulated among the Colgate faculty. This stemmed from my belief that students could learn without the ‘incentive’ of grades. The response was rather striking in that a majority were in favor of Pass/Fail. However, there were caveats: 1) Pass/Fail grading was to be limited to juniors and seniors, 2) courses could not be one’s major, and 3) a student could not take more than one Pass/Fail course per semester. Again, with Professor Sumner’s aid, a proposal was prepared and presented to the Student Council which approved it for submission to the faculty’s Educational Policy Committee (EPC). By my junior year (1968/1969) Pass/Fail grading was in place. This was maybe the most important contribution I made while a student that impacted other students and was a direct result of my participation in Colgate’s Jan Plan. For me, the Jan Plan was something of immense value to the students, allowing them to explore fields of interest outside of the confines of the curriculum and their majors.”
“50 years ago, my Colgate January Plan changed my life,” shares John McQueen.
“During my time at Colgate, January was a special interval between semesters. Each student selected a university-approved project and spent the month doing course work, research, volunteer activities or travel exploration.
In January, 1969, then Rev. William Cuddy, Newman chaplain, sponsored an opportunity for twelve students to work in the inner city of Syracuse, NY while living in the rectory of St. Lucy’s parish. My time was taken up primarily with volunteer work in the inner city at a neighborhood center and at a Montessori school.
Our Jan Plan unfolded at a time when the United States was embroiled in the Vietnam War. We had over 500,000 troops there and were losing hundreds of young men each month. Although full-time students had deferments, the Selective Service System was drafting men aged 18-26 without deferments into military service. Each Colgate student faced the question of the draft once college ended.
Back to Syracuse, when I was not doing inner city volunteer work, I was having serious discussions about Vietnam with fellow students and the priests who lived at the rectory, many of whom were involved in the peace movement. As a result of those discussions, I began to question whether as a Catholic I could participate in the Vietnam War.
After a year of reading books such as Faith and Violence by Thomas Merton (a Roman Catholic Trappist priest), discussing my beliefs with others and much soul-searching, I decided to apply for conscientious objector status under the Selective Service System. In order to become a conscientious objector, one had to oppose participation in any war based upon your belief in God.
During my senior year, I filed an application with my draft board for such status and asked priests involved in the Jan Plan as well as a Colgate professor for letters of reference to vouch for my sincere beliefs. After appearing before my draft board for a required interview, I was granted conscientious objector status. I was required to perform two years of alternative service contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety or interest. I fulfilled this requirement by working as a child care worker at the Astor Home for children in Rhinebeck NY.
My alternative service involved working with emotionally-disturbed children aged 6-12 primarily from the poor areas of New York City. This experience thereafter greatly influenced my attitude toward troubled children and their families. At the Astor Home, I met many interesting people, including Kathleen Cummings, my wife of 46 years, who also worked there. (Footnote: Kathleen and I were married at the Chapel House at Colgate and had our reception at the Colgate Inn).
So, 50 years later, I can say without overstatement that my January, 1969 Jan Plan changed my life.”
Bill Sterns lets us know that, “After 35 years as a corporate attorney in an AMLAW 50 law firm, I decided to retire 10 years ago. My wife followed me two years later. We lived in New York on East 95th Street throughout our working lives, but after retirement, we began to spend parts of the winter in Florida and summered in Dorset, Vermont. We quickly realized that spending the winter in New York when not working was not a great idea, and so after a couple of winter monthly rentals, we purchased a condo on the beach in Delray Beach, Florida. Having sold the New York house last summer, we now split our time between Vermont and Florida (with occasional visits to France), which works out pretty well, especially given the fact that most of our New York friends have also pulled up roots and departed the City.
Looking back at my experience at Colgate, my view now is that we were at Colgate during what I consider the defining era of our modern world—the 1960’s. Living through that time was certainly exhilarating, but in retrospect, that period began a process which essentially dismantled the world and culture that we grew up with and which defined the country generally. And in its place….nothing was put back.”
Smitty, “The Real Mike Smith,” would like us to know that, “With the suspension of our 50th reunion in Hamilton, four longtime roommates from the Great Class of 1970 werte determined to hold an intimate reunion on Queechy Lake in Canaan, NY. I was an East Hall mate of John Crellin freshmen year and then a roommate with him in the brand new Chi Omega Beta Beta Hall, commonly known as Cobb House, for our Sophomore and Junior years. Mitch Keller, who transferred to Colgate from the University of Maine, became our next-door neighbor and pal in Cobb our Junior year. Senior year found Mitch and I rooming with Jeff Bellows in an old farmhouse on Rt. 12B, in the center of the metropolis of Earlville.
I had not seen Jeff for 35 years or so, when I last visited him in Litchfield, CT, where he had his architectural practice. I was a filmmaker in New York City at the time, and had remained close friends since Colgate with Mitch, who was also living in NYC writing and working. Our mini reunion took place in mid-October where we met at John Crellin's cottage on Queechy Lake. Mitch drove from Margaretville, NY, Jeff from nearby Ghent, NY and I came from Westbrook, CT. John's wife, Wendy, had prepared a bountiful spread of deli sandwiches, pizza and vegetarian fare for us. We ate outdoors waterside in order to keep socially distant. We only unmasked for the photo shoot and while eating of course!
Both John and Jeff had pursued careers in architecture, John in NYC and Jeff in CT. Mitch had worked for five daily newspapers in five states and ended his career as managing editor of The New York Times News Service. I ran my own filmmaking production company, Seven Seas Cinema, for 30 years in NYC and retired after 12 years as a Producer at ESPN. Mitch has recently published a terrific non-fiction memoir, available on Amazon, ‘East Branch: Six Years on a Catskill Trout Stream.’ I have been teaching Cinematography at Middlesex Community College the past seven years. Jeff has kept busy renovating and expanding a nice home on a gentle slope in Ghent near the Taconic Parkway. John has divided his time between NYC and living the life of a country gentleman in Canaan. The four of us had a great time together and we ended it with a pleasant boat ride on John's famous, hand-made ‘Queechy Queen,’ a two-story pontoon wooden raft with an electric outboard motor. What a fun time was had by us all!”
Fall 2020
As I opened with last time, this year of 2020 continues to be mysterious, challenging and in many ways devastating. Yet, this time’s worst has brought out the best in all of us in various ways.
All of the uncertainties surrounding COVID 19 continue to impact our 50th Reunion rescheduling opportunities. At this time there are a number of options being considered. It would appear that the greatest likelihood is a gathering on campus in 2022.
In the meantime, many need to be sincerely thanked for their positive contributions on behalf of us all during this pandemic. One such group is all of those involved in ensuring that this about to be concluded Fall Semester at Colgate was exemplary in all ways. Many of you are perhaps aware of the great measures undertaken while others may not be.
I was very recently speaking with classmate, Bill Baker. Bill had been afforded several opportunities to be updated on the situation on campus and was just raving about it all. His pride and enthusiasm were so contagious that I invited him to share his feelings with our class. He said he would be honored to do so, and called it, “An Achievement of the First Order!” His enthusiastic words follow.
“Miraculous, some might say, but no – that Colgate is open for business is the result of our Best and Brightest marshalling forces to face down a seemingly implacable enemy with the energy, focus and resolve necessary to do so successfully. And that took and continues to take tremendous leadership and followership. Congratulations to President Brian Casey, Mike Herling (chair) and the Board of Trustees for navigating; and everyone else up and down the operational ladder for propelling us to our current position.
First among those propelling the process was/is the Task Force on the Reopening of the Colgate Campus, a body of 12, co-chaired by Geoffrey Holm, Associate Professor of Biology and Paul McLoughlin, Vice President and Dean of the College. In June they issued a report to President Casey and his cabinet recommending that the campus be opened for the Fall 2020 semester, and establishing guidelines for doing so. The report was accepted and those guidelines became the framework upon which the University proceeded. And, I might add, continues to proceed as COVID19, the implacable enemy, while at bay in Hamilton, is not defeated. A mere 41 miles away as the crow flies, SUNY Oneonta shut down and its president resigned after 700 students tested positive for the virus. By contrast, at this writing Colgate has not a single known case.
In addition, everyone else at Colgate has been/is in some way involved in propelling the process…. keeping it alive, front and center. And that is of the utmost importance. (I recommend reading the Task Force’s report, which can be found on line.)
And as well, I recommend watching President Casey’s interview on CBS This Morning, Sunday August 29th, as he reviews Colgate’s response to the virus. It’s a beautiful piece - factual, informative and revealing, once again, that Brian is Colgate’s best of the best boosters!
I was still a member of the Alumni Council last Spring when Brian let us know that Colgate would be re-opening for the Fall semester, but that it would ‘not be the Colgate that you know/remember’. Interested in student reaction to the current Colgate, the one that I/we don’t know/remember I had a chat with 2 current students that I know: One, a Junior who transferred in after 20 years military service and the other, a Senior and fellow Phi Delt. Given their differences in age and experience I was surprised to find that their reaction(s) were pretty much the same.
The quarantine period (14 days) was difficult, but necessary. Once the quarantine was over, there were no extra-curriculars to occupy/spice up their free time (which situation has been addressed with the re-introduction of supervised intramurals). Note: my Phi Delt undergrad brother had Fraternity Rush to attend to, which was conducted entirely via ZOOM, with virtual House Tours and scheduled interviews, resulting in our largest pledge class in years!
Given spacing requirements classroom size has been drastically reduced necessitating the use of tents for some classes which is not ideal given that flapping (wind) and noise (rain and/or hail) are distractive.
And they were both very proud to say that the students get it… that masks are de-rigeure.
But the biggest, and most important of their reactions/concerns is that the regular classroom experience, where students engage with the professor and each other, and so learn from the professor and each other is, if not totally missing, not totally there. And that is the heart of the Colgate Undergraduate experience.
And that Colgate Undergraduate experience, the one I/we know/remember will return in God’s good time. Until then, love and heartfelt congratulations to all of those who have led us to where we are, and who are keeping us there.
At Phi Delt we have an expression: “Proud to be a Phi!”. Today I am equally as ‘Proud to be a Colgate Alum!’” Thanks for this awe-inspiring account, Bill. Very moving indeed!!
In the last issue, we had shared Jan Plan remembrances from several classmates who had attended the Roundtable in New York City and invited others of you to offer your recollections. Several of you have for which I thank you. Please continue to send them since it appears that everybody had at least one quite memorable experience. I know I did.
Ray Hartung has written, “The most memorable Jan Plan was my first one freshman year. ‘Stage Design in the European Theater’ with Holmes Easley. Vienna, Berlin and London in about two and a half weeks. I had been very involved in theater throughout high school and that continued at Colgate so I had a sincere interest in the program. But my primary desire in signing up was to go to Europe. Especially London. It would be my first trip out of the country.
Looking back 50+ years, the moments that stand out most vividly -- with one notable exception -- had little to do with the formal activities. Not that I didn’t learn anything of value from what Holmes lined up, but the unstructured encounters on foreign soil were the most revealing.
For instance, just getting there was memorable. We were flying on Icelandic Airlines in a turbo-prop plane. The flight from JFK seemed endless. It got worse when the pilot announced we were landing in Reykjavik to refuel. During the approach the crew made multiple announcements encouraging passengers to change their travel plans and stay in Reykjavik for a few days. They boasted about all the wonderful activities available and interesting places to visit. Cash incentives were offered. Any interest passengers might have had was quickly extinguished when we taxied past two airliners half-buried in snow after skidding off the runway.
By the time we got to Vienna I felt lousy. My stomach was upset; I couldn’t adjust to the time change. Ken Steelberg ’69, with whom I was sharing a room, was annoyingly fit and cheerful. He suggested we visit a steam bath and get a massage. Swore it would fix me right up. I had no experience with either and didn’t intend to waste my money. Ken finally persuaded me by swearing he had read in a magazine how beautiful the masseuses in Vienna are.
So we went. Stripped down. Were handed towels no bigger than a blue book to sit on in the steam bath. When I was called for my massage, I approached the room with the towel strategically positioned in anticipation of meeting a Viennese beauty. Instead there was a guy who could have played linebacker for the New York Giants. When he got through with me I could barely stand up but felt great.
On the train from Vienna to Berlin, we passed through some magnificent German towns and countryside. The conductor was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-50s. While she was punching my ticket I commented on how nice and modern everything seemed. She shot me a look and replied pointedly, “You left us no choice. We had to rebuild.” Like I had dropped all those bombs on them.
While we were in West Berlin, I decided to visit the communist side. I went by myself. All of us had been briefed on how to avoid trouble in East Berlin. Don’t exchange currency, for example. I got a good look at the Wall and the guards patrolling it when I crossed the border by train. The contrast between the two sectors was dramatic. East Berlin seemed nearly deserted. As I wandered around a guy approached me. He was about my age, working class, and spoke enough English that we could understand each other. He offered to guide me for free. I was immediately suspicious, thinking it might be a set-up. He sensed my concern and tried to put me at ease.
We walked around for a couple of hours and it became clear he simply wanted to know what life was like in America. He used my camera to take pictures of me posing at various landmarks -- souvenirs I wouldn’t have if I had brushed him off. He accompanied me back to the train station. The last thing he said before I went through the gate was, “I wish I could be very small and hide in your pocket.”
The highlight of the London portion of the Jan Plan program was seeing “Othello” at the National Theatre. Laurence Olivier was in the title role and Maggie Smith played Desdemona. He was already a legend and it was clear from her performance she would soon become one.”
According to Chris Fager, “One of my best memories of Colgate was Jan plan our sophomore year, a month immersed in photography with a small group of guys on a quiet campus. We shot and developed tons of black and white film. I had inherited my grandfather’s camera. It did not have a built-in light meter, so I learned exposure and shutter speed fundamentals the hard way. After stomping around in the winter weather during daylight, we worked in the darkroom late into the night. Time had an elastic quality in the yellow light. Hours disappeared and then, suddenly, we would emerge exhausted. Every day we were allowed to be artists creating our portfolios, without the worry of classes and grades. I have one of those photos on my office wall. It inspires me to continue playing with the light. I never stopped being a photographer and love it to this day.”
“Scott, thanks for printing the remarks on the JanPlan from the Class of 1970 Roundtable,” says John Kihlstrom. “I didn’t have room to discuss it in my essay on the Core Curriculum for 2020 Visions, but JanPlan was a wonderful curricular innovation. Along with the Core, it was one of the things that made Colgate Colgate. I’m really sorry that it was abandoned.
You asked for others’ memories of JanPlan. Sophomore and Junior year I wrote papers, on Thomas Becket and Albert Camus, and senior year I worked on my honors thesis in psychology, but my freshman year takes the prize: I composed an entire Mass, for mixed voices and brass quintet, in just one month. I had converted to the Episcopal Church in high school, attended a High Church parish, sang in church and high-school choirs and played French horn in the concert band and local amateur symphony. At Colgate, I was singing in the Glee Club and playing in the orchestra (sometimes I think I was admitted to Colgate only because Bill Skelton wanted to play the Schubert Octet). I had these tunes running around my head, and thought I’d set them to paper. It was ridiculous, it was stupid, I was completely unprepared. I had stopped piano lessons in elementary school. I had taken a semester of music theory in high school, but we only got as far as composing variations on the “Amen” cadence. But I bought Walter Piston’s textbook on orchestration, rented an electronic piano to pound out the notes, and set to work. The end-product was completely derivative – and, as the French say, execrable. But I still learned a lot. And when Gerry LaCavera ‘69, the pledgemaster at Phi Tau, told me to compose a song on the theme of “Raccoon S..t is Blue”, I was able to do it. The larger point was that, during January, Colgate put its students on long leashes, allowing us to do almost anything intellectually respectable (and, doubtless, some things that weren’t), to try our wings, to see if our reach might not exceed our grasp after all. Mine did. But I’ll always be grateful to Donald Wheelock, who taught theory, history, and composition in the Music Department (now retired from Smith College), for letting me try.”
I was delighted to hear from Thomas Zawyrucha ’71 whom I knew well during our undergraduate years. Tom began with us and graduated with the Class of 1971. He wrote that, “Yesterday I read the Summer 2020 Colgate Magazine and saw for the first time a friend of mine from the Class of 1970 had passed, namely Dr. Mark D. Wellens. I would like to add a remembrance.
I first met Mark Wellens immediately prior to heading up to Colgate for the Fall 1966 Semester. Mark was from Bay Shore, Long Island, and I was from the neighboring town of West Islip. I went to his house and met his lovely family, his mother Beatrice and his younger sister Rita. We both looked forward to freshman year. I ended up in Center Stillman and Mark found home in West Hall. We stayed close our freshman year and even found time to play golf on the old course behind Stillman and Andrews Hall. I remember how much Mark loved the liberal arts education we were receiving. After he graduated he came back to visit me with his sister Rita at a cabin I was staying at on Lake Moraine in the summer of 1971. The name of the cabin was Loch Haven and staying there inspired me to write a booklet of poems. One of the poems was titled, “Lake Shore Resort,” and Mark and Rita were the main characters. Let me share the poem:
Went for a swim
the other day
out at Lake Moraine
with Mark and Rita
Mark, he was moody
just spent
two months
at a Zen
monastery
Rita, she was tired
just spent
two weeks
reading
I Ching
Me, I was scared
just spent
two minute
in a beach chair
asking if I’m here
and if I am
then Why?
When I read Mark’s obit in a New Hampshire paper, I saw what a full life he lived. He spent his last 35 years as a diagnostic radiologist in the small town of Springfield, Vermont. Ironically, I know Springfield well. My Dad coached baseball, basketball and football in Springfield before joining the Army in World War II. Mark Wellens became a doctor like his father and made all of us who knew him proud.”
Thanks to each of our contributors. Please let us know how YOU are doing! Stay safe and healthy!!
Summer 2020
I don’t know if it is as true for you as it has been for me, but I expect to never forget the year 2020. 2020 has already (I am only now drafting this in August) been a year that we will long remember and it has yet to conclude. Regardless of what may unfold during the remainder of this year which may well heighten further how it is remembered, COVID-19 has changed the world and our lives forever.
I find that I generally conclude any verbal discussions or other correspondence with anyone these days: “Stay Healthy.” It is no longer: “Have a Nice Day.” Having said that, I do hope this finds you and your family to be well in all ways during this difficult time. Fortunately, we are fine.”
Although last time I was lamenting the postponement of our 1970 50th Reunion, now that you are seeing this in November, I can remind you that Ray Hartung, I and the remainder of our Reunion Committee supported and assisted by the University Staff are back at full speed as we enthusiastically prepare for the celebration of our 50th-51st Reunion June 3-6, 2021 back on campus in Hamilton.
You will recall the exciting news that all classes celebrating Reunion this year, as we were, will be doing so in 2021. Adding these classes to the previously scheduled classes for 2021 will provide a far larger and more robust campus opportunity for all attendees.
Our previously-announced partnership with the Class of 1971 in recognizing a joint 50th Reunion has been moving ahead beautifully. Ray Hartung and I have been included in the 1971 monthly calls and the 1971 Chair, Tom Levine ‘71, included in ours. Respective heads of planning areas for both classes have been working closely together as well. All of this should result in an exemplary and memorable gathering.
One of our grandest achievements in our preparation for this cornerstone Reunion was the compiling and issuance of our Reunion Yearbook entitled: 2020 Visions. It was an enormous undertaking with a variety of components and ever-moving parts. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of all, the final product has been hailed by many and we are told the model for such editions in the future.
Also, always worth deep reflection is the memory of each of our departed classmates who were treasured, special friends and are so sorely missed. As of this moment, we have “said a heart-felt good-bye” to 58 of our own, each of whom was provided placement in 2020 Visions or will be recognized in future addenda. Most received a brief or in some instances longer remembrance crafted by a classmate and/or friend. In some instances, there was nothing submitted to the editors for inclusion.
The terrific news is the opportunity has not entirely vanished. As a part of our delayed Reunion, we will be issuing a supplement to update the “In Memoriam” section of the Reunion Book. It will be a separate document that will be mailed out to the entire class prior to the gathering next year. It need not be a classmate as the author and I ask that submissions please be sent to me. The list of those needing our attention to date includes: Ed Amendola, Russell Beckett, George Carpenter, William Carpenter, Ronald Carpinelli, William Christensen, Bruce Coleman, Thomas Duncan, Robert Gibb, Guy Johnson, Tom Kingsley, Ron Marcus, Robert Parker, David Reynolds, Bob Scott, Terry Weiler and Mark Wellens.
You will recall from the multiple references to the Class of 1970 Roundtable, that it was held back in NYC in December, 2018, organized by Ray Hartung and Rick Clogher, hosted by Jon Alpert at his recording studio and wonderfully moderated by Lee Woodruff ’82. By all reports, it was an extraordinary event marked by exchanges of ideas, recollections, remembrances and memories among the 13 classmates. All agreed that they were thrilled to have been included as a participant.
One area that generated much interest and discussion along with meaningful perspectives shared was the topic of the “Jan Plan.” Every one of us likely recalls the activities in which we participated in our own special way. I know I do. Some of the highlights from this Roundtable group are shared here.
Norman Bloom
“You know that curriculum was not really geared to the person who was going to go into a science background. You were exposed to it, you know, but my struggles with philosophy and religion were purely existential. It was a struggle but what I did find was you had the opportunity. The broad exposure gave you the opportunities to find a niche. And for me it came through the Jan Plan Program.
Someone else just mentioned it as one of the things that we hated the most about the fact that they’ve eliminated it. But that they absolutely eliminated it forget about modifying it. They just basically eliminated it. And maybe that’s been replaced by the study abroad programs. But those usually occur in your junior and senior year. I remember asking somebody why the administration decided to eliminate the Jan Program. And they said that people were not taking it seriously. So, I said that I hate to tell you this but I don’t know anyone who takes the independent study seriously. Some people do but some people just look at it as an opportunity to go visit a foreign country or go somewhere and do something….like: Travel Europe.
So, the Jan Program for me, because I did this-I went to Jamaica and the West Indies for a marine biology program. The first experience I had down there was being part of a National Geographic Survey on bats of the world which may not sound like the most exotic thing in the world. But we spent the entire month going to caves trying to find every different bat species that existed in Jamaica. We found 17 of the 18 but never did find the 18th. We did all kinds of stuff including taxidermy.
You weren’t just getting things from a science perspective but seeing a flow from a research orientation point of view. With this in mind I did several other programs down there as well. I focused on the frog as well as some embryology. But I realized that this kind of inquisitiveness and the desire to pursue something were critical because you might never consider them. The techniques and processes employed were key.
Philosophy and religion may be great so you put your mind to work. But this independent study got me geared into thinking more along the lines of how do you make things better in whatever it is that you are going to pursue. And how do you acquire the background to be able to build it.
For me it was the research project and research orientation types of things I did later on that were essential. So, the Jan Plan Program was great. And I never understood why they eliminated it.”
Guy Stever
“I can describe my Jan Plan experience pretty quickly and tie it into what we’ve already talked about. So, when I left Colgate in 1970, I started teaching up in Northern New Hampshire. And when I went to retire, the lady in the retirement office couldn’t believe that somebody actually stayed in one place for 42 years. But I did.
When I look back at Colgate, I go back to the Jan Plan. It was when I did my Student Teaching. And it was really baptism. You compress something into one month. It was baptism by fire……and it worked!!”
Renny Pritikin
“A number of you have said that the Jan Plan thing was huge. For me, freshman year, I arranged to teach kids, in this NYC neighborhood, for that month like tutor kids. And I remember the last day, we took these kids who had never been out of these four-square blocks to Madison Square Garden to see the Ice Capades. I had this little Latino kid next to me, and he looked up at me. We were in the balcony. And he asked, ‘Is that real or is that fake?’ Blew my mind. I never forgot that. Then, the next year, I went to Montreal and Toronto to interview draft dodgers.”
Mark Pinzur
“My Senior Year Jan Plan happened to be a month in London singing with the Colgate Glee Club. We split our time between two weeks in London and a week in Salisbury. In Salisbury we subbed for their choir and then back to London for a week.
And the experience of singing Handel’s Messiah in Royal Albert Hall with 400 other singers and 2,000 people just lapping it up in the audience was just so powerful.
I’m just going to be selfish here. Music and singing have been such a big part of me as I wrote in my bio. I don’t think human beings get much closer to whatever deity or oceanic feeling as when you are singing in harmony with other people.
Race, sexual orientation and all of that sort of thing melts away because you are in the service of the music. So, I just thank Colgate for the opportunity for that Jan Plan and many others to find something that you are so passionate about and that makes your life so important and worth living. That’s my short story.”
I hope you have enjoyed hearing about our classmates’ Jan Plan experiences and their recollections about them. I would invite each of you to submit a similar piece for future issues.
We have received a terrific update from classmate, Bill Berman, whose comments provide information about him and Chip Fischer ’71. Bill reminds us that Chip began with our class but graduated a year later.
Bill Berman and wife, Julie retired to Austin, Texas to be near their daughter Laurie and her family. Bill soon discovered that Chip Fischer '71, MAT ‘75 and his wife, Olga, MAT ‘73 were his neighbors. Despite Bill and Chip both having been in West Hall for the 1966/67 academic year, neither one remembers the other from those days (though it seems highly likely they both completed Jerome Balmuth's mind-altering freshman philosophy course at the same time!). After completing PhD programs in Curriculum and Instruction and English Education respectively at Vanderbilt's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Chip and Olga both were professors at the University of Texas at Tyler and also retired to Austin to be near their daughter Alli.
Bill received his doctorate from SUNY Albany and spent most of his career as a community college Dean of Students in upstate New York and Maine and Julie ran day care centers and worked in special education. Bill and Julie also have a son Jeff who lives with his family in Seattle, Washington. Bill would love to hear from any old Alpha Delt friends including Kit, Neil, Dave and Grant. Chip and Olga would love to hear from any of their BA or MAT classmates. Bill can be reached at wfberman@gmail.com, Chip at cfischer@uttyler.edu and Olga at ofischer@uttyler.edu. This is Chip and Bill's first submission to the Colgate Magazine in 50 years, but they are planning to submit another one in 2070!!!
Now it is time to return our focus to our upcoming 51st Reunion. Our now joint 1970-1971 Planning Committee is striving to provide a true extravaganza for us all. Please mark your calendar for Fifty-Plus-One on June 3-6, 2021.
As you read this now, Early Registration should be open as it was last year. Moments ago, we received a notification update from Tim Mansfield, Associate Vice President in the Alumni Affairs Office, that, “We plan on building a modified registration form for Reunion 2021 and have it available in early November for your classes. Since so much is uncertain about the spring of 2021 and COVID-19, we will not be collecting any fees until we can confirm the event will be held. We also intend to ask your classmates about their housing preferences for Reunion...and will honor them if we hold the event in June.”
And on a more positive and final note: “We want to and expect to see you next year in Hamilton. Please stay healthy!!!”
Winter 2020
As you can easily see, this submission for 1970 for the Colgate Magazine is a dramatic departure from the news-packed articles that have appeared over the last several years. Although this outcome was not actually planned, it has occurred as a natural outgrowth of the enormous time and energy your entire Reunion Committee has been devoting to our upcoming 50th Reunion next Spring. These efforts are paying off handsomely, we can assure you.
Based on the current tally, we are confident that we have a very likely chance of exceeding the 50th Reunion attendance record.
By now you should have received your 50th Reunion Book. Thanks to the many of us who prepared and submitted essays/biographies. We are also appreciative of class members who crafted broader articles reflecting on our undergraduate life and times.
The Class of 1970 Reunion Giving Campaign is well under way with very pleasing numbers having been realized. Since we are early in this process, the reporting of numbers will be deferred until a later date.
At the same time as we have been concentrating on Reunion, classmate, Jim Smith, has continued on his National tour in celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Colgate and the issuance of his riveting history of the college. Most recently, on September 16, he and Kaylie Jensen ’20 spoke to over 40 Rochester alums and Colgate friends at the Genesee Valley Club. The presentation focused on Colgate’s rich history and traditions. Jim signed copies of his new book Becoming Colgate following the presentation and Q&A. Classmates attending were John Halstead, Bill LaForte, Jeff Mapstone, John McQueen, and host, Scott Turner.
As a direct consequence of the considerable volunteer planning in concert with the Colgate staff, our 50th Reunion will be an extraordinary event!! Please make your plans now to be in Hamilton on May 28th-31st, 2020. It is not to be missed!
A sincere thank you to all who continue to submit interesting and informative updates. Please keep them coming. One reminder though. We as Colgate Magazine Editors must submit our copy months in advance, so there will likely be a meaningful delay from the time you forward something to me and its appearance in the Magazine. Scott: #516-987-6467; gate70@hotmail.com.
Autumn 2019.
Ray Hartung and I are delighted to share great news concerning our 50th Reunion. Colgate is offering early registration for the Class of 1970, exclusively, beginning Oct 14. Our classmates will have the convenience of signing up early and getting the 1st choice of University housing before any other reunion classes. In 1 easy transaction, registrants will receive a confirmation for payment and housing. Please use this link: alumni.colgate.edu/reunion1970early to register for the reunion. Or, you can call the University directly at (315) 228-7433 to register or report any problems you are having. Anyone who hasn’t signed onto the site should do so now to avoid any delays later.
“Our class was well represented at the Bicentennial Presidents’ Club event on Whitnall Field in late May,” reports Scott Turner. “In addition to me, Bill Baker, Bucky Bourne, Phil Corrinet, Dave Cushman, Chuck Fox, and Jim Smith were there (and perhaps others I didn’t see). I believe that the event was the largest Presidents’ Club gathering ever with 850+ gathered under one enormous tent! “In our spring class column, Norm Bloom and Guy Stever wrote about the Class of ’70 Roundtable in NYC, in which I, among a group of 13 classmates, participated in Dec 2018. What a remarkable experience that was! Kudos to Ray Hartung and Rick Clogher for organizing, and thanks to Jon Alpert for hosting us at his recording studio. And what a wonderful moderator Lee Woodruff ’82 was! She truly is a Colgate gem, and we need to install her as an honorary member of the Class of ’70 at our upcoming big reunion.”
I was delighted to hear from Matt Goldstan. Matt has written that, “I have read the 1970 column every time it has appeared, frequently mentioned to old Colgate friends that it’s a pity so few classmates submitted anything, and sent in no news of my own. Recent issues, however, have been a pleasant surprise, and seeing that even Guy Stever and Gary Grossman contributed shamed me into doing so, too.
