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50 | We hope you like our new yellow class news reporting forms. Their exact origins are obscure, but credit your class officers for getting us a form designed to elicit a bit more detail in what you report and what your classmates would like to read about. Thanks also to those who responded promptly and provided news for this column.

First the bad news. It is with great sadness that our co-correspondent Ruth "Midge" Downey Kreitz, Fairfax,VA, reports that her dear husband died last October of complications following lung surgery. The previous February she and Bill had taken a wonderful Caribbean cruise and later had a great summer at their beach home in Ocean City, MD, with all the family, kids, and grandkids visiting in shifts. Midge writes that although her heart aches, she has wonderful memories of their eight years together.Having each lost an earlier spouse, they made the most of their precious moments together, including cruises, Elderhostels, and motor trips throughout the world.Her emphatic advice to all of us, "Please tell your spouses how much you love them, for again we have proved that life is exceedingly short and fragile."

Frank Clifford, Ithaca, NY, anticipates winter in Hilton Head, SC, because it "beats Ithaca winters." Frank is retired but gives a bit to Cornell by serving on the Faculty Greeter/Direction Giver Committee for the fall student/parent welcome program. In an e-mail, George Casler,MS '59, Ithaca, NY, reports that he and wife Pat joined an Elderhostel that took them from Fort Davis, TX, through the Copper Canyon, a complex of six canyons in northern Mexico. En route they visited with groups of Taramahara Indians who are very poor and live in caves. He and others report that the Copper Canyon is as spectacular as the Grand Canyon. Kirk Reid, Hudson, OH, has a day job "mowing, trimming, edging, weeding, feeding, pruning, and watering." His work break consists of diddling with his 1928 Ford pickup. Unlike Frank, he used the back of the yellow reporting sheet.Most pressing problem? "Bladder incompetency." Solution? "Roto-Rooter last December." Most recent knowledge? "Share your knowledge because you can't take it with you!"

Mary K.Mapes Phillips, Richmondville, NY, has several day jobs, including church financial secretary, transcribing diaries from the 1800s of her husband Seeley, DVM '50's grandfather, and volunteering for the Richmondville Historical Society, with an occasional break for housework. Family events? Celebration of Seeley's 85th birthday with 19 of their family of 20 present, including Cornellians Mary and Seeley; sons Carl '77, Tom, DVM '82, and Bill '84; daughter Barbara '73 and husband David Long '72, and son-in-law David Leverett '79, married to daughter Doris. I had a nice phone chat with Mary and discovered that we had both sung in the Sage Chapel Choir while she was the student manager.

The recent newsletter of the Sage Chapel Choir carries an intriguing article telling about a famous Sage Chapel Choir alumnus, E.B.White '21, well known author of Charlotte's Web. Among the innumerable plaques that adorn Sage Chapel and memorialize the university's past is one for White, which reads,"Master of the written word and member of the Sage Chapel Choir." Paraphrasing a passage from Charlotte's Web, student columnist Alyssa Wu '05 writes, "Life in the Chapel was very good—night and day, winter and summer, spring and fall, dull days and bright days. It was the best place to be, thought the chorister, this warm delicious alto section, with the garrulous singers, the changing sermons, the heat of the sun, the passage of processionals, the nearness of friends, the sameness of hymnals, the love of choir directors, the smell of sweet singing breaths, and the glory of everything. "The view of Mary and me exactly.

Day job for Allen Strack, Sarasota Springs, NY, is "enjoying the delicious life of a retiree." His extracurricular activities include house repairs, Lake George boating and swimming, and trying to the reduce outrageous number of strokes needed to "play" golf. Most recent discovery is "finally learning about computers." Allen has not been back to the campus since graduation, but says he ought to return for a look. William Hagel, Ann Arbor, MI, has a day job doing metallurgical consulting. Oil painting is his after-hours diversion. Kenneth Altman, Tenafly, NJ, reports that he has retired from medical clinical practice, but has many and varied activities: reading journals, studying cooperative law, traveling, swimming, playing tennis, and composing music.

William Sharman, BArch '52, Briarcliff Manor, NY, is still employed as an architect. After hours activities? Captain of the town fire police and with wife Audrey singing in the church choir, serving on church committees, and playing a lot of golf and bridge. In November Bill was inducted into the Briarcliff High School Hall of Fame. He saw Larry Smith '51, BArch '52, at an architects' reception in New York City and has also visited with Ben Berner and wife Phoebe (Eisenbrown) '51. Nelson Schaenen, MBA '51, Madison, NJ, is retired from employment but not from community and professional involvement. He serves as trustee and past chairman of the Downtown Hospital of New York U. and trustee and chairman of the Endowment and Capital Campaign of Morristown, NJ, Memorial Health Foundation. A son lives in Dubai, and at this writing he was planning to take the rest of his family, children, and grandchildren, 15 in all, to Dubai for Christmas. Elizabeth Alexander Weis asks that her classmates be notified of her new address: 1327 Thornapple Dr., Osprey, FL 34299. She formerly lived in Wilmington, NC.

At the banquet of our 50th Reunion back in June 2000, I was talking with then-President Hunter Rawlings, who, prior to his Cornell tenure, had served as president of the U. of Iowa. I said that we Iowans appreciated the fine job he had done there and that I felt that the move to Cornell was good for both him and Cornell. I mentioned that I thought I might be the only Cornellian in Iowa. With a laugh he said there were only eight Cornellians in Iowa and it was a pleasure to finally meet one. In my 36 years in Iowa the only Cornellians I had personally met had been while out of Iowa on trips in Scotland, Australia, and Germany. So it was fun to have an e-mail from Ina Loewenberg '52, who has lived in Iowa City since 1969.Her husband, Gerhard "Jerry" '49, PhD '55, is a professor of political science at the U. of Iowa. Ina was a stay-at-home mom, then a belated grad student at the U. of Massaachusetts. Later she taught philosophy, did tax returns, became a student again, then was an accountant and internal auditor at the U. of Iowa, and now is the author of an about-to-be-published book.

One of these days I'm going do a geographical survey to determine the relative distribution of our class members across the country. I am quite sure that most of you are what I call "coasters"; that is, you reside on or near the West or East Coast. For me, I like it here in Iowa, where I am as close to both coasts as one can get and where I can have an occasional chuckle about the misperceptions that coasters have about us prairie residents.Writing this column is a great pleasure, and Midge and I thank you for your continued input.We hope you derive pleasure from reading it. -- Paul Joslin, 6080 Terrace Dr., Johnston, IA 50131-1560; tel., (515) 278-0960; e-mail, phj4@cornell.edu; or Ruth "Midge"Downey Kreitz, 3811 Hunt Manor Dr., Farifax, VA 22033; tel., (703)860-2991; e-mail, rdk12@cornell.edu.

51 | Class officers, meeting in Schoellkopf on October 18, got to see Paul "Spike" Gerwin, MBA '52's photo, recently added to Cornell's Athletic Hall of Fame display. Spike Gerwin joined Richard Clark, Derl Derr, MS '58, Jeff Fleischmann, M Ed '55, Rip Haley, Sam MacNeil, Bob Mealey, Frank"Moose" Miller, Charles Moore, John Pierik, MD '55, Richard Ramin, Harvey Sampson, and Leonard Steiner on October 3. His photo caption reads:

"A three-year starter in basketball, he was co-captain of the 1951 team that compiled an overall record of 20-5, which set the school record for wins in a season, and placed second in the Eastern Intercollegiate League.He led the Big Red in scoring in two of his three varsity seasons, with team-best marks as a junior (255 points, 10.2 ppg) and as a senior (336 points, 13.4 ppg). He topped the team in free-throw percentage in 1950 (85x127, .669) and in 1951 (116x155, .748). Over his three-year varsity career, he scored 818 points in 76 games for an average of 10.8 ppg. He was named to the EIBL first team in 1951, and he ranked fourth in the league in scoring with an average of 14.2 ppg. He was also a three-year letter winner in baseball as a pitcher."

Tomas Blohm writes from Caracas, Venezuela, that he is raising Orinoco crocodiles to prevent their extinction. His wife Cecilia Montemayor is probably worried about his extinction. Tomas says, "Yes, a croc missed me!" Jane Shevlin Clement, operating out of Surfside, CA, is still active in real estate with her own rentals. She sold one house in 2002, gave one to the United Way—a novel gift—and has another house in escrow this year. She attended the September AARP meeting in Chicago and reminisced about old school days with Oliver Bragg '50, whom she also met on a South American cruise in February 2003. Less coincidentally, she is in contact with Ellen Bohall Andrews, for whom she was a bridesmaid in 1948 in Randolph, NY.

Carol Burns Hayes writes from Scottsdale, AZ, that she and Dick, PhD '53, are no longer gainfully employed. She retired from teaching Spanish and French, but is active in a women's circle of the Valley Presbyterian Church there. Alvin Macomber, BS '55, Alexandria, VA, volunteers "behind the scene" at the Smithsonian Inst. National Numismatic Collection. He and wife Diana welcomed the birth of their first granddaughter, Marian Diana Cornell, last March. Jacqueline Goldberg Eisenberg,Windsor, Ontario, celebrated the adoption of a granddaughter, 8 months old last August, by her son Howard and daughter-in-law Marlene Altman. Grandson Stephen Glinert was Canadian chess champion in the under-21 division and now attends Wilfrid Laurier U.

David Rice, M Ed '61,Wysox, PA, serves as an ambassador of the Ag college, counselor at the Susquehanna County Career Technical Center, and on the Towanda Area School Board. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church and vice president of the Rome Cemetery Committee. Memorable events were a visit to Cornell's new Ornithology Center and a picnic with son George '81 and daughter-in-law Nancy (Schneller) '82 and four grandchildren. David and Mary recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Sue Pardee Baker, Baltimore,MD, writes that she and Tim found Newfoundland and Labrador fascinating. They visited a Viking site from 1000 AD, Basque whaling remnants from 1450,Marconi's Signal Hill, Grenfell Mission, and the only North American site of German attack in WWII."Spectacular inland fiords, fishing villages, friendly people."

Jack and Marybeth Weaver Ostrom, Ithaca, NY, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2002 with an all-family trip to Scotland. They rented a manor house near Stirling, through the Landmark Trust,with eight bedrooms, five baths, two parlors, a game room, a large kitchen, and a dining room capable of seating 18, plus a yard full of sheep. Jack and MB stayed in a nearby B&B. Everyone took turns in the kitchen, and the seven men played golf one day. Marybeth and Jack stayed for another three weeks, joined by Louise Squire Bishop in Calverley (near Leeds), York (near Tewkesbury in the Cotswolds), and London for The Phantom of the Opera.

Michael Chayes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is still practicing as a psychiatrist/psychotherapist/psychoanalyst, though fewer hours than ten years ago. He writes that he and six others have a little band—old jazz—in which he plays trumpet and cornet. They practice weekly at his home, and occasionally play for parties, etc. He also sings in a choir. He and wife Nelly vacation four times a year, three of which are usually in their little country place in France. He asks for news of classmate Norman Pava, Berrien Springs,MI.

Steve Rounds, Princeton Junction,NJ, spent most of the spring, summer, and fall of 2002 vacationing in Greece and New Hampshire's White Mountains. Maintaining residences in both locations keeps him busy, he says, but he still has time to climb mountains and fish for trout.Winters are spent working on projects for Theta Delta Chi (he was house manager while at Cornell) and training for the world championship of indoor rowing (on calibrated machines called ergometers used by oarsmen and oarswomen the world over). His world record (70-79 category), set in 1999, still stands.

The '51 Web page, courtesy of Barry Nolin is www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs.classes/1951. Please send your news to -- Brad Bond, 101 Hillside Way, Marietta, OH 45750; tel., (740) 374-6715; e-mail, bbond@ee.net.

52 | The last of the old: Eugene Nester wrote from Seattle,WA, that his and Martha's two children and their four grandchildren are all in the Seattle area. The Nesters travel frequently, mixing business and pleasure—this summer to St. Petersburg, Russia; in the fall to Japan; and in January to India. Gene continues to work fulltime as a professor, conducting research and teaching microbiology at the U. ofWashington. He collects Northwest Coast Art. The Nesters lives near a bike path on Lake Washington, so Gene bicycles the five miles to work every day, rain or shine. "Life has been good and continues to be challenging and enjoyable."

The first of the new: Nancy Barner Reynolds visited in October. As she left, I handed her a postcard and said, "Write!" She did: "I visit my son Jan Marfyak and his son and daughter in DC, where he owns a home furnishing shop, and my daughter Brook and her family—husband, two sons, dogs, horses, etc.—near Ann Arbor, MI. My third son, Dan Reynolds, is a lawyer in Boston. So I have three interesting places to hang out with kids and grandkids. In Madison I do my best at adult education at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Thirty-four years of teaching elementary age kids was easier!"

A November 17 mailing from Ithaca brought new news from 40 of you, 19 of whom hadn't written in a couple of years. I'll start with them. Robert Bitz writes from Plainville, NY, that he has retired from farming but is still in the restaurant business. He spends winters in Port Charlotte, FL, and would like folks to stop by and say hello (rwbitz@juno.com). "Enjoyed a picnic at Dick and Bee Call's summer home along with George and Avis Pope Payne '54." John L. Brown, MD '55, moved to Missoula, MT, in January 2003.He reports that he's building a house and becoming involved in community and U. of Montana activities.

Joyce White Cima writes from Lansing, NY, that she attended the Lehman inauguration ceremonies. "Tremendous to see old friends in trustee and administration groups." Joyce expected to be birding with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours—"Costa Rica and Darien Peninsula for 10 days in December '03." John Crager lists a new winter address in Arizona.He's still a snow bird, dividing his time between Bisbee, AZ, and Upper Jay, NY.What's new with John is a titanium knee as of June 2003.

A long note came from Barton Hayward, Camden, SC, who had a great week's vacation in Germany in August where he met son Mark, currently stationed with the US Army, and an old friend from the days when Bart was Defense Attaché in Bucharest, 1979-81. His friend is a former East German military attaché. Twentytwo years later both of them are retired colonels. "We had a great reunion." Bart continues as an adjunct at three colleges/universities.He's going to cut back in spring 2004. James Jerome writes from Watertown, NY, "My grandson Justin Capone is a second year student at Cornell. He is on Cornell's wrestling team. The family is very proud of his accomplishments." Rightly so.

Helen Santilli, in Littleton, CO, says she and Lyn Barber, PhD '69, "continue to survive our active lifestyle, concentrating on travel by bicycle and by train." This year they cycled the Provence region in the South of France— Helen's 15th such tour. They coupled that with the Venice-Simplon Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul. "A truly exciting train tour . . . The only drawback is packing and hauling tuxedo and bike helmets." Harold Seidenberg, JD '57, is still practicing law in Goshen and Nyack, NY. Joan Cruthers Flood wrote with the sad news that her husband of 48 years,Walter A. "Bud" '49, PhD '54, died in February 2003. "I continue to do serious gardening and entertain grandchildren when I can stand up straight!"

Irwin and Arline Braverman Broida celebrated New Year's Eve in Fiji with two other couples and spent the rest of January 2003 touring New Zealand and Australia. "Our South Pacific adventure gave us an opportunity to learn about the Fijians,Maoris, and Aboriginals and see many interesting and beautiful sights in each country." The Broidas live in Wayne, NJ. Irene Yigdall Mazer of Lakewood,WA, retired from 20 years of clinical and forensic psychology. Her husband Larkin '56 died in 1991. Their three grown daughters' careers range from film and theater at the U. of Canterbury, NZ, to project manager for King County Transit to professional clown, magician, and fairy godmother. Irene is now working on The Phoenix Enterprise, "an organization that deals in incredibly good liquid nutritional products."

George Wolga writes, "I have lived in Ithaca since 1961 when I returned from Cambridge, MA, after completing my PhD and serving on the faculty at MIT. I retired from Cornell as professor of EE and Applied Physics in 1996. Retirement interests include six grandchildren, as well as classical and digital photography."

Me? I plan to join the increasing number of surgically improved classmates with a new hip in early January. At last, there will be time to explore Cybertower at www.cybertower.cor nell.edu. -- Joan Boffa Gaul, 7 Colonial Pl., Pittsburgh, PA 15232; e-mail, jgcomm@aol.com.

53 | Assorted '53 types helped inaugurate President Jeffrey S. Lehman '77 in Barton Hall on Oct. 16. There were about 30 of us, including Martin Ginsburg, who accompanied his wife, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg '54. She warmly evoked Profs. Robert Cushman, Clinton Rossiter,Milton Konvitz, and Vladimir Nabokov in her remarks preceding the investiture. Lehman honored our "beloved, revolutionary" Cornell and invited all hands to sort out their visions for the Big Red future and tell him. Westchester County Cornell Club prez Laura Fratt '81, Poe's daughter, walked with your legally elected '53 prez in the inaugural procession. You know, seven, count 'em, seven, of Cornell's 11 presidents have sat in Day Hall since we checked in back in 1949.

Homecoming fell the next weekend and once again we dined with friends from '51, '52, '54, and '55—at the Ithaca Country Club this time—to speculate on Mater's future and commiserate over a day at Schoellkopf when a few too many forward passes, and a few acrobatic cheerladies, were dropped. A Saturday night chorale followed, featuring the keyboard wizardry of Tom Foulkes '52. Bill, JD '59, and Nancy Bellamy warmly hosted a post-game, pre-dinner adult beverage session at their aerie far above those sparkling waters.Valiant victors Todd Kolb and Stu Merz '52, LLB '57, who, you recall, caught the winning touchdown pass from Jack Jaeckel against Michigan in '51, were among numerous football notables hailed at halftime, and they were vigorously applauded from the '53 block in the Crescent. It was suggested that they could maybe help if they suited up for the rest of the game, but they demurred, pleading exhausted eligibility. The occasion was brightened by the presence of our 1953 Cornell Tradition Fellow, Isabel Huacuja '05, of Laredo, TX, who's thinking about law schools these days. Here's a toast to Bob Chabon '52, M Ed '55, who planned, prepared, and supervised the annual event, one more time.

Lehman pressed more '53 flesh at a pregame tailgate at Princeton on a summery Nov. 1 and Penn on a no less Augustish Nov. 22. In reverent memory of Thanksgivings past, Ned Nolan trekked to Philadelphia from Falmouth, MA, just for the traditional game. He was moving nimbly on a pretty new hip.

Rarely seen these many years, Frank Bettucci, MBA '58 (Arlington,VA) was still looking fit at the 50th. He's been retired from a Foreign Service career in overseas embassies, far from his old Ithaca hometown, like Indochina, the Carib, and much of Africa, since 1989. National wrestling champ at 147 pounds in our day, Frank has managed to attend a bunch of collegiate, Olympic, and world championship tournaments since. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in September. Not new but worthy of note: Bob Milici (Charlottesville, VA), who began his studies of geology way back in the Deane Waldo Malott era, received last year's Distinguished Alumnus Award from Tennessee. He was principal compiler of the state geologic map of Virginia, of which he was state geologist for more than 20 years, and has been actively engaged in oil, coal, and natural gas resources research.

Lynn Rosenthal Minton's daughter Kathy Minton '80 and Kathy's good friend Maria Buhl decided Lynn should meet Maria's dad, Ed Buhl. Result:"Married life is bliss," says Lynn, who now has "a wonderful man" and a new life in Mount Kisco, NY. The family of retired registered nurse Marcia Miller Stainton Marsh '54, BS HE '53, extended to 20 grandchildren (11 of them are his) when she married Dick Marsh a while back. Two of the kids are Cornell students. Her youngest son got hitched a couple of years after she did. Rochester church activities keep her busy. Married 48 years, retired schoolmarm Helen AbelWang (Oceanside, CA) has "become active in church work, mainly with children," and reads about three books a week."Nicely retired" in Farmington, ME, Roslyn Miserentino Kerr keeps busy with church activities and co-authoring a monthly nutrition piece for her local paper. Former marriage and family therapist, church youth director, and kindergarten teacher Sue Brigham MacLean (Houston, TX) tells of visits to Alaska and Nova Scotia.

Speaking of leisure activities, Allan MacRossie (Eagle, CO) lists "cross country skiing and backpacking with the llamas." Having retired from real estate appraising,Macker says he is now learning to grow hay. "Our llama ranch is 30 miles west of Vail in the Banana Belt.We get little snow here," says he. H. DeForest "Cork" Hardinge, MBA '54 (Mercer Island, WA) cast a carnelian and white hue on the Book Club of Washington with a presentation on onetime Widow editor Kenneth Roberts 1908, who wrote in the '30s that "higher grade students are picked" at CU and "they study more" and "are able to talk rationally and intelligently." Would you say the trend has continued through our time and down to today? You probably remember Roberts wrote Northwest Passage and Rabble in Arms, but did you know he also gave us "Carnelian and White" ("Cornell colors are waving today") and "Fight for Cornell" ("Victory makes history")? Don Ewart (Scotia, NY) missed the 50th in favor of his son's wedding in Santa Fe, NM. Don went there by motorcycle. It was his fourth cross-country trip.Mostly retired, he still does some teaching. As of most recent report, his last class was held in Saudi Arabia.

It looks like Pete and Lois Crane Williams, M Ed '60, have concocted another outstanding " '53 Goes to Washington"weekend,March 26- 28, the weekend the National Cherry Blossom Festival begins, and you're not too late to join the delegation. -- Jim Hanchett, 300 1st Ave., NYC 10009; e-mail, jch46@cornell.edu.

54 | We are coming into the home stretch with our 50th Reunion straight ahead. Remember to check our class website for updates, lists of events, and those classmates who are planning on attending. Reunion co-chair Ro Seelbinder Jung would like to remind you that you should be receiving a registration packet this month. If you do not receive it by the end of March let Ro know via e-mail at: rojung@aol.com. Our forum participants are Frank Rhodes, Glenn Althschuler, PhD '76, and Dave Call, PhD '60. We will kick off the weekend Thursday afternoon with a wine-tasting lunch at Sheldrake Vineyards, about a half hour up the lake. For the more athletically inclined, golf, tennis, hiking, and biking will also be available. Ro and Ken Hershey are planning fabulous meals along with lots and lots of music at every event. To top it all off we will be auctioning a priceless red and white quilt made by our own Peggy Hill, a master quilter. You might have seen Peggy's work at our last reunion. It truly defies description. All in all, Ro and Ken are working hard to make this the biggest and best party for our 50th.

I have asked if those of you with unusual hobbies, volunteer activities, or travel adventures would share them with the class. Chick Trayford, MBA '60, responded to my plea with a description of one of his outings with Pappy, his Percheron. "During the first week in August, Toby (Tamblyn) and I took our small (1,600 lbs.) Percheron, Pappy, up to Vermont for a week of driving on back country roads. We packed our four-wheeled, back-to-back trap cart, Pappy, his food for a week, multiple harnesses, tools, spare parts, wood shavings (his bedding, not ours—we stayed in a motel), grooming supplies, etc., into our 24-ft. stock trailer and headed for South Barre and a farm, with stable, up in the surrounding hills. It rained every afternoon during the week, but we were extremely fortunate and only got wet once. Most of our driving was completed during the morning and early afternoon hours and we covered approximately 60 miles on back roads—and only touched a quarter mile of macadam—plus a few miles on logging trails. During the last weekend of August, Pappy "did us proud" at the Goshen Fair. Toby won a second place ribbon in the women's farm class, and I ended up fourth in the men's farm class. It was a great August!"

I had lunch before Christmas with Hugh and Maria Rosa Schwartz, who also live in Alexandria. Hugh has a new book coming out in February, Urban Renewal,Municipal Revitalization: The Case of Curitiba, Brazil. The book, available in both hardback and paperback, is aimed primarily at urban planners and Latin Americanists. Anyone interested in further information may reach Hugh at hughschwar@aol.com.Hugh and Maria Rosa divide their time between Virginia and Uruguay. David Bernanke, another Alexandrian, is still active in the practice of internal medicine and endocrinology. Dave takes annual trips to London, Tuscany, and Cape Cod, where I am sure he continues his walking and hiking regimen. He says he will be back in June and wearing his Junior Blazer, as it still fits. How about that for a challenge to the rest of us? Another very active classmate returning is David "Dibby" Albert. He is still playing in the Bergholz German Band and running four times a week. He just ran his 24th "Turkey Trot" in Buffalo. It is the oldest, continuing 8K run in the country, with longevity of 108 years.

Gerald Grossman says five years ago he started an asset-based division for a major finance company,Medallion Financial Inc., and it is now following the profile of his waistline— growing and becoming more prominent day by day. The Grossmans still reside in White Plains, NY, within spoiling distance of three of their grands. Larry, MD '58, and Maureen Grolnick have moved from Briarcliff Manor to Murray Hill in Manhattan and are enjoying the change. Larry still practices psychiatry in White Plains. Michael and Charlotte Mensh have a slight variant in the north-south migration pattern. They summer in New Hampshire, sailing, beaching, and enjoying their grands; then in the cooler months they wend their way to Arizona, where time is spent with their Peruvian horses, golf, and tennis. Mike retired from the computer industry in '92 and wonders why he didn't think of it sooner.

Tom Reed '55 has a very interesting book out this month entitled At the Abyss: An Insider's History of the Cold War. After graduation from Cornell, Tom went to Livermore's Radiation Laboratory, where he began his long career with our defense establishment designing thermonuclear devices. He went on to serve as one of the youngest Air Force Secretaries, during the Ford and Carter years, then worked as a presidential advisor to both Reagan and Bush Sr. It was my privilege to have an insider's view of those years. -- Leslie Papenfus Reed, 500 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA 22314; e-mail, ljreed@speakeasy.net. Class website: www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs/classes/1954.

55 | Hi, all. I'm writing this column just before the New Year rolls around, which seems like a good time to bring you up to date on our family news. My sixth granddaughter (via the youngest of my three Cornellian daughters Susan Morris Wilkey '84, Joanna Morris Brinker '86, and Karen MorrisMcQuiston '90), will have arrived by the time you read this.My husband Ed just set a New York State public high school record for most wins by a head basketball coach (631), amassed over a remarkable 45-year career. I want to thank those who have expressed get-well wishes for my sister Mary Savage Webber '58, BS Nurs '59. Mary was diagnosed with lung cancer last May, and I am very gratified to report that she is responding well to both chemo treatment and the loving care of her husband Bill '54, MD '60. The Webbers live in Tucson, with two of their three children nearby. Bill's former DU fraternity brother Leo van Dijk, DVM '57, wrote at Christmas that he and wife Marianne (Oehrlein), BS Nurs '56, had a wonderful family reunion with their eight daughters and their husbands and children. They almost needed one of those panoramic photos to show the entire group!

Speaking of Tucson, Gerald Gordon will be directing his new film there, Just Two of a Kind. Do you remember Gerald back in his days as head twirler for the marching band? Nowadays, he's a well-known acting teacher in Las Vegas and counts Adrien Brody, the Academy Awardwinning actor, among his former pupils. Gerald ran the Los Angeles Youth Theater, put on a fiveyear run of The Fantasticks (the longest run for a musical in Los Angeles), served as director for the Sacramento Musical Theater, and even played Og the leprechaun in a revival of Finian's Rainbow along the way.

How rewarding that most of us are content and fulfilled with our present lives.When asked, the only thing most classmates would "rather be" is younger. As Phil Harvey said, remembering the alumni verse of the "Song of the Classes," he'd "rather be 18 and back at Cornell." Norm Nedde is substitute teaching, bowling, and keeping up with his monthly poker games. Bill Smith is golfing. Al Brezinsky is working in the yard and participating in Rotary Club and local politics. Craig Atwater and Donald Robinson are leading similar lives (the former in New Jersey and the latter in Pennsylvania): both are playing piano at two nursing homes, and also serving as organist at their respective churches.

Psychiatrist Jean Keller Miller enjoys birding, and notes, "Age has its advantages." Stephen Price, MD '59, also a psychiatrist, is still practicing his trade. In his off hours, Stephen plays golf ("some very good, some not so good") and teaches woodworking to his grandchildren. Leslie Plump's daughter Karen '90, MPA '95, was married last July at the Cornell Plantations, with the reception held at the Knapp winery. The group stayed at the Statler and enjoyed a special brunch the next day. "I'd recommend an Ithaca wedding to anyone," Leslie says. Ann Blodgett Brown writes that she, Ann Overbeck, and Jan Lepard McPhail had a mini-reunion in Naples, FL, last April. "We all went to say hello to Anne Morrissy Merick at her beautiful new home and meet her handsome husband." Bill Moyer calls himself "trust officer extraordinaire" at Northern Trust Bank of Texas. He and Sue (Sutton) '57, who will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2005, enjoy a cabin on Tucker Pond, NH, in the summers ("Dallas is hell in July and August").

Janet Scanlan Lawrence has agreed to be our "go-to" person for Reunion 2005, so let her know if you plan to be with us for our Big 50th, June 9-12, '05. You can check the class website (www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs/classes/1955) during the upcoming months for a list of all classmates expected to attend. Janet can be reached by phone at (856) 769-3497, fax at (856) 769-8494, or e-mail at louisdixneuf@aol.com. "There's nothing not to like about retirement," Janet says. She's been volunteering at the local library and her church, plus taking classes: a WWI course in preparation for an Adult University (CAU) tour on the Western Front, and several others (French, Windows, Western Religious Architecture). Janet expresses the opinion of many that the world situation can't improve much with "the cowboy in the White House. I am appalled by his lack of diplomacy and by what he's trying to do with the environment." Barbara O'Connor Kenny approves of US retaliation against the Arab terrorists. And Don Minini, considering the world situation, concludes that the upside is that "the beer continues to improve in the US."

Our condolences to Norman Harvey, whose wife Gail died of liver cancer in October.

If you need to change or update your regular or e-mail address, write to alumni_updates@aad.cornell.edu. -- Nancy Savage Petrie, 6 Inkberry St., East Hampton, NY 11937; e-mail, nsm55@juno.com.

56 | I am writing this column with a snowstorm raging outside and it is difficult to believe that you will be reading these class notes when spring is nearly with us. This should give you some idea of the long lead times we face in bringing you news from our '56ers.

Stephen Kittenplan received a long, newsy letter from Chuck Dorman, Pflugerville, TX, and I reprint it here in part: "It's probably been over 51 years since we shared Boldt Tower together. After 38 years in the hotel and restaurant business, my wife Bobbie and I returned to the Austin area in 1994 to be near our five adult children and two grandchildren. Unfortunately, Bobbie passed away in early December '02 after a brief hospital stay. Before Bobbie died we had decided on a part-time job in the hotel business. I work for The Marcus Corp., the same company that hired me 28 years ago as VP-Operations for their 11 Captain's Steak Joynt restaurants.My second job is as an usher at the Round Rock Express, our local Double AA, Texas League, Houston Astro affiliate. The team is owned by Nolan Ryan and his sons. Imagine getting paid to watch baseball. Needless to say, I still miss Bobbie very much. Once and awhile we all have a cry or two, but our faith keeps us going."

From Betty Davidson Gray: "We have moved from Mt. Kisco, NY, to nearby Millwood, where we will live during the spring and fall.We spend winter and summer in Oakland, CA. We're enjoying grandchildren, currently six in number, on both coasts." From Vivian Goodrich Schmidt, MS Ag '59, Bartlesville, OK:"Have lived in Oklahoma for two and a half years, after living in St. Louis for 20 years." For those classmates considering new retirement areas,Vivian reports that NE Oklahoma is interesting for its music and art.

Joel Hasen and wife Donna have left the New York City area for Chapel Hill, NC. He is partially retired, but still works looking for investment opportunities, and he is getting involved with the Ackland Museum, an affiliate of the U. of North Carolina. Fred Stafford, Chicago, IL, sent news of a mini-reunion of '56ers, which included Jerry Kleinbaum, JD '58, Keith Quinton, MD '60, Bob Seidenberg, and their wives, who met in NYC last March for "a delightful lunch." Paul James, Madison, CT, saw the 2003 Big Red Band at the Cornell/Yale football game this past year. "They made me proud to be a BRB alum. I can't believe its been 50 years since I was a tuba player in the fabulous 1953 Big Red Band. Still honking that horn in concert bands, a brass quintet, and numerous jazz bands."

From Kitty WelchWieschhoff,Midway,KY: "In 2001, husband K.Harry '55 and I returned to the US after 24 years in Europe.Harry retired from the Navy in 1987 and received a PhD in Government in Economics at the U. of Essex (England) in 1991, where he taught until he had a stroke in 1995. We came back because he wanted to ‘be an American' again.Harry has limited driving privileges locally, plays golf, and writes and speaks on Middle East affairs. I am the caregiver and support for this amazingly determined man." Dick Miller, MBA '58, Lake Forest, IL, is consulting on sales force effectiveness, and training sales, marketing, and customer service people. Dick reports that he attended a Cayuga's Waiters reunion in Stowe, VT, last year that included 17 Waiters from the classes of 1950 to '60. "We sang with Rosemarie, one of the Trapp Family Singers."

Donald Woolfenden, Monmouth Beach, NJ, migrated to Australia from Hawaii in 1963, where he took over a company with four hotels and restaurants.He designed 18 more and managed all for nine years. He joined the Australian government in 1978, and retired in 1990 as mining titles manager, designing mines and energy information computer systems. Herschel Koblenz, Shaker Heights, OH: "Substantially fully retired from my law firm of 43 years, Hahn Loeser and Parks LLP in Cleveland."He is active in community affairs and a board member of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Menorah Park Center for Senior Living, and the Gross Schecter Day School, among others. In a mini-reunion, Herschel and wife Maxine traveled to New Zealand and Australia with classmate Ed Cogen, JD '60, and wife Ruth.

Bob and Mimi Hester Ridgley '57 split their time between the Portland area (where they live on the Columbia River in Vancouver,WA) and Santa Fe, NM, where they built their second home. Bob is currently chairing the capital fund campaign for the Casey Eye Inst. in Portland and is a director of the Kaiser-Permanente Health Care System HQ in Oakland, CA. John Harney, Salisbury, CT, is busy converting coffee drinkers to tea (especially Harney and Sons Tea!). Milt Chace, Ann Arbor, MI, is working as an engineering consultant on light truck rollovers.

John Burns, DVM '59, Henrietta, NY: "It's been 11 years since I sold my small animal practice and ‘retired.'We have completed building a new empty nest home in southern Monroe County. After several years living on the St. Lawrence River, we have returned to where our heart lies. The new home's construction has been a most joyful project." From Allen Togut, MD '60,White Haven, PA: "My wife of 43 years died June 30, '03, after an 11-year history of metastatic breast cancer. Our lives were full. Three children and six grandchildren were our pleasure." Allen is currently working three days a week caring for patients with chronic pain. And from Skip Ross, Atherton, CA: "No retirement in sight. I like my work as a practicing engineer too much." Skip was in the ‘Stans' in Central Asia recently, working on a gas pipeline project for the Asian Development Bank.

Steve Kittenplan and I encourage you to continue to send in your news. It's all the big and little things in your lives that we find inspire us and bind us together as '56ers. -- Phyllis Bosworth, 8 East 83rd St., NYC 10028; e-mail, phylboz@aol.com.

57 | Homecoming weekend last October was an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of a few classmates. On Friday night before the game with Brown, Vanne Shelley Cowie was among those who received the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. Vanne is a Plantations sponsor and volunteer, has chaired the Adult University (CAU) Advisory Board, and has been a member of the University Council.Husband Bob '55,MBA '57, was another recipient of the award, which was presented at a dinner at the Statler.We had a '57 contingent there: Ed and Adelaide Russell Vant, Shari Flynn, Nan Krauthamer Goldberg, Judy Richter Levy, LLB '59, and myself. At the all alumni lunch before Saturday's game, Nancy Savage Petrie '55 and I compared notes about getting news for our respective columns while Tony Cashen, MBA '58, enjoyed the barbecued ribs at a table with Bob andMarj Nelson Smart. During the game's half-time presentation, Tom Itin was cheered, along with football team members from past years. Given the way the Big Red was struggling, they could have used Tom!

Marilyn Moore Pukmel and her husband celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary last September. They traveled to the Charlevoix region of Canada and enjoyed immersion in the French language, as well as whale watching. Back home in Chambersburg, PA,Marilyn is involved in a community program, the Institute for Retired Persons. Phyllis Whithed Spielmann, Long Beach, CA, is writing grants for Food Finders, a group that collects about four million pounds of food a year from groceries, produce marts, restaurants, and bakeries and distributes it to service agencies for the homeless, rehabilitation facilities, Head Start, etc. Jane Taber Gillett, BS '80, writes that her youngest daughter is a veterinarian, having graduated from the U. of Minnesota, and is a stage-4 breast cancer survivor. Her youngest, Amy '81, lives in St. Petersburg, FL, as does her son Dr. Ed Gillett. Jane spends her winters in Jekyll Island, GA.

Charles '55 and Harriet Merchant Shipman say they are failing retirement since they are both so busy, she with her church group, a civic park project, and the Missouri Pilots Assn., of which Charles is treasurer. Harriet reports that she ran into a medical snag this year when a checkup showed a recurrence of breast cancer. After chemo and radiation, her latest tests show that she has fully recovered and advises us all that early detection is vital. Charles is flying once again after a quadruple bypass a few years ago, and he and Harriet plan to be back in Ithaca for Charles's 50th. Harriet returned to Erie, PA, for her 50th high school reunion last October.

Carmen Lovre Ryan is "enjoying retirement but busier than ever."Her latest venture is drawing with pastels. Carmen attended reunion at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, MD, last fall and will be in Ithaca this June with Bus '54 to celebrate 50 years since he graduated from Cornell. Gabrielle Kirsch McGhee, fully retired after a career as both a teacher and a therapist, is taking up memoir writing, as well as beginning Spanish. Gaby and Don have lived on 120 acres in the foothills of the Adirondacks for more than 40 years. Their daughter Alison is an award-winning novelist and author of Shadow Baby. George and Lita Schwartz Emanuel, Arlington, TX, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary last fall. Business trips took them not only to the Southwest, but also to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Lita numbers herself among those classmates who are both grandmothers and great-grandmothers, but still finds time to take art history, yoga, and pilates classes at Texas Christian U.

Judy Saari McCrone is enjoying traveling with her newly retired husband to destinations far and near—Italy, Shanghai, Russia, and Maui, Vancouver, and Seattle. The McCrones live on the northern California coast in Arcata. Bev Robertson Murrell took a trip to eastern Europe last year and saw the Black Sea region, cruised the Danube, and visited a former AFS exchange student in Belgrade. Bev and Jerry attend the annual meetings of the AMA, and Bev is finding "grandmotherhood certainly much more fun and interesting than I had ever imagined." -- Judith Reusswig, 5401 Westbard Ave., #813, Bethesda, MD 20816; e-mail, JCReuss@aol.com.

I get more and more news by e-mail (suitcase 2@aol.com) and find it a blessing. For one thing, typed text is much easier to read than the cursive 101 scrawls of some of us. Steve Lipson reported in that fashion that he has retired after 40 years in the medical field—the last 20 in geriatrics —with numerous research projects and quite a bit of teaching along the way. He and Edna McShane, a medical social worker, have been married for all of those 40 years, and now do a lot of traveling, reading, and "dabbling."As is the case with many of us, Steve went to his 50th high school reunion in October.

Another 50th reunion, of a slightly different nature, took place in February 2003; that of the 50th meeting of the AX pledge class at a ski lodge in Bondville,VT. Gerry Ruthen e-mailed that he, David Addis, Mark Alimansky, Charles Berger, BS '59, PhD '63, Lee Chamberlain '52, Roger Ferguson, Bill Forgeng, Harvey George, Cliff Hand, Jim Hardman, Rick Knittel, BS '59, Dick Oswald, Gary Sharron, Gordie Steward, and Walter Wills were there, along with 11 spouses. Mark and Roger got degrees at other schools, but were members of the AX class of '57.

John Maclay also e-mails that he has enjoyed what is probably the longest retirement of any classmate, since 1989, from AT&T. However, for the next 12 years, he continued to be involved in submarines for—guess who—AT&T, as well as other entities. Things slowed in that field after 9/11, but he and Marilyn, who must have married the day we graduated (46 years and counting) have used the time well, having owned two vacation homes in addition to their Walnut Creek, CA, residence, and having traveled to Ireland, the Panama Canal, and New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia—the latter trip with Joe '56,MBA '58, and Sue De Rosay Henninger. John flies his Cessna, lovingly takes care of his two Alfa Romeos, and is already looking forward to our 50th in just over three short years.

Bruce Haldeman, unfortunately a non-Cornellian but great friend for 55 years, related to me of a tennis tournament in which he and Brad Howes competed as doubles partners. They had to drive from Greensboro to Pinehurst at 6:00 on a Sunday morning to get to their finals match on time, and Bruce suspects that Brad may have been "overserved" at a dinner party the night before.Nevertheless, they won their match in a third set tie-breaker, 10-8, and retreated quietly but triumphantly to Greensboro. Speaking of athletic activity, Jerome Cohn has been on hiking trips to Iceland and Ecuador, where he trekked the Andes, and to New Zealand, where he conquered the Southern Alps.

Michael Daly, a lyric tenor, has produced an album of all-time favorite Irish songs, including "Rose of Tralee," which was recorded at Bailey Hall in 1957 when he was the soloist with the men's Glee Club, that is available from Bantry Bay Productions, PO Box 272-720, Tampa, FL 33688-2720. Mark Levy is also a talented artist, having given a concert last summer at the Mohonk Mountain House that consisted of "patter songs."Also in the music field, Rick Knittel is an accomplished jazz trombonist in addition to passing some time as a consulting engineer, and recently became a step-grandfather —twice.

Tony Tewes, the toughest man to carry a lacrosse stick on Upper Alumni Field, is still CEO of Structured Financial Associates, a national litigation annuity company headquartered in Baltimore.He is being supported by his two daughters, who manage Tony's offices in Michigan and Ohio. Tony sums up the situation well by saying, "Thank goodness for their mother's genetics." Another Vermont reunion was held at Stowe last September, where the Cayuga's Waiters vintage 1950s gathered, including Jim Broadhead, who is now retired but still on the boards of Brink's and New York Life. His daughter Catherine is in her first year at the Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Can someone explain to this poor Kentuckian what patter songs are? -- John Seiler, 221 St.Matthews Ave., Louisville, KY 40207; tel., (502) 895-1477; e-mail, suitcase2@aol.com.

58 | Your News came through in time for this March/April column. Thanks to those score or so of you who responded quickly to our delayed class mailing last fall (the delay caused by some major computer changes on campus and other pressing university matters— like an inauguration). But here we are, back in business, and watching for much more News (and Dues) to flow in soon.

We have a note from Bruce Marshall, going back to Homecoming.He calls it "Reunion 2008 Warm-up No. 1": "As we drove to Cornell Thursday and on into Friday morning, there were occasional skiffs of snow, but the game with Brown was played with a warm sun on our faces in the Crescent. Brad and Nancy Horgen Corbitt '74 did a great job arranging game tickets, followed by cocktails and dinner at the Ithaca Yacht Club, where we enjoyed the brilliant fall colors across the lake lit by the setting sun. It brought back great memories of cheering at the finish line of the crew races! Our group included Eileen (Funcheon) and Gerry Linsner, Larry '57, BS '60, and Marilyn Zeltner Teel, as well as Anne and me, and my best friend from high school and his wife. All will attest to the welcoming and including nature of our class. PLAN NOW FOR JUNE 2008!"

James F. "Jeff " Brown has a new address, having retired from pediatrics, but now working full-time for the Army doing military entrance exams. Jeff and Jae have moved to 3107 Tascosa Rd. in Amarillo, TX, and get out to enjoy skiing, hiking, and riding their three horses when time permits. Roberta "Ronnie" Schantz Schwartz relocated from Key West to Boynton Beach, FL (6797 Molakai Circle), but sent no other news. Ken Pollard writes that he is enjoying retirement to the fullest.He and Beulah still live in Cayuga, NY, and they had a family reunion last summer with the three children, spouses, and seven grandchildren. Late in the summer, Ken and Beulah traveled to Alaska for two weeks and then also caught the Fryeburg Fair in Maine.

We have a longer News note from Raymond "Duke" Vespe, who recently changed his address to San Anselmo, CA (1424 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.). Duke has been "writing a book, writing poetry, reading books re Chinese Taoist philosophy, hiking, camping, traveling, planning trips, and anticipating retirement." Some of his travels included Baja California, Cancun, Bahamas,Maui, Jamaica, Alaska, British Columbia, Greece and the Greek Islands, Italy, and Sicily. Quite a travel agenda, one might say. When not traveling and doing those other things listed, Duke is clinical director of an addiction treatment center and a psychotherapist in private practice.He writes further, "I love being with my daughters and their families," spanning ages 42 to 15, "and I care about my 95- year-old mother in Cleveland, OH."

Just as this column goes to press, Barbara Buehrig Orlando wrote that she was deeply saddened to inform the class that Blair Perkins Grumman died on November 6 in Evanston, IL, after a five-and-a-half-year battle with multiple myeloma. "David '56 said that she had had a good summer and fall with lots of friends and family visits. Close '58 friends were delighted to be with her during reunion at Jiffy Farnham's on the lake. Jiffy, Judy Bower Carberry, Donna Williams Hurley, Linda Cone Allen, and I attended her memorial service. Blair ranks among the most special people I have known and was an outstanding member of our class. She had retired as executive director of the Child Care Center of Evanston, where she pioneered a home daycare network cited as a model for Illinois." We extend the sympathies of the class to Blair's family and thank Barbara for her note on our loss.

Kathryn Starr McCulloch retired last winter from the Somerset (NJ) Valley YMCA after ten years as the front desk supervisor. Kathy and Frank have been enjoying their eldest daughter‘s baby girl since October, their first grandchild. Roger Wiley wrote that he has "not much new since the last one of these." The class appreciate the Dues, however, Roger—thanks. Bill Lehr and Patti spent a long weekend last October on Martha's Vineyard with Adult University (CAU). They write, "This was our first CAU event—an outstanding program with great Cornell alumnae/ i and faculty.We stopped to visit with Cornell classmate and good friends Myron and Barbara Stacks." The Lehrs would like to connect with any alumni groups active near them in Easton, in eastern Pennsylvania.

Bob and Susan Mayer visited Mike and Jane Griffinger about this time last year for some skiing in Vail. Bob says it's amazing how much the body forgets in a few years, but at least he's been able to maintain his golfing competitiveness, "thanks to technology." He's also having much more fun working as a financial advisor since he gave up all his former management roles three years ago. Our co-president Carol Boeckle Welch writes that she "was privileged to take part, along with other '58ers, in the inauguration ceremonies for Cornell's 11th president, Jeffrey Lehman '77."

Nancy and Herbert"Whit"Whittall stayed in the US this year for travel, visiting the five children and ten grandchildren.Whit gets out for tennis four times a week and tutors English as a second language at the local high school several times a week. He continues as president of the Exchange Club of Vero Beach, FL. Jon Howell is semi-retired as a senior financial rep., working now with "selected, high-quality, and likeable clients. If they're not fun, I don't want them," he writes. He and Mary Ann had "three wonderful weeks in Italy visiting Mary Ann's previously unmet relatives, who overfed us (I gained eight pounds in three days)." The Howells then cruised the Mediterranean from Italy to Barcelona, Spain, and then had two more restful weeks in Sanibel, FL. And that was after taking two daughters and son-in-law to Austria for skiing that spring, coupled with skiing in New Mexico and heli-skiing in Canada, along with mountain climbing in the Canadian Bugaboos, where they found a piton anchor that may have been left by the pioneering guide Conrad Kain in the early 1900s. That artifact is now in a museum and being researched for authenticity. Jon added that he's "five years free from cancer—hooray, I'm still vertical!" Looks like you're having a pretty enjoyable "semiretirement," Jon. Keep vertical and in good health.

Another missive received at deadline is a late November full-page spread from The Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on "a ‘futurist's' well-worn ‘passport to adventure' "; that is, "Sociologist Arthur Shostak, a kid from a tough Brooklyn neighborhood, is leaving the college classroom after 42 years." After teaching thousands of students at Penn and Drexel U., "retirement" for Prof. Art "means a chance to do even more work on his myriad intellectual projects," the report continues. From his to-do list of projects, at least half include more books to be written or edited on a wide variety of subjects, including: "for high schoolers, an open-ended series about the Iraq war . . . and about the future; to write my long-delayed book on what 500 movie-goers recall of scenes that helped change their lives; a book on unmentionable matters"; and on it goes. The grizzled, beaming face of Art adorning the article shows him enjoying the congratulations of his sons and fellow professors. Nice going, Art; we'll watch for more books and articles emanating from your new passport to adventure!

And with that, we'll keep watching for more News. Cheers and a happy spring to all. -- Dick Haggard, 1207 Nash Dr., Fort Washington, PA 19034; e-mail, rhaggard@voicenet.com; and Jan Arps Jarvie, 6524 Valley Brook Dr., Dallas, TX 75254; e-mail, jjarvie386@aol.com. Class website (for other news and events of the Class of '58), http://classof58.alumni.cornell.edu.

59 | Looking forward to seeing everyone at reunion on June 10-13! The days will be crowded with events, but I hope you'll find time to see the Tatkon Center located in the south wing of Balch Hall. This new academic resource center is named after classmate Carol Tatkon, who served on Cornell's Board of Trustees from 1981 until her death in 1997. According to the Sun, the center is a place where freshmen can go for help with academic papers or homework problems, and partake in study skills seminars and workshops. "If first-year students feel that they receive the academic support they need and have resources readily available, they could potentially perform better in the classroom. Obviously, this would not only benefit individual students but also would reflect well on the university," noted the Sun.

Barry Huret, president of the battery consulting company Huret Associates Inc. (HAi) in Yardley, PA, was among those quoted in a November 17 Wall Street Journal article on the pace of breakthroughs in fuel cells to power laptops and other portable electronic devices. He indicated that he considers the prediction of widespread use of fuel cells by 2004 or 2005 overly optimistic. "I call it the rolling 18 months. Many experts believe even by 2010 fuel cells would hold perhaps just 5-10 percent of the battery market." A key issue is fuel cells' use of a flammable fuel, such as methanol, that hasn't been approved to be carried on airplanes.

Via Ron Demer we learn about a bizarre accident suffered by semi-retired orthopedic surgeon Rick Dyer, MD '63, of Watertown, CT (rdyerdoc@erols.com). On October 1, as Rick was sitting in a restaurant parking spot near the road, a pick-up truck slammed into his new Subaru Outback Sedan, totaling it. His head broke the windshield but both air bags of the Subaru deployed, protecting Rick from a worse outcome. He woke up on a gurney looking up at the ceiling of a hospital emergency department, with amnesia for the event and double vision that slowly showed signs of resolving itself. Ron also writes that Sid Wolfe, director of Public Citizens' Health Research Group in Washington, DC, was on campus in October to speak to students entering the healthcare field, delivering a well-received talk titled "The Politics of Health: My Career in Public Interest Medicine." Sid, recipient of a MacArthur Award, has had many successes banning or limiting the sale of unsafe drugs and dangerous drug testing.

On National Philanthropy Day in November, the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Assn. of Fundraising Professionals honored Dave Dunlop of Brooktondale, NY, naming him Professional Fundraiser of the Year. Art appraiser Roslyn Bakst Goldman of Rochester, NY, has been elected second vice president of the Appraisers Assn. of America, where she also serves on the executive committee. Carolyn Cary Chapman of Briarcliff Manor, NY, enjoys working part-time in the Historic Hudson Valley Museum shops. "It's fun to meet people fromall over the world who come to visit our sites," she says.

Phil McCarthy, JD '65, of Summit, NJ, has finished part-time teaching and mentoring in the Wharton Executive MBA program, where he was venture capitalist in residence, and at Columbia, where he was an adjunct professor. He remains involved in some venture capital deals. He writes: "One of our firm's companies is one of the country's leading cancer detection companies, based on immunohistochemistry. Nice present for retirement if it stays on course." Phil and his wife Eleanor spend about seven months a year on John's Island,Vero Beach, FL. His brother Paul,MBA '65, and wife Janet, who are retired, spend winter months about two miles away, at Sea Oaks in Vero.

The Wings Trust has named Katy Boynton Payne, a visiting fellow in the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's Bio-Acoustics Research Program, a winner of a 2004 Earth Women of Discovery Award. The prize honors Katy's pioneering studies of sound communication among whales and, more recently, among forest elephants of Africa. The mission ofWings Trust is to celebrate the contributions of extraordinary women explorers. W. Hardy Eshbaugh of Oxford, OH, professor emeritus of Miami U., has been elected to his fourth three-year term to the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society. Hardy also serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Salmon Federation, an international non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and wise management of the wild Atlantic salmon and its environment. His travels of 2003 included two weeks in Ecuador on a birding trip and a two-week visit to his sister in South Africa.

Bill Dring, BArch '61, and wife Jan spend part of the winter skiing in Colorado and each spring in Provence, but the rest of the time they can be found in their native village, Oak Park, IL. Bill, an architect, keeps in close touch with members of his pledge class of Alpha Delta Phi, but would enjoy seeing and hearing from other architects in our class. Like so many of us, he's looking forward to reunion! -- Jenny Tesar, 97A Chestnut Hill Village, Bethel, CT 06801; tel., (203) 792-8237; e-mail, jet24@cornell.edu.

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