40 | A short column this time. As of this writing, our News and Dues letter is still hung up in the publication process and there are only a few Reunion stragglers. Hopefully that letter will result in lots of news, as well as that volunteer for this job I've been pleading for!

Ed Wardwell allowed that he had "no news that's fit to print," but he too had enjoyed Reunion. Ed still lives in Lake George, NY. Ed Leonard, DVM '40, reported that he is living in the same house in Tully that he and Peg (Catlin) moved into in 1947! That's almost 60 years! Can anyone top that? Peg died in 1999 after a long period of poor health. Ed mentioned he still remembers with gratitude the support they received during that difficult time from Class of '40 friends including Jeanne Titterton Lewis, Harriet Gunning, Martha Atwood Cheney, Theo Beekman Thomas, and Jean Raynor Mase.

Reports of recent deaths include that of Mary Savage Kyle. Toni Saxe Stewart forwarded an obituary from the paper in Laconia, NH, where Mary had been living for the last six years, moving there after 30 years in Northfield,VT. Earl Bissell Travis died in late September. He and Marge (Sauter) attended Reunion and had celebrated his 87th birthday with lots of family, including out-of-towners.Marge will stay on at The Bridges, the retirement home in Ithaca where they had been living.

That's all the news for now. The "leaves of brown are tumbling down" as I write this, but as you read it I hope all your holidays have been merry! -- Ellen Ford, 300 Westminster Canterbury Dr., #416,Winchester, VA 22603; tel., (540) 665-5788.

41 | From Honolulu, classmate Robert Lowe, BA '46, gives us advice: "After many years, I retired from the real estate business and would tell all to sell now before the bubble bursts! All real estate is over-valued and interest rates will soar, resulting in no new buyers. Our current president is doing a good job and will go down as one of the great ones." Jack Weikart (Hockessin, DE) lost his beloved wife Peg in September '04. "As many know," he writes, "things are different. Healing comes with help, albeit slowly."

Maj. Theodore Eiben, MS '46, also suffered a double loss. His son Tom died in March, and wife Rosalind (Heath) passed away in April. "Still able to shovel my share of snow and am working on the Port Byron (NY) School Board. Church activities are helping pass the time, too." Mort Farber (N.Miami, FL) sent a brief but cheerful note last fall: "Just returned for Europe with three grandkids.My last hurrah!"

Julian Smith writes, "Still casting a shadow at 86. Still somewhat active on the Residents' Assoc. Council at Kendal at Ithaca. The seventh edition of my textbook, written with Prof. Peter Harriott '48, came out in October 2004. I began that book in 1952. Golf goes on, sort of--clubs and balls have been much improved, they say--but in 1935 I could hit a drive 240 yards; in 2005, about 140 yards.Must be poor clubs!" Wellington Ramsey is retired and living in New Sharon, ME, next door to his son and his wife and three children; a fourth is a sophomore at Cornell. "Son Tony, MS Ag '84, and daughter Pamela, M Ed '83, graduated with master's degrees, his in Soil Science, hers in Education.We are a Cornell-oriented family!"

JackWeintraub of Sarasota, FL, writes, "I'm an unemployed 83-year-old man beset by volunteer responsibilities.My favorite job is being a reading tutor to two 6-yearold students, a boy and a girl. I have become an expert at: ‘The fat cat sat on the mat.' The kids are in first grade and are adorable. The only downside is the instruction we got at tutor orientation: no touching. The job is very gratifying because I can see the progress that the two youngsters are making." In memory of his daughter Sarah Betsy Cohen Fuller '68, who taught at Cornell Law School and was a senior attorney for Prisoners Legal Services, Stanley Cohen (Chevy Chase, MD) and his family have created the Betsy Fuller Fund for Social Justice at the Law school to assist students who opt for a career in support of this objective.

Werner and Helen Schroeder (Haines City, FL) have enjoyed the last 28 years of his retirement. "Our travels have covered 47 states, nine Canadian provinces, and seven European countries. Our main interests have been sightseeing, nature, and trout fishing--and jazz and classical music.We've now settled down to our mobile home park activities and gardening. And, of course, the families of our three daughters and four grandchildren."Walter Peterson has been a widower for four years."My golf has gotten worse, but I still play. Have done a lot of traveling, including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Alaska."

Our 65th Reunion is June 8-11! Come enjoy the camaraderie of former classmates and all the Cornell doings! -- Dorothy Talbert Wiggans, 415 Savage Farm Dr., Ithaca, NY 14850-6504; tel., (607) 266-7629; e-mail, dwiggans@verizon.net.

42 | Pres. Liz Schlamm Eddy called before leaving for her July trip to Connecticut. It is hard to believe that she, too, was surprised at President Jeffrey Lehman's resignation. Usually Liz knows all the inside info. Liz also sent us another book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, as we join 31 alumni classes in the reading project. Hope you all enjoy it.

I hope Liz attended the 125th Anniversary Dinner of the Cornell Daily Sun. Frank Abbott, MPA '49 (Boulder, CO) wrote congratulating '43 columnist Miller Harris on his introduction of Kurt Vonnegut '44 at the dinner. Kurt's book A Man without a Country resides on the New York Times and Amazon bestseller lists. Frank's history of the first 40 years of WICHE (the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education), from which he retired, was published last fall after six years of work. "WICHE was created by 13 Western states to collaborate in sharing resources and in developing policy guidance."As I do, Frank enjoys reading the '43 column--Miller, too, is a writer as well as a friend of Kurt's.

Donald Goodkind (Dana Point, CA) has been highly honored by New Jersey by having the southbound lanes of the bridge that carries Route 1 over the Raritan River from Edison to New Brunswick named for him. The northbound lanes will remain the Morris Goodkind Memorial Bridge, named for his father. Like Dad, Donald designed the bridge that carries his name."Many of the best-known roadways in New Jersey, including the Garden State Parkway, the New Jersey Turnpike, as well as this bridge, are a testament to his work and skill as an engineer," said State Senator Robert Smith. Donald worked for the DOT in the '60s and '70s, is co-founder and former president of the NJ Consulting Engineers Council, and was a trustee of the NJ Inst. of Technology. Our congratulations!

Some old news: Jim Kraker (New Smyrna Beach, FL) says that Dottie (Dodds) is holding her own in assisted living in Port Orange, FL. His pilot son is a senior Delta Airlines captain, and his grandson is now at Ithaca College. Ken Hubbard (Ft.Myers, FL) played with his Gulf Coast Banjo Society in Punta Gorda along with about 45 other banjoists. They play regularly in Snook Haven in Venice. Frank Burgess (Batavia, IL; franklulu@webtv.net) has been enjoying retirement since 1982.He celebrated his 62nd wedding anniversary and, besides watching sports on TV, he enjoys his four children, ten grands, and five great-grands.

Fred Jaqua (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) received his MBA from Harvard in 1943 and LLD from Yale in '49. He writes: "I was secretary, general counsel, and VP legal of American Standard and helped spread a web of joint ventures of our plumbing, Trane air conditioning, and Westinghouse air brakes companies worldwide." Dorothy Dewey Goodding (Webster, TX) and husband Robert moved to a retirement community and are happy to have "freedom from cooking, etc., an exercise room, and a swimming pool. Duplicate bridge is a great escape." Their son Charles visited to celebrate their 51st anniversary.

Ignatius and Dorothy Lacombe (Plattsburgh, NY) visited the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC (Dorothy was an Army nurse). They wrote that they "almost lost it" when they saw chiseled in marble: Normandy, Omaha Beach, St. Lo, etc. They celebrated their 61st anniversary and attended their granddaughter's wedding. They enjoy seven children, 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, as well as classes on the computer and conversational French. Caryl Jennings Gustavson (Athens, OH) carves small birds and volunteers at the Dairy Barn Art Center and the Kennedy Museum. She enjoys gardening, swimming, and walking, but has curtailed some of her activities due to recent surgery. She boasts three children, six grands (including twin boys), and one great-grandchild.

Sadly, Richard Ford's wife Helen (Waversville, WI) passed away recently, as did Pat Kiernan, wife of Jim.Married for 62 years, Pat was a frequent visitor to Cornell from the 1940s house parties and to many reunions. She and Jim were members of Baltusrol Golf Club (site of the 2005 PGA) for over 25 years. Jim will spend the winter with his daughter Mia in Florida. He can be reached at jameskiernan@att.net. Also leaving us was John "Cape" Caperton (Louisville, KY). Cape was commissioner of Glenview, KY,Mayor Pro Tem, and president of Louisville Harrods Creek & Westport Highway Railroad Foundation. His hobby was antique autos. He is survived by his son John. Proving we should never give up, Ithaca has been found! Researchers have identified the geographical locations of 26 specific Ithaca locations mentioned by Homer. Topographical changes hid the identity of these places from generations of historians and archaeologists tracing epic journeys of Odysseus around 1200 BC. The search has been in progress since the time of first-century Greek historian Strabo.

Here's our '42 Website: http://classof42.almuni.cornell.edu. Do write to all those submitting their e-mail addresses, as well as to me. -- Carolyn Evans Finneran, 8815 46th St.NW, Gig Harbor,WA 98335; tel., (253) 265-6618; e-mail, ceefinn@juno.com.

43 | Back story. The Cornell Daily Sun celebrated its 125th anniversary on September 17. Some four hundred former Sunpersons assembled at a banquet in New York. The featured speaker was Kurt Vonnegut '44, who said that his father sent him to Cornell to study chemistry, something useful, for which he was not suited. "Thank goodness the Sun showed me what to do with my life and I did it."A few minutes earlier I had, with some difficulty, mounted a towering platform to approach the lectern, and began: "Someone just asked me how old I am. ‘29-1/2,' said I. ‘Bull!' said wife of 63 years. ‘29-1/2's his inseam.'" I continued as follows:

Determined to make the Sun, I arrived on the Hill in the fall of '39. I was dressed as you see me tonight: grey flannels, loafers, Harris tweed jacket, button-down oxford, black knit tie. Jeans had been around for a century--on miners, not on collitch boys. Calvin Klein was still in diapers and could hardly even spell $150. A year later Kurt Vonnegut, also bent on making the Sun and also dressed as you see me tonight, bounded up the stairs to the Sun offices over Atwater's.With him came a remarkable young voice of wit and brevity. Those were exciting times. The Big Red beat Ohio State back-to-back, home-and-home. Now, there're a couple of headlines nobody's ever going to have to sweat again.

And we had a war. A pretty big war.We gave it Ithaca's only morning right-hand lead,Monday through Saturday, six mornings every week. The official wartime stance of the Cornell administration was that, rather than being in a battle zone, we were on campus "on borrowed time." Uncle might call us in the middle of breakfast. And so in the first issue of the Sun in the fall of '42, our welcome to the entering freshmen began:"Members of the Class of '44-2/3, '45-1/4, or whatever"--Vonnegut. Every afternoon I would write a brilliant lead edit and then (no fool I) would summon, to liven and hone, the late PeteWait, the late Walter McQuade, and the quick Kurt Vonnegut. In front page edits, breaking to page four, we urged Cornellians to remain on campus until called, and in others we were stridently critical of those to whom the Hill was an isolated enclave shielding them from having to engage, or even know about the cataclysm awaiting outside.

The university outlawed cars, cuts, house parties, Spring Day, the Junior Prom, the Navy Ball, and anything that wasn't the obstacle course or nose-to-grindstone lest some roving New York reporter judge that we were not studying 23/7, not doing push-ups in the remaining 60 minutes.We objected in print to snuffing the candle at both ends.We pointed out that the outlawed house parties partied on, and were not damaging us or the war effort. Kurt likened their solution to "tying up the dog to make sure it won't bark." "We assume," he wrote, "that we are playing our part because the War Department stationed us here. The education lobby wants us on campus to keep the college alive, not to keep us alive."

That was November 1942. Before Kurt was subjected to pneumonia, probation, the Battle of the Bulge, the firebombing of Dresden, honorable discharge, and General Electric. I had written Kurt--it was 1950--that fiction was coming hard for me. I was tough on myself, I said. It was demanding, lonely work, and anyway I was up to my butt in shirts, which is clearly not how they are meant to be worn. Furthermore, the market for short fiction was disappearing. Television and 25-cent paperbacks are the future, I wrote. In order to survive, the periodicals will need fact pieces, how-to pieces.Women's magazines will soon want only--I didn't really predict this one--20 Ways to Please a Sophomore. Kurt wrote back: "My father is a poor but honest architect; I don't have a shirt factory. I do have a wife and two kids, though. So I work for General Electric, writing publicity. Like: ‘Schenectady, NY, Feb. 16, 1950: General Electric engineers have developed a stupefying new device that will make the second coming of Christ a matter of mere academic interest, it was announced here today . . .' It's a terrible job,Miller, so writing stories for a living is a very attractive notion. It's possible that I'll be able to make the grade in the next year. God, I sure hope so."

Don't give up, Kurt. Your Man without a Country is among Amazon's top ten. And from a recent cover of the UK's The Statesman here's a verse from your poem "Requiem": When the last living thing / has died on account of us, / how poetical it would be / if Earth could say, / in a voice floating up / perhaps from the floor of the Grand Canyon, / ‘It is done.' People did not like it here.

Four years ago at lunch with Kurt, talking the state of the planet, I asked, "Where'd we get this guy Bush?" "Yale," said Kurt. -- S.Miller Harris, P.O. Box 164, Spinnerstown, PA 18968; e-mail, millerharris@netcarrier.com.

44 | When Art and Dotty Kay Kesten come to D.C. for meetings of non-Cornell activities, local '44s meet for dinner. July has been the month, but this year October 1st was the date for a small gathering at Alfio's restaurant. Dick Evans and Phyllis made the arrangements. Dotty's big news was Robert S. Miller, BA '47's recent wedding, which she and Art attended. Bob found a high school flame he hadn't seen in 35 years.Her other item of interest was from Marie Buenning Cramer, who bowed out of the Club '44 February cruise, choosing to send the cost of the trip to Katrina victims.

Bill Falkenstein wrote that after his wife died he sold his Dallas house and decided to become a snow bird, buying a condo on the water in Newark, CT, and a house down south on Charles Street in New Orleans. Lucky bird--that area and the French Quarter were the only areas not flooded. In mid-September his worries were of looting and tree damage. Eleanor Bloomfield Scholl reported about being safe from Florida hurricanes last year. She is on the inland waterway and would have to evacuate. She writes of nearby children and grands and proudly named grandson Erik Johnson '94, a practicing orthopedic doctor in North Carolina. She enjoys the activities at Harbor's Edge Retirement Community, especially the putting green and shuffleboard court. Lois Serby Rubaii also dodged last year's hurricanes. She says, "My six children and eight grands are doing well and so am I." She visited Guatemala with her daughter Safia Rabaii.

Two 60th wedding anniversaries were reported. Hugh Doerschuk wrote from Seattle that he and Judy (a Wells College grad) celebrated theirs in August. They met when he was in the Navy V-12 program. Dick and Ruth Leonard Claassen had two celebrations. One was a June family gathering of three children, spouses, and two granddaughters in Steamboat Springs, CO. The other was a reception in August for 60 friends at their retirement community home. "We are delighted and gratified that the senior years can contain so much fun. Duplicate bridge helps grease our brain cells and frequent golf keeps the joints moving."

More retirement community happy campers report. Dick Evans and Phyllis moved a year ago into Asbury Methodist Village,MD. They chose the top floor of an elevenstory high-rise with interesting views. Barbara Cross Naylor and husband now dwell in Shell Point Retirement Community, a CCRC in Fort Myers, FL. Their condo is in a high-rise building overlooking Sanibel Island and the Gulf. They are both in good health and enjoying the resort atmosphere. Barbara has fond memories of '44 friends. Margaret Jimison Haynes wrote that she was moving to a retirement complex in Maryville, TN.

And then there are travelers. Kathleen Pierce Putnam with two daughters Elizabeth Wiggans '69, MS '78, and Debby Gebczyk spent a week exploring Buenos Aires. Jean Abbott Ault visited Scottsdale, AZ, and her sister in Santa Barbara, CA, then on to Florida in March and Vermont and New Hampshire in the fall. She still plays golf and stays busy otherwise. Charles de Bare, JD '49, spent the summer golfing and playing tennis on the Jersey shore with ten visiting grandchildren. In the fall he and his wife toured Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Pete Bellis and Gloria traveled in Eastern Europe in April, first to Krakow, Poland, where son Bill is Consul for Public Affairs at the US Consulate, then on to Warsaw, Prague, and Budapest. They especially enjoyed the trip because the cities were not so crowded at that time of year. WilliamWheeler took Jo to Sicily for her 80th birthday. The trip was planned by Travel Design and included a lot of walking and climbing, which his replaced hip and both knees "handled quite well." Bill said General Patton and his Third Army were often on his mind. The Milton Stolaroffs moved to Hawaii September '04 and spent a year settling in. Then they took off for four weeks in Europe including visits with their many friends there.

Others are staying closer to home. Ann Bode Jennings, M Ed '47, takes only short trips because her husband has Alzheimer's disease. A week in Northern Virginia and a time-share in August with his daughter helped them "deal with the heat" in Sun City West, AZ. Audrey Jones Smithers and Hank '42 enjoy living in Stuart, FL. They visit only children and grands, who are "scattered all over." Alison King Barry, BArch '47, writes that husband Allen injured his spine in a fall so their "travel wings have been clipped for a while." Bruce, the baby who came to the 25th Reunion in '69, is now married and living in the Berkshires, as is his sister Kristin. He is a potter and a ceramics teacher and she is co-owner of a specialty food business. -- Nancy Torlinski Rundell, 20540 Falcons Landing Cir. #4404, Sterling, VA 20165.

45 | Those who attended reunion have received the official photograph taken in Barton Hall during the All-Alumni Luncheon on Saturday, June 11. Some of us have been trying to revive our memories by connecting names with faces. Here is the list we have compiled so far: If you can offer corrections or identify the numbered but unnamed ones, please help by sending them to me. After we have a complete list I will send it to those who attended.

Top Row. Bill Berley (Rhoda Schuman above), Julie & Smoke Adair, Gloria Urban, Bob Thode & Judy Leidy,Mary Wright,Wayne & Maralyn Fleming, Seaward Sand, Sam & Thelma Emile Hunter, Dorothy Scott Boyle, Bill Knauss

4th Row. Jerry Haddad, Tom & Marie Buffalow, Pauline & Bob Olmsted,Marion & Tod Knowles, Lib Deprosse, Ruth & Bob Leach,Mavis Sand, #4-12, JoAnn Shaw- Smith, Bob Frankenfeld

3rd Row. Alma Morton Blazic, Carol Haddad, Barney & Ethel Mayrsohn, Ann & Jim Monroe, Carolyn Hendrickson Cummings, #3-8, #3-9, Lib & Bill Hoffmann, #3- 12, #3-13, Phyllis & Dan Hartley, Ann & Jack Rogers, #3-18

2nd Row. #2-1, #2-2, #2-3,Marguerite Moore Baker, Nancy Nixdorf Rose, #2-6, Doris Klein Lelchook, #2-8,Marguerite Antell,Marjorie Marks Boas Levins, Jack Levins, #2-12, #2-13, Bill Rothfuss,Maxine Morse, Prentice Cushing, #2-17

Bottom Row. Gloria Marti, Fran Shloss, #1-2, Frank & Tina Berliss Rubinstein, Elayne Sercus Friedman & Howard (with sign) Friedman, Teddy Uelzmann Longenecker, Ben Longenecker, Stan & Jean Johnson, Bob & Sherry Wallace, John Babcock (with sign), Robert Harwick, Jean Hall Dinsmore, Ed Cranch

Some of those who did attend but didn't regale us with news were George Martin (Honeoye Falls, NY), still proud of his Sarah Martin '03 as a fourth-generation Cornellian; Theodora Uelzmann Longenecker, who has moved into a retirement complex in Wyomissing, PA, five minutes away from her daughter; and Suzanne LopezMoody (Berne, NY), who, for 34 years, has spent three winter months living on a small sailboat in the Florida Keys (we hope she escaped hurricane Wilma).

BruceWeir (Glenside, PA) still does occasional consulting, flies and sails, and enjoys cruises with wife Mary. He says that he likes the Cornell websites and takes note of how quickly reunions come around. Doris Klein Lelchook (Newton, MA) has a son Alex working with the Boston Red Sox, which he finds to be a nice balance to his regular work as a speech pathologist.Her granddaughter recently was graduated from George Washington U. with a major in psychology. Doris is active in volunteer work with seniors (!), finds time for traveling to our national parks and Spain, but wants to head for Alaska, Italy, and Israel (where her family lives). She notes that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown and saves energy by doing just that. Good advice!

We have also received news from some of our classmates who didn't get to reunion, among them Bill Glaeser (Columbus, OH), who still works part-time as a senior scientist at Battelle Institute and volunteers at various local activities, including the PBS station WOSU--although he'd rather be fly-fishing in Aspen, CO.His son Chris just received a master's degree from Northwestern; possibly he is the source of the trivia Bill just learned, that Madame DuBarry drank a cup of hot chocolate every morning. Ben Klein (Miami, FL) has also reported in with the news that "current events" often aren't current. His lawyer son and wife, a physician, have two children doing well in school, and Ben is already trying to persuade them to attend Cornell. He keeps busy with assorted civic and scholastic activities at U. of Miami.

Another Floridian, Brigitte Watty Miller (Naples) welcomes visiting classmates and attends monthly meetings of the Cornell Club of Southwest Florida. Last year she journeyed to the Greek Islands with her Cincinnati daughter and granddaughter from France. From Hilton Head, SC, Jean Herr Gehrett used her grandson's Vermont graduation as an excuse for not being at reunion. She and husband John travel frequently, the latest trip being to a Las Vegas meeting of Int'l Road Federation Fellowship Endowment, which helps engineers in emerging countries improve their infrastructure. Jean is still active in church and other activities, such as building Habitat houses, but would really rather be playing her beloved golf.

Arnold and Lucy Tarshes Broido have joined those of us who enjoy living in retirement communities, having moved to Quadrangle in Haverford, PA. Lucy has transferred her vintage poster collection to a nearby gallery, which she still visits and assists with exhibitions. She started another book, but decided she'd rather go on river cruises. Dr. Marvin Moser (Scarsdale, NY) continues to be extremely active as an expert in hypertension, which he seems to be trying to acquire. He is a clinical professor at Yale, editor-in-chief of the professional journal in that field, and president of the Hypertension Education Foundation; he also published two books in 2005, and lectures in the US and abroad.He was recently made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. -- Prentice Cushing Jr., 713 Fleet Dr.,Virginia Beach,VA 23454; tel., (757) 716-2400; e-mail, Cushcu45@wmconnect.com.

46 | When I bought a copy of "The Hill" by Albert W. Smith 1878 , MEE 1886, in the 1940s I didn't know I'd be quoting it to encourage you to attend our 60th Reunion. Here's an excerpt: I wake at night and think I hear remembered chimes . . . / O Cornell of the kindly heart / the friendly hand, / My love burns clear for you / In distant land! / O fates that shape the lives of men / Vouchsafe that I, / Before I die, / May tread "The Hill" again!

I'm dreaming of our 60th Reunion in June 2006 and hope to see as many of you as possible. Did you ever believe we'd stay in the Statler? (I began in lowly "Grisley" Risley in September 1942.) I'll also be celebrating my 50th year as your correspondent. I still love every minute of it. I enjoy hearing from you by mail or phone. If you can't be at reunion, how about sending me a recent photo that we can post on the bulletin board so you can say you stayed at the Statler, too.

I've been short of news, so I made a few phone calls to some who will be there: Mavis Gillette Sand (East Aurora), our co-chair, said she'd scouted ideas by attending '45's 60th in 2005. Bill Farrell, Louise "Weezie" Greene Richards, PhD '65, and she got together with our Alumni House contact, Deanna Quvus, and have a possible program. Tentative plans include an early bird bus tour on Thursday of the new buildings (always an eye-opener for us oldies), plus a combined reception of the 60th, 65th, and 70th classes with President Rawlings, then dinner at the Statler followed by the Savage Club show.

Following breakfast Friday, we will tour Mann Library and have lunch under the Ag Quad tent. Tickets will be available for the Olin Lecture, followed by a reception, banquet, and class meeting at the Biotech Building. Saturday includes breakfasts at the Statler or your college, the State of the University address (hope it's not as traumatic as last year), lunch (plus the famous parades and photo ops) at Barton Hall, another reception and dinner at the Statler, and Cornelliana Night (my favorite). On Sunday, we depart after breakfast until our 65th Reunion.

I also contacted Weezie, and she called some other Ithacans. She enjoys living in Ithaca and partaking of the many cultural advantages. "I got a thrill when my high school in Oakfield, NY, elected me to their Hall of Fame recently." She spoke to Carolyn Usher Franklin and husband Ben '50, JD '52, who reside at Kendal. They celebrated their 50th anniversary last February. One of their wedding attendants was at the reception, plus Weezie, Marion Moulton McPheeters, Nancy Stephenson Bond '45, and Robert Kirk, DVM '46.

Hazel Brill Brampton, also contacted, is a research assistant at Ithaca's history museum and is also involved in a celebration of Caroline, NY's Town Hall being listed on the State and National Historical Register.When I called MajBritt Karlsson Gabel, she said she'd be there, too. She only lives about 30 miles from the original farm in Coatesville. "I'm expecting great-grandchild number four.My daughter has a master's degree in speech communication disorders. I'm a volunteer at the school library and looking into the Bell Choir at church."

Let me know your plans as soon as possible so I can write about them. -- Elinor Baier Kennedy, 9 Reading Dr.,Wernersville, PA 19565; tel., (610) 927-8777.

For the latest news on our "60th in '06" Reunion, promising the most fun in alma mater's long history, see Elinor's column in this issue. Remember:We've arrived! The Statler will be our headquarters.

Reminder #1: It's creativity time. E-mail a college adventure memoir to PBL22@cornell.edu of 300 words or less, or parody a verse from "The Song of the Classes" and take home a prize. Reminder #2: Call your buddies. Tell them the place to be from June 8-11 is the Hill for our "60th in '06."

Stanley London (San Diego, CA; stlondon@san.rr.com) lost his wife five years ago to lung cancer and has been actively campaigning against smoking since. Stan enjoys working at photography, computing, and the stock market. He particularly enjoys time spent with his three children and five grandchildren who, fortunately, live nearby. Stan plans to attend reunion and will call classmates to join him at our "60th in '06."Also planning to attend and contacting classmates to join them are Marilyn and Frank Rom, MS '48 (Venice, FL; fermar4@juno.com). In addition to their seven children (six survive; Frank Jr. died five years ago) and 21 grandchildren, they are proud to report nine great-grandchildren. The Roms travel extensively in the United States to visit friends and relatives. They winter in Florida and summer in Kelleys Island, OH. They would enjoy hearing from classmates.

Ray Gildea Jr. (Columbus, MS; gables12@cableone.net) retired as a geography professor ("at 75!") from a 40-year career. The last 14 years were spent at the U. of Alabama. He met his wife Trudy (Serby) '52 in 1951 at his 5th Cornell Reunion. They have four children and eight grandchildren. Unfortunately, they won't be at our 60th because Ray has some health problems. He has macular degeneration and walks with a walker. Still, he goes to his office and to a fitness center three times each week. Ray is writing about the geography of the Middle East in a publication aimed at middle school students.He remains keenly interested in international affairs and politics and loves watching Atlanta Braves baseball.

Harvey Simpson (Old Westbury, NY; harveysimpson@optonline.net) plans to attend our "60th in 06" bash and will call some classmates to join him. He continues as a trustee of both the Village of Old Westbury, NY, and Long Island U. He is retired vice chairman of NAB Construction, but occasionally does some work there. Harvey still enjoys skiing more than 50 days each year at Vail. He also follows his grandson's career.William Simpson Jr., a former high school All-American, is attending George Washington U. on a baseball scholarship.

TO PUBLISH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS, e-mail it to me. Include your name and city and state of residence. Send news to: -- Paul Levine, 31 Chicory Lane, San Carlos, CA 94070; e-mail, PBL22@cornell.edu; tel., (650) 592-5273. Class website, http://classof46.alumni.cornell.edu.

47 | It is mid-October as I write and I have returned from a wonderful weekend on our beloved campus where Homecoming was being celebrated.My husband Doug Anderson '50 accompanied me, and our children Beth '80 and Roger '78 and his family and my two Rochester grandchildren joined us.My sister Sally Williamson Williams '51, who wanted to surprise me and did not tell me she was coming, was a happy addition to the family gathering. Also there from our class were Pete and Elaine Schwarz and Margi Schiavone Berens, who was with her daughter Mary Berens '74, Director of Alumni Affairs, and son-in-law Paul Feeny, as well as another daughter, Julie, who teaches in the Ithaca area. I also visited with Barlow Ware, with whom I connect often and who always has a story that makes me laugh.

Because it was Homecoming, there were hundreds of returnees, and I saw many Rochester Cornell friends. Gail FreemanWarner '59 and her husband Bert '49 kindly drove us to and fro, treating us to a beautiful drive along Cayuga Lake. Bob and Toby Jossem Silverman, both '60, Nannette Nocon '82 and her husband Karl Wessendorf, Bob and Joanne Bayles Brandt, both '51, and Carol Sue Epstein Hai '60 were also there. It was special to see a longtime friend from our high school days (Curtis High School on Staten Island) Bob Bergren '50. Joan Mungeer, another high school friend, was my Cornell roommate for two years. She then became Joan Bergren, and we all remained good friends over the years, Doug and I even becoming godparents to their daughter Carol.

It was also great to see members of the Cornell staff. They have all helped me to do different jobs over the years and have become important friends in my life. I have known Ellen GobelWalsh '76 for more than 25 years, meeting her first when she was our Regional Director; she is now director of all the Regional Offices, the first woman to hold that job! I was delighted to see Holly Hertel Heitzman '96, our current Regional Director, who has been kind, understanding, and forgiving during these last three years. I also saw Laurie Robinson '77 and Allison Doney Riley '84, who were our regional directors in the past, and Allison's husband Mike '87, who was our class clerk for our 40th Reunion.

It was fun to reconnect with Deanna Quvus, who was the manager for our 55th Reunion--she had no jobs for us to do!--and I was so pleased to see Adele Durham Robinette,my editor for this column at the magazine. I was glad that she could meet my ghostwriter children Beth and Roger. I recently learned that she grew up only a few miles from me.

President Rawlings sent out an e-mail message shortly before the weekend, detailing the university's responses to the needs in the New Orleans area after Katrina. It seems the whole institution helped: faculty, students, administrators, individual colleges, the medical school in New York, and our Vet college. I talked to that school's dean, Donald Smith, who told me of the equipment,medicine, students, faculty, and more that was sent to help. It warms the cockles of my heart!

I also visited with Frank Robinson, Director of the Johnson Art Museum, and Bill Berley '45. Frank and Bill had helped display art from the collection of Bill and his wife, our classmate Isabelle (Mayer), at our last reunion. At that time there were also pieces from Barlow's collection, and Frank gave us talks to help us better appreciate it all.

A special part of the time there was talking with all three recent presidents and their wives: Elizabeth and Hunter Rawlings, Kathy Okun and Jeff Lehman '77, and Rosa and Frank Rhodes. I had a couple of nice conversations with the Rhodeses. Frank says he has recuperated pretty well from his accident of almost four years ago, and Rosa told me how much he had wanted to be well enough to attend our 55th Reunion. They did come, and we were absolutely delighted they were there.

I received a nice note from Margaret Newell Mitchell, our class treasurer, who was on campus the following weekend to attend Trustee and Council events. By happenstance, she met my sister Sally, who, as president of '51, returned to gather with a committee of her classmates. To me, being a Cornellian makes us all part of a wonderful family. P.S. Did you remember to send Margaret your dues?

Thanks for letting me share my visit to campus. I live only 90 miles away, but it's been two years since I've been back, and I enjoyed it so much! Next time, back to you and our blue News Forms. Happy Winter!

Editor's Note: Roger Anderson and Barlow Ware, witnesses to Arlie's modesty, asked us to add here that the reason Arlie got to see so many people during Homecoming Weekend is that she was on campus as one of seven recipients of the 2005 Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. Arlie, being at the beginning of the alphabet, was the first to accept her award and the first to address the 200-plus attendees at the reception and dinner. Her speech, delivered without notes and with unparalleled grace, humility, and heartfelt emotion, was by all accounts a perfect 10. Her love of Cornell and gratitude for all she has received was beautifully expressed, and the audience--alumni, friends, family, and staffmembers--responded with tears, cheers, and applause for this well-deserved recognition of a lifetime of service to Cornell. Congratulations, Arlie! -- Arlie Williamson Anderson, 238 Dorchester Rd., Rochester, NY 14610; tel., (585) 288-3752; e-mail, arlie47@aol.com.

48 | David Felbeck (Ann Arbor, MI): "Retired! But I continue my professional engineering activities in product liability litigation as an expert in metallurgical failure analysis. I went to Croatia (Dalmatian Coast) in 2004, and in 2005, a week of fly-in fishing in Northern Ontario, then a lovely week in Bermuda. Plans for the future include hunting and fishing when I can, and continuing to work for firearms rights for Michigan citizens. I've been reading a lot of history of late.We all should, and we would better understand this world. History repeats itself. Look at the opposition to Abraham Lincoln in 1861-65 and compare it to W-43's problems today."

Gerry Haviland (Brunswick, ME):"My day job is repairing antique pendulum clocks. I'm also saving my aging feet for tennis by bicycling between sessions.My hiking days are over." DonWeisinger (Oceanside, CA): "Cutting the lawn, taking out the garbage, playing the stock market, playing golf. After hours, I play bridge, watch movies, and go to gambling casinos in and around San Diego (one day I'll take a cruise to Mexico where I can eat and gamble at will). I took a trip to Canada, including Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, and Toronto--certainly the cleanest country in the world. Have learned that grandchildren are more fun than children. I can't believe I've been out of school almost 60 years. Cornell was a wonderful experience for me after the war, and I'll always treasure the memories."

Marian Young Bradley (Boone, NC): "Keep busy with service projects, grandmothering, exercising, gardening, and having fun. After hours I read. Have learned that bats are good for your garden and bad for your newly painted house; I may try a bat house, pellet gun, or helium balloons! Will have the whole family--23 of us--for Thanksgiving weekend. The world's most pressing problem is fighting and natural disasters. Solution: pray, and give generously to charities. The meaning of life is to serve others."

Albert Eisenberg (Hypoluxo, FL): "In the summer, I attend continuing education classes at Hofstra U. In the winter I attend continuing seniors education classes at Palm Beach Community College.When up north in the summer, I go ocean fishing in my boat and catch loads of fish. Unfortunately, just about all are undersized and are returned to the ocean. In September 2005, I attended the reunion of my WWII ship, the USS Huntington CL107, in Washington, DC. Arlyne, my wife of 42 years, passed away peacefully in her sleep in July 2005." Marion Cousins Chambers (Greensburg, PA): "I'm a homemaker and also do weaving, spinning, quilting, and rug-hooking, etc. I've been in Ithaca recently and quilting a lot, but would rather be helping my son Edward and daughter Ann in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. I'm happy to see that people respond very positively to help those in need."

Fred Studer (Clarks Summit, PA): "In April I placed my wife Jane (Yetter) '47 in an assisted-living facility for people with Alzheimer's. I have been living with it as it developed for 17 years that I knew of. I'm trying to get myself back together. There's been little room for anything else.While I have become somewhat of a curmudgeon in my own right, I haven't been able to agitate anyone enough to be sued, physically attacked, and so on.My curmudgeonly activities involve writing letters to the editor and having a rather high rate of acceptance. I get many comments, but I find more are with me than agin me. Since we have no close family,my most pressing problem today is to be sure my wife will be taken care of should I precede her to the happy hunting ground.We have a 200-acre property with a pristine, glacial lake of 20 acres.We are having difficulty finding anyone interested in keeping it wild. Of course, there is the everyday problem of fighting off predators who recognize our age and failing health.

"Recent observations include seeing President Bush in New Orleans. Some may think that seeing deer, bear, and wild turkeys in the back yard is unusual, but not here. One night a couple of years ago,my wife almost stepped on a bear snoozing on our back stoop as she went to give the dogs their bedtime walk. I still read Science magazine and Chemical & Engineering News, plus less technical stuff. Seems I learn something new every day. Here's a favorite quote of mine from Bertrand Russell: ‘The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure, while the intelligent are full of doubt.' The meaning of life for me is that I've been able to be here. I've enjoyed it. I've done my best to contribute."

Murray Heimberg, MNS '49 (Memphis, TN): "I am retired (Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine from the U. of Tennessee), but continue part-time clinical duties and am active in consulting and post-graduate teaching in the areas of endocrinology and lipid metabolism.My career has been devoted to teaching, research, and clinical care, so I am blessed that at age 80 I can continue to do these in a more modest way. I hope to continue in my work as long as health will allow. The meaning of life is to make your life mean something! Is the world any better for my existence?" -- Bob Persons, 102 Reid Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050; phone and fax, (516) 767- 1776.

49 | We make no apologies for this column. This is the third shot at it. In the last issue, we rejoiced in the fact that we had suddenly received a nice packet of returned news/dues forms.We forgot the "never judge a book by its cover" rule. The news contained therein was very sparse and, in some cases, repetitive. "Enjoying retirement" is not news.We are pleased for you, but expected that to be the case. That piece of information was the sole response from SIX classmates. Please--look at the news form as if it were a "blue book" and fill it, even with the most inane comments! Remember the greats of Prelim fame who could spin the one point they could remember in a course into a complete "blue book," causing the weary grade-giver to yield an inflated number on the theory that "there must be something there!"

In our first attempt at this column, that is exactly what we did.Very pleased with ourselves, we headed off to our timeshare in Newport, RI. Problem: we were unaware that our five-year-old computer had crashed forever. Nothing went out. Nothing was coming in. Chaotic return. Panic. How we wrote around the lack of news contained in the news form, we do not recall. Of course, we didn't keep a copy. Our second desperate effort was rejected by our editor.We cussed her, but agreed that she was correct.

Once more into the breach! Although we still believe there should be a waving white flag icon that fills the screen when a computer is about to die, we are just starting to warm up to our new machine. The first time we turned it on (same server) there were 258 e-mails.We answered class notes; others got a good jolt of "delete."We are annoyed that we miss the frequent "blogs" of Lou Durante, Tony Tappin, and other '49ers; also the Cornell Daily Sun, which we used to receive daily online.

In reconstructing the crime, we can report that Martha Merrifield Steen, San Francisco, CA, had her travel shoes on. After Kezar Lake, ME, in August, she and Bill were to take a cruise up the Hudson River and, then, the Chesapeake.Marty wrote that life is busier than ever in the retirement home and that she just did the seven-and-a-halfmile "Bay to Breakers" walk and survived. Polly Wallworth Riggs, Haverford, PA, says, "After a lotta years as an interior designer, I have time to paint (oils), do yoga, play bridge, and travel. Being busy is good!"We give the busy part a mixed review. Elaine Tobkin Pelavin, San Francisco, CA, writes: "Fortunate--oh so lucky to be healthy, and offspring live five minutes away." Toby was always so upbeat in school and remains so.Whether she is talking about the Napa Valley or her place in Tuscany, she bubbles happiness and brightens the day.

Bill Feinberg, Bayonne, NJ, reports six children and a yellow Lab named Joe. Bill is over-busy with his law firm, writing magazine articles about the outdoors, and serving on all sorts of boards. He and Joan had a wonderful evening with classmate Ken Estabrook '46, BA '49's widow Anne (Evans) '65, MBA '66, and relived the times on the Hill. Bert Warner, Rochester, NY, is pleased to announce his marriage to Gail Freeman Kayson '59. They met at a Big Red Alumni event and, after a European river cruise honeymoon, live at St. John's Meadows, a retirement community in Brighton, a suburb of Rochester. Joe Mengel, Chapel Hill, NC:"Made my first contact with Cyber- Tower. It appears that the lectures had shut down for the weekend, or did I miss a ‘click'? I was sort of hoping I might find a lecture on reaction kinetics by Peter Harriott 4'8 or a heat transfer essay by my cousin Julian Smith '41. The latter would have been useful here today. It is 95 and muggy outside. I'm not sure how I could use Harriott's lecture; he has a nice voice, though."

We would like to help a Spiked Shoe Chem E out, but we are sorting out news that just appeared in an Ithaca envelope that looks worse than a "Colby Import" on Sunday afternoon. Smeared and stamped "Elmira" a number of times, it appears to contain some really old news . . . even post-Reunion! We can't handle that at the moment. Therefore, we will try to cool Joe off a bit with this history. In 1891, Ithaca was dotted with a number of drug stores where many a nickel was spent for a dish of ice cream-- pre-Collegetown, for sure! One hot Sunday afternoon following the services at the Unitarian Church, the pastor and one of his parishioners, Chester Platt, decided to go to Platt's store, the Platt 8 Colt Pharmacy, and ordered two dishes of vanilla ice cream from the clerk who was working that day. The clerk, DeForest Christiance, had a sudden whim and poured cherry syrup on top and dressed it with a candied cherry. It was an instant success and time was spent casting about for a suitable name. The pastor, Rev. Scott, proposed it be named after the day it was invented: Cherry Sunday.

Other flavors followed, as did a public outcry over naming the treat after the Sabbath . . . causing the spelling to be changed to "sundae." To be fair, Two Rivers,WI, and at least six other hamlets claim they invented the ice cream sundae.We reject their claims. Any town that can claim the birth of the "Tully Burger" and the "Garbage Sandwich" from Wes AND Les is on firm ground. Hope you enjoyed the holidays, and have a Happy New Year!

To un-confuse many of you: The only way to e-mail me is to use the Cornell address below. Stay well. Stay happy. Be proud to be a '49er. -- Dick Keegan, 179 N.Maple Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830; tel., (203) 661-8584; e-mail, rjk27@cornell.edu.