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31 | The best (and only) class news that I have right now is not news but is very good. Our own Sy Katz's great legacy to Cornell and our class was a smashing success this year! After the Columbia game last Nov. 11, "The Sy Katz '31 Parade" down Fifth Avenue was by far the biggest and best ever!

Early in the fall my son Bill '65 decided it was high time to start "bending the twigs," i.e., introducing his three granddaughters, ages 10, 7, and 4, to the joys of Cornell by taking them to march in the parade. Their parents Kenny '87 and Kara Vanneman Klein '89, Uncle Ting '67 and Aunt Jane Wallace Vanneman '68, and I, of course, agreed enthusiastically. So, with a lot of help from our honorary classmate Alice Katz Berglas '66, her brother Bob Katz '69, Penny Skitol Haitkin '65, and a host of others they enlisted to help take care of this arthritic old-timer, we staged a family reunion and marched in Sy's parade!

Leaning heavily on my trusty "walker," and sometimes on my sons, I was (almost) able to keep up with the Big Red Band and the cheering crowd of alums--stretching from curb to curb and half a block long--from in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral to the Cornell Club-New York on 44th Street. The Band blared away with "Give My Regards to Davy." The alums sang and cheered. The bewildered natives on the sidewalks and at the blocked-off street crossings wondered what these "crazies" were doing marching down Fifth Avenue to the tune of "Give my Regards to Broadway."

The police blocked off 44th Street to cross-town traffic, and a huge floodlight illuminated the area in front of the Cornell Club and particularly the drum major's ladder, from the top of which he directed a concert of Cornell music. The "committee" had thoughtfully provided for many of us--kazoos shaped a little like Sy's beloved trombone-- so even those who had forgotten the words of some of the songs could join in the cacophony.

Our new president, David Skorton, had graciously agreed to be the Grand Marshall of this year's monster parade, and what an introduction to Cornell enthusiasm he and his charming wife, Robin Davisson, were accorded! They both entered right into the spirit of the occasion, and he furnished the perfect climax by climbing the ladder to the top and imitating the drum major's bend-over-backwards salute to the crowd. If among the alums there were any who weren't sure yet that he was the right person for president of the university, they were convinced right then and there!

I think we '31ders can think of Sy sitting atop one of those tall office buildings across from the club, watching all those Cornellians having a great time down below, and as he did after some of his other less magnificent pranks, simply smiling and gently chuckling to himself.May his parade go on forever! -- Bill Vanneman, 237 N.Main St., Apt. 250, S. Yarmouth, MA 02664-2088; tel., (508) 760-4250; e-mail, ggrampi@yahoo.com.

32 | June 2007 will bring the 75th anniversary of our graduation, and I think that most of our peers will, by then, have achieved a 97th birthday. The university, recognizing the validity of this assumption, has provided a choice that we relics may make between a reunion as we remember them or a get-together in a slightly different format. Because the attendance of 75th-year classes has been very sparse, I am convinced the revised program makes better sense.

Here's how it works: Our class treasury takes care of most of the expenses including lodging, registration fees, breakfasts, lunches, receptions, dinners, and on-campus bus transportation.We may attach ourselves to the 70th-year class (1937 in our case) for programmed activities of all sorts. The young lady in charge of all this is: Deanna Quvus, Alumni House, 626 Thurston Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850-1290; tel., (607) 255-7085; e-mail, DQ11@cornell.edu. This is an elder-friendly program and I know that Deanna will be able to help you. Just communicate with her and she'll take it from there.

In the Nov/Dec issue of this magazine, I mentioned that Charles K. Bassett '14 made a gift of two bells to be added to the chimes in the Library tower. Following is an anecdote involving Charlie Bassett. It goes back a few years to when the Princeton Triangle Club, the U. of Pennsylvania Mask & Wig, and, I suppose, a number of other institutions used to put together elaborate revues, which they took on the road to any number of favored cities.

Charlie Bassett was driving his father along a street on which the rear wall of one of Buffalo's theaters had a fire escape. The Bassetts were in an open car with the top down, and on the fire escape Charlie spotted a group of fellows catching a smoke and dressed for their appearance as the chorus line. Charlie tapped the horn and the fellow collegians waved an acknowledgment. The elder Mr. Bassett said, "Charles, chorus girls! I'm appalled!" Charlie tried to explain, "Dad, those are college men dressed up as girls," to which the reply was, "A LIKELY STORY!" -- Jim Oppenheimer, 140 Chapin Pkwy., Buffalo, NY 14209; tel., (716) 886-1314.

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35 | Dear Classmates:We have received greetings from Larry Dwon in West Kill, NY,Wilfred Kelly in Vergennes, VT, and Ruth Tachna, BA '34, in Sarasota, FL. They report that they are still living in the same residences as previously reported and which we have passed on to you. Thanks very much.

Charles H.J. Bogel (105 Connetquot Rd., Bayport, NY 11705) reports that his granddaughter Erika Ackermann Duffy is Class of '91. He also has seven additional grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, aged 1 through 17. It sounds like you must have a great time when you get together, Charles. Charles has retired from his real estate and insurance business, of which he was president. He was also a Justice of the Peace and a Rotarian with 50 years of service.

Charles has experienced the growth of Bayport from a small village with a post office that had to be visited to pick up the daily mail, to a thriving community with home delivery from four post offices. He has been involved with the Lions Club and the fire department, and over the years his hobbies have been golf and sailing. He lost his wife Marjorie in 1996 after 61 years of marriage.

It may be some time before I can produce another column, as the Class News has temporarily dried up. I send my best wishes to all of you. -- Albert G. Preston Jr., 252 Overlook Dr., Greenwich, CT 06830-6720; tel., (203) 869-8387; e-mail, davada35@aol.com.

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37 | Mary Keane Brady writes: "I am doing well. I live near Nantucket Sound in Harwich Port, MA, on Cape Cod.My family live in the Boston area; one son also lives here in Harwich Port. I have three children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Keep busy with family, friends, and local interests. I am not sure, but hope to be back for reunion--the 70th!" John and AnnHough (Janesville, WI) noted their recent travels: In summer 2005 they took a riverboat trip from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Later, in the fall of 2005, they visited the Big Island of Hawaii. Last fall they cruised from Port Liberty, NJ, to the Maritimes and Quebec and back. They are looking forward to reunion.

Ed Speiser (Wyncote, PA) owned a small chain of ladies apparel shops and retired in 1988. He and wife Lennie report "many fine travels through the years, but none recently." The Speisers have two sons and four grandchildren: Brad attends Boston U., Alex attends Temple U., Jaime attends Elon U., where she is an outstanding tennis and softball player, and Dan is a high school senior. Ruth Mason Phillips takes weekly hikes with a local group near her home in Eckert, CO. "I am still enjoying good health for 91 years and hope to return for reunion. Have recently moved to a larger house with my son, Dr. Arthur Phillips III '69. Still the same area, but a different address."

Mary "Schustie" Schuster Jaffe (Ithaca, NY) serves on the program committee at Challenge Industries, a workshop for the handicapped, where she was on the board of directors for six years. Her hobby is playing recorder with a local group, and recent travel included an Alaska cruise in August. "I will be at reunion." Arthur Harris lives in Rumson, NJ, and his hobbies include tournament bridge and membership in the National Puzzlers League. He has two great-grandchildren, Sofia, 4, and Zeke, 2, and his grandson Isaac Harris is an architect.

Betty Eldridge Boylan (Emporia, KS) has moved to an assisted living apartment and is enjoying all the activities. "I am taking care of myself and have no complaints." -- Class of '37, c/o Cornell Alumni Magazine, 401 East State St., Suite 401, Ithaca, NY 14850. You can e-mail your news to the Class Notes Editor at: adr4@cornell.edu.

38 | George and Dorris Batt of Princeville, HI, sent a copy of their Christmas letter, photos and all: "Our 30th year in Kauai was exceptional.We spent the first week of April with Wendy and Charlie in Virginia to see the beautiful cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in D.C. July and August were spent at the cottage on Long Lake in Harrison, ME. Our 60th wedding anniversary was celebrated August 17 in Maine with friends from Chicago and Cape Cod, along with six part-time Kauai residents and seven Maine residents. Our granddaughter Heather was married in September at beautiful Boturick Castle overlooking Loch Lomond, Scotland. A marvelous, magical time. Two days later we traveled to Heidelberg, Germany, for one week. It was a memorable time visiting relatives and revisiting historic and interesting places nearby. On the way home we had another four days of R&R in Virginia."

From Marshall Hoke (New London, NH): "Closed the sale of the Lakeshore home of 36 years, which was a big chore. Nice to be done with it now. Our extracurricular activity is mostly keeping apace with many descendants."Marshall writes that it's a happy time ("As the saying goes, ‘If it ain't broke, don't fix it'") and adds, "I believe the diversification of the imagination acquired by liberal arts enhanced my related enjoyment of all life's thrills and chores thereafter."He sends greetings and best wishes to all. Bernard Gartlir (Roslyn, NY, and Palm Beach Gardens, FL) is practicing law in New York and Florida.What he remembers best about Cornell is life in the Baker dorms as a freshman and being editor of the Daily Sun.

Dick Goodwin (Silver Spring, MD) and wife Babs live in Riderwood Village, a retirement community of 2,800-plus residents about ten miles north of the White House. "I'm still playing golf, and other extracurricular activities include a genealogy group, daily walks, drives to various points of interest in Washington, DC,Maryland, and Delaware, and visits to family members in Cape Cod and Rhode Island."He's also involved in various activities at Riderwood Village. "I'd like to have all old friends who live in my general area, or who come to the Washington, DC, vicinity, contact me" (tel., (301) 586-8211). Dick remembers his entire four-year career as an undergrad--"especially my Alpha Chi Rho fraternity and the Cornell Cosmopolitan Club." Ruth BarclayWright (Cape Porpoise, ME) writes that she has very few outside activities, except for a Mah-Jong group and "socializing with family and friends. Trying to keep moving! Taking pills!" She says she'd rather be doing the things she used to do 20 years ago. Ruth remembers good friends and activities and the beautiful surroundings.

Harold Segall (Scarsdale, NY) retired from the law firm of Holland & Knight last fall. Harold's colleague Barry Vasios, who happens to be the father of Alison Vasios '02, sent in a copy of the remarks he made at the October 17 retirement party, held at the Yale Club in NYC. They begin, "First of all, Harold was a scholar. He proved that by winning an academic scholarship to Cornell and confirmed that at Cornell by, among other things, winning the Shakespeare Prize. But his achievements as a scholar didn't end at Cornell.He moved on to Yale Law School, where he finished first in a class that included, among other luminaries, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart and President Gerald Ford."

Vasios goes on to describe Harold as a soldier (four years in the US Army), an exceptionally good lawyer, a teacher (Yale Law School and Fordham Law School), a proud family man, and the vox populi, the voice of the people. "You all, I am sure, have been copied by Harold on his innumerable letters to the New York Times and to every daily newspaper in Westchester County.We wish him well in his retirement, which if you are like me, you will believe only when you see that he has stopped coming to the office."

More updates to come in the next issue. Please let us hear about your latest news. -- Class of '38, c/o Cornell Alumni Magazine, 401 East State St., Suite 301, Ithaca, NY 14850. Or e-mail your news to the Class Notes Editor at: adr4@cornell.edu.

39 | Glenn Robinson sold his Florida home after the death of his wife of 62 years in 2002, moved to Brockport, NY, to be near his family, and now lives in an apartment there with his daughter. He plans to return to Florida for a visit this year. He has one great-grandson. Russell Hopping of Roswell, GA, planned to spend Christmas with his family in Denver, then see them again later at their annual outing at St. George Island in Florida. He hopes to return to golfing after repairs at his club are completed--and if his legs permit.

Here's a reminder that Peacemaker's Altruism Manual by Robert Leigh Brown (Lehigh Acres, FL) can be purchased on the Internet at www.trafford.com, the proceeds of which will help support the Bess Brown Center, a housing community at Cornell. Lee Frair of Portville, NY, was in the education field for 35 years and then with the Allegany County Legislature for 14 years. He is in good health and has been blessed with seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Dick Wheeler of Fort Myers, FL, says he is in good shape and exercises regularly. He collects stamps and asks if anyone else is also interested.We received word that John Kaegebein passed away in June 2005. John Macdonald of Phoenixville, PA, passed away on June 9, 2006.

Arnold Allison of Delray Beach, FL, has given up golf and tennis, but now exercises daily in his pool. He was a Physical Education major at Cornell and participated in every sport there. He is in good health and is looking forward to his 70th Reunion. Kenneth Holgate of Dundee, NY, went to the Cornell-Yale game, but says what we need is another Brud Holland, MS '41. Harry Abbott of Louisville, KY, says that he stays active and is involved in two language groups, French and German.

Morris Erdheim, DVM '39, of Boca Raton, FL, sent in a News Form, but with no news. Francis H. Thomas lives in the Piedmont Crossing Retirement Home in Thomasville, NC. Byron Bookhout, MS '40, of Dover, DE, lives in a continuing care retirement home. He participated in the Senior Olympics and is involved in community activities. Robert Latimer, MS '42, and wife Ruth (Phelps) '45, MS '46, live in the Waterman Village retirement community in Mt. Dora, FL. Robert participates in a number of exercising and sporting activities regularly. Oliver Stark of Westhampton, NJ, lives near his son's family and is in fairly good health. He sings 2nd tenor in the Presbyterian Church's choir and has joined the New Jersey Pinelands Preservation Alliance. His wife Margaret (Pearce), a graduate of the Ag college, passed away in 2005. -- Phil Twitchell, 1963 Indian Valley Rd., Novato, CA 94947; e-mail, philtwitchell@comcast.net.

The mail bag is overflowing! Thanks to all who sent their news, which we'll include here and in the issues ahead. Elizabeth "Luxie" Luxford Webster (Hamburg, NY) gives a hint of what's going on with your correspondent as this column was written: "Ruth: Hope you are back from Boston and that all went well for Bernie!" All did go well for Bernie '41 . . . and for Ruth as well. Both had surgery in Boston around Thanksgiving and, after some weeks in a rehab facility, are feeling like their old selves again. It is likely that Ruth will return to write the Women's column herself in the months ahead.

Luxie continues: "Celebrated my big 90 with family in the Adirondacks. Survived an early October snowstorm with high winds and lots of ruined trees; power was off for four days. The monthly sing-alongs are getting bigger--100-plus people at the last one.We always sing a Cornell song to recognize our '39 Songbook. Husband Bill '42 and I are both playing tennis to the best of old-age ability.We also did our annual drive to Lander,WY, and back (3,000 miles) in September and October."

Florence Morgenstern Dreizen (New York City) writes: "I'm still working part-time as an administrative law judge for NYC. I review the other judges' decisions, and they cannot send out their decisions without my approval.My granddaughter Rosie keeps me busy since her mother Alison Dreizen '74 is a senior partner at a law firm and nannies aren't always available.My other daughter, Laura Dreizen Insel '70, still teaches at a high school. Her son lives at a distance from us both, so we have to be satisfied with few visits.My daughters and I have created a large scholarship fund, since all three of us are Cornell grads.We're hoping to see our classmates at our next reunions."

Sadly, we report the death of former Daily Sun staff editor, class leader, and beloved classmate Ethel Piness Abrams of cancer on November 14, 2006. Piney worked as a social investigator for the New Jersey Board of Child Welfare, as a high school teacher, and, after her retirement, as a language consultant for Atkins Int'l, where she taught English to foreign executives of major corporations wanting to do business in the US. Naomi Goldberg Kruvant attended the funeral services in New Jersey and writes: "I enjoyed a close friendship with Piney until her death. She was beloved by her students and clients as well." She will be dearly missed. -- Class of 1939, c/o Cornell Alumni Magazine, 401 East State St., Suite 301, Ithaca, NY 14850. Ruth Gold Goodman, 103 White Park Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850-2258; e-mail, BG11@cornell.edu.