Class of '51

This summer Alma Warrell Briggs and I met for a mini-reunion at the home of Rosemary Traynor ’50 Meyer in St. Louis. Rosemary’s sister, Dot Desrochers, from St. Johnsbury, Vt., joined us, too. We enjoyed lots of laughs reminiscing about "the good old days."

Class of '54

As the author of a column called "Historically Speaking," since 1984, I’ve become an authority on Vermont history. During the past several years, I’ve lectured on the subject at an area elderhostel, and recently I was surprised to meet Bobbie Demarest ’53 Robinson at one of my lectures. She looked like the Bobbie I remembered from UVM days. In the meantime, I received an email message from Jean Joslin Evenson in Panama City, Fla. She and her husband, Loren, celebrated their fortieth anniversary last summer with a trip back to Waitsfield, Vt., where they were wed. Jean, now retired, taught for twenty-six years. She and Loren have a daughter and two granddaughters. Martha Marvin Kelley was honored by the planting of a tree in her name during the UVM Living/Learning Center’s Twenty-fifth Anniversary Celebration. Martha had been with the center for twenty-two years. I look forward to hearing more from my fellow classmates. You can reach me at the above mailing and email address.

Class of '55

I encourage more of you to send news of yourselves, your careers, your family. We’re at the age when many have retired to points unknown. Do let us know so it will be fun to read about what we’re all up to in our class column. Margaret McGowan Shirley wrote that she has taught writing in the English Department at the University of New Hampshire for the past fifteen years. She also has read AP exams for ETS for the past three. Margaret was selected to participate in the annual reading and scoring of the College Board’s advanced placement examinations in English literature. The board gratefully acknowledged Margaret’s comitment and contributions to students and teaching. Peggy Brown Call wrote, "The winter ’98 Quarterly recently caught up with us here in Tunisia, forwarded from our old address in Nonahchott, Mauritania. My husband and I have just retired and have chosen to live in Tunis, Tunisia, for at least a couple of years before returning to the U.S. Your class secretary and husband, Bill, still enjoy running our own real estate company in the Philadelphia Main Line area. We manage to spend a great deal of time in New England with our children and five grandchildren. I was both flattered and pleased to have been accepted as a life member by the National Registry of Who’s Who recently. This was "in recognition of exemplary service, both to community and to profession." Sixteen Tri-Delts from the classes of ’55 and ’56 continue to meet annually in New York City on the first Saturday in November. Rumor has it that they all look fabulous and continue to return year after year from all points North, South, East, and West. Marty Young is happily and
successfully enjoying her landscape architecture business in the Mystic/Stonington, Conn., area. More anon…I wait to hear from you.

Class of '56

George Hansen let us know that he was pleased to find the UVM Web site. He’ll be keeping an eye on what’s going on with fellow alumni through the Web. Lewis Mowry retired in January 1998. He continues to help out on a 500-cow farm, run by his sons, Lew and William. Son Tim is outdoor editor of the Fairbanks Daily News Miner in Alaska. Daughter Elizabeth is married and is a social worker in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Class of '59

Last October 2, 3, and 4, I took the opportunity (because I have plenty of time) to visit the university and attend several seminars. One of those was on how to submit news with a little more substance for our class column in Vermont Quarterly. I’m working on that. The other session of major importance was about the UVM Fund as it relates to the class gift committee for Reunion ’99. This spring will be our 40th. While tramping around campus, it became plain to me that UVM continues to be a New England hub of learning. Bright students on their way to class appear motivated. Talented and competitively-paid faculty interact freely with students. And the intellectual atmosphere is bursting with boundless curiosity. Autumn leaves help. Provost Geoffrey Gamble gave an impromptu talk about where some academic emphasis is being directed: every graduate will be able to express his or her thoughts clearly in writing; the university will be computer wired to serve its entire student body; and environmental studies is a field that provokes such interest that it currently is offered in every undergraduate college. For 1999 and our 40th reunion, consider two commitments to UVM: make a substantial dollar contribution and come to campus for June 3,4,5, and 6. Towards the $290 million that it costs UVM to operate annually, the state of Vermont covers less than 10 percent. Amazing. And it will be fun to get back in touch with each other. One of the featured events at Reunion ’99 is the Presidential Celebration of Classes. That’s where all reunion classes announce their class gift to UVM and President Judith Ramaley receives the gift on behalf of UVM. What a perfect opportunity for the proud class of ’59 to make a ringing statement to the University of Vermont. Nancy Dana Wilson of Glens Falls, N.Y., announced her retirement from Glens Falls High School, where she has taught French and English for the past twenty-nine years. She and Grace Button ’58 Korzum plan to travel to the Galapagos Islands in March. Glenn Skillin wrote from Biddeford, Maine, that he is recovering nicely from quintuple bypass heart surgery that took place in January 1998. He works part-time in an antiquarian bookstore and volunteers weekly at Biddeford’s hospice bookstore. In 1996, Linda Hartwell converted her Burlington, Vt., home into the Hartwell House, a bed and breakfast. She said she thoroughly enjoys this career as well as providing students with private tutoring. Linda would enjoy hearing from old friends and classmates. John Webster of Lutherville, Md., is restoring his family’s summer cottage at Lac Brome, Quebec. Margaret Douglas Hall wrote from Kent, Ohio, "We had our first grandchild on March 7, 1998. A darling baby girl." Stuart Kolbert offered this news from Scarscale, N.Y.: "In October 1997, I took on a new career in commercial real estate, making deals and having fun. In November 1997, I ran the New York Marathon." Tomma Keith Sargent of Fort Pierce, Fla., said she met Mary Arnold Peabody of Bristol, Vt., and Ellen Fullarton Kendall of Lancaster, Pa., at her Lake Champlain camp last summer. All were sisters at Gamma Phi Beta sorority. Lola Foster Smith of North Scituate, R.I., retired last June from a "wonderful" career teaching secondary school mathematics. She said that one of the most worthwhile, interesting, and fulfilling programs in which she participated was called Inclusion, an experience co-teaching with a special education teacher. Lola wrote, "Now we are enjoying learning how to live retired, making time to travel, reading for enjoyment the many books which have been set aside, and watching young people pursue their interesting lives." Patricia Kinsley Packard of Bar Mills, Maine, wrote that her UVM nursing education keeps her deeply concerned about undiagnosed prescription-drug-related illnesses. She teaches in the community, but her real love is the arts, and she is involved in concerts and performances by her son’s theatre company, The Originals. She skis and climbs mountains in her travels to far-off places, such as British Columbia, Peru, Mexico, Japan, and Madeira. Marian Lau Phin of Syracuse, N.Y., wrote that she continues to work. She has grandchildren and enjoys traveling as much as possible. Her most recent trip was a safari to Kenya and Tanzania. Harlan Sylvester is senior vice president at Smith Barney, Inc., in Burlington, Vt. He is also chairman of the board of the Vermont Racing Commission and of the Greater Burlington YMCA. In addition, Harlan is a member of the Board of Directors of Keycorp, the Snelling Center for Government, and the Ethan Allen Club. He also is a member of the Vermont Business Roundtable. Albert Chaffee of Oakland, Maine, keeps busy as president of A.W. Chaffee, a wood ship brokerage and chip plant. Wife Shirley is president of A&S, Inc., a trucking company. This winter, they will travel to Florida for vacation to escape the chilly Maine weather. Later in the spring, they plan to travel to California to visit their daughter, Amy, and her husband, Patrick. Nancy Crawford Dutton of Silver Springs, Conn., is chair of the department of English language in Leicester, Mass. She has been training other teachers for the past four years in "portfolio development and assessment." Currently, she is spearheading a task force for the State of Massachusetts to restructure educational curriculum and is managing project-based learning for the local school system. Her son is studying for a master’s degree, and her daughter is a senior at Boston University’s Sargent School of Physical Therapy. Mary Macey reported from Wallingford, Conn., that she is in her second term as president of the New England Conference of Typographic and Mailer Unions. Currently, she is working to hold the union together because technological changes in the industry have caused declining membership. She is enjoying her six grandchildren, aged three to fourteen. It seems there’s one who could "take UVM by storm," unless his mother convinces him to go elsewhere. Priscilla Roberts Carpenter wrote that she divorced three years ago. She lives in Burlington, Vt., and is happy and busily occupied as a registered dietician and a certified diabetes educator at Fletcher Allen Health Care. She is proud of her five children, all of whom are UVM graduates, and she enjoys all of her ten grandchildren, aged one through seven. Elaine Schneider Taylor-Gordon lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. Two years ago, she sold her ad agency, Taylor-Gordon-Aarons, and joined Kenzer Corp., an executive search company. Elaine finds it labor-intensive but very satisfying. Her older daughter, Jennifer, married Adam Gross on September 20, 1997. Her younger daughter, Heather, was married to Scott Foldner on July 18, 1998. Diane Weiss Mufson of Huntington, W. Va., announced that she was appointed to a three-year term on the State Board of Examiners in Psychology by the governor of West Virginia. Elliott Brown of Washington, D.C., represented the U.S. Department of Justice in
the recent Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area United Way. In that capacity, he raised $1,220,000. For this record-breaking achievement, the campaign awarded Elliott a special recognition pacesetter prize.