1930s 1940s

 

1936
The class of 1936 congratulates the present UVM basketball program, both the women’s and the men’s. It’s a far cry from then to now. The 1936 games were played in the old gym, which had a running track located over it. The track had windows, which were opened to attempt to keep the playing area as cool as possible during the cold winter nights. There was no 10 second rule, no three-point baskets, no 35-second time clock. The big games were with Middlebury, Norwich, and St. Michael’s, plus an occasional one with Dartmouth. In those days, 30 points may have won the game, and 40 points always did. Even so, the fun and excitement has not changed.
Class secretary - alumni@uvm.edu

1937
A letter from Allene Warner Turner brought the sad news of the death of Meredith Turner several months ago. We extend our sympathy to Allene and the Turner family. In 2003, five members of our class came to the Green and Gold Luncheon. I have always found this to be an inspiring affair, and I have been hoping for a better turn out this year. I’ll give you a report of the luncheon in the next issue.
Class secretary - alumni@uvm.edu

1938
Sadly, we report the death of two of our classmates, Kenneth Laplant and Mabel Corinne Clark. Ken graduated from UVM’s College of Engineering and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He served as a church deacon and was an active member of the Masonic Order. He is survived by his wife, Jean Cunningham Laplant of Rutland, Vt.; three daughters; seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. In a letter from John Crispell ’41, we learned that his wife, Mabel Clark Crispell, died on February 25, 2004. She is survived by John and their two daughters, three sons, six grandchildren, and one great-grandson. I’m sure classmates join me in extending sincere sympathy to their families.
Class secretary - alumni@uvm.edu

1939
As we celebrated our 65th reunion in June, we were proud of our Class of ’39 Scholarship Fund. Last year, we were able to assist nine students from several states in completing their education. At the March Vershire Town Meeting, Arthur Sylvester was reelected to the Board of Selectmen for three years and was later elected chair. He currently teaches American Government at the Community College of Vermont and is scheduled to teach Peace and Turmoil in the 20th Century during the upcoming summer session. Please note my new email address below.
Class secretary - msminck@aol.com

1940
Letters from the recipients of the Class of 1940 Memorial Scholarship Fund make very pleasant reading. Seven students received financial aid. Two are enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences; three, in the College of Engineering and Mathematics; one, in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and one, in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. One recipient wrote, “Your scholarship allowed me to focus all of my attention on school and my studies.” A sophomore commented, “I will try my best to uphold the reputation of the University and make the alumni proud.” The nursing student plans to participate in medical missions in Central America, and a prospective lawyer told us that UVM has a strong political science department, where she is in the honors program. A newly-minted mechanical engineer is now proud to be a UVM alumnus. The total amount awarded from our scholarship fund for last year was $11,400. There are 133 members of our class, 49 of whom live in Vermont. Class president Flossie Eaton and I received the following comments from long-time Vermonters: Joyce Gardner Barnett enjoys having family nearby as well as the seasonal variety and scenery in Vermont. She would enjoy a campus bus tour to see the changes time has wrought. Grace Weaver Bottamini stayed in Vermont, because her husband’s medical practice is there. She considers Vermont home. Esther Moore Doran enjoys the Vermont weather, except in January. She is a member of the Teachers’ International Honorary Society, Delta Kappa Gamma, and she serves on the advisory board at the Chittenden Correctional Center and works at the Community School for High School Drop Outs. She has four grandchildren, one of whom graduated from UVM. Florence Wade Eaton is also a member of the Teachers’ International Honor Society. Beneficiaries of her concern are the Church World Service and the Emergency Food Shelf. She expects to join former roommates Betsy Marlow Komline and me at our 65th reunion. My inquiry to Phyllis McGovern Soule, Barbara Campbell Booth, and Heath Riggs brought some comments. Barbara loves Vermont, despite the rigorous winters. She enjoys having family nearby, including three great-grandchildren. Phyllis was enthusiastic about UVM’s men’s basketball victory over Maine. She revels in the snowy winters and notes that the countryside is being gobbled up with housing. Heath lives in Richmond, the town where he grew up. He was a professor of mathematics at UVM for 31 years. Early in his career, he was a pioneer in developing computers. He remembers the excitement of using the first computer in Vermont, which was, of course, at UVM. Your class secretary was the recipient of the 2004 Juliette Low Excellence in Leadership Award, presented by the Girl Scouts of Delaware-Raritan (Central New Jersey). The award was named in memory of Girl Scout founder Juliette Low. I was honored for service to township government, leadership in historical and land preservation, and outstanding community activities.
Class secretary - marytanner@earthlink.net

1941
Our 50th reunion gift will now become the Class of 1941 James Marsh Lecture as part of UVM’s graduate program in higher education and student affairs (HESA) as reported by Jack Bloom, who has long made efforts for this result. The lecture will focus on “cooperation, a discipline essential to preserving the integrity of society.” It will be a wonderful opportunity to explore how contemporary tensions and misunderstandings in these contentious times might be resolved. UVM’s basketball coach, Tom Brennan, was given high praise for leading our team to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a New York Times article written by Jon Hart ’90 last March. After coaching at UVM for 18 seasons, Brennan developed an excellent team with a season record of 22-9. They played before enthusiastic fans, many of whom saw UVM lose to top-seeded UConn in Buffalo. Several ’41 basketball players were proud of the national attention this year’s team received. Classmates who are members of the Green & Gold Committee have been working for the success of the $250 million Campaign for the University of Vermont. They include Oletha Thompson Bickford, Jack Bloom, Rae Sheehan Cummings, Robert Davis, Jane Hadley, Elizabeth Gurney Lauritzen, Francis Nye, and our president Carole Stetson Spaulding. They urge all of our classmates to participate and make a difference. Arnie Becker wrote that he and his wife, Ruth Spivak (’42) Becker, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Celebrating with them were his sister, Lily, and her husband, Irving Lisman ’34, Jack and Eleanor (’43) Bloom, Jean Blume (’43) Schpero, and Phyllis Fine (’42) Perelman. The Beckers have ten granddaughters, one of whom is a UVM graduate. Arnie reported that he keeps in touch with other physician classmates, Art Wolk, Bill Pratt, and George Tulin, MD ’43. Although his Connecticut home is near his 23 grandchildren, Bill Buckley wrote that he is a widower, and he keeps active each winter in Florida, where he enjoys bowling, playing golf, and walking. Carlo Domenichini reported from Lexington, Mass., that his wife, Mary Ann, died in December 2003, leaving a son and a daughter. From her home on Cape Cod, Agnes Conley Dowling wrote that she was pleased that her granddaughter, Miriam Dowling, received early admission to UVM for next fall. Alice Cole Milazzo sent news that she had recovered well from recent surgery and was looking forward to her February birthday. Francis Nye described a recent pleasant visit to Santa Fe, where he and his wife celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary and attended the 35th annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. He wrote that he’s looking forward to our 65th reunion in 2006. Classmates who have checked out the new UVM website at www.uvm.edu found it to be very attractive and useful, complementing the University’s recruitment publications and providing updated campus information.
Class secretary - maywoodak@comcast.net

1942
Our sympathy to Pearl Marvin Welch and her family on the death of her husband, Clayton. Ethel Shippee Heyland wrote, “My daughter tells me I’m doing great for 87. I’m still living in my own home and still drive about town. I recently welcomed the birth of my second grandson.” Ethel makes her home in North Babylon, N.Y.
Class secretary - alumni@uvm.edu

1943
I have an impressive news item to report for this issue. I know that you will all be happy to learn that our classmate, George Little, was chosen by the Northern New England Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, as the Vermont Philanthropist of the Year for 2003. The award is based on the scope, impact, and efforts of the individual in making his community a better place. Warm congratulations to George and his wife, Barb. Margaret Charles Lang wrote that she had a wonderful three-week tour of China last October. She commented, “It is impressive how the Chinese are embracing private enterprise. We already know that they manufacture almost everything we buy.” Harry Twitchell, our inveterate traveler, spent three weeks in Great Britain last year. He attended the 450th anniversary of Tonbridge School, his English alma mater. He also traveled to Pearl Island, San Blas Island, and the Panama Canal last year. Already this year, he has attended the Pan-European Sports Equipment Exhibition in Munich, Germany. I was very glad to renew acquaintance with Frank Swift, a good friend of Harry’s, at a bridge tournament. Frank looks great, and he told me he is the same weight that he was in high school. How many of us can say that? One last item…I had a surprise call last week from Ada Selleck Coats, who now lives in a retirement community in Las Cruces, N. Mex. Ada was a UVMer only her freshman year, and she lived in Sanders Hall. She still feels like one of us. After leaving UVM, she became a nurse in the Army Air Corps and flew the Pacific transporting the wounded during World War II and the Korean War. She later married a fellow officer and settled in Santa Barbara, Calif. Thanks to all of you who communicated and shared. It means a lot.
Class secretary - junevt@sover.net

1944
We remember many visits to Burlington, visits in fact and in fancy, and we are amazed at what we have not forgotten. For this issue, we have heard from Pat Fowell Pratt and Chester McCabe. Sadly, Pat’s husband, Judson, has died, but she is not too far from her two daughters. Her present home is Southminster, an independent retirement community in Charlotte, N.C. As this column is being written, she is on a river cruise in Holland. I also received a message from Chet McCabe, who wrote from Chadds Ford, Pa. He finds the new life on campus exhilarating and sad, lamenting the disappearance of many friends from our era, especially his college roommate, Paul Walgren. He also noted, “It has been nearly 60 years with many great adventures, a wonderful family, 35 years of professional activity, 20 years of retirement, 25 years in local government, and 10 years of continued education at an Academy of Lifelong Learning.” Trips have included Hudson Bay, Canada, the St. Lawrence, and the Erie Canal. Last summer, Chet visited New England and Vermont, exploring the McCabe Brook in Shelburne, most likely named for his grandfather. He wrote, “This leaves only a few moments to be restless. Hope to get back to reunion for more pleasant memories.” He sent good wishes to all. In the fall issue, we will have news of our 60th reunion, and, we hope, news from you.
Class secretary - wdy3121@netscape.net

1946
The class of ’46 was well represented at the Sarasota Alumni Luncheon in March. Attending were Nancy McNamara Harris and husband Cliff, Joan Garrity O’Brien and husband Ned, and I attended with my sister Pauline Bristol (’37) Noonan. I was lucky enough to spend two months visiting her in Englewood, Fla. We all enjoyed hearing Dr. Geoff Tabin speak and getting together with other UVM alumni. Joan and her husband, Ned, have a new granddaughter, born to her son and his wife, both successful models in Europe. Mary Jean Dunsmore Cox called from Reno, Nev., where she spent the winter with her children. She will be back at her home in St. Albans, Vt., for the summer. Alberta Read Reed and husband, Wendell, both enthusiastic supporters of UVM basketball, also spend the winter in Englewood, Fla. I enjoyed giving her a call when we were watching UVM beat Maine. Hope those who attended enjoyed the Green and Gold Luncheon in June. Please send me news for the next issue.
Class secretary - hastories@mymailstation.com

1947
Marie Perron Pepin retired after 26 years as a high school teacher. She has been living in Belchertown, Mass., for the past 50 years. Marie and her husband, Art, did a lot of flying in their early years, and she is proud to say that she earned her private pilot’s license and so did Art. Until recently, they enjoyed skiing in Vermont as well as boating and fishing on Cape Cod. She is very sad to say that Art passed away in 2003 after they had shared 53 wonderful years. It was a great human experience. They had one son, Glenn, who passed away in 2000. Marie hears from old friends via email at mtpepin@juno.com., and she continues to spend her summers in Wellfleet, Mass., on Cape Cod.
Class secretary - rdharper@comm.umass.edu

1948
Even though he sports the label “retired dairy farmer,” Everett Andrews keeps active raising sheep and keeping a small Vermont-made articles store open in his barn during the summer. Everett has four daughters, all UVMers; eight grandchildren, three are UVMers; and one great-granddaughter. Now and then, he seeks the world outside of Richmond, Vt., visiting the western states, England, and Florida. Greetings to classmates were received from Ann Geary of Larchmont, N.Y.; Ernest Stockwell of Rome, N.Y.; Gloria Cochran of Norman, Okla.; and Anthony Alberico, M.D., who related with enthusiasm that he retired after being the medical director of the Philadelphia Police Medical Association. Still happily married, he is proud of this three sons and their families. When, occasionally, he has a slow day, he studies Italian and catches a catnap or two. Gwendolyn Stiles Ball has lived in Boulder, Colo., since 1961. She frequently travels to California to visit her three children and three grandchildren. She has been active in the League of Women Voters for more than 40 years. In 1998, Wendell Stimets, M.D., retired from general practice in Swanton, Vt. Retirement with his wife Helen allows close contact with his four children as well as a travel excursion to Germany in 2000. The short growing season of northern Vermont results in experimentation in gardening and a collection of successes and failures in Wendell’s victory garden. A 60th wedding anniversary was enjoyed by Fred and Anna Capen (’46) Webster along with their six children, 17 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Five of their children and five grandchildren are UVMers. Fred was in the service during World War II, then he became a professor of agriculture resource economics and retired as a professor emeritus. In retirement, he is a lister for the town of Williston, Vt. His wife, Anna, is a member of the PEO Sisterhood and is an active producer of hand-dyed scarves. Oops! In the last issue, your secretary goofed by giving Deborah Cobb a new last name. She is and has been Deborah Cobb Lundblad for 53 years, and she lives in Brunswick, Maine. Send me your news for the next issue, and I’ll find you a new last name.
Class secretary - alumni@uvm.edu