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CULVER MILITARY ACADEMY CLASS OF 1969 May 2016
Dear 69’ers:
I just returned from Reunion Weekend as some of you may have seen on our Facebook page (CMA 1969). I will be sharing the events for all so you can all get a better understanding of what really happens when you are a member of a 50th Reunion Class.
Let me say this; the Class of 1966 went above and beyond what any other class I have seen over the last five 50th Reunion Classes. I assume their class is an aberration as I am not sure exactly how any class could replicate what they did.
Thursday night, Mike Schrage (Co. D; Infantry Battalion Commander) sponsored a Reunion Concert for the students so they could actually hear what music was popular while ’66 were cadets. Well, they didn’t get Paul McCartney or Ringo Star but they probably got the second best thing; a Beatles tribute band called American English. Trust me, as I was in the second row of Eppley, they were great. We heard 90 minutes of Beatles music plus an encore of ‘Heh, Jude’. I saw Paul McCartney last summer and these guys played their hearts out. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t play ‘When I’m 64’, but then neither did Paul. I guess I will just have to listen to my Beatles Anthology album featuring it before my 65th birthday in June.
The next evening, after the One Culver Reception and Dinner (this year in the multi-purpose room of the ice arena-great venue versus the tents), ’66 sponsored a firework display near the lakeshore in front of the Riding Hall. As special extra, the Band played the 1812 Overture accompanied by rifle fire and cannons. Despite a threat of rain, the event was pure magic and all who attended enjoyed it greatly.
Finally, Sunday morning, despite temps in the low 40’s, ’66 closed out their Reunion with hot air balloon rides on the Lake. Thursday and Friday were warm and Saturday and Sunday were cold. I sat with the Legion Board on Saturday afternoon at Parade thinking how cold it was for our 45th Reunion. It was repeat of two years ago!
The one thing that bothered me was the relatively poor attendance by the Class of 1966. There were only about 65 attendees. Now, those present had a great reunion, no doubt, but more than half of their living class members were absent. As many of you remember, my goal is to return 100 of our classmates. I hope, as you read this, that you will nod your head and sign on to make our long weekend in May, 2019 a great success.
This weekend was also the final Reunion Weekend for John and Pam Buxton, who will be retiring on June 30th after 17 years at Culver. I first met John in the Fall of 1999 when I was asked to join a group of Culver people at the Chicago Athletic Association for lunch to meet him courtesy of Dennis Gilley and Craig Duchossois. Over my past five years on the Legion Board, I have heard him speak numerous times to us and to provide his goals and evaluation for and of the school, both CMA, CGA and Summer Schools and Camps. They were a team and the Parents Assn. recently gave each of them a varsity sweater with 17 stripes and each of the team emblems sewn onto the Culver ‘C”. They always were omnipresent at every on campus sporting event. PAGE 2 Over those 17 years, however, I never saw John express much emotion about Culver, other than his very positive message he would always share with alums, parents as well as prospective students and parents. After the Culver Legion Annual Meeting Friday before the Class of 1966 Iron Gate ceremony reenactment, John spoke to the All School Event, which had students and alumni present. He and Pam had just received Class of 2016 Culver Rings from the Culver Legion. He spoke a few words about his/their retirement, asked the Class of 2017 to help the Power’s this fall and closed with the reading John Lewis Adams, ’31 poem on a plaque outside the Legion Memorial Building. It is entitled “On Saying Farewell to Culver”. It reads:
“Before the day of parting comes, before I take my place among the world of men, e’er bugles sound their final notes, e’er when the hand of time shall close evermore this chapter of my life, I’ll walk alone across these lawns, among these stately towers, recalling memories of happy hours, and bid silent farewell to every one, these loyal friends I’ve found. I’ll ne’er forget: They’ll ever keep my soul alive, aglow with youthful memories. And when I span the coming years, before my star has set, I’ll stand with pride once more, and say: “I know she sent into the world a Culver Man!”
John barely made it through the words and obviously was full of emotion. I know the plaque very well and it is quite touching given the author died before his graduation day of a fatal illness.
Saturday morning, Sen. Dan Sullivan, CMA ’83, was honored as Culver’s Grad of the Year. It was a chilly and misty morning and I sat with the Legion Board close to the stage. Across the aisle were a few lads from Battery A complaining of the cold and how early in the morning (10:00am?) it was. I mentioned to them that many years ago we had a weekly inspection Saturday mornings and there was no ‘sleeping in’. One of the cadets saw I was a member of ’69 and he mentioned his grandfather was also. Yes, it was Roger Bird’s younger grandson, Callaway. We had a nice chat before the presentation began. Roger, where did he get his red hair?
Saturday afternoon was the Alumni and Garrison Parade and the weather had not improved much. I didn’t bring any warm clothes and froze over the 75 minute event. I did get a photo of Alan K. Austin in which he wore his original Dress A (new hat) as he led his class to the reviewing line. I commented to him that he was a rather imposing figure in 1965-66 to a plebe and today I am taller than he is.
I did see John Biddulph’s friend, Walt Strzalkowski, Band, CMA ’66, who was the Regimental Mess Officer his junior and senior year. I told him he was a good teacher as I was also the Band’s Mess Officer senior year. John knows him because in March, Walt sold his catamaran, which had been on the market for five years. John was at the Tampa Culver Club Yankee’s spring training game talking about his boat and a fellow Culver grad turned around and mentioned Walt to him. John called a few days later, Walt made the trip up from southern Florida to see the boat and according to John, he had an offer ten days later. Walt specializes in catamarans and obviously knows his business. It is- n’t the first time a Culver Connection has been used in business but John got to see it up close and personal. PAGE 3
That evening, I joined the Class of ’71 for refreshments in the Roberts Hall of Science Building. 1971 included fellow Bandsman George Tanner and his sister, Kris. I naturally asked about our classmate, Doug, and I turned around and there he was. The photo is post-bariatric surgery performed last year. Doug said he lost 180 pounds, I think, and feels better than he did when he graduated. He still works for Agri Stats in Ft. Wayne and is Director of Application Development. He looks forward to our 50th Reunion in three short years.
For dinner, I joined the Culver Coeds, who were having their first ever, designated event over Reunion Weekend. Marti Garrison was supposed to have participated but I heard her mother had passed away and she cancelled at the last minute. Marti was at our 25th Reunion in 1994. But I did sit next to Maggie Sollenberger Craig on Saturday as well as at the One Culver Dinner the night before. Maggie lives in Maryland and has a growing business repairing horse blankets. She told me many stories of being a coed, growing up in her family as a smart student who didn’t want to attend Culver Township High School and I think she just had to share them with someone who would listen. She and I engaged in some very interesting discussions. As much as we might think we came away with (some) issues after Culver, it was apparent that the coeds did also. Maybe the best way to put it is that the country was struggling with the backlash of Vietnam and we witnessed it first-hand both at Culver and at college. Maggie did tell me that her first visit back to Culver in 47 years had been extraordinary and she and husband, Jim, are on board for our 50th in three years. Thanks for making the trip, Maggie! PAGE 4 I learned Saturday evening from an older coed that they felt they had been excluded from the Culver Legion. They were told at graduation that it was an all men’s club and women would never be admitted. While that might have been true in the era of the coeds (1957-1971), in the 1980’s the Annual and Lifetime Membership fees to become a member of the Culver Legion were eliminated. The policy then, as it is now, is that any student who graduated from Culver or even those who did not graduate but left in good stead, is a member of the Legion. I was asked to speak to the coeds stating this fact, which I did, and promised that all will be receiving a letter from the Alumni Office confirming that fact. I shouldn’t be surprised that something like this occurred but I am sorry that it took 50 years to hopefully resolve.
I heard at the dinner table Saturday night, Jay Miracle, that the three Helber sisters always thought you ‘protected’ them growing up before starting at CMA and they were very fond of you. ‘Old memories, how they thrill you”.
I did hear from Joe Harris last month that his 14 year old told him he wanted to attend Culver. I put Joe in contact with the Admissions Department and with Jud Little, ’65, a Trustee who has created scholarships for residents of Oklahoma. I think Joe is a little late for this coming year but hopefully his son will be able to attend Culver in the 2017-18 year as a 3rd Classmen. Dan Gilbert’s comments in my last newsletter echoes something here. Despite almost not graduating, Joe has attended the last three Reunions, most likely more, too. Certainly, one would think that what happened at the end of his Culver career might influence his thinking about Culver. But here he is, a father who recognizes all that Culver did. If I can do anything to help, Joe, keep me in the loop.
SAVE THE DATE NOTICE SIRS (and ladies), this is your Save the Date and FIRST CALL to our Third Mini-Reunion which will start Sunday, February 5, 2017 and end Wednesday, February 8, 2017. Please note this event has been pushed back a few weeks so we can help John celebrate a birthday on February 7th and so the timing of the start doesn’t interfere over two weeks in John’s rental business. PLEASE, mark your calendars!
Lastly, and most importantly, I want thank those who have heeded my call to make a gift to the Culver Fund since July 1, 2015. To date, and these numbers were given to me on May 11th, 36 classmates have given almost $39,000 to Culver. Thank you so much for allowing Culver to fulfill its mission! Our class participation stands at 22%, which is less than our goal of 25%. While I am concerned about the amount raised, I always try to emphasize that class participation in the Culver Fund is essential to Culver’s future. I told that to Maggie last week. It is often hard to understand how Culver’s cost is about $64,000 annually for a student but that it only charges $44,500. Much of the scholarships, financial aid and instructor salaries are spun off from a large Endowment (Thanks, Jeff Adams, the Culver Educational Foundation Treasurer!) but the Culver Fund also helps close the gap between than $64,000 actual cost and the $44,500 in annual tuition. The Culver Fund enables Culver to offer those special programs that makes Culver so special.
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Your gift to Culver is important, no matter if it is $10, $100, $1,000, or $10,000. I urge you to send a check in today or use a credit card and this website link: www.culver.org/makeagift. Each gift is important!
I have been lucky enough to have served the Culver Legion for the past five years and have seen many things up front and personal that many of you have not. Last May, I met Austin Welch, CMA ’11, who was back speaking to the alumni and students about ‘11 Things I learned at Culver’. He was then the First Captain at West Point; the Corps highest ranking cadet. He didn’t use a note when he spoke for 20 minutes. He is an extraordinary graduate, no doubt. I saw him last weekend as he was back for his 5th Reunion. He has spent the last year at Army Aviation School in Ft. Rucker, AL. I was quite honored that he remembered my name. He is typical of what Culver today is producing. I am not so sure I would have been admitted today although John Buxton always says they admit on potential.
I hope this letter finds you in great health with your families doing well. I challenge each of you to go to Culver Connect and call a classmate or two over the summer. We need to start the ball rolling to grow our core group for that 50th Reunion in 2019. Call an old friend and have a few laughs and shared memories.
I hope you all have seen the Spring Alumni magazine and fantastic photo my Maggie took that cold, windy evening in January in Florida. Dan was absent because he was calling United to arrange a future flight as his was cancelled going back to Dulles due to snow. He was on hold for 6 hours, I recall. He made it back two days late but got to enjoy Florida for a few days more.
Please note the upcoming Culver Club events which follow my letter. These are great opportunities to socialize with Culver people. Dan is hosting a Capital Cities Culver Club event at his ‘water park’ on July 23rd. Local classmates, please attend. My Maggie and I will be there and I look forward to seeing you, Maggie Craig and Chuck Gainer; am I missing anyone else?
If you haven’t thus far, please join our Facebook page, CMA 1969.
If I can ever answer any questions you might have about Culver today or our 50th Reunion plans, please don’t hesitate to call or write me.
Best,
Scott Arquilla Class President-CMA 1969 442 Bowhunter Dr. Blythewood, SC 29016-9257 [email protected] 803-851-3256 Home 708-710-1523 Mobile PAGE 6
~Join us for a Culver Club Event in your area~
Friday, June 3, 2016-Culver Club of NE Ohio (Cleveland) Cleveland Indians-Pre-game in The District, Progressive Field, 5:30 pm
Sunday, June 5, 2016-Culver Club of Culver Summer Season Kickoff at Crisp Visual Arts Center, 4-6 pm
Thursday, June 9, 2016-Culver Club of Indianapolis Happy Hour at Blend Cigar Bar 6:30-9:30 pm
Thursday, June 9, 2016-Culver Club of Cincinnati Rhinegeist Brewery Family-Friendly Happy Hour, 6-8 pm
Friday, June 17, 2016 -Culver Clubs of Indiana, Culver Day at South Bend Cubs (Friday Night Fireworks Game with Culver Color Guard Pre-game Ceremony)
Sunday, June 26, 2016-Culver Club of Chicago Chicago Botanic Garden-11:30 am Lunch; 1 pm Tram Tour
Saturday, July 23, 2016-Capital City Culver Club (DC) Pool Party Private Home
Saturday, July 23, 2016 (intended)-Culver Club of LA/OC Picnic/Polo at Will Rogers State Park
Friday, July 29, 2016-Culver Club of Chicago Columbia Yacht Club Upper Salon Happy Hour, 5:30-8:30 pm
Sunday, August 6, 2016- Culver Club of Cincinnati ANNUAL PICNIC
visit www.culver.org/alumnievents or call the Alumni Office at 574-842-7200 for more details