All the Roads Taken: Class of 1971

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All the Roads Taken

Class of 1971 50th Reunion Yearbook Supplement

Middlebury College June 2021 Class of ’71

2 SUPPLEMENT Class of ’71 With the official canceling of our on-campus Reunion in June, the Reunion Committee felt it was important to try to get as many of our classmates as possible to submit bios to the Yearbook by way of a Supplement. After sending out the Yearbook earlier this year, it had already prompted some of our classmates to submit bios in the hope we would find a way to include them. As a result, we have some new bios, but unfortunately, we also have new “In Memoriam” to add. In addition to the bios and memoriams, we have added an article on the Woodstock experience and some MiddMoments.

We hope this Supplement and the Yearbook will provide you with some connection to our class that we would have shared in person. The College is trying to find a time when the reunions canceled due to COVID-19 (1970 and 1971) will be able to have in-person gatherings. We are planning some virtual events in June during the Reunion at Home dates (June 7–13), that we hope you will participate in and enjoy. Until then, enjoy the stories and the memories of even more “roads taken”!

Gay Mann Folland Peter Wood 1971 Yearbook Co-chairs

When Tom Rush was on campus, before his concert, he got a kick out of watching and playing with the dog catching a Frisbee. He even mentioned it at the concert—so it is tied back to our time at Middlebury.

3 Class of ’71

MIDDMOMENTS

An addition I remember a time when there was a bagpiper playing as we walked to the SDU buildings for dinner. He was in a kilt and silhouetted against the sunset. A beautiful image in my mind forever! —Lynn Turner Cluff

A correction Laird Myers and I were studio art majors. Pleiad by the Snow Bowl. I am not a big I got to know him during art classes Soph- consumer of fish, but as we were cooking omore year. He was an incredibly talented the brook trout we had caught over small artist, sensitive, caring, funny and serious si- campfires, another aroma struck me. It was multaneously. The attached photo was taken coming from Laird’s frying pan. He had while we were recording his paintings onto brought fresh mushrooms and butter with slides in the Johnson Art Building. him. That evening, Laird introduced me to I learned a lot from Laird. But the one mushrooms sautéed in butter, now a lifelong piece that I have carried with me for over favorite. Thank you, Laird! fifty years, other than his friendship and —memory from Craig Morris, not warmth is different. During senior year, a Mike Kintner as previously written on group of us camped overnight next to Lake page 289 of Yearbook.

4 JOHN S. BATTLE III “John” Class of 421 Ward Street, Seattle, WA 98109 c. 206-390-2314 | [email protected] ’71 After graduation, I worked Union. In 1995, I as a carpenter first in Maine joined Microsoft and then in Richmond, as a project VA, my hometown. Soon I manager and for got on as a gofer in an architect’s office and began the next five years, to explore that profession. This led me to apply to I traveled to many Columbia’s graduate school of architecture. Before cities in the U.S., matriculating, another carpenter friend of mine Europe, and Asia and I traveled and worked our way across the as the Director of country to San Francisco. There were about a dozen Worldwide Design Middlebury classmates who migrated to SF at that and Construction. time—enough for us to have many softball games Raising my son together—and many of us have stayed on the West and remodeling my Coast after that introduction. houseboat kept me I returned to NYC and, following a year of sane in those days! architecture school, I returned to SF and joined In 1999 I married my current wife, Candice, and other friends became a stepfather to her two wonderful children. from Virginia For the next ten years, our blended family enjoyed renovating living on the lake and traveled several times to Eu- the Victorian rope. I became a partner in a development manage- homes there. ment firm and managed the design and construction After a few of several wonderful projects, including the Seattle years in SF, Art Museum and the first phase of Amazon’s head- my love for quarters. the outdoors In 2008 with the sudden death of a friend, and waterways the youngest child in college and exhaustion from took me to commercial development, I resigned from corpo- Washington rate life. I trained for a complete knee replacement State and I set- and during the recovery, we plotted our next phase, tled in Seattle. which was to sell the houseboat, buy a townhouse I worked as a in downtown Seattle and a cabin in the Methow union carpen- Valley in north central Washington. ter on I became a consultant and an owner’s represen- commercial buildings, then started a business as a tative for commercial construction projects, and I general contractor and began attending classes in had the opportunity to be involved in many enjoy- construction management. able projects, including a cable-stayed pedestrian I married in 1980 and began working in the field bridge in the Methow Valley, a seismic retrofit of of commercial construction management through- my church in Seattle, and the renovation of the out the Puget Sound region. Over the next ten years, Space Needle in Seattle. we had a son, built a solar home, and hiked and I am now finally retired and we split our time sailed around the Northwest. between Seattle and the Methow Valley. We are My marriage ended in 1990, and instead of a red involved with several nonprofit boards and I serve as sports car, I bought a houseboat on Seattle’s Lake chairman of the local Planning Commission.

5 LOUISE GENTRY BRENNAN “Louise” Class of 303 S. Jefferson Street, Lexington, VA 24450 c. 202-904-5927 | [email protected] ’71 So, clearly, I missed the deadline for the yearbook! It’s been a particularly busy year, with a slightly uninten- tional relocation from DC to the Shenandoah Valley during the pandemic, but I’ll try to catch you up on what preceded that. After graduation from Middlebury, I did a master’s in English at UVa, where I paid in-state tuition as a Virginia resident, but that’s the best thing I can say about that year. I finished as quickly as I could, and then took a teaching job in Manches- ter, NH, at a small independent high school where I was generously taught by my colleagues how to be a teacher (and generously supported by my students which faced huge challenges. He often told stories of who knew that I didn’t know what I was doing). coming to court with his notes on legal pads which In short, I fell in love with teaching—especially he had brought from home, and then facing a bank with high school teaching where students are so full of law-firm lawyers with paper, pens, and assistants of life, courage, and openness to new ideas. They aplenty. But he loved his colleagues and he fought are also very funny about themselves while remain- hard for causes that really matter. ing serious about the world; I have felt lucky to be We lived on Capitol Hill, just five blocks from among them. the Capitol, and raised our three children there. In 1974 Bruce Brennan ’72 and I married, and We sledded on the Capitol grounds, walked to the then moved to Virginia where he attended law museums, rode our bikes around the Lincoln school at Washington and Lee and where I taught Memorial, renovated an “unlivable” Victorian in a community college. (Older students are also rowhouse, and loved the feeling of living in a small inspiring, I found out!) Then we moved to DC, town in the midst of a big city. where I taught at Georgetown and at American Then Covid pushed us to give over our Capitol before realizing that high school teaching was what Hill house to our daughter and her family (who had I loved best; I found my dream job at Georgetown just sold their own house and needed a place to land Day School where I taught for twenty years. GDS’s for a few months while she applies to veterinary commitment to great literature (I taught Shake- dentistry programs), and to move to Lexington, speare, Milton, Morrison, Faulkner, Dubois, Ellison, VA, where I grew up. We now live in my childhood and others), combined with its furthering of social home, with a big garden that is my joy. We still get justice, makes it an inspiring place. I made lifelong to DC regularly, and we hope to get back to NYC friends among both faculty and students who to see our other set of grandchildren once everyone continue to be a gift now that I have retired. is vaccinated. In the meantime, we take long walks, Bruce worked in DC for the Corporation read a lot, work to rid our garden of invasives and to Counsel where he dedicated himself to working encourage native plants, and feel very fortunate to for a strapped, understaffed municipal government be where we are.

6 AGNES S. CHARLESWORTH “Nancy” Class of 12 High Pasture Road, Kittery Point, ME 03905 207-439-3354 c. 207-752-2788 | [email protected] ’71 How does one summarize After gradu- what happens in a life over ation, I drove the course of 50 years? The across the outer activities unfold in, and U.S. with out of, order, while one’s inner life evolves simul- Obie Benz taneously, and we struggle to make sense of it all. and landed Gradually we become more fully wrought in color, in San Fran- detail and depth—who we are, what works we will cisco, con- attend to. We entered Middlebury at a time of great necting there social change—a time charged with racism, politics, with other art, social evolution, gender equality, and extraor- Middlebury dinary music. We were there(!) as American youth classmates. I was questioning the country’s mores and principles, pursued my endeavoring to create the social changes that haunt music educa- us still today. tion vigorously and stayed At a gig in NH with swing band. for 25 years. Philosophy and music remain my life’s focus. I relocated to Maine in 1997. Last year I was invited to write and read for a consortium of poets. The prompt was to focus on a place and time where a significant event took place whose import we didn’t necessarily recognize at the moment. A piece of music we associate with that time was to frame the poem. I share this poem, entitled “1968,” because all of us entered Middlebury College at this charged time to begin the journeys that beckoned us then and whose mysteries are still unfolding. Hopefully some of you will see points of familiarity In Dorset, VT with Nancy Crawford ’70 and Joanna Mintzer. with the poem’s complex emotions, feelings you may recognize about that particular place and In the midst of this turmoil, I switched time, and the drama of coming of age which we majors from math to philosophy. Hegel, Marx, all experienced and are joining in this reunion to the Existentialists all seemed vital and relevant. reflect upon together.

7 1968 by Agnes S. CharlesworthClass of A sub-zero January night Vermont. Pitch black, two freshmen girls chat themselves to sleep. I want to be a virgin ‘til I’m married. Yeah, so do I. Four miles away forty firemen struggle against a raging fire. ’71

By morning Theta Chi fraternity is leveled. Blackened beams remain, thick icicles draping cinder and ash. Four young radicals, having nearly lost everything, settle into housing on Storrs Ave.

Now it’s a March Sunday morning at #55. Single bed, dirty cords, wool tights, blue work shirt strewn across the floor, Karl Marx on the wall and Laura Nyro is singing her Wedding Bell Blues. Bill, I love you so and I always will.

My boyfriend’s fire hasn’t cooled. It’s 1968 and how long could one be expected to wait? I look at you and I see the passion eyes of May But am I ever going to see my wedding day? Passion was the lingua franca of those years.

In a few weeks I’ll total my boyfriend’s blue TR4 on black ice. He’ll replace it with an old tan VW bus. He’ll reassure me the big scar across my chin is sexy. We’ll spend the summer in a cockroach infested Atlanta ghetto, Fighting for equality.

In a few weeks, we’ll all gather in mourning on the quad just outside #55 Storrs Avenue while Martin Luther King’s voice pumps from all the open windows, I Have a Dream.

But it’s quiet this bright sun March morning Laura is singing, her clear young voice my encouragement. And When I Die and when I’m dead and gone there’ll be one child born in this world to carry on

Today is the day to break my vows, to release the precious separation of I and thou. No fireworks exploding, no bells ringing out, I’m diving in, right off the edge of innocence.

Into what? Womanhood is a long way off. So is the ERA. White sheets will not be hung from the balcony to exhibit their blessed red stain. No one will ask. There’ll be no one to tell. His flannel sleeping bag holds us. It’s 1968. I’m signing on with my man.

8 CHRISTOPHER H. IRION “Christopher” Class of 38 Old Route 5 South, PO Box 267, Putney, VT 05346 c. 415-643-8986 | [email protected] ’71 This Road Taken—Long and Winding and Mostly Full of Joy

I would characterize myself in my Middlebury years social circle really as shy and cynical, but friendly. is much greater and Like many of us just on the edge of a long voyage more deeply inter- of self discovery, not particularly in touch with my connected than the feelings or having any well-defined dreams. Longing five to seven people and bewilderment were often present emotions. That, we like to hang out and a nascent, hardly recognized, creative drive. with and the person I left after sophomore year for RISD to study we get our coffee painting. After various jobs as carpenter, dishwasher, from in the morn- serious restaurant cook and kitchen manager, ing. running a black and white darkroom and a few I’ve done over others, I left for 30 years in San Francisco with a 27 projects around the country, including muse- successful career as first an editorial and then ums, schools, colleges, city neighborhoods and advertising photographer. A daughter who is small towns. Since we often photographed hundreds undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to of people in a day, it was a regrettable that many me. Two wives. Now very content being single and of those I met had no chance of turning into new solitary with a boatload of friends. 50 years of med- friendships. (Although there have been some very itation have slowly allowed me to shed my cynicism wonderful exceptions.) But having to be a barker and self protection, or so I’m told, and definitely and a wrangler in order to get people to participate deepened my sense of connection to all things. blasted away whatever residual shyness I had, and But most rewarding work of my career has been made me realize that everyone has a story. (See next the last 15 years of traveling across the country page and http://www.thePhotoboothProject.org) creating large scale public installations comprised of That led me to my current focus of making small several hundred oversized photographic portraits of films about my friends and neighbors as a way of members of a particular community, using a portable continuing to show us back to ourselves, in ways studio somewhat resembling a PhotoBooth. The idea that we have certainly lost touch with during Covid, behind but I think we were already losing in our hyper-fast these world. (You can see some examples on The “Putney projects News Service” YouTube channel.) is to My appetite for material novelty is relatively show modest, So assuming I don’t have to pay anybody that else, I can do pretty much anything I want. com- The winter of Covid induced hibernation has munity truly deepened my appreciation for solitude. And I back to deeply love my friends. As we seem to head inexo- itself rably toward any number of cliffs that don’t foretell and a good outcome for us who think we are at the top hope- of the food chain, I see our last duty is to gather our fully friends and celebrate them, each and every one. suggest I have a warm heart thinking of all of you. Thank Local Harvest Lantern Supper, Putney, VT that our you for being part of such important years. 9 PHOTOBOOTH PROJECT Class of by Christopher Irion ’71

Detail of PhotoBooth Project installation, Putney, VT 2005

10 DIANA E. MARLER NELSON Class of “Lisa” 2148 Cote Hill Road, Morrisville, VT 05661 802-760-7278 | [email protected] ’71 We live in Morrisville VT, thus reducing the just north of Stowe, where likelihood of dog we had lived for about 20 bites. (Each year, years. Morrisville is also 4.5 million people known locally (maybe globally, it would not surprise are bitten by dogs me) as “Mo’Vegas.” Also, “if you can’t find it in in the U.S. and the Morrisville, you probably don’t really need it”… majority of these When we moved in 2008, we moved ourselves, people are children. three donkeys and three goats plus house pets too. The good news is My donkeys are now 28 years old and I have had that most dog bites them since they were six months old. They must be can be prevented getting sick of me by now. We have layer chickens, if kids and parents a small team of rabbits which landed here through understand how to various bad turns in their lives and, in the house, be safer and more several dogs, one cat, and as always—for the past appropriate around 30 years—several guinea pigs. dogs.) I am very We: is moi-self and my husband Bill. We have connected to and a 22-year age difference—nope, he is not 48. We interested in animal have been married for 31 years. The past few years welfare issues both have been very difficult for him although he main- in this country and tains an upbeat attitude and a huge work ethic globally and spend regarding keeping himself as fit as possible. He has time working on three children in New England and there are eight those. grandchildren, age ranges 24 to 37. Most of them Having reread live out west. this, I sound like I retired in 2015—from veterinary practice. I am very serious I miss many things about it, but not all, and am these days. Not very glad I have more time now to spend at home. really. It is hard to Given the number of animals we have, I am still in be serious around practice, but the pay is very poor! I will always be a donkeys anyway. veterinarian in my heart and head, and for over 30 I find great joy in years have been very involved with our state veteri- my life and our life nary medical association. Three years ago I was -ap together, and rely pointed to a Vermont government task force to draft on humor, music, new and desperately needed standards for animal family, friends, and housing; this bill passed, which was really rewarding. being outside to Last year a colleague and I developed a PowerPoint navigate through presentation for elementary school children which this weird time in teaches them how to interact safely with dogs, particular.

11 EVERETT C. PERINE “Perry” Class of 50 Bay Road, North Falmouth, MA 02556 c. 860-634-3818 | [email protected] ’71 I’m sitting on the deck of my home on Cape Cod and drinking in the natural beauty that surrounds me. Another spring has arisen and life once again begins afresh. It’s the kind of scene that beckons reflection and so my thoughts drift back through the years as I contemplate the path I have followed to be here. Fifty years ago, I moved on from Middlebury to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a doctor. Little did I anticipate that over the next decade I talizations, job loss and graduations—and tragically would give up that dream and become a biology 9-11 and Sandy Hook) and helping them to grow in teacher in a private boarding school. There I would faith as they struggled with questions and uncertain- experience a life-changing “spiritual reawakening” ties that day-to-day life imposed on them. and enter seminary to begin what would be a seven- It was in the year 2014 when everything in my year journey culminating in my being ordained an life seemed to come together with new freshness Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Vermont in 1986. and new meaning. I found myself drawn to Francis- can spirituality and filled with a burning desire to explore alternate expressions of Christian faith in the twenty-first century. I met Lynn, who has become the love of my life. And I ended the year by suffering a heart attack on Christmas day from which I emerged not only healed but with a renewed love of life. It was time for me to plan my retirement. Lynn and I have since moved to Cape Cod. where we take full advantage of our surroundings. As often as we can, we visit my daughters Meg and Vivian (a transgender woman) and Lynn’s children and grandchildren. We routinely return to Middle- bury to see my mom (now 95 and still amazing) and For the next three decades I found myself my brother and his family. For our part Lynn and I immersed in parish ministry, serving churches in have decided to give our time and love to enhance Vermont, New Jersey (suburban Philadelphia), the lives of people around us: Lynn as an ESL tutor and Connecticut. In those years I discovered (often for immigration services and I as a volunteer at a through the proverbial “baptism by fire”) the local Episcopal Church. breadth and depth of commitment and responsibility That’s my story—a journey that has led us here, demanded of clergy. While those burdens proved to sitting on the deck of our home on Cape Cod, signs be exacting and challenging, they became avenues of spring and life all around us. As I look back over for personal and professional growth, often hum- 70 years, it’s been a wonderfully unexpected and bling, but always spiritually uplifting. Over those remarkable ride, full of twists and turns, joys and years the greatest blessings I received emerged from sorrows, successes and losses, uplifting moments the privilege of journeying with parishioners as and painful ones—and I am at peace. It’s my jour- they lived through life-changing events (births and ney and it’s a ride that perhaps promises that the deaths, weddings and divorces, illnesses and hospi- best is yet to come.

12 ~ In Memoriam ~ Class of ALICE HORTON PERRY October 28, 1949 to June 30, 2020 ’71 Alice Horton Perry was from Bethesda, MD. She graduated from Walter Johnson High School there. She earned high honors in English at Middlebury and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She went on to Columbia University, where she earned her M.A. in English. She taught at Milton Academy, Albuquerque Academy, and finally at Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque, NM, where she retired as department chair. Judith Irving remarked that, “It did not surprise me one bit that her career was centered on literature. She was a reader, a thinker, a writer. She was a solid, consistent, fun-loving friend and had a sense of calm and maturity about her that made her…unique.” Stevie Olson was a student of Alice’s at Sandia Prep School in Albuquerque and a 2015 graduate of the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English. He wrote of Alice that, “…for many students, Ms. Perry was that rare teacher who energized a lifelong love of writing, reading, and being. She dedicated her professional practice to nurturing young people into caring, insightful community members. Alice chose texts and led discussions that challenged norms, explored the interior self, and deeply respected the teenage participants. From her corner classroom overlooking the Sandia Mountains, Alice led the Sandia Prep English Department by bucking educational trends in favor of beautiful literature and peer-to-peer interactions…. Alice will be remembered for teaching students to offer compliments to each other, enjoying a baseball game or tennis match, and living with fierce independence.” Susan Walton, a colleague of Alice’s at Sandia Prep, said of her that “I know Alice Perry as an engaged listener. She remembered conversations with students and picked up where they left off, whether it was later that day or several years later. She was the English teacher all the kids wanted to write their college reccommendation letter. And she would write insightful letters for all who asked it of her. She offered bridge as an activity during school hours and she would occasionally meet students or alumni to play bridge on weekends at a coffee shop. She was not a pushover. Her convictions were precious and she lived them no matter how difficult. I still have a thank you note Alice wrote me, for no particular reason, maybe because she thought I needed an “atta-Girl.” Hers is a gigantic loss for our school and for our society, because she made us want to be better people and to emulate her good qualities.” Alice was predeceased by her husband, Philip Perry, and her son, Sam. Her daughter Emma survives her.

13 ~ In Memoriam ~ Class of MADELINE B. NEILSON ROCKWELL March 25, 1949 to March 4, 2021 ’71 We learned of Madeline’s death after the publication of our Reunion Yearbook. The entry from Madeline and Charlie Rockwell notes Charlie’s early pursuit of Madeline and includes a fair amount about their lives after their June 1971 marriage. Almost fifty years followed, full of motorcycle racing, teaching skiing, and homeschooling their two daughters, Katherine and Susan. Madeline was originally from Unionville, PA, and graduated from St. Timothy’s School near Baltimore. At Middlebury, she majored in Geography. She was an athlete and an avid horsewoman, a passion passed onto her girls. She co-founded Vermont Reading Partners to support adult literacy, took on annual organizing work for the Vermont/New Hampshire Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and served on the board of Merck Forest and Farmland Center near Dorset VT. Most recently, Madeline had joined the board of the Bart Adaptive Sports Center, where she taught students with different physical and emotional needs to ski. Madeline is remembered for her quick wit and dry humor. Her storytelling gift could turn an amusing incident into a legendary saga, leaving her audience guffawing and wondering how far the truth had been stretched.

14 JAMES W. RUNCIE “Jim” Class of 500 Parsonage Road, Starksboro, VT 05487 802-453-4603 | [email protected] ’71 The first time I set foot in Vermont was for freshman orientation in 1967. Except for graduate school, I have lived in Addison County ever since. After college I worked at various jobs until 1977, when I started law school at UNC. Within a couple of days of arriving in Chapel Hill, I ran into Christina Dal Molin ’75, who was there getting a Ph.D. in zoology. We’ve been married 41 years. After graduate school we moved back here. I started with a law firm in Burlington, and then in 1985 joined Jim Ouimette in his law practice in Vergennes. I can’t imagine a law partnership that could have worked out better. We have worked together for more than 35 years without a serious disagreement. We never felt the need to add another lawyer to the firm until we had the chance to hire Jim’s son, Jeremy, who joined us two years ago. At this point, I am mostly retired while Jim and Jeremy carry on. Chris and I bought an old house in Starksboro in 1981. Our children, Dan, Tom, and Julia came more traveling on our own, including hiking excur- along soon after. As we outgrew that home we built sions such as a 5-day trek in Colombia to the another about a mile away, where we still live. Ciudad Perdida, the Tour du Mont Blanc, and the One of the reasons we wanted to live in Vermont Coast-to-Coast in England. Of course, we were was that it is obviously the best state to live in, so grounded in 2020, but did hike almost every day, our kids would surely return after college. But no. locally and in the Green Mountains and the Adiron- We had taken ski trips out West, and our kids fell in dack High Peaks. A favorite walk is out our door love with big mountains. Dan is an assistant professor and then over Hogback Ridge into the next town, of genetics and biostatistics at UC Davis, married Monkton, where we end up on Mary and Craig to Alexandra, from Colombia, whom he met in Morris’s porch visiting old college friends. graduate school. Tom is a house painter/skier in For us, and perhaps for most classmates, the Crested Butte, CO, married to Laurel, whom he met hardest part of the pandemic has been separation at Dartmouth. Julia is a wildlife biologist in Bishop, from our children and grandchildren. Skype saved CA, active in Search and Rescue and local theater. us. Our nine-year-old grandson in California was She is engaged to Vic, another SAR volunteer, who in school remotely until April, and we have Skyped is a deputy sheriff. with him for an hour or two most days, reading Where our kids have gone we have followed, through many volumes of children’s literature at least to visit. This has taken us to Colombia, (Narnia, Little House, Redwall, etc.). Skype has also Senegal, Italy, Denmark, skiing and hiking in allowed us frequent visits with our one-year-old various states, as well as driving across the country grandson in Colorado. twice. We have generally gone to visit every two We are now fully vaccinated and finally get to months or so. In recent years we have also done visit again and plan other adventures.

15 JOSEPH M. SASSANO JR “Joe” Class of 16 South Lake Shore Drive, Brookfield, CT 06804 c. 203-241-7523 | [email protected] ’71 I married my high school interesting paths. sweetheart, Libby, who was Our girls have matriculating at Skidmore brought us a total while I was at Middlebury, of five grandchil- over Thanksgiving break during our junior year. This dren ranging from took me out of the usual college social life and prob- ages 16 to one. We ably accounts for my lack of friends and connections have truly discov- from those years. Libby and I finished my senior ered the joys of year raising our daughter, Kristen. Upon graduation grandparenting I took a job in the employee relocation business— and do a lot with who even heard of such a thing—and began a 20- our grandkids and year career with Homequity and later Merrill Lynch are there when needed for them. It is one of the great Relocation that paid our bills and brought us to joys of our lives. Wilton, CT, the D.C. suburbs, Sterling, VA, and the My music has included a near miss at the big Los Angeles area, both Thousand Oaks and Irvine. leagues in 1973 when I connected with Steve In the subsequent 19 years, I focused on the Weeks ’71, Lincoln Clapp ’72, and one of mortgage business with stops at Centerbank and Lincoln’s childhood friends, Tom Snyder, to set up First Union and then about seven years with Citi- a working band in Arlington, VT. We got within a group. Along the way I made several attempts at hair’s breadth of signing with Columbia records and self-employment with ventures into relocation and then everything fell apart, which led to the dissolu- benefits consulting, the venture capital business, and tion of our band, Grandfalloon. finally purchasing a franchise, ShelfGenie. While After that I hung up my bass and took a hiatus for I had pretty good success with most of my corpo- 33 years, kicking back into it in 2006. Since then, rate career endeavors, I never really had a passion I have played in a number of different bands, all of for what I was doing. Libby did have a passion for which focus on vocals and great danceable music education and has spent her entire career working that everyone knows. Of course that means a lot of with children from her start as a nursery school stuff from our college years. I have also discovered director to today where she tutors high school stu- that at my age in order to dents forced to remain at home for health or anxiety keep my “pipes” in shape, I reasons. She is a gift to all her students, and is a little have adopted the “use it or freaked out to meet up with some of her nursery lose it” approach and can be schoolers and find them married and parents! found signing karaoke two My real passions in life have been raising my or three nights a week. The family and pursuing my interest in music. Libby and pandemic has put a halt to I have three all my musical pursuits, and I daughters— am really looking forward to Kristen, Cate, getting back into that when and Ashley. things ease a little more. All are hap- Libby and I celebrated pily making our 50th anniversary in 2019 their way and are still very much in through life love. We have lived through some very interesting following very times and like all of us, we hope our country can find diverse, but a way to get along again.

16 THOMAS B. SCRIBNER “Tom” Class of 3110 Portage Bay Place East HBT H, Seattle, WA 98102 503-944-9039 | [email protected] ’71 My priorities were probably the fish in their evident early on when I saltwater pens, skipped graduation in order I took a job with to seize the opportunity of the Yakama privately rafting the Colorado River through the Nation in Eastern Grand Canyon. Unfortunately my mother had Washington, already booked her trip to Middlebury for the supporting their ceremony and decided not to cancel. So, as she sat court-mandated there imagining my presence, I was hightailing it tribal fishing rights across the country to Arizona in my red 1968 on the Columbia Beetle, packed to the gills and drafting behind semis River. My original to enhance my speed. The river trip was fantastic, thought was to use especially in that small, private party using mostly this employment as four-person rafts. a one- or two-year Being the son of a doctor, I suppose it’s natural stepping stone to a that a career in medicine would be on my radar. higher level civil service job. Thirty-nine years later, I After graduation, I tried twice to get into medical am still a Tribal employee. These years have given school—both times without success. During this me the continuing satisfaction of implementing period I led a varied life. I traveled for nine months numerous projects related to salmon recovery. using a two-cylinder French car in Europe and in I was married late in life (51 years old) to my North Africa, followed by a month in East Africa. wife Kathy (same age) who also had never been I then worked as a married. Thus no kids. Kathy flew for Delta Air carpenter in Aspen Lines for 32 years, which regularly allowed us to where, during the travel internationally. Kathy passed away five years summer, I also es- ago. tablished myself as Until recently, I lived for 17 years in Portland, a fly fishing guide. OR, where management of the Columbia River Ever since child- fishery is centralized. I am now living in Seattle on a hood, fly fishing has houseboat that belonged to my father and his second been a primary wife. It’s a terrific way to be in the heart of the city passion, such that, and yet to have at one’s doorstep the serenity that when medical open water provides. In each of the three winters school didn’t pan prior to Covid, my houseboat life has been punc- out, I decided to go tuated with fly-fishing trips to New Zealand. It’s a into fisheries and terrific country of cheerful and exuberant people earned a master’s and it offers very challenging, yet rewarding, fishing degree from the for large and wily brown trout. UW in 1977. I recently purchased a new 38.1 Beneteau sail- I began my boat that will be built this summer. It’s a “geriatric” fisheries career as boat that can be managed almost entirely from the a fish farmer in Washington’s San Juan Islands. For cockpit. The plan is to spend beaucoup time on the three years I raised pan-sized coho salmon for high- boat and enjoy my sunset years cruising north to end restaurants. When the company suddenly went some pristine country in British Columbia and under due to a rare algal bloom that suffocated maybe Alaska.

17 MARIAN VAN BUREN “Marian” Class of 178 Sergeantsville Road, Flemington, NJ 08822 908-782-6740 | [email protected] ’71 Wow! Fifty years! How did that rarely held that happen? I look back at true in any other who I was in 1971— relationship I’d uncertain, confused, dis- ever had. Bailey oriented, no sense of purpose—and wonder at the and I worked, journey that brought me to the person I am now. played and com- I searched for years to find a slot that would fit. peted together I wandered my way from managing a small stable for 17 years, and in Pennsylvania to working as a medical secretary I will always love at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where the that big-hearted support of my boss, a brilliant, cocky young doc beast. from Chicago, helped me realize for the first time When Bailey that I really might have some potential. Next stop died, training was at a law firm in center city, where I served as a another young- paralegal until the discrepancy between justice and ster didn’t seem who had the most money drove me to search again. like a realistic How about computers? A black and white world, option. What to choose to fill the right-brained void? and programming can be learned in next to no time. Pottery? I’d learned as a teen, but hadn’t played with I went through a six-month intensive course and clay for years. Now seemed like a good time, and I ended up with a great job working with a bunch of began taking classes at the local community college, crazy, creative kids at a software house in Princeton, which had an excellent ceramics department. Once NJ. When the company was snapped up by a hungry in, classes could be repeated forever, and the class- corporation, I found myself hunting again, landing room became my studio. Another passion rekindled. this time in the IT department at New York Life As the years moved on, my own responsibilities Insurance Company. at NYL grew to require large concentrations of cor- The position at NYL fit me well for almost 20 porate politics, which was not a skill I had any inter- years. From programmer to supervisor to team lead est in learning. I knew it was time to move on again. to manager, I learned more and more about the pow- Early retirement was an option, but I needed a plan. er of encouragement and support. I got it from my At the time I was no longer “studying” ceramics at supervisors, and gave it to my teams, many of whom the community college, having moved on to a pri- were so focused on the black and white of program- vate studio nearer to home. I would go there of an ming that they barely knew what possibilities are out evening, mulling over my options, until the master there. What a charge I got from watching my fledg- potter there suggested I come work for him. Presto! lings develop confidence, purpose, and the courage it A new path, and River Otter Pottery was born. takes to truly take charge of their own ability. In many ways, this choice has been the best fit so Throughout this time my left-brained days were far. I have now been a full-time potter for 15 years, counterbalanced by a totally different life; horses. and life is very good indeed. After a few years in the I had ridden for years, on and off, and finally was wholesale world, successful but harrowing, I now lucky enough to have a salary that made owning participate in juried craft shows, show my work in a horse a reality. I found a four-year-old quarter a few small galleries, and best of all, teach at the horse, Bailey, and he was truly the love of my life: studio where I used to work. Another chance to help brave, talented, competitive, gentle, honest with people surpass their own expectations, and to see a subtle sense of humor that added just a touch of a glimmer of my own passion in their eyes. What spice. And I could trust him implicitly, something could be better?www.riverotterpottery.com

18 ~ In Memoriam ~ Class of PETER M. WHEELOCK May 4, 1948 to January 19, 2021 ’71 Peter hailed from Newton, MA and graduated from Williston Academy. From a young age, he was drawn to oceans and mountains, and loved sailing, hiking in all seasons, and backcountry skiing. He overcame early challenges with dyslexia to become an avid reader of books and news sources, including the Boston Globe, which he read in full each morning before 7:00 a.m. After completing his major in Environmental Studies at Middlebury, Peter spent two years on the ski patrol in New Mexico. He then went to the University of Massachusetts, earning a degree in Structural Engineering with high honors in 1977. He worked as an engineer for Weidlinger Associates, Inc. for 35 years, where he was a respected mentor. He was an expert at renovating historical buildings in Boston. One of his colleagues at Weidlinger described Peter as “…a unique thinker. Whenever there was an unusual problem, I would ask Peter for his opinion and he would always say something different that no one else [had] thought of and that would lead to a solution that was unique. I would always consult with him when I had a difficult issue and he would give insight that would lead to a solution that was perfect.” Millyn Moore, who was on Peter’s hall in Hepburn freshman year, recalls him as “a solid guy—calm and composed.” Stefan Nagel ’69, who was on the ski patrol with Peter at Middlebury, recalls him as “a gentle, unflappable soul, almost Buddha- like in his response to both challenging and pleasant events. This made him the ideal companion for those outdoor adventures on which he thrived. Whether skiing the gentle Lang at the Snow Bowl or over the lip at Tuckerman’s, sailing in protected waters or along the wild, fog-enshrouded Maine coast, or hiking in the soft Green Mountains in the summer or climbing ice-encrusted Mt. Lafayette in the Whites in the bitter-cold heart of winter, Peter would be focused, balanced, and content. He was not fazed by nature’s adversity, and in fact quietly and confidently thrived on it. He was also great company—witty and cheerful, a master of cribbage, just plain fun to be around. Even though we were last together fifty years ago, I can still hear his frequent chuckles that passed as laughter. I miss him still.” Peter was a devoted family man, a team player in family gatherings, as well as a giving and supportive husband and most proud father. Peter is survived by his wife Susan, his daughter Dr. Alyse Berk Wheelock, and by two sisters. Peter died in January 2021 from complications of Covid-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.

19 PAMELA SUE PHILIPP WHELAN “Pam” Class of 9304 Talisman Drive, Vienna, VA 22182 703-938-7479 c. 703-944-4216 | [email protected] ’71 Will Whelan, who happened During the years that we were raising our five to have been born on “my” children, we were so busy “doing” that we didn’t birthday, became my life’s think too much about what an effort and responsibility companion two years after it was to raise these kids. Wow! Outside of meeting I graduated from Middlebury. Nothing in our lives each other, they and our grandchildren have been our looks symmetrical or planned. Our house exudes a greatest gifts. Our son Matthew (43) and wife Natalie feeling of “gentle chaos” that comes with doing our live in Waco, TX, with their three daughters. They best and meeting life as it has come to us. Everything are both moral theologians. Natalie is a professor at looks “well-used”—including us. So many of the best Baylor and Matthew, whose recent book isBLOOD things in our lives were not “planned”—our five-year IN THE FIELDS: Oscar Romeo, Catholic Social Teach- experience in Lusaka, Zambia as a family, my tutoring ing and Land Reform, is a senior fellow at the Baylor business, people we have met and experiences we Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty. Kevin (42) and have had just by being in a particular place at a par- his wife Kiraz, both lawyers, live in Geneva with their ticular time. And what was certainly unplanned was son and daughter. Kevin represents Amnesty Interna- our meeting in August of 1973 at the Jesuit Volunteer tional to the UN Human Rights Council; Kiraz works Corps Orientation in Portland, OR. I was going to for the Global Fund. Elizabeth (39)—after spending teach in Fairbanks, AK and Will was going to Kabwe, four years with Catholic Relief Services in both Ghana Zambia. Although our paths crossed for only four and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and days in Portland, we eventually found a way to teach four years in Myanmar with Save the Children—is together in Kabwe. now living with her husband Franco in South Africa; We have been residing in Vienna, VA, outside of Elizabeth is a nutrition consultant for various inter- Washington, D.C., since we returned with our five chil- national programs and specializes in the first 1,000 dren (aged 4 through 15) from Lusaka in 1993 days of life, while Franco teaches at the International after a life-altering, five-year experience. Will spent School of Johannesburg. We are all thrilled that they his entire career teaching and working on hunger are expecting a little boy in July! Joseph (36), a Park issues and famine prevention. I have taught in various Ranger at Glacier Bay National Park in Gustavus, places, including for two years at the American Em- AK, is a dedicated environmentalist and a captivating bassy School of Lusaka where I had the truly awesome musician. Our youngest Kate (31) is an incredibly opportunity to be our Elizabeth’s 6th-grade teacher. kind, nurturing elementary school teacher in Waco, For almost 23 years now, I have been tutoring a variety TX. I wish I could relive a year of my life as one of of subjects and students. Right now, my students her students! Our children and grandchildren are all range from 5 to 18 years old. They include four out of far away physically but are deeply and dearly woven our five grandchildren, as well as many kids who have into our lives. As you can imagine, we have missed been working with me for years. The ramifications of out on a lot of traveling during these pandemic times. the pandemic have made this an even more intense I don’t allow myself to think about all of the hugs we endeavor. Although I feel fortunate to be a part of so have missed. What would we do without Skype? many children’s lives, I have found the virtual tutoring We are exceedingly grateful that we are well and to be demanding and tiring. Among other ventures, are moving around without any real problems. We Will has been a Santa Claus ever since our children realize that we don’t have control over much, but we gave him the retirement present of sending him to a are doing our best to do the necessary maintenance to professional Santa Claus School. With a real beard and keep ourselves moving. We have so much left to do!! a fake belly, he loves Christmas time when he has fun I joke with our grandchildren that we want to be in raising money for Kasisi Children’s Home, an orphan- shape so that we can all dance together at Grandma age we became attached to during our Lusaka days. and Grandpa’s 100th birthday party.

20 CAROLYN R. WHITING “Carolyn” Class of 17 Chestnut Road, Reading, MA 01867 781-944-1917 c. 781-439-9631 | [email protected] ’71 After my sophomore year My father died at Middlebury (with a in 2002 and my planned major of Sociology), mother died in I transferred to Springfield 2004, so 2002– College (Springfield, MA), with a major of Commu- 2004 was a chal- nity Leadership and Development. I never actually lenging period of worked in either field, but I think that both parts of time for me and my college experience were worthwhile, anyway. my siblings. After graduation, I worked as a psychiatric aide I did some at the Brattleboro Retreat (in VT); as a sewing car-camping in machine specialist; and as a medical secretary Europe in 1972, (in the Springfield, MA area) before moving to and I have taken Washington, D.C., and taking a six-month course some memorable at Computer Learning Center. I worked as a trips since then, to computer programmer for a hospital in Southeast Florida, to Califor- Washington for four years, and then I moved back nia, to D.C./Ten- Me celebrating the Centennial of Women’s Suffrage near Lake Wauke- to Massachusetts. nessee/Louisiana/ wan in Meredith, NH, last August. I have been working as a programmer, first for Kentucky/Ohio, to New England Deaconess Hospital, then for the Ontario and Québec, to Nova Scotia and PEI, to merged Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec by Via Rail, to Boston, since 1981 (nearly 40 years), and I have Gettysburg, and to Cooperstown. I haven’t done been living in Reading, MA, for most of that time. I much long-distance traveling since I developed feel fortunate to be able to work remotely full-time. multiple food sensitivities nearly 30 years ago. I am I have never been married, but I had an eleven- not doing much bicycling, hiking, or backpacking year ‘til-death-did-us-part relationship with Louis these days, either, but I still enjoy singing and Ventola who lost his battle with cancer in 2003. playing guitar; and I look forward to contradancing again someday. I enjoy virtual concerts and theatrical performances, too; but I am also looking forward to attending such performances (and sing-alongs) in person again someday. I have continued to participate in political/social justice activities as much as possible over the years, usually in Reading, Andover, or Boston, and rarely in New York City or Washington. There are so many ongoing crises these days that I sometimes feel overwhelmed, but I enjoyed celebrating my 70th birthday by attending the 50th annual National Day of Mourning and visiting the Wampanoag area in what is now known as Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation) in Plymouth, MA, even though the weather was cold and damp. I think that a virtual reunion is better than no Me with Louis Ventola in 1993 standing in front of my house (with Sweetie, the cat, in the window) for which we had recently reunion at all, and I appreciate all the work that finished painting the trim. people are doing to plan it!

21 LESLEY AKER WISCOMB “Lesley or Les” Class of 1930 El Camino De La Luz, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 805-845-6036 c. 805-456-9108 | [email protected] ’71 I’ll start by saying no one 1991–1995—BRISBANE, will top Grove Nichols’ AUSTRALIA: We post—a hilarious flash from moved to Brisbane in early the past! 1991 for Scott’s job as CFO of an Arco subsidiary. 1971–1973—BOSTON: Full-time work in a Spent three years studying boutique travel agency, a job that I held during the at Queensland University summer of 1970. Met Greg, a Dartmouth grad. of Technology for a Gradu- Shared an apartment with Sue Fritsch Hunter— ate Diploma in Landscape she often covered for me when my Mom called to Architecture. Challenging “check in” and I was at Greg’s apartment! to go back to school! After graduation, I worked for a LA firm in Brisbane. We 1973–1990—NEW YORK CITY: Greg moved had such a marvelous time Down Under and with to New York; I shortly followed him. Married him sadness left in late 1995 to spend more time with (Husband #1). Worked for same travel agency’s family. Manhattan office. One day decided I needed a job with more “growth potential.” As luck would have 1995–2008—SEATTLE, WA: We moved to it, in a bar one evening, we started chatting with Seattle. Went to work for a landscape architecture a guy who was the head of HR for Smith Barney! firm specializing in parks and civic spaces. Design- After an interview, I was hired, and my 17-year Wall ing parks was a great fit for me. After years at this Street career was born. Most of my career was trad- firm, a brief stint in the public sector, and obtain- ing corporate bonds with my last stop at Lehman ing my professional license, I opened my own firm. Brothers. Greg and I divorced in 1983 and I met and Fortunate to design two new parks in the Seattle married Bill in 1986 ( #2). That marriage lasted two area—both five-year projects of master planning rocky years. For fifteen years, I had a close friend- through construction. In 2006, I did my first triath- ship with Scott Wiscomb, a LA client (later, #3). lon, became hooked and continued with many for 12 During my NY years, I continued my daily runs, years with Scott as my cheerleader at every race. completing the 1982 NYC Marathon and qualifying for Boston. Multiple knee surgeries really won that 2008–2021—SANTA BARBARA, CA: We race and I switched to shorter distances. retired to Santa Barbara in 2008. Have volunteered my time with nonprofits and am actively involved 1990—MALIBU, CA: Timing being everything, in the City, serving first on the Parks & Recreation Scott and his wife divorced Commission and now on amicably in early 1989. the Planning Commis- After some hesitation, I sion. My swim, bike, run, moved to a small guest routine continues but now house in Malibu to be just for fun with friends. closer to Scott and took Scott has a married some horticulture/land- daughter and son and we scape architecture classes have five grandchildren— at UCLA. Scott and I ages 4–16. We enjoy married in late 1990 and traveling and spending 30+ years later we are still time with family. Life has together. been great!

22 ✿ WOODSTOCK: WE WERE THERE ✿ Class of compiled by Clara Johnson Pincus with intro by Peter Wood ’71 When I was asked to write an introduction to the stories of our classmates who had gone to Woodstock in August 1969, I tried to think of who they might have been. I won’t tell you who I thought of, but it wasn’t these four who gave us their stories. It is clear the experience had lasting memories, but based on their bios, no lasting ill effects…

There were many iconic events and photos from the late 1960s and early 1970s, but none sums up that period better thanWoodstock . Fifty years later, the word brings up memories and images that most of us didn’t experience firsthand, but they are still ingrained like it was yes- terday. Thank you to our four classmates who are sharing their actual memories.

*Well, I came upon a child of God He was walking along the road And I asked him, “Tell me, where are you going?” And this he told me Said, “I’m going down to Yasgur’s Farm Gonna join a rock ’n’ roll band Got to get back to the land Set my soul free”

✿ I grew up in Darien, CT and went to Darien High School. In the summer of 1969, I was home living with my parents. A large billboard was erected on the Connecticut Turnpike between Darien and New York State advertising “Three Days of Peace and Music, Woodstock Music and Arts Fair.”

We used to drive to Port Chester all the time, where the drinking age was 18, go to Vahsen’s Tavern, right over the NY line, so we drove by that billboard many many times during the summer.

There was a 25-cents toll booth right before the New York line and the automatic lanes had baskets to throw your quarters in. Remember those? Beers at Vahsen’s were 25 cents. There were three automatic change lanes, so we would drive into the middle lane, have three people jump out of the car and collect the quarters that were lying in the ground in all three lanes where people had missed the basket. I think the high take was $4.25. Free beers all around.

My high school buddies latched onto the idea that we would all be going to Woodstock. As the date approached, we decided to all buy tickets. They were expensive at the time at $18 for three days. We still have those tickets! As the days get closer, we realized this was going to be quite a big event.

Since it started on a Friday night, we decided a group of five or six of us would drive up on Tuesday with tents, camping gear, food, drink, drugs enough to keep us intoxicated, drugged

23 and fed for at least a week. We easily drove into the site and scoped out a campground. We set up our tents in a circle and left two people there to guard the food, liquor etc.Class The rest of of us drove back to Darien. At some point I mentioned to my girlfriend (now my wife), Jan Halstead’s parents that we wanted to go to a really fancy outdoor music concert with tents and separation of sleeping facilities! Janet and I had been dating for ten months and her parents had gotten to know me well, for better or worse. On Friday afternoon, I picked’71 her up at her summer job at Burndy in Norwalk, changed clothes, picked up another close high school friend and his date, now his wife of 50 years, piled into my 1957 Volkswagen bug, which was called affectionately my “Little Green Pleasure Machine” because it was a little bit green!, and headed off to the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair at Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, NY.

The ride to the site was quite different from three days earlier. About 30 miles from the turnoff we hit dead-stopped traffic. Because my ’57 bug was notorious for going anywhere, we drove in the breakdown lane of the two-lane highway for the last 30 miles, getting all the way to the turnoff into Yasgur’s farm, about a five-mile walk from the amphitheater where the concert was about was to take place. We still had a few provisions to carry in, including a 24-bottle case of Ripple wine, which I backpacked in the last five miles.

When we arrived at the site it had changed quite dramatically. All the fences had come down. No tickets were being collected and it had been declared a “free concert.” Because we had acquaint- ed ourselves with the location two days earlier, we relatively easily found our tent site and our buddies who had been there, as well as others who had assembled.

As it turned out, we were camped right next to the circle of Grateful Dead buses with lots of little kids racing around naked and music going 24/7 by the Dead for the entire weekend.

The first Friday night was fairly civilized and after listening to some remarkable music ended up packing in after Joan Baez around 4:00 a.m. The list of entertainers at Woodstock was pretty incredible as follows Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Incredible String Band, Ravi Shankar, Sly and the Family Stone, Sweetwater, Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwa- ter, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, The Who, The Band, Jeff Beck Group, Blood Sweat and Tears, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills and Nash, Jimi Hendrix with the concluding “Star Spangled Banner” at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning. I vividly remember Joan Baez on Friday night.

Janet and I were sleeping in a six-foot long canvas army tent that I had gotten from army surplus many years before, probably for a Boy Scout outing. It was small, cramped, damp, and completely uncomfortable.

24 Saturday morning, we woke up and walked around the site and I remember seeing who I later learned was Ken Kesey leading a group doing who knows what. We headed over to Classthe amphi- of theater midday to sit in the hot August sun drinking gin and lemonade. We often commented that of the 500,000 people that were there, there were four of us that were drunk. Late Saturday afternoon we ventured down to the creek to go for a dip. Interestingly ’71the couple we were with was photographed with her bikini top photoshopped out to make it look like she was skinny-dipping from the back. The shot made it intoTime Magazine. The swimming hole was four-feet deep and full of black muddy water and tons of people swimming. After cooling off, we headed it back to the amphitheater to watch yet one incredible band after another crawl out on the stage—while listening to the loudspeaker announcing, “don’t take the brown acid, don’t take the yellow acid, don’t take the red acid.”

You’ve all seen the movie, which was really a remarkably good depiction of how it all unfolded.

Saturday evening and into late Saturday night it poured. It was still raining on Sunday morning. My little tent was soaked, and we had water running through the middle of it. By Sunday mid-morning we decided we had seen enough and packed up, bought a Woodstock poster which we still have, and hiked out the five miles back to my little Volkswagen. The drive home was fairly uneventful since we left early, and Janet made it back to her summer job Monday morning.

Some of our group stayed on until the bitter end to see Jimi Hendrix on Monday morning with this finale, “The Star-Spangled Banner”!! —Churchill G. Franklin

We are stardust, we are golden We are billion-year-old carbon And we’ve got to get ourselves Back to the garden

✿ WOODSTOCK MEMORIES! Where did they go ?

ARRIVAL We (future husband Seth ’69 + his 16-yr-old brother) had actual tickets. We parked. Far away. We walked. For miles. We got a lift at some point on someone’s car rear. Not the best idea.

PREP How did we intend to spend the night? Who knows? I presume we had a blanket. Did we bring food? Who knows?

MUSIC From the unclear amount of time we stayed (I think we left sometime Saturday), some musical memories are aided by the three-disc album and the movie, but I recall in person:

25 FRI Arlo Coming into Los Angeles Yeah ! • Joan Baez • Stage announcements. Did we get there soon enough to hear Richie Havens open? Seems like. Freedom! Class of

SAT Country Joe’s solo appearance and THE FISH CHEER ! Yeah ! • SANTANA Yeah ! • Canned Heat ! Going Up the Country ! ’71 DEPARTURE In descending order it was likely • the bathroom situation • the rain/mud • too many brain waves.

At least finding the car was a linear event requiring no directional skills. And Seth’s car was red.

Little brother wanted to stay. Hey, okay ! Horrified parents. Can he add to my memories? — Not at all, he recalls only getting there. How was the music? — his memory bank empty. How was getting home? — He has no recollection. He ascribes this to an early pharmaceutical experiment. a

I vividly recall being in the car with Seth, heading back towards Vermont, car upon car snak- ing to where we’d decamped. The fact that it seemed apocalyptic was enhanced by the fact that I was reading A Canticle for Leibowitz.

REMARKABLE FEATURE How did this all occur in 1969, P.C.? Pre-cell. Pre-fleece, too ! It’s like thinking about the Oregon Trail. —Clara Johnson Pincus

Well, then can I walk beside you? I have come to lose the smog And I feel myself a cog In something turning And maybe it’s the time of year Yes, and maybe it’s the time of man And I don’t know who I am But life is for learning

✿ And yes, I did go to Woodstock, and was really sorry to miss the April Zoom session on it. I remember a million things, but I’ll hold myself back, and give you three.

First. Carolyn Oliver, then Ungberg, and I had made plans to meet at the in-gate between 11:00 and one on the first day. I waited for the full time, but Carolyn was nowhere to be seen in the flood of people. It turns out that she was there, too, the whole time! I think she was at the opposite side of the entry area,

26 and the crowd was too thick for either of us to see across it. We didn’t findClass out -un of til the festival was over, but that incident certainly helps define the mind-boggling scope of the crowd. ’71 Second. Without Carolyn, I was on my own, and wandered about in the sea of people for most of Friday, sitting for a while with a friendly bunch that I’d never seen before, then setting off again. At one point I stopped to listen to the music, and what should I see? Four or five rows down, if you can call them rows, sat Carolyn Kroll, and some other folk from Middlebury. (I thought it was Deb Eaton and the Stockdell twins, but sounds like that was a hallucination, as they weren’t there! So help me fill in the blanks, guys; who DID I spend that weekend with??) I ended up spending the whole rest of the concert with them, and it made an astounding experience even better.

Last, somewhere during the weekend there was a ripple of tension that swept through the crowd. Someone had spotted army helicopters rising up above the woods. Tiny insects at first, they came closer and closer, and people really began to worry, even more when we could see that their side doors were open. Then, as they flew slowly above the crowd, something tumbled down through the air: daisies! As we watched in amazement, the flowers floated down over our heads and into our up-reaching hands. I’m not completely sure, but I think we all gave a cheer in acknowledgment for the unexpected unity. —Marian van Buren

By the time we got to Woodstock We were half a million strong And everywhere was a song And a celebration And I dreamed I saw the bomber planes Riding shotgun in the sky Turning into butterflies Above our nation

✿ During the summer of 1969, me and two high school buddies, Rich and Gary, all had managed to get restaurant jobs at the Bushkill Falls Lodge, in Pennsylvania. This is a truly spectacular site in the Poconos, with beautiful waterfalls and forest. The Lodge is long gone, and the land has become preserved as a state park. I worked as a waiter, and Rich and Gary were

27 dishwashers. Rich and Gary had gotten their jobs first. They let me know, andClass I drove of down from Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, and managed to get hired. After excessive partying by the ’71three of us, Rich and Gary were fired from the resort—I don’t know why I was spared—and my friends stayed on and lived illegally in an abandoned mobile home on an island that had been created by a flood. The lodge owner’s 12-year-old grandson was bringing them food and cases of beer. We also met up with Nor- ma and Yvonne, two waitresses from the Lodge, who partied with us frequently at the mobile home.

I was the only one still working at the lodge, and when I took off my shoes to cross the river to visit the mobile home, I stepped on a rock, lost my balance and fell, and the shoes washed away. I went back to my cabin, got my other pair of shoes, came back to the river and, barefoot in the river, did the exact same thing: I lost my balance again and fell, and the second pair of shoes washed away. With no shoes left, I soon also became unemployed.

We had all heard about the music festival and decided to go. We all—Rich, Gary, me, Norma, and Yvonne—hopped in my car, a 1968 fire-engine red Opel Kadett, and followed a caravan of hippies north. My friends made me stop in some little town, and Rich ran into a drug store and bought of box of over-the-counter Compoz, the “little gentle blue pill” relaxer and when he got back he asked, “anyone want a Compoz,” and everyone in the car said, “I’ll take two!” Then there’s Gary breaking our gallon of wine at the very moment we had finally arrived at Woodstock, stepping barefoot in broken glass and having to limp bleeding to the first aid tent, which was also the bad trip tent and sounded from the screams like a Civil War field hospital, and then... well, by then, everyone’s eyes were glazed over.

Woodstock itself was great, even with the rain and mud. We camped out, of course, and were treated to three days of exceptional music. Some of the performances I remember the best were Richie Havens, John Sebastian, Janis Joplin, Canned Heat, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Sweetwater, and Crosby Stills & Nash (Neil Young had not joined yet).

The memories have faded a bit, of course, but I’m still very grateful to have experienced it. —Jay Glassman

We are stardust, we are golden We are caught in the devil’s bagain And we’ve got to get ourselves Back to the garden*

*Songwriter: Joni Mitchell

28 Class of ’71

Thanks to Clara Johnson Pincus for contacting classmates and collecting their stories and Jay Glassman for sharing his photos. —Peter Wood

29 1971 DECEASED LIST Class of 53 known as of 3/4/2021 ’71 Name Deceased Date Name Deceased Date Susan J. Akerson 5/1/2009 Janet Reed Kent 7/30/2000 Sally Bell Andrews 10/6/2005 Laura K. Krebill 1/11/2013 Marie Louise Andrus (missing) 8/20/1987 Glenn C. Krug 6/26/2012 David G. Barber 11/27/2015 Wendy C. Loveday 11/13/1983 Davis C. Barrett 4/12/2014 Ann T. Martin 4/21/2011 Kenneth L.Bergstrom 2/1/2013 Rosalyn Templeton Marvin 3/25/1995 John D. Boothroyd 6/11/2014 David W. Mason 8/29/1970 Dinah Stix Breunig 3/10/2003 John “Jack” K. Mason 11/23/2002 Ronald W. Calloway 10/7/1995 Mary-Jean Mitchell Green 5/11/1990 Frederick L. Corliss 7/25/1987 Paula “Stick” Morgan 5/4/2016 Albert E. Davis 5/9/2000 Warren “Laird” Myers 11/23/1987 Larry T. Dixon 9/10/2020 John “Peter” Nestler 11/9/2014 John R. Eckart 1/26/2020 John “Rob” O’Connell 2/16/2019 Betsy Eckfeldt 8/13/2013 Alice Horton Perry 6/30/2020 George L. Eisman 4/23/2017 Peter M. Quinn 12/8/2018 Richard W. Gasink 8/31/2010 Fredric M. Reed 7/29/2007 James E. Gilmond 1/21/2000 Carolyn Kroll Reidy 5/12/2020 Vassilios P. Haralambides 7/29/2015 Madeline B. Neilson Rockwell 3/4/2021 John “Douglas” Harper 3/4/1977 John L. Rowland Jr. 12/22/2010 Ethel “Judy” Hazlett 1/25/2019 Bruce A. Shaw 2/4/1991 Gary Higginbottom 5/17/2018 Richard H. Staehle 3/21/2004 Alleyne C. Howell 9/18/1998 Thomas E. Stasz 3/16/2013 Edwin H. Hunter 6/26/2012 Margaret Stockdell 5/17/2005 Barbara Webster Eaton Fisher 5/17/2018 Howard N. Verman 1/2/2018 (changed name to Yasha Dhara Joy) Peter M. Wheelock 1/19/2021 Peter J. Kassander 9/4/1993 Robert C. Whitney 3/12/1995 Sharon Rickey Kazemi 4/5/1983 Andrew M. Yasinski 10/1/2008