1956
From the point of view of ringing the bell, news that John Van de Kamp was appointed district attorney by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in mid-October is the significant news. John has held a variety of positions building on his law training, the most recent of which is serving since 1971 as federal public defender for the central district of California. Local news reports depicted the scene when the supervisors summoned John from his office to their meeting where he watched as they made his appointment unanimous "dressed in a characteristic blue blazer, striped tie and grey slacks." Wonder where he picked that up. Jokes aside, John's is an outstanding achievement.
A thoughtful note from Don Collins, sent along with his class dues to Bob Faulkner, offers us a good update on his family and a number of others: "Hope that things are well with you and your family. Our situation here is good. Have been in Las Vegas since shortly after we graduated, first serving my military obligations and then with the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. My wife Pat is an R.N. and currently works for E.G.G. whose home offices are in Boston. Scott, our 13-year-old, is great, although I'm not sure I'll live through his being a teenager. He is bright and a very good student and, needless to say, we are very proud of him. I travel some, so in the last few years have visited New Zealand, Samoa, Hawaii (quite a few times) and Alaska, plus a few less known spots. Saw Ted Clause about two years ago in Hawaii. Keep in touch with Tom Kuhns in New York. Expect to see Dick De Voto in November or December as am going through Denver on a trip. Saw Dick Thorpe a couple of years ago in Fresno. Haven't seen Bob Long since he left Albuquerque, N.M."
Similarly, Bill Crate shares the news that he joined Linden Chlorine Products Inc. as director of marketing and shows up with a new address at 44 Archgate Road, Basking Ridge, N.J. Bill's wife Marian, and son Darrell, appreciate their new acquisition, Gretel, a St. Bernard "to watch over baby, which Marian currently is carrying in inventory for delivery in February."
John Di Iorio, President of Old Colony Bank & Trust Co. of Middlesex County, Mass., (better remembered by the unlikely nickname of 'Snake') writes to say that his wife Paula went back to school to get her Masters and is now a Guidance Counselor in their home town of Winchester, Mass. He adds a profile of his family: "Mark, 17 and a senior at Phillips Academy; Debbie, 15, a sophomore at Andover High; Jay, 13, a seventh-grader at Pike School; and Lisa,6 (going on 16), a first-grader." BobBrazelton from Kansas City is planning to join the Bicentennial-20th Reunion migration and, meanwhile, shares the news that he has somehow gotten in charge of four economic conferences this year along with his publication deadlines. Bob will be more than ready for New Hampshire by springtime. He adds: "If there is one thing that I as an economist can say about economics right now, it is that I am working more at it and enjoying it less."
Tom and Sandra Harper are living in Naples where he is on the NATO staff. He adds his telephone number: 867-7061, for the travel weary and the thrill seeker. And off in another direction is Ted Briggs, who is still at the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay, as Deputy Chief of the Mission. Ted's eldest son entered Colby College in Waterville, Maine, this fall and, of the other children, one is at prep school in Connecticut and three are in Paraguay. In reflecting on Ted Price's letter in the September Newsletter, Ted says: "Dartmouth has changed too much - unnecessarily so for my liking."
Dr. William Benson is practicing orthopaedic and hand surgery in a four-man group. Bill is married to the former Margaret Allen Koerper and they have four children. John Liebman has ever expanding interests internationally and has recently been named by Secretary of Commerce Rogers Morton to the Southern California District Export Council. John is a law partner, specializing in international trade, licensing and investment law, and serves as president and trustee of the Brazil-California Trade Association. I had the good fortune to meet John and his lovely wife at a business reception in Los Angeles not long ago and I would say that international travel agrees with him.
Doug and Ginger Keare came up with the Knotts and the Gammills in San Francisco toward the end of the summer and, among other things, spent a pleasant evening at the North Beach Restaurant and dropped $6.50 for five hours of parking. Question: When a distinguished visitor from the World Bank in Washington, such as Doug, focuses on San Francisco's parking rates, what may be conclude about his judgment on the general world economic situation? And in Southern California, Steve Katz, like John Van de Kamp, also has won distinction through being selected as officer in charge of Norton AFB Operations Center/Command Post. Steve, a navigator, fills this slot usually reserved for those of pilot rating. Also in Southern California and also in the restoring an old house business and by his own comment "furiously treading water to keep up with inflation" is Bill Wheeler, still president of Hurst/Airheart Productions. Sheila is busy with teaching aid activities and other volunteer groups, and Bill is active at KCET-Channel 28, public service television in Los Angeles. Bill describes Mac Barker as looking well and doing great at P.P.& G., and adds that he sees GeneGivens '55, Bill Meyers '57, Pete Reich '54, and Don Descombs '54, nearly every week at the 20th Century Round Table Breakfast Club, which reminds me that our Reunion in June is timed with that of the Classes of '55 and '57.
Dick and Kathleen Terzian also live in Los Angeles with their one-year-old James Richard. Dick is a law partner with Burke, Williams & Sorensen. Frank Leavitt remarried in December 1974 to Mary Ann Rice, a Middlebury graduate. Of three children, Peter is a senior at Avon Old Farms, Julia a freshman at Boston College, and Lesli a junior at Smith, which is a very nice ready-made family. Frank remains as director of admissions at Avon Old Farms as well as teaching science.
Don't forget to return your reunion questionnaire to Jack Hubbard, 130 Union Street, Marshfield, Mass.
Secretary, 112 Amber Valley Drive Orinda, Calif. 04563
Treasurer, 228 Rumstick Road, Barrington, R.I. 02806
