1966

It's the middle of winter, but not too early to start making your plans to attend the class of 1966's 20th year reunion this June in Hanover. Make room on your calendar from June 14 through June 16 to meet us on the Green for the best time of your life! I spoke with Albie Mac Donald, our reunion chairman, who, after a tough primary fight in Massachusetts for state assembly, decided he would rather spend his energy insuring a successful gathering for all '66s next summer. He will be giving us the details of this gala event soon.

Reunion years are also special years for the Alumni Fund drive, and particularly for our class. Our goal has been established this year at $400,000. Think of it. . . that is a mere four times the record pace we gave at this past year (the College knows what deep pockets we all have). To help us towards our goal, Steve and Hector have established a "Challenge Fund." The way it works is this: For each of us who donates four times our previous year's amount, and $100 or more, the challenge fund will donate an additional $100. For example, a donor who last year gave $25, and who gives $100 in our reunion year, will have that gift matched. And for those whose companies provide matching gifts, you have the entire calendar year to give (but pledges must be in by June 30). It is a heavy goal to achieve. Increased participation by those who in prior years have been quiet, steady donors is the only way we can make it.

And speaking of reunion challenges, I have received the first entries in the "how did you spend your 40th?" challenge story! Top these! Tom Clarke spent his birthday (May) eating lobster and drinking beer on the Jersey shore. Billy Bower was feted with an original Mary Ellen cheesecake in February, and Steve Lanfer (October) went to choir practice.

Moving right along, to close out this column, I received a copy of a news clipping on Stan "Monk" Morson from Dick Jachens '41. I have sometimes wondered whatever happened to the Monk. Stan started out with us in the fall of 1962, but after taking the winter term off began identifying more closely with the class of 1967 (hence he is not on our mailing list). But true to most of our past recollections of Stan, he is doing the same thing now as he was then, banging out tunes on a keyboard with a four piece band.

You wouldn't recognize him from the picture in the Virginia Pilot, but when I called him I recognized his voice instantly. I had woken him up at 5:30 p.m. just before he was going off to work. I also forgot Stan has an equal talent for words (I'm sure Professor Vance still remembers his recantations of Paradise Lost in freshman English). He practically burned my ear off about his roots in Virginia, his numerous jobs, including selling volumes of "Great Books of the Western World," and the dozen or so bands he has played with over the last 15 years. He almost made it two years ago when his group, the Sligo Studio Band, had three recordings in the top 100. But they ran out of money and patience: "In this business talent doesn't matter; money does."

Now you can hear Stan at the Golden Saddle Lounge in Tidewater, where he has been playing country and western music with a variety of bands for several years. "I have no regrets; I love playing music, and I'll keep on playing for the rest of my life, if they'll let me" are the words of a man content with himself and what he does.

And as this year draws to an end, I hope you are all content and can put your thoughts and energies into making this Christmas season a happy one, and begin the new year the same way.

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