1958

As Marco Polo eventually returned to

Italy, so has Ted Merritt returned to his beloved Connecticut. After serving as superintendent of schools for Bethel Park, Pa., since 1979, Ted is now the superintendent of schools of Trumbull, Conn., a system with 5,000 students. Ted, Linda, and four children have long enjoyed summer boating on Long Island Sound, which is only one reason to be pleased to return to relatives and familiar surroundings. Congratulations, Ted; you will do a fine job for Trumbull.

George Hammel reports from Rye, N.Y., that he and family enjoyed a delightful summer on their new boat. A daughter just graduated from Penn State, and his son is looming large on the high school football field as a 6-foot, 3-inch, 225-pound tackle. Fortunately, George has a nine-year-old who keeps them all young. Don't worry about being 50 and having your 25th anniversary, George. You have a legion of company in this class.

U.S. District Court Judge Tom Jackson, who sits in Washington, D.C., can't stay out of the headlines. First he was tusseling with General Motors. Next it was the government. Now he has made the Chicago Law Bulletin with his decision that a certain well-known religious group does not have a copyright on its founder's text. Judge Jackson did not accept that argument that the church must "protect what God wants His children to hear." Perhaps God didn't file an amicus opinion. Hang tough, Tom. No one said being a powerful judge was all peaches and cream.

Bevan French is busy planning future space probes. He is the project scientist for the Mars Observer Mission, an unmanned space probe set for 1991. He is also the editor of a science-advisory commission which is discussing and planning future planetary missions. As you may recall, Bevan collects rocks, especially those from space. He recently established a student research fund for persons doing research in this field. Donations to the Bevan French Fund for Extraterrestrial Geology are solicited. Bevan has been on the leading edge in this field for many years, enhancing our knowledge of the solar system and beyond.

Many of you have information requests from me on your desk. About 200 have been sent out in recent months. Most of the information in this column was based on responses. Most of you need creative writing practice. Many of you need to practice signing your name to something besides a check. Get those sheets out, or send me some information about yourself.

Finally, two notes on relocation. BobGilges and wife Carroll moved to Greenwich, Conn., on October 1, 1985. Bob has been working out of a New York apartment, and Carroll was living in the family home in Atlanta. Bob reports there are horses in the stable and deer in the woods. Larry Weltin has taken a position as executive vice president and director of client services for the Young and Rubicon office in St. Petersburg, Fla. We were sorry to see Larry leave Chicago but wish him well in Florida.

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