1937

10 Colby Road Wellesley, MA 02181

The Golden Jubilee 50th.

All of us were completely shocked to hear of the car accident involving Wilderand Barbara Pierce last September. Having been visiting in Connecticut, they were almost home on Route 1 in Brunswick, N.J., when Wilder fell asleep at the wheel. The car ran off the road into a culvert. The right front wheel jammed up into the passenger side, shattering Barbara's heel. Fortunately, they were wearing seat belts, or she would not have survived. As it was, the buckle jammed into her chest and bruised it, but that is better than what would have happened had she been unbuckled. She urges

everyone to take heed and fasten your car belts before you leave the driveway! The car was totaled and, in fact, she had to be cut out. Wilder/Hank was saved from serious injury though quite shaken up. The state police rushed them to the Princeton Hospital with flashing lights and sirens at full blast. She had spent 13 days there and 13 more at home before we talked to her by phone. It will take a long, long time to heal. She says she will probably have trouble getting on her feet and walking because the heel is so important to balance and weight. It will be a time-consuming affair. This accident came on top of the one at their island retreat on Bequa, when her taxi went off the side of a mountain landing in a tree! It is the same leg, so the poor girl is twice hit. Her life is not threatened, but much time and lots of prayers are needed to get her back in circulation. We need her! They, of course, were unable to make the mini-reunion and were sorely missed.

We had 59 staying at Howard Johnson's plus others, locals, and the "townies." We cannot speak to the football game with Penn, but all else was the usual super fellowship we enjoy so well. At the class meeting it was voted to adopt Jean(Breitinger) Ziemer's new husband, Dick, into our class, which was overwhelmingly approved. The loss of our treasurer, FredVogt, to cancer just before the weekend was a great blow. Fortunately, Bob Ross, being a close neighbor, was able to be with Fred to take over the financial needs and to bring our meeting up-to-date with many thanks from us all. Our extreasurer Tom Nast volunteered to again take over the duties of treasurer until our 50th reunion, at which time the class can elect a new one. We must say it was like business as usual to hear Tom quietly reassume his old duty at the meeting.

Much has to be done toward arranging the coming BIG REUNION. Russ Stearns is the man in charge, so details are beginning to fall in place. We will be housed on Mass Row, which is now one of the best. The 50th reunion class is pretty special, so the College supplies our rooms free, except for the $14.00 head tax for security, 24-hour dorm duty, and other functions provided by the students. Be on the lookout for all mailing matter on that score, probably by early spring. Overflow will be housed at Russell Sage, Hitchcock, and the former Hanover Motor Lodge (known to us old mini-reunioners as "Club 42"). As it will be Commencement weekend, we will get to march to Commencement as a class. We will also be guests of the College for the big luncheon.

There will be lots more information coming to you guys directly from the College, Russ, or Rog, but the main issue here is to set aside the dates, June 12 to 14, on your 1987 calendar so you won't forget!

Here at home we just finished attending Katie's 50th reunion of the Newton High School class of 1936 with over 250 back at the Marriott, which was built on the site of Norumbega Park and the famous Totem Pole Ballroom. People came from all over the country with overwhelming enthusiasm, mostly to be together and talk! The same will be true for us, too, as it always is! We dubbed our 40th as "the world's greatest weekend," and now we have another which should top them all.

Our scholar on campus, Lynn Tracy, graduated last June and is now in California. Since we had no eligible issue from the class, the College selected three, submitted them to us, and Matthew Lindsay was chosen. He lives in Swampscott, Mass., was on the honor roll all four years at that high school and was secretary of the National Honor Society. He was the number two man on the varsity golf team, as well as a varsity tennis player. He has much to recommend him, so we look forward to meeting him, perhaps in June.