1976

As I write this, we are enjoying a typical Southeast Alaska summer day: fog and rain punctuated by flashes of sunshine; temperatures in the low 60s. Things were much hotter a few weeks ago in Hanover during our 20th class Reunion. So hot, in fact, that the Hanover Police canceled the planned outdoor dance. They were afraid our rowdy crowd of investment bankers, doctors, lawyers, and professors would riot in the hot summer night.

Well, the dance was safely caged up in the new gym. There weren't any riots. But there were raucous cheers of approval following Jerry Daly's announcement that Mike Feasel was elected the new class president. The principal duty of our new president is to make sure that the next Reunion, the 25th, is a major rave. There appears to be no doubt about Feasel's qualifications in that regard. Mark your calendars for June 2001 and bring your own riot gear.

This was the first Reunion I've attended. It was fun! This was something of a surprise, since I hate cocktail parties and warily assumed that the Reunion would be something along those lines, only larger. Instead, I found myself whiling away many enjoyable hours catching up with a generous assortment of old friends and more recent acquaintances.

There were too many faces and stories to repeat in this column. With apologies to those inadvertently omitted, here are my random notes. Martha and Jim Beattie were down from Montreal, where Jim is the Expo's general manager. There were rumors that Jim is willing to schedule a '76 Family Night next season. Mike Aylward practices law in Boston. Steve Feld remains an enthusiastic amateur photographer. Be afraid—Steve gleefully reports that he "has the negatives" of the shots he took during our College years.

Professor Brewer Doran, at Babson Business School, had the good sense and uncommon foresight to specialize in Chinese consumer behavior. Brewer travels throughout Asia including, of course, trips to China. Sean Gorman is working for the College. Tony Magro remains a cheerful francophile, lives in Larchmont, N.Y., and works in investment banking.

Stuart Weeks and son Chris came up from Wilton, N.H. I didn't see Bob Yasi, but others reported sightings. Bob lives in California, where he is assiduously cultivated by the Alumni Fund. Rick White, my parents' congressman, splits his time between Washington, D.C., and Bainbridge Island, Wash. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist David Shribman was a no-show, to the great disappointment of the proprietors of the Riverside Grill. Sandy Fitchet is in telecommunications and lives in Connecticut. And there was that talent show in Spaulding. Paul Lazarus produced a hilarious and educational video of clips from his television shows. (The eight-year old in front of me kept asking, "Mommy, what is that man doing?") Martha Hennessey and daughter Christina sang a beautiful duet. Parker "Speedy" MacDonell shed his staid banker disguise to pick up his guitar and sing for us once again.

My e-mail pen pals Naomi BalineKleinman and Steffie Valar attended. It was great to talk with them in person, instead of through the computer. I enjoyed dinner with exiled-Alaskans Judy Zimicki,Sean Stitham, and Jan Sorice. Judy is in upstate New York; Sean practices medicine in Seattle; and Jan lives in Norwich. And it was a pleasure to see globetrotters Charlieand Kim Brumback again. They live in Orlando but travel widely.

Next month will feature a guest column from Dr. Daniel Jones, who, Laurie Jones swears, still reads physics textbooks while brushing his teeth. In the meantime, please send me news.

957 Gold Belt Ave., Juneau, AK 99801;

Professor Brewer Doran had the uncommon foresiģht to specialize in Chinese consumer behavior. DICK MONKMAN '76