1949

Now that you have President John Stearns's brand new, handy-dandy class directory with up-to-date addresses, there's no reason why you can't pick up the phone and find out if your old buddy Jack or Charley or Sam is coming to the big 50th. Then you can sign up, too, like Bob (formerly "Windy") Winship, who writes, "Looking forward to seeing all the celebrating '49ers." And Bob Hill, who writes, "It has always been my intention to attend our 50th. In fact, I put my name on the Hanover Inn reservation list before leaving Hanover after our 45th." And Joel Berson, who writes, "Annie and I are looking forward to the reunion weekend. "And Jack Coleman, who writes, "I married a golfaholic, and reading about the Balsams clinched the deal." And Quent Kopp, who writes, "Please note my intent to attend the 50th Reunion. Have I completed the questionnaire? I can't recall (a senior moment?)." [Ed. note: He did, but he hasn't sent a picture yet.]

Herb Gramstorff sends a picture and describes it as "...taken after my third major surgery in 11 months. One way to lose 60 plus pounds. Glad to say I'm in good shape now, just getting back to golf." Herb promised to be at the fall mini, at the 50th, and at the Balsams.

Of course, not everyone is going to make the reunion. An e-mailed questionnaire arrived with this from Mike Bernkopf: "I don't believe that I will be able to attend because of the distance. I'm retired here in Monaco, where my wife is establishing a public relations and industrial relations firm." Please note that while Mike doesn't actually invite '49ers passing through Monaco to stop and see him, he doesn't explicitly rule it out either.

From Brookfield, Vt., comes this from Dick Mallary: "Since I am foolishly attempting to revisit Vermont politics, I just had my first picture taken in several years, so here it is, replete with wrinkles." We'll soon know whether Dick was elected to the legislature.

A nice long letter from our adopted classmate Don Cummings does not state his reunion intentions but does describe how this Lebanon native with a Harvard B.A. got his Tuck degree in 1950 at the same time as a bunch of '49ers who, led by his good friend Dick Bandfield, then adopted him. Don mentions that back in the nineteenth century his great-grandparents had a summer home in Thetford on the Ompompanoosic. In those days before 1-91 they reached it by horse and carriage. Unfortunately, the house was taken by the government in 1948 to make way for the Union Village Damn.

Finally, an e-mail from (a.k.a. John Mcllwraith) in response to a recent class notes note reporting on his return to our fold from the class of 1950: "Yes...lt only took about two issues of the '50 newsletter to show me that not only could I not connect names with faces, I didn't even recognize most of the names. So, back to my roots. Retired from Dow almost 11 years and have become a professional volunteer and loving it docent at the Indianapolis Children's Museum; business counseling with SCORE; mentoring high school juniors and seniors; live radio readings. Re reunion, put me down as a good, firm maybe."

How about you?

496 Turnpike Road North, Fairlee, VT 05045;

DOC trip leader Vail Haak '49, p. 10