1956

Next year will be the 25th annual Fun City Fantastic in New York. It will be celebrated with a remembrance of the originator of this celebration, Cube Conroy but it will be difficult to surpass this year's gathering. Sixty strong, we started off with a class meeting and dinner at the Yale Club, (meeting minutes will be in the Wah-Who-Whisper). Our speaker was professor Don Pease, die newly appointed chairman of the faculty committee on the student life initiative (SLI) on campus, whose frankness, insight and optimism made for a memorable evening for all of us. A significant observation was that the SLI report is necessarily made by a committee and therefore contains representations of a very diverse group and may not necessarily be focused or entirely realistic; it also contains no financial considerations. He expects a great deal of hard work to be expended in the next year to bring about a comprehensive plan to meet the objectives of the SLI.

Saturday evening was magical, as 40 of us took a boat cruise around the tip of Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The Old Lady brought a tear to the eye in her solitary splendor, beautifully illuminated on this icy winter night as she symbolizes the hope that this country holds out to the world. (As we circled Bedloes Island, Roger Schumacher related to me that the grandfather of classmate James Pereire paid for the transport of the Statue of Liberty to this country; he at that time owned the French Line.) Dancing and dining with old friends on such a ship made it a night to remember, despite all the Titanic jokes (there was a lot of ice in the harbor).

A superb Sunday brunch was served at the home of Hal and Joan Gordon with the best attendance ever and another chance to visit with classmates. So many stories, and so little room. Showing up at least at one of these events were Leo McKenna and Chris Tomkins, Jack Tamagni Glen and Carolyn French, Wally Pugh, Will and Nancy Sogg, Elliott and Alice Weinstein,Flint and Corky Ranney, Tom and Abby Rosenwald, Clem and Ann Malin, Lee and Jane Gammill, Len and Lee Clark,Jack and Pat Billhardt, John Higgs, Doug and Ginger Keare, Buddy Rosenthal, Ed and Beverly Abt (Ed doing nicely following chemotherapy), Howard Sodokoff, Russ and Becky Brace, Dick and Georgia Whitney, Hal and Joan Gordon, Joel and Marsha Ash, Roger and Sharon Schumacher, Bruce and Dottie Baekey,George and Barbara Yeager Bill and Karen Tell, Steve and Max Farmer, Al and Diane Friedman, Bob and Pam Faulkner, Dutch Rosenberger, Ruth Katz, Tom Kuhns, Paul and Marcia Kreindler, Meredith Harris, Mike and Gail Levy, Mike and marjorie Grunebaum, Dean and Jane Hofe, Sandy Alexander, Buddy and Rona Schattman and Don Lane.

Mark your calendars now for the dates of our 45th Reunion—June 11-14, 2001 (that is the summer after the next). If you want to stay in the Hanover Inn, they will take your reservation now; we will of course have rooms arranged for everyone who wants one on campus. You will be hearing more about reunion with every column from now on.

P.O. Box 1031, Burlington, NC 27216; (336) 227-1153; harpoon@netpath.net