1952

The range of interests and accomplishments of our classmates never ceases to amaze. The mail recently brought us a package from Ceb Benisch that turned out to enclose a wellwritten and very interesting 30-page story about some experiences of a man who serves as a guardian ad litem in Florida. This translates as legalese for "guardian of the defenseless," which Ceb is.

A "guardian" is a trained, court-appointed person who is assigned to look after the well-being of children who are known to the juvenile courts to be abused or otherwise improperly cared for. The guardian intercedes and monitors the child's home life. If he finds that the child continues to be neglected or endangered, the guardian goes before the juvenile courts with recommendations for the child's relocation and placement. The court almost always follows the guardian's recommendation.

Ceb and Nancy Benisch usually spend about five months a year in Florida. Ceb has been a guardian ad litem there for six years and when in Florida carries a full caseload of assignments. It can't be fun. It has got to be hard, emotionally wearing work. Ceb rarely sees a good family situation—only children growing up in squalor, poverty and neglect. Confrontations with enraged parents are a frequent part of the job.

Ceb performs this important work without compensation, not even reimbursement for expenses. He does it only to help children in desperate need. Not every retiree wants to devote his winter in Florida to a task such as this.

The story which Ceb sent us is the account of one of his actual cases. Titled "Where's My Home?" it's the tale of a small boy who is being virtually abandoned by an alcoholic father and a drug-addicted mother. The story of how Ceb inserts himself into the child's life, gets promises (never kept) for improved future behavior from the parents, and eventually brings order, safety and love into the boy's life is heartwarming and fascinating. This is volunteerism at its best and highest.

Why did Ceb write this piece? It's the outcome of a writing course he's been taking at the summer Dartmouth Alumni College. This nifty story proves he's gotten pretty good at it—"for an economics major," Ceb adds.

He's clearly gotten pretty good at being a guardian ad litem, too.

Hearing that the Florida community of Harbour Ridge (east coast near Stuart) is the winter home for a number of '52s, we felt it our obligation to spend a couple of months there so that we could report back to you. Yes, indeed, a number of classmates are winter residents at Harbour Ridge, or very close by. Included are Bill Randall and Wendy, Roy Abbott and Leigh (himself playing a lot of tennis), Bob Brace and Pat, Dodie and Jack Boyle (who's making a nice recovery from summer back surgery followed by a serious staph infection), Bill Montgomery and Maggie, Caroline and Dick McDonough (who spent six winter weeks aboard the QEII traveling to Australia), Lou Zehner and Anne and Cookie and Howie Carter (he's just retired from the brokerage business). Tom Schanck and Barbara live in nearby Loblolly. As this is being written Harbour Ridge awaits an imminent visit from our class president Pete McSpadden and Barbara, in whose honor various social events will occur.

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