1975

In the words of one of James Taylors songs, "Summers here, I'm for that..." Boy is that true. Longer days, warmer nights and cool ocean breezes make the summer months all the more special for those of us who spend winters shoveling snow and clearing ice dams from our roofs.

As mentioned in an earlier column, the College and its alumni are actively involved in a critically important constitutional debate with strong views on all sides and which, according to its proponents, will help drive important reforms in the alumni association.

Having been actively involved in this process, I can attest to the compromises that all sides have made to get this far and to the hard work of the members of the alumni governance task force and members of the association. I urge all of us to become familiar with the proposed constitution and become active in the debate. John Reed, who succeeded me this past summer as chair of the Alumni Council's communication committee, can provide anyone who needs it with summaries of the proposed constitution and FAQs.

Meanwhile, on campus the Colleges sophomores (including my daughter Lizzie '08) are in residence during Sophomore Summer, a requirement that went into place several years after we graduated.Though a new requirement, nothing has changed as the wonder of summer in Hanover—and her classmates' sheer joy of it—was evident every time Nancy and I went to visit her.

Now on to the news.

David Hunt writes, "I have been writing wills and trusts and running estates in Portland, Maine, for the last 25 years. I married Elizabeth Pearce (Middlebury '82) and have two kids: Alexandra (16) and Thomas (15)." David stays in touch with his former roomies Robert M. "Bud" Leese and Brian P.O. Sullivan. Bud is a general practice doctor in Amherst, New Hampshire, and Brian is a pediatric pulmonologist who lives near Worcester, Massachusetts. David reports that "they and theirs are all well." Thanks for sending that on, David.

And in the category of real-life discovery, I recently learned that our own Sam James was in Brazil on a research trip. Sam and several colleagues found an earthworm species that had been declared extinct. The exact species name is Fimoscolex sporadochaetus, for the scientists among you. Lucky for Sam that my 80-year-old father, Allen Bildner'47, wasn't nearby with his bass fishing pole or the lucky earthworm would be extinctus againus. On a more serious note, the rediscovery of this species was front-page news in Brazil. Well done, Sam.

And finally, word comes from Scooter "Scott" Lochridge that he recently caught up with Doug Wilson for dinner. Scooter reports that Doug is doing well with his art and writing projects. Doug recently was in southern California doing a reading of one of his latest short stories. Scooter also wrote that he keeps in touch with Frank "Crow" Crowley. Frank is living in Hawaii with his wife, Kelly, and two dogs and works for Waikiki Trader—the operator of a number of retail stores in some of Hawaii's best resorts and destinations. In case you were worried that Frank is working too hard, Scott says that Franks answering machine has this greeting: "I can't come to the phone right now because I'm at the beach."

Now there is a lesson for all of us. Enjoy the season. Nancy and I send our best.

5 Boardman Ave., Manchester,MA 01944; (6l7) 737-1100, x 302; jbildner@newhorizonspartners.com