1968

1968

The choking pop culture glut of today pales in contrast to the serious media and communication concerns that were prominent among us during our time in Hanover and the preceding years of growing up. (Remember Marshall McLuhan?) It’s not then surprising that numerous ’68s offered input about writers, visual artists, and political commentators in recent online messages and publications. Author Mark Nelson’s new book, Irrationals in Hope of the Impossible (available on Amazon), describes the early years of Synergia Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the founding ofthe Institute of Ecotechnics, and the development of cutting-edge projects around the world, including Biosphere 2. A variety of communicators features prominently on the lists of fantasy dinner guests sent by David Walden (Jake Sullivan, Bruce Springsteen, Barbara Kingsolver, Jake Tapper’91, Liz Cheney), Roger A. Anderson (director of MI6 Sir Richard Moore, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-Un, Nicola Maduro, Xi Jinping), and Gerry Bell and Jackie (Charles Barkley, Stephen King, Tom Brady, Jane Fonda, Barack Obama). (To receive such emails, attend a class committee meeting and get on the mailing list!) In connection with Banned Books Week, John Pfeiffer wrote (and Gary Horlick forwarded) that on September 20, The Washington Postbook club newsletter noted: “In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower—a Republican—told graduating students at Dartmouth College, ‘Don’t join the book burners.’ ” Norm Silverman wrote to advise that “Jon Meacham’s biography of John Lewis, His Truth Is Marching On, is an enthralling read” and to offer copies to classmates. Also, recent Give a Rouse recipient John Hamer sent a summary of some of his latest, bimonthly Mercer Island Reporter columns. His positive works cover everything from an interview with a young Israeli woman who survived the October 7 attacks to a local couple’s nonprofit that aids women and children in Ukraine to Rotary Club leaf raking. Read his pro bono work at mi-reporter.com. In terms ofvisual communications, the dependable Ed Heald sent photo galleries of students returning to campus for the fall session and of the colorfully decked-out natural and structural Hanover environments. Join in!

—Jack Hopke, 157 Joy St., River Ridge, LA 70123; (504) 388-2645; jackhopke@yahoo.com