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Notes: December 1999
Notes: November 1999
Notes: October 1999
Notes: June 1999
Notes: May 1999
Notes: April 1999
Notes: March 1999
Notes: February 1999
Notes: December 1999
In case you missed the book signing of Best Little
Stories from the White House, with First Ladies in
Review by Bryan Kelly and Ingrid Smyer-Kelly in
Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 29 and 30, keep your eyes
open for an opportunity convenient to your place of
residence. The 390-page nonfiction book contains more than
125 true stories about every president and first lady to
occupy the White House in its first 199 years. It includes
tales of the men and women who have worked at the White
House, from the days of Thomas Jefferson's slaves to modern
times. (There is no section on "interns"; this is family
fare.) Cumberland House has published three companion
volumes from The Best Little Stories historical
series by the Kellys over the past two years: Best ...
from the American Revolution, ... the Civil War, and ...
World War II. Brian tells me his work is an extension
of Daily Themes, his favorite course at Yale.
Peter Wolf also has a new book, Hot Towns,
about the current relocation of one million Americans a
year. Robert A.M. Stern writes, "Peter Wolf's Hot
Towns is mistitled; it is not just about the booming
places of the next half-century but about the entire
conurbation that our vast continent threatens to become.
Neatly dissecting many cherished beliefs of architects,
urban planners, and informed citizens alike, it should be
essential for everyone who cares about land use and land
abuse. Interpreted properly, it could be a useful field
guide for the survival of our countryside, our cities, and
our suburban towns." Peter has become a recognized authority
on land planning asset management and urban policy, and his
book will hold interest for specialists, as well as all
those concerned with preserving the character of their
favorite places, while accommodating inevitable growth.
I received announcement and open invitation from Frank
Lin telling us that he will be on sabbatical leave at
Universidate Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
during academic year 1999-2000. He writes, "All Yale
classmates are welcome to visit me!" Address: Frank C. Lin,
Instituto de Computacao, Ruae Pesso de Patria 156, Bloc E,
24210-240 Niterol, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Colin Jensen writes with the sad news that Ted
Frembgen died on September 6, at San Antonio Community
Hospital. Condolences to family, friends, and roommates, of
whom Colin was one, on the loss of a great guy.
Congratulations to Coach Siedlecki and staff for
producing better and better football at The Bowl, and away.
The coach makes a huge difference in the Ivy League and it
looks like we have a keeper. These remarks stand regardless
of what happens after the date of this writing, October 21,
1999.
Johannes Somary will be our speaker at the class
dinner at the Yale Club of New York on March 18, 2000.
Hopefully, his thoughts will inspire us to make the Class
Project a real contribution to music education in America,
for at least the next millennium. Try to arrange your
schedule to be in New York on that date. It always amazes me
how enjoyable and productive that meeting, cocktails, and
dinner turn out to be.
We need a Webmaster for our class site, and would prefer
a classmate. If you're qualified and interested, please
contact Don or me.
This is a skinny month for news, and Don and I want to
wish you joyous holidays and a Happy 2000. Tell us
everything, so we can tell everybody else.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: November 1999
Dave Mininberg reports that our class
participation in the Alumni Fund is up three percentage
points from a year ago. Congratulations to all agents, and
thanks to all givers, and a tip of the hat to Dave.
Bill Wrean entertained Graham Tebbe, Don
Roberts, and spouses in Weston, Massachusetts, and they
were all heading out to watch Ryder Cup matches as these
notes go to press. Eat your hearts out, golf fans of YC'57.
Wrean initiated the idea of the Don Walker Fund at the time
of our 25th Reunion. I am pleased to note that the fund has
provided major scholarship support to some 20 undergraduates
during its history, including two this year. Its current
valuation is near $1 million.
I had a very enjoyable visit from Don Miller
recently and we swapped many tales and ate more food than we
absolutely needed. In Don's junior year he quit the swim
team, because he had been made obsolete by a change in the
technique of the breast stroke. Don, whose high school
records were his ticket to New Haven, remembers going to
Dean Devane's office to make tremulous inquiry about the
status of his financial aid in light of the change in his
swimming program. Devane's response, "When you're through
insulting this university, please go on about your
business," was a personal relief and a source of pride in
Yale and its values. I think all of us who love Yale have
one or more stories that impart this feeling. I'd welcome
any and all anecdotes of this genre.
The New York Times of September 2, 1999, (House and Home
Style) carried a very interesting article about
Millard and Carol Prisant and the 1862 country
house they have restored on the North Shore of Long Island
(not Daisy Buchanan's). Millard is a former rocket scientist
(literally) and Carol is New York editor of The World of
Interiors magazine. Even those of you who are experienced
do-it-yourselfers would be impressed with the seven years of
work they put into what is evidently a wonderful job of
restoring the house to its original ideal, based on
excellent documentation which was available to them. I'm
indebted to Malcolm Miller for bringing this article to my
attention. Malcolm roomed with Millard and tells me that
Millard still owns, uses, and fixes the record player
(remember?) he had in TD.
Sorry about all the hard news this month. Go to India
with Hockstader, come to the Harvard game and attend
the post-game party at Nancy Mongillo's, who has graciously
invited us to her home near the Bowl. "I'll be looking at
the moon, but ..."
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: October 1999
The dark side of the role of class scribe is heightened
awareness of physical setbacks of classmates, and also their
passing. I received a note from Jeff Freeman in
mid-July alerting me that Ink Clark had had an
accident at Camp Dudley in early July and had suffered a
serious brain trauma. Subsequent efforts to contact Ink were
unsuccessful, but I was given the impression he was
recuperating. On August 3, I called Gaylord Hospital, where
Ink had gone for treatment and, hopefully, rehabilitation,
and learned that he had died the previous night of a severe
heart attack. Ink was deeply involved in the "culture wars"
of the late 1960s at Yale, as was Sam Chauncey. Sam
sent me the following note:
"Inky Clark's name will be prominent in the history of
Yale College's transition from a regional and narrowly based
institution to America's foremost undergraduate
university/college. The late 1960s, when Ink was dean of
undergraduate admissions, was a time of turmoil for Yale and
for higher education, as well as for the nation. Kingman
Brewster wanted Yale to move rapidly ahead in diversifying
its undergraduate body — something that had been started by
Brewster's and Clark's predecessors, President Whitney
Griswold and Dean Arthur Howe. Ink was dedicated to having
Yale representatives criss-cross the nation seeking able and
talented young men — and later, women — regardless of
their geographic, ethnic, or financial backgrounds. Not
always popular with the alumni, Ink was, nevertheless,
always a fair and honest man whose only goal was to seek the
best for Yale.
"Today, Yale alumni and the nation recognize that Yale
College is the finest of its kind. That is so because of a
superb faculty and a broadly diverse undergraduate body. In
great measure, we have Ink Clark to thank for seeing that
the undergraduates are such a superb group."
Those who knew Inky, or read his obituary in The New York
Times, know of his life-long commitment to education of the
young and his accomplishments. He will be missed.
I had heard from Al Hockstader that Fred
Williams died in late July, but I have no details.
Charles Kerr, who lit the Olympic flame at Lake
Placid in 1980, passed away July 3, 1999. If you have a 40th
Reunion class book I suggest you read his comments; touching
and interesting. Leon Chemlen, who lived an
interesting and varied life, died in April. Self-studied in
law, he was the author of Something Stinks in Bedford, a
satire about his legal difficulties with the Bedford
(Massachusetts) Board of Health in 1974.
I received a note from John Marden's widow Anne,
with information about the creation of the "John N. Marden
'57 Endowed Scholarship Fund" with first preference to
Vermont students at Yale College. This endowment is not
fully funded, and classmates and other fans of John are
encouraged to contribute.
The following from Al Hockstader needs no amplification:
"Due to the tremendous success of the Class of 1957 trip to
China last spring, we have arranged a new guided tour,
exclusively for our class, for next year — this time to
India. The tour will run from February 20 to March 6, 2000,
with an optional three-day extension to Kathmandu, Nepal,
and the surrounding area. Places visited will be: Bombay,
Aurangabad, Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, and
Delhi, and if you elect to extend, Kathmandu. All the hotels
are the very best in the luxury class in each city and
discount international airfares have been arranged on a
major airline. The cost of this trip will be substantially
below any comparable trip to India and Kathmandu that you
have ever seen, plus you should know almost everyone on the
trip! Since space is available for only 30 people (that's
only 15 classmates plus wives/companions) on a first come,
first served basis, it is imperative that you sign up as
quickly as possible. Details of the trip were mailed to you
this summer by the alumni office. If you missed the letter,
call your classmate Alan Hockstader at (914) 761-3488, or
e-mail him at (abbih@aol.com)."
I appreciated the following concise note from Jim
Banner: "Some members of the Washington, DC-region
contingent met for one of their periodic lunches in early
June. Present, and healthy, were Don Backe, Jim
Banner, Andy Glass, Bob Joost, Steve Hopkins, Phil
Pillsbury, Hal Russell, and Tim Towell. Andy and
Ellie Glass' son Sam and Jim Banner's son Gideon just
graduated from Yale with the Class of 1999."
I enjoyed catching up with John Crosskey, who
retired from the law firm of Day, Berry and Howard in 1994
after 35 years, and has moved to the Connecticut shore to be
near his sailboat. John and spouse have done a lot of
traveling, including China in 1985, and seem to have been
very proficient at knowing how to retire.
Robert Keaten has left the corporate world after
nearly 40 years, and is in his third semester in the
seminary at Drew University, in Madison, New Jersey.
Atonement, anyone? Seriously, congratulations to you, Bob.
The Darien Times and other southwestern Connecticut
newspapers carried a really interesting article about Ray
Lamontagne, new chairman of the board at City Center in
New York. Ray's "resume" includes numerous activities on
behalf of the arts, kids, and others. Among other things, he
was a presidential appointee to the advisory council on the
arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in 1970-72. The son of a millworker, Ray has had a
successful business career, and is committed to "giving
back"; he certainly has.
Peter Hobart writes from Rome that he has become a
movie producer, "having been a multinational industrialist
for most of my life. The name of the company is Moloch Rosso
Productions, with offices in Rome and studios in Panicale,
Umbria." Their films will be on art: "Art Films for
Posterity and the New Millennium. The primary emphasis is on
modern sculpture and artists, exhibitions, installations,
gardens, video art, and modern art in general." Peter
recalls studying under Josef Albers and Vincent Scully and
is now taking advantage of this foundation, and hopes to
"repay my debt to Yale and the world in the arts as well."
He would welcome any ideas or suggestions from classmates.
I received a copy of Johannes Somary's bio from
International Who's Who in Music and am excited to report
that the awesome talent we saw 40-plus years ago at Yale has
been expressed in a highly productive life.
I have a late-breaking news item: Hank Hulshizer
received a heart transplant on August 22 and the initial
performance (as of August 24) is superb. In Hank's case, "he
has the heart of a 16-year-old" is literally true. Assuming
complete success of this operation, I guess Hank will be our
class secretary starting his term in 2037.
See you this fall.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: June 1999
In late April I was in Baltimore to attend the ISPCON
(Internet Service Provider Convention) with son Oliver, and
had a truly enjoyable breakfast with Tom Perkins
(longtime class scribe). All of the news about Baltimore,
Tom's family, and Yale are secondary to my pleasure in
seeing Tom looking healthier, happier, and handsomer than he
has in years. Like many of us, Tom has had some "health
thrills," but is now ready to enjoy the rest of his
(hopefully, long) life. Baltimore is new to me, and I was
impressed with its tourist attractions and also its
historical charm.
Tom recently attended a meeting of the Yale Development
Board and reports that all our class board members (John
A. Herrmann, Allan Kaplan, George T. Lee, Vernon Loucks,
Phil Weymouth, and Tom) were in attendance except for
Weymouth. If you have been afflicted with too much wealth
because of the bull market, these are good guys to contact.
Bill Ellis, our class representative to AYA, and
Don Roberts attended the AYA Spring Assembly in New
Haven. Each of these assemblies has a focus and the focus of
this one was the faculty. Speakers included deans of the
Medical School, the Graduate School, the Nursing School,
Yale College, Provost Richard, and President Levin.
Some highlights of a very rich program include the
following:
Only 7 percent of Yale undergraduate courses have
graduate students as primary instructors; these courses are
either freshman calculus or introductory languages.
Professors do teach! E-mail has made professors more
accessible to students.
Yale is about 55 percent tenured. (Amherst is 85
percent.) This level leaves us room for new blood. The
competition for minorities is intense, and Yale grants
budget relief for departments who hire minorities. Yale has
been quite successful lately in recruiting senior professors
from top-notch schools, and also in retaining faculty. The
quality of the undergraduate body and Yale colleagues is a
critical factor in bringing this about.
Yale is beginning to reap great rewards from companies
started by or with Yale faculty. About 40 companies fit the
description; of these seven are public and have a combined
market capitalization of $1.5 billion. Yale is also an
active licenser of patents obtained by faculty members under
a sharing arrangement established in 1980. Yale's income
from this source has gone from $100,000 in 1930, to $1
million in 1993, and to $40 million in the current year.
These funds are reinvested in the program, and they are not
used for administration, etc. Thanks to Don Roberts for this
report.
Tom Quirk reports that Dwight Hall is grateful to
the Class of '57 for the gift of $6,000 for the Dwight Hall
summer internship program in memory of classmate Frank
Mongillo. D.H. has accepted 12 interns with projects
ranging from work with the homeless, the Boys and Girls
clubs, the Center for Race and Inequality, the new charter
school, Amistad Academy, a traveling science and interactive
museum with LEAP and Peabody Museum, and an exploration of
community-based learning for Dwight Hall, to name just a
few. (Whew!)
I received a great newspaper photo of Jack Hughes
giving suture supplies to Dr. Anatoly L. Trofimenko from
Ussuriysk, in far-east Russia, during a visit to Jack's Casa
Grande, Arizona, office. The Tucson Rotary Club (including
Hugh Thompson) was responsible for the trip. The Hockstader
China trip was a great success, and details and color
commentary will be featured in the next set of class notes.
Have a great summer.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: May 1999
Hi, guys (that includes female guys). First, a couple of reports of
class events. The midwinter hockey game and dinner for the Class of
1957 took place on January 30. Dinner at the Yale School of Management
was preceded by a brief, provocative talk by Robert Blocker, dean of
the School of Music. Dean Blocker told stories about music programs in
urban schools, that conveyed the sense of their importance, but also
how poorly they were cared for, in many cases. Dean Blocker thinks
that our class project of encouraging musical education for U.S.
school children is an ambitious one, but one of great potential
significance. "A man's reach..." Dinner was followed by an
excellent game with Cornell, won by the Elis. In attendance were:
Dave and Gail Bowman, Howard and Edwina Gillis,
Bern and Gail Kosto, Gus and Barbara Kellogg, Malcolm
Mitchell, Art and Reba Nassau, Bob and Shirley Neff,
Jack and Pixie Pendergast, Don Roberts, Chris and Sally
Sonne, Nick Tingley, and Bill Wrean.
On March 18, the Class of 1957 held its annual class dinner at the
Yale Club in NYC. After a reasonably boisterous cocktail hour, we
enjoyed an excellent dinner, choreographed by the class dietitian,
Gail Kosto, who made sure we got our greens as well as reasonable
amounts of "bad stuff." Excellent. The "dinner party" was preceded by
a meeting of the class council which was focused on the class project
and reviewed progress to date. Don Roberts and Malcolm
Mitchell presented outlines of where we've been and where we're
going and the steps necessary to "solving the world's problems."
Please contact Don or me for copies of these documents. Jack
Curlett told a truly inspiring story of a project in his hometown
of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, that involved a partnership of the
W.S. Symphony with grades 1-3 of the "worst" (academically) school in
Winston-Salem. At the end of the three years the kids in this poor,
minority school had received a good start to a musical education, but
also achieved top scores in statewide math and reading tests. This
kind of result should help us to "sell" the value of a music education
on a countrywide basis. Jack repeated his story at dinner (ably
introduced by Malcolm Mitchell) and it evoked a very positive
reaction.
Our special speaker for the evening was Ed Meyer, who
addressed the subject of fiduciary responsibility of trustees of
not-for-profit organizations. Because of Ed's delivery and a stunning
case study, this was a truly exciting presentation. Eddie, in his role
as a member of the Board of Regents of New York State, found himself
in the situation of reviewing the performance of the board of trustees
of Adelphi University in relationship to its oversight of the
college's president (among other things). As a consequence of his
work, 18 out of 19 of the trustees were "fired" (among whom were a
number of well-known corporate leaders), the president was replaced,
and a new board was installed. Since that time Adelphi has made a
remarkable recovery by virtually any measurement. I think we learned a
lot from Ed's talk, and "a good time was had by all."
In addition to classmates and wives, we were pleased to be joined
by Suzy Abuza and Anne Marden, and reminded of our late
classmates and friends, Charlie and John. We received a
nice note from Karen Hemmeter, Cale Carson's widow, in which
she asked to be remembered to friends and advised that she will be
riding her bicycle from Key West to Maine in April and May. This note
will not be received in time for you to offer hospitality if you are
on the route, but Karen can be sure we are thinking of her and Cale.
Classmates in attendance were George Armor, Tony Bingham, Rod
Correll, Rob Corry, Jack Curlett, Ellsworth Davis, Bill Ellis, Ian
Henderson, Alan Hockstader, Steve Hopkins, Alan Kaplan, Bern Kosto,
Dave Laventhol, Bruce McLanahna, Bob Neff, Bob Pegg, Ed Meyer, Malcolm
Mitchell, Tom Quirk, Don Roberts, Reed Rubin, Joel Sharp, Chris Sonne,
Alan Shiff, and John Watling.
There was a sighting of Roger Samet during cocktails. Ian
Henderson told me that he had dinner with Lyman Drake in
Paris and also filled me in on the activities of his three sons,
Wallace, Malcolm, and Ian. Ian came the longest distance of all the
classmates for the class dinner (Glenview, Kentucky).
Robert Livingston advises us, "Am still gainfully employed
at Alcatel U.S.A., designing and engineering telecommunications
equipment. Daughter Ann working in gerontology in Waco, Texas. Son
Andy studying music at Mississippi College." Charles Strong
tells us, "Now working as a solid waste management consultant. Office
at home. Working toward retirement with flexible hours." An exhibit,
Stars and Stripes Forever: The Popular Urge in American Art 1955–1975,
is on view March 26–May 2 at the Yale University Art Gallery. A
complementary exhibit, The Geldzahler Portfolio and the Estate
Project, which commemorates our late classmate Henry, will run
concurrently at the Jonathan Edwards College master's house.
I am sorry to report the recent deaths of Charles Rinaldi MD
and Alan Wardwell. Charles died in Florida, where he retired in
1997. He was a senior member of the American Academy of Neurology. Our
condolences to his widow and family.
Alan's obituary in the New York Times noted that he was director of
the Asia Society Galleries in New York City from 1974 to 1984, and a
prominent authority on primitive art of many kinds. The obituary
noted, "Wardwell's enthusiasms included music and dancing. He was a
founder and active member of the Central Park Dance Skaters
organization." Alan's friends and classmates share his family's loss,
and send condolences.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: April 1999
Richard Arnold informs us that "All is well. I
have rid myself of administrative duties and can now pay
full attention to deciding cases. On October 16 I will
celebrate my 20th anniversary as a federal judge! Last time
out I had a 40 on the back nine. My summer vacation was two
weeks on retreat at St. Gregory's Abbey (Benedictines of the
Episcopal Church) at Three Rivers, Michigan. Kay and I have
a cabin on the Little Red River and will celebrate our 19th
wedding anniversary on October 27."
I received the following tribute to Richard from Gil
Merritt, written for publication in a law review in
Arkansas. (Gil has stepped down as chief judge of the Sixth
Circuit as Dick Arnold has as chief judge of the Eighth
Circuit. Both remain active, full-time members of their
respective courts of appeals.)
"Richard Arnold's playing partners are in for a treat
when his golf ball arrives at the green. He pulls out a
100-year-old putter with a worn, but finely polished,
antique wood shaft. His grandfather, a lawyer in Texarkana,
first putted with it at the turn of the century. Richard's
father inherited it and played with it for many years. Now
it is Richard's. No telling how many balls it has rolled
into the cup. In Richard's steady hands, as another
15-footer drops in, the old putter seems like a magic wand
with a long memory for how a golf ball will run and break.
"But I do not intend to dwell on Richard's golf game. The
old putter is not only lovingly connected with Richard's
family. It is symbolic of a life and mind rooted in history,
with an uncanny memory for people, events, and literature,
legal and otherwise, and with a sense of balance and
moderation based on the Golden Mean and a deep understanding
of history. When Richard works, or talks, or writes, the
ball always seems to drop in the cup.
"Richard majored in the classics at Yale and retains to
this day his talent for Latin and Greek. A deeply spiritual
man, his Biblical learning, like his legal learning and his
historical understanding, is a product of a remarkable
capacity to combine careful, precise analysis with the
ability to synthesize diverse knowledge. It was no accident
that in scholarship he ranked first in our class at Yale and
at Harvard Law School.
"His great love for language (he learned Italian in later
life by reading The Divine Comedy) has given Richard a
poetic writing style — plain, spare, elegant. He recently
rebutted the view that Justice Brennan, for whom he clerked
in 1960, molded the Warren Court through sheer force of
personality and "Irish guile." In five expressive sentences
he catches the essence of Justice Brennan's role on the
Court:
"'Personality, no doubt, is important. Judges are human
beings. They live in bodies and react on a personal level.
But judges do not cast votes simply because their backs are
slapped in a particularly engaging way. What Justice Brennan
did, he did as a lawyer and as a judge, and his mastery of
the English language, of the history of the Constitution,
and of the technical aspects of the law played at least as
big a part in his success at constructing majorities as the
warmth of his personality and manner.' ('In Memoriam:
William J. Brennan Jr.,' 111 HARV. L. REV. 5, 1997) This
simple, clear, concise passage expresses a complex idea with
a cadence of iambic pentameter typical of Richard's writing.
"I knew that there was something very special about
Richard 45 years ago, not long after we sat down next to
each other at 8am on September 22, 1953, for our first class
as freshmen at Yale College. It was a class in beginning
French taught five days a week in a little classroom above
Yale's main Gothic gate, looking out over the New Haven
green. When we struck up a short conversation before class
began that morning, I was relieved. I thought, 'This boy
from Arkansas is probably just as unsophisticated and
unprepared for Yale as am I, a farm boy from Tennessee.'
That idea did not last long. Within two weeks, he and
Monsieur Tofoya, our teacher, were conversing back and forth
in French. Within a month, Monsieur Tofoya had put him up in
French 20, which required as preparation two good years of
high school French. Before the first semester was out, the
French department put Richard into French 30, an advanced
class, where they read Beaudelaire, Stendhal, and other
great French writers.
"But I do not want to dwell on how smart Richard Arnold
is. Articles like this one tend to overemphasize a judge's
intelligence and learning to the exclusion of qualities of
the heart like a sense of justice, diplomacy,
thoughtfulness, humor, loyalty, tolerance, and affection for
others. There are many smart people, but only one with the
complex mind and spirit of Richard Arnold. It is his heart
and character that make all who know him love and admire
him.
"For his many friends and acquaintances, Richard is a
hero and a model — on the one hand, highly competitive,
with a great capacity for work and achievement, while at the
same time blessed with an enlarged capacity for sympathy and
the ability to put himself into the shoes of another. Even
though pressed for time, he cannot pass a beggar by or allow
a genuine request for aid to go unanswered. I said,
'Richard, the guy is probably an alcoholic or a dope
addict.' He responded in good humor, 'You never know, he may
be an angel.' In his mind, the guy is just one of God's
children in need.
"Richard summons what little anger and hostility his
nature owns in the face of the bully who takes advantage of
the weakness of others. He is instinctively for the underdog
and for the liberty and dignity of the little guy. That
sentiment runs subtly throughout his opinions, writings, and
speeches. His legal and moral philosophy emphasizes the
importance of the claims of the less-favored class.
Achilles's pitiless enforcers, the myrmidons of the law, are
not Richard's friends. He takes basic Christian ethics
seriously, reflecting the ancient admonition found in
Matthew 25:40: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' Or as his
charming and insightful wife Kay said to me once in more
modern English: 'I was lucky enough to marry the man who is
always the last to judge and the first to forgive.'" Thanks,
Dick. Thanks, Gil.
Future notes will return to form and will be from and
about us mortals.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: March 1999
Received the following from Otis Graham: "I saw a
lot of folks at the 40th, but can perhaps condense my
'current news.' I am distinguished visiting professor here
at UNCW, with a lot more time to write history than before I
retired from UC-Santa Barbara and moved away from serial
committee meetings. My most recent book was Aged in Oak, a
beautifully illustrated as well as totally true story of the
Santa Barbara County wine industry. In 1998 I enjoyed a
wonderful week in St. Bart's with Yalie Marine Corps buddy
Graham Tebbe (with spouses and friends, plus my
brother Hugh '58), and finally tracked down another
Eli-jarhead, George Schuyler, who has moved his poker
game to Conway, Arkansas. All these guys, incredibly, are 63
years old. Everything else that has happened to us is
believable; this isn't."
John Crosby writes from Minneapolis that he is
still working at St. John's University and that his agents
are just getting started on his grandchild program. Read
Charlton and Richard Crisler continue their
informal ambassadorial assignments for Yale, attending a
Unification Reception by the German government on October
11, 1981, along with 150,000 Germans.
John Ryan is still working as a director and
investor, but has sold DLB Systems and is delighted to have
stopped commuting to Morristown, New Jersey. He and longtime
friend, Mary Gregg, have bought a home in Bala Cynwyd,
Pennsylvania.
I spent a few days in San Francisco in November and
almost visited with Bill Hamm, with whom I did speak
at some length. Bill is almost retired as a stockbroker and
remains active in the Republican Party. He is happy to hear
from classmates who may be visiting the "City by the Bay."
Also chatted with late bloomer, Al Boasberg, who was
married two years ago. Al continues a general practice,
including trial work. Al's brother has produced the future
Yalies for the Boasberg clan, and Al is married to a travel
agent; it all makes sense to me. Other SF classmates were
out of town, but two of my children now live in San
Francisco, so I expect more sightings before long.
The Yale Alumni Chorus, 280 strong, had a very successful
tour in China. Classes from 1933 to 1997 participated,
including Doug Almond, jack Hughes, Carl Myrun, Gerry
Neary, and Reed Taylor from 1957. All were
enthusiastic about what was broadly proclaimed as an
extremely successful "musical mission." Jack Hughes and
Janet then traveled on to Tibet where they will spend the
next seven years with Brad Pitt.
Robert Beaney is having an active and enjoyable
retirement with wife Gayle, and is trying to figure out how
to retire from being retired.
Victor Goodman writes, "Our youngest son, David,
who had been appointed in May to serve in the Ohio House of
Representatives, was elected to a full term as a Republican,
representing the eastern part of Franklin County (Columbus),
Ohio. David's wife Heather practices law with our law firm.
David and Heather are graduates of Case Western Reserve Law
School. Elaine and I have three grandchildren: two living in
Atlanta and one living in Bethesda, Maryland. Our four
children, all of whom are married and employed, live in San
Francisco, Atlanta, Bethesda, and Columbus."
Don Babb and Ryna have their first grandchild,
courtesy of son Andrew '86 and bride. Congratulations! Nice,
newsy note from John Poinier: "Alice and I and
daughter Kate, our German translator, just returned from two
weeks in Europe split between Ireland and Switzerland. Great
break on weather, excellent places to stay and eat. Golf for
Kate and self, Sligo Ballyliffn and Royal Portrush.
Wonderful wedding late May for Anne to her fellow new MD,
Mark Weinrobe. Working ferocious hours as local residents.
Jen and her husband Bryan Ballinger moved to Winfield,
Illinois, in May. Sara and her husband Ari Gold are
dedicated teachers in northeast Denver."
Paul Van Wentworth tells us, "Attended wedding of James
Peters, son of John Peters, to Leslie McMillen in New
Orleans in October, followed by reception at the Windsor
Court. John, Phil Weymouth, and a number of other
younger Yalies helped make it a grand ol' rousing party.
They sure know how to do it in the Big Easy."
John Miller writes, " Recently joined the
Annapolis Chorale, where I enjoy singing in the bass section
with classmate Arthur Gibb, who is on the Naval
Academy faculty. In October, received the Distinguished
Service Award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for
contributions to Marine Corps history while on active duty
and later as a board member and committee chairman of the
Foundation. Because this is a lifetime award, I asked the
chairman of the board if I was being fired. "No," he said,
"we consider you a work in progress. Now get back to work."
Mike O'Hearn and bride Sherry are knocking
themselves out as they golf, garden, fish, hike, boat, and
play tennis. They can be found in Naples, Florida, and Big
Fork, Montana.
Jerome Farnum is moving back to the U.S. from
Switzerland in 1999. "Enough of this foreign living," he
says. Dick Voigt is still playing piano with band two
to three times per week (great job at 40th reunion! — ed.),
and in September was elected chairman of the Liberal Party
of New York, the nation's oldest continuous third party.
Dick proves value of Yale education in advising us that
"liberal" is not a four-letter word.
Phil Pillsbury is "particularly enjoying" his work
with the Joint Committee for the Environment for the Panama
Canal. The Canal and all U.S. property will revert on
December 31, 1999.
Fernando Alvares de Toledo writes, "Doing fine;
starting to plan retirement. Will do a reduced work schedule
to begin January '99: 10am-4pm, four days/week with extended
vacations. Our company, Act Medical, is going just great,
now in its eighth year, 200 people. We do contract design
and manufacturing of medical devices for small and big
companies. Still very active rowing competitively, San Diego
HOC this year. Feeling Great."
Pete Williams '59 wrote a strong note in regard to a
transgression a month or two ago. "Ebbets Field is spelled
with one 't.' Those of us who worshipped in that shrine may
forgive your uncharacteristic slovenliness, but only when we
see a printed retraction." I hope I'm now forgiven. Good to
hear from you, Pete, after 40 years!
I regret to report the passing of three classmates. Rob
Mackenroth reports that his father Floyd died
on February 22, 1998, in Pasadena, California. Tof
Girdler reports that his roommate Howard Shaff
died on October 13, 1998, in Amherst, New Hampshire.
Floyd Gould died on May 12, 1998. Floyd worked in
Chicago, but I regret that I have no other news.
—Ellsworth Davis
Notes: February 1999
Yale won the Big Three title for the first time since
1990, meaning that the class of '91 was the last graduating
class to experience this prestigious achievement (at least,
among those who really count). Congratulations to the team
and coaching staff, and I promise no more jokes about "wait
'til next year." The Princeton game was played in mild
weather, with "there's a flag on the play" the most used
phrase of the day. The New Haven Register's coverage of the
game included the comment, "The game should have been played
in June, when Flag Day is usually observed." In any case,
our 31-28 victory was appreciated by the partisan crowd at
The Bowl, and especially by those members of the Class of
'57 in attendance.
A class council meeting was held the morning of the P
game (November 14) and was attended by Bowman, Sandy
Clark, E. Davis, Kosto, Mitchell, and Roberts. We
had a fruitful meeting on the Class Project and set up
assignments for continuing development of ideas and plans.
We don't have an official name for the project yet, but
there will be many different ways for all of us to get
involved with music, education, public policy, and helping
to get musical education right into the center of the
educational experience for American students. (Late flash:
on December 1, Don Roberts met with Robert L. Blocker, dean
of Yale's School of Music. Don outlined the project to
Blocker and his enthusiasm was immediate. Our next meeting
was scheduled for January 30, and we hope to have more to
communicate soon.)
Nancy Mongillo and her children, Frank '90 and Wendy,
hosted an after the (Princeton) game party at their home and
a "good time was had by all." Good food and drink, and old
friends, is a great combination.
In addition to above-mentioned classmates it was great to
see and talk with Nick Tingley, Chris Sonne, Garson
Heller, Tom Quirk, and Howie Gillis, with a cameo
appearance from Steve Flagg, who was partying with
other elite townies next door. Nick Tingley retired from
Exxon at the age of 60, having worked there since he
graduated from U. Chicago Business School. He was with Exxon
during the glory days when oil was going to sell for $60 a
barrel — remember that? Although Nick did not share that
fantasy, he remembers it vividly. He's enjoying retirement
and following the progress of his two children.
Robert Rospond, who lives in the Philippines,
writes: "Enjoying life in this delightful archipelago with
wonderful tropical weather. Trips to Bangkok and Hong Kong
add pleasure. A scare in Manila at U.S. Embassy, but merely
rhetoric, thankfully." Sounds good to me, and I guess prices
are pretty attractive at this time.
Good news: Life begins at ___ (fill in your own numbers).
Good to hear from Hal Hochman, who writes, "I am
taking a semester leave from Lafayette College in the spring
of 1999 and will be visiting Deakin College in Melbourne,
Australia, where I'll lead a seminar for honor students for
about four weeks. Kappie and I look forward to exploring the
east coast of the continent and New Zealand for our first
time during this stay. I'm practicing for retirement — in
20 or 30 years!" Hal's letter introduces the idea of "late
retirement." Interesting.
Tom Myers tells us he retired from Fort James
Corp. on May 1, 1998, and is now assisting his spouse in the
log home business in western Maryland. Dave Mininberg
has a unique avocation, as he writes, "Now working three
days a week at the New York Hospital-Cornell University
Medical College, two days a week at the Metropolitan Museum
of Art department of Egyptian art. Recently CAT-scanned all
MMA mummies (11); CAT-scanned many musical instruments as
well." Honestly, hummy, it just costs mummy.
The travel beat goes on, as we hear from Shawn
Kalkstein: "Just got back from wandering through Turkey,
layers of history past, and as for the present, rampant
entrepreneurial capitalism at work before your eyes — you
can see and feel the invisible hand of Adam Smith working,
working! (Not to mention, marvelous food: Turkish Mezes!)
I enjoyed the following offering from Don Miller,
"More and more I am reminded of my advancing years. None
more than at the celebration of 100 years of Yale swimming,
which took place at a gala two-day bash in New Haven in
November. Four hundred swimmers, including one 92-year-old,
returned to celebrate. I was disappointed that more of the
'57 group was not there, but happy to visit with Bill
Clinton, ex-'54, who returned to '57 to be the captain,
and Tony Carlisle.
"Before going back, I checked my old scrapbooks. It has
been a habit of mine over the years to feel sorry for myself
because the breaststroke rules were changed following the
'52 Olympics, and my career was greatly damaged. I felt
rather foolish when my memory was refreshed about Terry. He
was a giant in schoolboy swimming, only to be waylaid by
polio in his senior year in high school. We had a great team
in our years, but we would have been unstoppable with a
healthy Terry Carlisle. He went on to a very successful
coaching career.
"The problem with celebrating 100 years is that our day
was back there in the middle somewhere. Here we are, holding
on. It is great to be reminded that we are part of that
great Yale swimming tradition."
Here's an enigmatic offering: "Classmates Richard
Crisler and Read Charlton were spotted passing
through Checkpoint Charlie this date at 10:38 am local time.
Having eluded local security forces, they were last seen
headed north on Frederick Strasse. Crisler was escorting an
attractive, young German girl of unknown origin and Charlton
was wearing an old, government-issued raincoat with a
Herald-Tribune under his right arm. Anyone with knowledge of
their whereabouts should contact the American Embassy Berlin
or the Yale Alumni Magazine."
Major class celebrity Calvin Trillin showed up
several times in the last month, on TV, in The New York
Times, etc. A mark of true distinction must be noted. In my
December 5 local newspaper I found Trillin listed in
"Today's Birthdays." He was listed with other notables,
including Strom Thurmond, Joan Didion (long-time friend of
Bud — ed.), Morgan Brittany, and rock singer-musician John
Rzeznick (The Goo Goo Dolls).
—Ellsworth Davis
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