CLASS OF 1961 | 2026 | FALL ISSUE
1961 ARCHIVES | HOME
← 1960 | 1962 →
At last, many classmates have thankfully submitted their personal updates during the past few months, ending a period of desolation, abandonment, and concern for your class secretary. It is a delight to hear from so many faithful writers.
Peter Dybwad reports from Berkeley, California, where he is still working as president of the Wright Institute, an independent graduate school located in Berkeley. This coming year will be his final year, and, as he writes: “The good Lord willin’ and the crick don’t rise, I’ll retire a few days after I turn 88.” When questioned about his continued clarinet playing, as he did during his days at Wesleyan, he states: “I no longer play the clarinet, but I still play the alto saxophone. Slow ballads mostly.”
Paul Dickson is still writing books. His latest book, G.I. Jive: A Dictionary of Words at War: The Vernacular of Victory (1939–1946), was published in January by Bloomsbury. He is now working on a new book for Steerforth Press with the working title: The Green Army—How Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps Changed America and Saved a Generation of Young Men. When published, it will complete Dickson’s trilogy of narrative histories covering the Depression to the beginning of World War II: The Bonus Army (1932), The Green Army (1933–1942), and The Rise of the G.I. Army (1940–1941).
John Rogers reports from Baltimore, Maryland, since relocating from South Carolina and Kentucky over the past five years. His jovial comment is: “Not yet in witness protection but moved nearer to five AARP children and 14 grandchildren checking their inheritance possibilities. Caroyln and I are hanging tough in a senior apartment with appropriate health and social amenities. When asked: ‘Have you lived here all your life?’, my answer is: ‘NOT YET!’ Best to all!”
Ernie Hildner writes that he, Paul Dickson, and Tim Bloomfield had a delightful reunion (after more than 20 years, in Ernie’s case) on Tim’s boat, which was docked in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor when the tall ships were assembled there the weekend before the 4th of July. Tim and wife, Susan, have taken the boat down the Intracoastal Waterway to Florida three times and will be doing it again when these notes are published. Paul, the inveterate author of so many books, is working on one describing the Civilian Conservation Corps overall, its many works, and how the CCC saved a generation of desperate young men during the Depression. Ernie continues to love living in Boulder, Colorado, where he recently reconnected with his old climbing partner Walt Fricke ’62 and sees former Congressman David Skaggs ’64 from time to time. (Paul’s son is one of the plaintiffs in the suit to keep Donald Trump from turning the inexpensive-to-play public East Potomac Public Golf Links in Washington into an expensive, exclusive, Trump golf resort.)
A note, including photos taken by Frank Stewart, has been received from Emil Frankel. “Four of us” Emil writes, “made it back for our 65th Reunion last May: Spike Paranya, Frank Stewart, Paul Vouros, and I. Bob Patricelli was on campus briefly the day before to attend a reception honoring his niece, Ann Martin, who was retiring after many years as Wesleyan’s hugely successful CIO. Great to be with Spike, with whom I have been in on-and-off touch over the years, and Frank, whom I had not seen in 20 or 25 years, when we had attended the same conference in NYC.”
Robert Wielde reflects on Bob Lanigan/Russell Mott’s passing. “In Vietnam, he started in the Marine Corps and ended up with USAID for four years. He was responsible for a program that ended up saving thousands of Vietnamese lives during the evacuations of Danang and Saigon. Much documentation of his exploits is available for anyone interested.”
Alan Bernstein writes: “Despite being retired over 20 years, I remain an active medievalist, with a special interest in the history of belief in hell. I’ve written a third book on this subject, now accepted for publication (2027?) and, in 2025, published an open-source article entitled “Irony and Inner Death in Dante’s Inferno.” I started a political blog in 2017 but abandoned it in 2025. I am beginning to study present-day prison reform in the US. JoAnne and I celebrated our 67th wedding anniversary in June. Wesleyan (where we met) remains at the center of what I have learned and have wanted to learn. I am filled with gratitude.”
Respectfully submitted,
DR. JON K. MAGENDANZ | jon@magendanz.com