Tag: 1957

I hope all are enjoying the summer: Sonnet 18 tells that “summer’s lease has all too short a date.” Jim Brown continues to be fit with regular gym workouts. Wife Betty underwent a second knee replacement with success. He says that keeping up with children and grandchildren keep both he and Betty well occupied. Son Dr. Chris Brown is active in fields distant from medicine, e.g. a third book about DaVinci, a PBS film, and earlier this summer, an expedition in search of the Ark of the Covenant (which, for Wikipedia fans, is thought to be a chest containing the Bible’s sacred treasures, even possibly the Commandments—at least some of them). Jim adds that he knew he was outflanked when Chris beat him at chess, daughter one swam faster, and daughter two made PBK at Wes.

Bill Pratt reports that the “blue wave” democratic victory in New Mexico in the 2018 elections helped his win, taking a seat that had been Republican for some years previous. He was pleased with the 2019 legislative session—constructive in addressing practical problems such as water conservation, criminal justice, and surprise medical bills. Some disappointment in failing to take on gun legislation. So far he likes his new career, adding that being retired and experienced has its advantages.

My eldest grandson Johnny Maggio entered the University of Wisconsin last fall and—early on—had a meeting with Jeff Williamson in Madison that provided a unique and valuable intro to college life. Jeff has been busy managing repairs to his winter home on the island of St .John (USVI) that sustained damage following a severe hurricane that struck the Caribbean.

Sad news upon the loss of two classmates past May:

Allen Jay, suddenly, of a heart attack. In recent issues herein, I wrote on Al not allowing orthopedic problems to dissuade him from an adventurous trip, but his passing was, of course, unrelated thereto and unforeseen. Condolences to wife Ricky and the Jay family.

Then, Bob Sharlet. Bob’s Wes tenure was interrupted by military service, and upon said conclusion, he transferred to Brandeis, where he graduated in 1960. He taught at Union College for 35 years and authored a number of books, many focused on international political science.

Sam Bergner is ensconced in a new apartment in Metuchen, N.J., having sold his house last year. He says that wife Lynn loves the new digs, adding that her view is all that matters. He is dealing with early stage Parkinson’s.

Bill Shepard writes that his Wes decision to major in French lit was influenced by the choice of something that would remain active even in retirement, which has proven to be the case. He mentions reading Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris at about the time last spring when the fire hit the cathedral. He adds that his command of the language is adequate, surely aided after his years of usage in France during his years of service.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

New directions and Wes recollections from our class correspondents, so we will get right to it.

Hank Fulton’s noteworthy event last year was a trip that he and wife Nancy took to Glasgow, Scotland, the occasion highlighted by Hank receiving an award in recognition of his biography of John Muir, a Glasgow physician of the 18th century. He was given a “freedom of the city” token that must have come to good use, given his reference to “all that walking.” The Fultons then went on to Stratford and London during the three weeks they were away. In family matters, Hank reports that their four children are doing just fine in locations primarily in Pennsylvania and New England.

Another writing recognition—this to John Chaplick from the Florida Writers Association in the form of a silver medal awarded for his novel, Parchments of Fire, at the organization’s annual meeting in Orlando.

In the nostalgia category—if there is such in the column—Dick West writes that he and Mike Stein would make “spontaneous trips” to Smith looking for dates and that on one springtime jaunt their contact lady was none other than Gloria Steinem and there was Tom Lehrer entertaining on the college greensward. Upon their return to Middletown, he and Mike found the campus in an unusually hushed manner in the wake of an episode that, well, is best lost to memory.

We learned of Al Jay’s Antarctica antics in our last magazine and Dr. Al reports that he’s holding his own following a third hip surgery. He adds that medicine was more enjoyable from the other side of the desk. Enjoyable for him lately is following the progress of 5-year-old granddaughter, Maya, on the soccer field.

There were warm holiday greetings from John Allison and he says he stays in touch with Sigma Nu brothers Tony Arena ’55, John Ineson ’55, and Bob Provost ’58.

Bill Fullarton is learning Spanish, to help keep the “cranial synapses” functioning.

Bob Gorin’s grandson, David Gottlieb ’22, has completed his first semester at Wes and is writing for the Argus, covering sports including volleyball and hockey. His late dad, Brian ’88, was goalie on the 1987 Little Three champion team.

Bill Pratt has moved from ortho surgery to politics in his home state of New Mexico. In 2018 he filed as a Democratic candidate for their House of Representatives, won a primary, then the general election with 51 percent of the vote. With a new governor and a diverse legislature, Dr. Bill looks forward to improvements. He says he is once again a freshman at age 83.

From Washington State, Bob Anderson is keeping active with his artwork. He is taking a life drawing class and producing in a wide range of media including clay paper sculpting and bas-relief. He recalls being part of a group that led Professor John Risley to hold the first sculpture class in the DAC in 1955, and further adds that in another art class, Professor Butch Limbach advised his students not to quit their day jobs. That surely resonates with yours truly.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

It seems like a long time past—summer, that is—so here go a couple of recollections.

Dick Cassie and son Scott toured Russia. Scott was a history major at Trinity. Dick’s message was illustrated with a photo of the two with a backdrop of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was blown up during the Stalin years and later completely rebuilt. The Cassie duo spent four days in Moscow and the same in St. Petersburg.

Marilyn and Gordy Wilmot reunited with the Brancarts—Claude and Lesley. The latter couple live in Brunswick, Maine, and the Wilmots in Warwick, R.I., so the difference was split with a house rental in Hampton, N.H. Claude has medical issues including dementia, which did not detract from an enjoyable time for all, but Claude did not recall his Wes years very much—although he did remember yours truly when we roomed together in Clark Hall junior year!

He went on to MIT the following year under the “three and two” program and I recall visiting him in Boston in a nifty apartment that he had at the time.

And while on the subject of roomies, here’s a note from my freshman year roommate in North College, Bob Anderson. From Washington State, where Bob spent many of his years as a minister in UCC churches, he writes that he lives in a house he helped design and build on Guemes Island which is halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, which he (and many other people to be sure) never tire of visiting. Keeping him busy are landscaping and art. He lost his wife of 31 years just a little more than a year ago. He too attached a photo along with his note. Replete with beard, and longish hair, looking quite in style.

Two classmates with strong family continuance with Wes are Bob Gorin and Ed Mehlman. Ed’s son, Jeff ’84, and his wife, Lynne ’84, are both alumni. Jeff did coaching on the first women’s rugby team, which is where he met Lynne who played on said club. Ed has several grandchildren ranging in age from 19 to 25. This past summer he vacationed in the Canadian Rockies. He checks in with Ed Stein ’60, Al Jay, and Dick Cassie.

Bob Gorin’s grandson, David Gottlieb ’22 is residing in a dorm named for President Vic Butterfield which, Bob informs, sits on a site once occupied by Bob’s Gamma Psi house. Bob visited during Family Weekend.

News from Allen Jay: Rehab following a third hip surgery and he was not dissuaded beforehand to take a 10-day expedition cruise to Antarctica and some close associations with such as penguins, seals, and a boat-rocking humpback whale. Al sent a photo wherein he appears heavily bundled up.

Jack Braitmayer wrote, “Didn’t do much cruising this summer; our son used our new Hunt 33 more than we did. It all relates to his position and what we get out of it—he is now CEO of his company and the boat is loaded with his products. Spent the past summer and winter in Marion, Mass. Used to go to Florida for three months, but the marina closed and we decided to stay north after it closed—we spent 10 years there; and that was enough.”

The Parkins—John and Penny—live in their (originally) vacation home in northwest Michigan, where the summer population is about eight times the year-rounders. The County is a poor one, and John and some other residents organized a task force to address a wide range of economic issues, e.g. job creation. They have been able to raise state and local funding for projects, including skills training. Further, John convenes with fellow Alpha Delt brothers in NYC during the holiday season.

Mike Stein reports that he has chronic kidney failure and must have dialysis treatments three times a week. He sends his regards to his classmates.

I realize I’m stating the obvious in bringing attention to our inexorable movement to the front of the class notes section, especially now with the conclusion of the Class of ’38 notes. Hope that we read Grace Bennett’s piece in the summer magazine—a tribute to the class and a heartfelt l’envoi. Well done, Ms. Bennett.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

Gordy Wilmot and family are enjoying a summer cruise out of Boston to Bermuda. This is an event that the Wilmots have done previously, and it attracts almost the entire participation of the family, 19 in all. His eldest grandson married in May and all the Wilmot children (three) and grandchildren (nine) attended. Gordy hosted a bachelor party in his rec room, where the fare consisted of pizza and games included Dungeons and Dragons.

John Chaplick writes novels, the latest entitled Parchments of Fire. Deep sea divers discover a 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck that harbors secrets proving potentially catastrophic to modern day Greece. This is the fourth of John’s published novels in the adventure genre. His fiction writing career began on the first day following his retirement, after finishing his morning cup of coffee, and he has not looked back. The novels are framed against the dark shadow of foreboding, but with a real event likely to occur in a contemporary setting. The books are available via Amazon or EngagingBooksBlog.com.

I’ve heard from Naren Bali in Buenos Aires, where, among other things, he reminds me that it is winter in Argentina. He has a consulting practice and says wife Margarita is busy with a variety of cultural pursuits including modern dance and video production. She completed a three-month program as an invited artist under a Mellon fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle. Their children teach at the university level; daughter poly-sci at Michigan State and son math at the University of Buenos Aires.

Naren updates on a “periodic economic crisis” in Argentina with a resignation that this will ultimately pass. He cites a Spanish saying, “No hay mal que due cien anos” loosely translated as “there’s no harm that lasts a hundred years.” Somehow that sounds more resonant in the original language. He concludes his note this time with some nostalgic thoughts about our time at Wes, where the so-called Silent Generation benefited from government by a “reasonable Republican” and the Yankees won the World Series. (Naren, I second the motion, especially the baseball reference even though it wasn’t every year, just many of them.)

A note from Dick Cassie informs the class of the passing of Roger Nelson in April. Friend and roommate at Wes, Dick played basketball versus Roger in high school and when they found out they were both headed to Middletown, they decided to room together, along with Ted Kuhn. These two Jersey boys kept in touch all throughout the passing years—a lifetime of fun and laughter. Dick writes that Roger was always upbeat, true to his associations in business and personally. He adds that Roger was wont to say that Wesleyan gave him “a terrific education.”

Bill Shepard’s wife, Lois, is recovering from a knee replacement. He endorses Jim Brown’s comments (in my last column) on the values of regular swimming and the backstroke in particular. Bill writes for the periodical French Wine Explorers and will teach an American history course on World War I at nearby Chesapeake College.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942

Hearing from Jim Brown who writes that he missed our 60th due to conflicts with graduations of granddaughters, one at the University of Georgia and another at the University of Virginia. The Browns’ grandson is a senior in high school and is in the process of college selection. He adds that the Georgia event was held on their football field with “a cast of thousands” and was “a little different than Wesleyan.” Jim and spouse Betty have cut down on travel, but he still works out three times weekly, with a menu of the bike, weights, and swimming—the latter, the backstroke for easier breathing, which I did not realize. See, we’re never too old to pick up new advice.

Jack Braitmayer and wife Nancy wound up with a dose of pneumonia in the early winter, but made a complete recovery. They, too, have dialed it back on travel, adding that they do not get to Florida any longer, but are at home in Marion, Mass., next door to where he grew up. Still, as of this writing, it is winter in the Northeast and Jack comments that waiting for spring seems an eternity. Jack has recently turned 88, and is looking forward to many more springs to come.

John Allison updates that he and Judy have an expanded family when in May last year they attended a grandson’s marriage to a young woman with two children, adding to the Allison’s “stepgreats” at ages 4 and 6, while their “greats” turned 1 and 10. He goes on to share an experience involving a successful procedure to repair a detached retina. The surgery he describes as in-and-out while the recovery is another matter, requiring one’s nose pointed downward for considerable time over two weeks. In John’s telling, he had plenty of time to think, reflect, and remember. Regarding the latter of these, it brought to his mind freshman Sigma Nu pledge adventures, one a gravestone search where the frosh weren’t even in the correct cemetery. Better luck awaited on a scavenger hunt over in Portland where a random stumble over a Coke bottle allowed for a deadline victory, much to the dismay of the ’56 brothers. John, I hope you do not need any further eye work!

While on the subject of freshmen and sophomores: my son Dave, happened upon an antique shop that had one of those postcard bins and he found one of Wesleyan dated February 1905 showing the chapel, the library, and Judd Hall. The card was addressed to a (presumably) young lady in Bridgeport by a young man in the Class of 1908 reporting that “we” won the Douglas Cannon “scrap,” i.e., the competition between the aforementioned classes. The scrap was for real—consult Dave Potts ’60’s initial volume of Wes history as to this annual event. Recall that ’57 had its own caper with the legendary cannon, as Jack Goodhue so elegantly wrote about in our 50th Re-u book. Where does that somewhat infamous cannon reside today?

Sparky Watts reports staying busy with travel, walking, reading, and pursuing philosophical studies. Further, their house in Madison, Wisc., will be placed on the market as he and Sarah determine where to move. She prefers a dry climate like New Mexico, yet two daughters live in Jacksonville, Fla., who want them there. On the whole, nice options. As POTUS often says, “Stay tuned.”

By now, the Bob Gorin family-sponsored skate party at Chelsea Piers has taken place. The event raises funds for the Brian Gottlieb ’88 Memorial Scholarship Fund. It is a yearly event with an outstanding record of participation and benefit to Wes.

Bob wrote in with happy news: “My grandson, David Harrison Gottlieb, will be entering Wesleyan this fall with the class of 2022. He will be the third generation of the family to attend. He is the son of my daughter, Bethel Gorin Gottlieb ’90, and her late husband, Brian Gottlieb ’88. It seems like yesterday that our class walked into North College in the fall of 1953 to begin our journey. I wish David and all of his classmates the best of everything.”

In the category of how a few chosen words speak volumes, this next from Tony Austin: “I sold my boat and am presently not fishing. Never should have sold it.”

Happy summer to all.

Art Typermass | joanarth64@gmail.com
144 East Ave., #302B, Norwalk, CT 06851 | 203/504-8942