HERD IN THE HALLS II
TWENTY-TWO PAGE TWO
As threatened, here it is -- Page 2.
We received several really nice submissions, to include greetings and news from Christian Klaer, our foreign exchange classmate. So, without further ado....
Here we go!
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Ed. note: one morning a couple of weeks ago, I checked my inbox, and lo and behold, a message from Chris! The newsletter had made its way, by a circuitous route, to his inbox in Berlin, and he responded with this great update, and some warm memories of his time with us.
I was the American Field Service exchange student at Horace Greeley in 1960. I had a great time staying with the Allen family – with deep regret I now learn that Archie Allen, my “host brother“ has died…
There were great teachers at Horace Greeley. In Ms. Kurson’s Creative Writing Course I even made it to take part in the New York writing contest. Ms. Barry knew more about European history than any of my teachers in Germany.
And then all those pretty girls…After being reprimanded not to make dates with too many oft them, I was going steady with Judy Chatfield. At her summer home we went swimming in her family pool, which was blasted into a rock! We also went to car races on Long Island. I was surprised that we were allowed to drive up into the drivers area . even without a ticket. How that? Judy an her brother were sponsors of one oft he racing cars.
I was glad and grateful the the Jewish community accepted me – in a speech in their club they were surprised at my knowledge of Jewish jokes. How that? My father had helped many Jewish friends to leave Nazi Germany and they were now regular guests at our home – and of course full of stories.
And last but not least I was honored, when Mr. Sweet, my drama teacher invited me to read the Gettysburg Address at the Memorial Day Celebration in the auditorium – and I was touched when at the end all student and teachers raised from their seats in silence after I had finished…..
I am deeply grateful for he time spent in Chappaqua.
Following Horace Greeley I finished my German high school and decided to study business administration. (Originally I wanted to become an actor, but since my father – a top manager in the film industry - had just died and I therefore would lack his many valuable connections I changed my mind.) I (seriously) decided, I would be member of the board of a major company at the age of 40!
And I met that goal.
I finished university with a very good results. Not that I had a superior level of knowledge, but with the skills my Horace Greeley drama teacher John Sweet had taught me, my oral presentations to the auditorium were something special.
During my studies I spent 6 months in France, working in a pharmaceutical wholesale company, 82 employees: the boss, a manager and 80 women. Of course I spoke French fluently after my stay…
After 3 years in Brazil as Regional Sales Director, based in Rio de Janeiro - I lived in apartment facing Ipanema beach- at the age of 30 I became Director of Sales at Gillette Germany – the youngest manager reporting to me was aged 42. And then, to my own surprise, in 1982 at the age of 40 I was appointed Member of the Board of Reemtsma, the largest German cigarette company, in charge of international business.
Reemtsma`s main brand was “West“, in a pack designed to compete against Marlboro at a lower price. Unlike in the German market that was not successful in international markets- not until we rented a floor opposite from Philip Morris. When - like Marlboro – the pack showed “manufactured in Richmond, Viirginia“, sales boomed internationally as well…
1990 I was fired. I had acquired the name of “Davidoff“ from the Cubans against the order of Reemtma´s main shareholder.
That was stroke of luck. I worked successfully as a one-man-consultant -sometimes gaining projects in competition against McKinsey and Booth Allen…
Around the turn oft he century I relaxed most of the time on my motor yacht on the lakes in Berlin and on the Baltic Sea.
I wrote a book, a fictonary diary of myself as the German chancellor…(why settle for less). It ends with myself and all other European leaders, now united, to travel the route from Waterloo, where Napoleon´s Europe had ended, to Moscow..
Well, the delusions of grandeur were still part of my character.
I am married since 1967, separated since 1990. We have two children, the son is a doctor of medicine and my daughter is an archeobiologist – she reconsrtucts sites thoudand years old in Africa. (And there are grandchildren - note the photo.)
Now I have calmed down. My main hobby is ballroom dancing – with a lot of fun, but only moderate success.
Jeff Henshell checks in with a summary of his life "post-Chappaqua," and some nice pictures.
Following prep school at Avon Old Farms in CT and one year of study in pre-engineering at Colgate University, I attended Parsons College receiving a B.A. in English in the Spring,1965. The beautiful English Cotswold architecture at Avon
had a great influence on me. Determined to pursue a career in architecture, I then enrolled in the Ohio State University School of Architecture where I graduated with a B.A. Arch. in 1970. During that time, I met my future wife, Karyn, and became an avid Buckeye fan due to the likes of Woody Hayes, Rex Kern and Jack Tatum. While at OSU, I worked two summers as an engineer’s assistant for Turner Construction Co. during their building of the Belmont Racetrack grandstand. My first architecture position was as a designer for Walker Cain Assoc. (the former McKim, Mead & White firm) in NYC. After a three year apprenticeship, I achieved my NYS architectural license in 1973. During this time I was fortunate to have had a hand in design projects at Princeton, Bowdoin, and Union colleges, as well as the Smithsonian in DC and the Harbor Branch Foundation in FL.
Karyn and I were married in her hometown of Chicago in 1972 under the watchful eyes of Peter Heerwagen and Will Risley. Following our marriage, we moved to Bedford Village, where I opened my own office. My practice focused on new homes, additions and historical preservation, as well as multi-sport, yacht and country clubs. Though my clients were primarily located in Westchester, NY and Fairfield, CT, I also completed commissions in NYC, NC, NH, MA, and eastern Long Island. I retired the practice in 2013. For over thirty years I served on the local Historic Preservation Commission as well as the Historical Society.
My current interests and hobbies include woodworking, antique cars, golf and sailing. Before our two children went off on their own, our annual family routine was comprised of summer cruises along the New England coastline to Martha’s Vineyard and Maine, Fall fishing on Nantucket, and holiday ski trips to Vermont or out West. Now, the cruises have become day sails and dinner trips on Long Island Sound, although we do try to include an annual “oyster safari” by car to Maine. Like so many of my friends, I continue to doggedly play golf without ever improving. Five years ago, we hung up our skis, and we now spend two of the winter months on Longboat Key, FL.
While living in NYC, and prior to getting married, I had the bright idea to buy a sailboat to entertain my future wife and to stop mooching off friends, Bob Holmes and Peter and Jane Holmes, as well as family on the weekends. Since then, my wooden sailboats have happily occupied a great deal of my free time. The first boat was a 1947, 28’ Francis Herreshoff ketch we owned for 17 years. In 1986, we bought a classic 40’ Concordia Yawl that was built in Germany in 1957. After 36 years, I continue to enjoy maintaining her as much as sailing. The restorations of both a 1931 Model A Ford Tudor and a1985 BMW 635csi also keep me busy.
Fortunately for us, our children live nearby. Kelly, 43, is a branding executive and her husband, Ben, is a branding creative director. They have two daughters. Our son Geoff, 40, graduated from Avon in 2000, and is currently in construction management in Greenwich, CT. His wife, Anna, is in real estate. They have a boy and girl.
It has been an honor and pleasure to have been included in the HGHS ‘60 class all these years.
Jack Duncan and wife Barb have had some ups and downs and he catches us up on all his doings...
The last year or so has been tough on us. Barbara sustained a severe spinal injury during surgery about 18 months ago, and has become permanently disabled as a result. She spent three weeks in the hospital, and then had physical therapy for eight months. She progressed from a wheelchair to a walker, and also uses a cane. I have become chief caregiver, and we have become somewhat adjusted to a new lifestyle. Barb is very frustrated because she can no longer do many of the things she loved doing. We went to our timeshare on Sanibel Island Florida last March as a “test run” to see how we would manage. It did not go well. Barb had a lot of trouble getting around. Only made it to the beach once in three weeks. We made the hard decision to sell our weeks, after being there for 34 years. We loved the place, but you do what ya gotta do. We will find other things more manageable.
We are fortunate to live close to our son Mark and his family. Seeing them is always a great boost. Andi is 16 and Jack III just turned 13. Andi is a great student and is really into music. She plays at least 6 instruments, and was just made drum major of her high school band. Jack is into fishing - lives and breaths fishing. He caught the largest yellow perch in New Jersey in all of 2021, and his catches are getting bigger every time he fishes.
Here is a pic of Jacks latest catch! Smile is bigger than the fish!
(Ed. note: Even Reid would be envious of that fish!)
In September we are going on a cruise from Montreal up around the maritimes of Canada,,stopping a number of times in Canada, in Bar Harbor Maine, Boston, Newport RI and on to New York. We figure we will do what we are comfortable with, and just enjoy the ship other times. It is Regent’s smallest ship, and we love being aboard the Navigator.
We are celebrating our 52nd anniversary this weekend with an overnight in Amish country out near Lancaster. We love going out there, stocking up on great Amish goodies, dodging buggies, and just enjoying being away.
I am big time into photography as a hobby, and I have been making all kinds of note cards from my pictures. I love doing it and giving the cards to friends (and even selling a few here and there!). I have started a new “hobby” - cleaning out the house of years accumulation of “stuff’. I had 7000 golf balls I collected as I played the course we live on. I gave 265 dozen to First Tee, an organization that teaches young kids to play golf. They finally said “No more!”. I think I am down to a thousand now. I don’t play as much golf now, as “Arthur Itis” has come to live with me. But I still get out there on occasion. I have a date with my son to play soon - My Christmas gift to him - 18 holes and lunch. It is always a good time when we do this.
Finally, a fairly recent photo of us at Pulpit Rock outside Stavanger, Norway.
(Ed.note: Jack followed up with an update, and thankfully, Barb's condition has improved somewhat.)
Things have improved a bit. Barb’s med schedule was reset recently and it has made a world of difference controlling her pain. And I do have to remember I am about to hit the 80 year mark, as probably so many in our class are experiencing. I continue to keep a huge “to do” list, but I have become happy if I get 2 or 3 things on the list done. 🙏🙏
We are fortunate to have a home we love, one floor living which is great for Barb, and I still have my study/office/hobby room upstairs. I will try to get some of my cards off to you soon. 😀. We still want to attack the basement and “lose” some of the junk, old paint, and you name it. My son Mark helps us on occasion, and he is great making three pointers into the trash can! Good for him! Good for us, if you know what I mean!
I still chat once in a while with Dick Quinn. He is down in the Carolinas. Have not seen him in a while. Have to ask him if he still goes north to see his kids. Maybe we could catch him on his way by.
I also remember Miss Kurson, my homeroom and English teacher. She was a graduate of the University of Maine. I had a one semester “vacation” from UM as a sophomore, when, the University thought I would benefit from a semester off from my Pulp and Paper engineering course. Calculus! I went to work for RD for the semester and a summer, and told Miss Kurson about it. Oof! Went back, graduated in Business Administration, and went back to RD for 26 years.
RD let 25% of us go when I was 53. Went to work for a good friend who had a business supporting a sales tax system where the software company provided no customer support. Worked there until the software company made the system dependent on PCs, and we consultants were no longer necessary. After that, when I found out “older” computer specialists were no longer employable, I ended up in my local True Value Hardware Store in NewMilford as a clerk. Learned a lot, but finally retired and so here we are. In Pennsylvania, lots of new friends, near to our son and his family. And living on a great golf course!
So, too much more for you maybe, but I keep on thinking!
Anne (Hill) Connelly recently had a "cancer-scare" when she was diagnosed with stage1 lung cancer (she was never a smoker) and underwent surgery. That was in mid-June, and she reports good news:
"Nice to be home after lung cancer surgery. I feel blessed to have been diagnosed early. It was stage one. The lower left lobe of my lungs was removed And there is no metastasis. No chemo or radiation. Huge thank you to St. Anthony’s Staff and Dr. Cross. Thankful for prayers and good wishes.
Recovery will be slow. One day at a time."
Just prior to the surgery, Lydia (lockridge) Morrongiello organized a small gathering of several of the Colorado Crew. Left to right, that's Ann, Joan (Kather) Henry, Marie (Barkman) Blue and Steve Blue, Gay Mayer and Lydia.
Great news Anne, and we will continue to hold you in our thoughts.
Gay also sent this little note of interest about Greeley.
I just got around to reading my Sunday NY Times... things are slower nowadays! Used to be that I would have the crossword puzzle before the football game.
Spotted this ad for a new principal at Horace Greeley.
Amazing to me is the size of the student population which feels bigger than the entire town when we left!
Steve Blue added some pithy comments:
4,000 kiddies over 12 grades is roughly 300 plus per grade which is roughly twice our class size. Approximately. Give or take a few. Either Chappaqua is breeding better than the national average (not too likely) or has grown quite a bit (probably). The salary sounds a bit lean for this locale - our local Douglas County SD super is knocking down close to three large, overseeing 11 high schools plus all the other buildings - HGHS is the only HS so I would expect a bit more compensation (this is Westchester County, after all; 225 K is what clerks at Wells Fargo knock down.
And now, as the Monty Python comedy troupe used to say, "for something completely different." -- I forward Will Risley's comments and observations about the last newsletter. If you ever wonder if the things you submit actually are read and reflected upon, you will see that Will, (and I'm sure, others) do just that. So don't be shy. Classmates will hang upon your every word.
The Denver and Florida contingents look good, and it's good to see pics of "The Fox", and all the Vero Beach crowd. Coincidentally, Vero Beach was the year-round residence of the Director/Owner of the camp I went to for eight summers in Maine. He was the tightest, cheapest man imaginable but a very nice person, and he ran a wonderful camp. Which was so old that even my Dad had been a camper there.
The Colorado folks look really good. I take much joy from seeing Gay, Steve and especially Reid, who was the best friend of the late, great John Fils, who went to that camp with me for all 8 years and was a very creative, excellent counselor there. Reid is sort of my last link to John.
And I am extremely impressed that those chaps still SKI, for the luvva Mike. Not the easiest sport to master, especially at our age. And fearless Reid is still willing to visit NYC. Reid, as you know, don't even THINK of renting a car there. Triple-parking is now by necessity practiced in some places, especially by delivery trucks and vans. Cabs and subways are the ways to go, no matter what the late-night TV shows say about them.
Did not know George Flink was so musical. Hope this month's Flagstaff fires have abated before his and his wife Tres's arrival there.
Carlos Ballantine will never cease to amaze me, especially with his very impressive mountaineering. He was the man who, when six of us Chappaquaians were unable to find ANY transportation home from Dartmouth College for Christmas in 1960 (?)---ALL car rides and train tickets were taken---bought FOR FIVE DOLLARS a wreck of a car whose hood decal labeled it the "Fast Oil Changer." It had 1948 California plates, a huge hole in the floor behind the front seat (which caused me to wear long johns, thick pants and my Navy ROTC bridge coat simply to not freeze to death on the trip) and was startable only by four of us pushing it and then jumping in. True to its decal, it needed not that much gas but yes indeed, a quart of oil every so many miles. Carlos drove, and when I was the last guy he dropped off I asked him what he planned to do with the car. As those days were not environmentally aware---e.g. we had a large dump in the woods right in Lawrence Farms East, featuring discarded tires, refrigerators, TVs, you name it---Carlos said, "Aw, my dad and I will just take it to the edge of the dump (I guess their neighborhood had one, too) and drive it in." Carlos and that ancient, illegal car saved our hash by getting us 250 miles home for Christmas.
Great photo of Natalie, Mary Ellen and Peter Kilburn (who, like his brother Tony, always looked like a professional model, I thought).
Speaking of which, Anita and Kristina look like they still ARE professional models. And I like Ed Smith's art a lot, he's very talented and has great range.
Glad Denny Joy and Swede Murphy are doing well.
You already know of my appreciation for Mr. International and National Traveler Supreme, Steve Blue (who, as I told you, could write good novels), and for your and Jan's visit to the vets' cemetery. And congratulations on your amazing rhrododendron, a beauty.
And thanks to Pete Corbino for sending in that nice poem. He and I email now and then and send things to each other. Pete sent part of his stepfather Ray Berg's memoirs from being stationed in Okinawa during WW II. Ray was a great fighter pilot, also flew transports; later had a career with Pan Am. Just a great guy, like Pete, and his Okinawa writings are fascinating. Ray was a lot of fun to chat with. I once asked him how difficult flying was. With his astuteness and Swedish occasionally sardonic temperament he replied, "Not hard at all. Actually, pretty easy. Easier than driving a car. Except for the occasional moment of stark terror."
Thanks also for mentioning Pete Corbino and Dick Prezzano and---maybe I got this idea somewhere else---Jeff Henschel, who I think you somewhere said might send you an update of his doings (?). These were three of the very best guys who lived in my neighborhood, all within easy walking distance of my house, and helped make it such a good place to grow up.
I want to add a quick reminder about email addresses. I wish I could just publish the whole list, but past experience has shown that unscrupulous hackers will "mine" the list and use the addresses for nefarious purposes. Darned if I know why. Additionally, we need to respect classmates' privacy. If you want to contact anyone, just let me know, I'll clear it with the them, and send it to you ASAP.
That's all we have right now. I know there are a few people intending to send some stuff in, so go ahead and send anything you want. It's easy to add them and notify the class that there is new material to see. And if, God forbid, you sent something and I somehow left it out, please let me know right away.
I remain your faithful editor.
Dave Williams
14801 110th Ave E,
Puyallup, WA 98374
253-905-275