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George
Koplinka To make sure every member of our class receives all pertinent information about our 50th anniversary reunion in 2001, the Steering Committee has divided the USA into six zones. The committee is pleased to announce the addition of three very important new zone leaders. Frank Tupper Smith, Jr. is coming on board as the leader in zone 4 comprising Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. Frank is an active attorney in Dallas. Old friends can reach him at (214) 350-4400 or on e-mail at tuppertalk@yahoo.com. Frank Lewis has agreed to be the leader in zone 5. This area includes the Rocky Mountains and the states from Arizona to Montana. Frank continues to practice law in Phoenix and has been a dedicated College enthusiast since his glory days on the basketball court. Frank can be reached at (908) 889-5800. Samuel B. Haines, class vice president, has accepted responsibility for zone 1. This area covers the northeast from Delaware to Maine. Sam anticipates we will recruit a good number of classmates to assist in covering this major geographic area that produced so many Columbia College graduates. Sam and his wife, Betsy, reside in Englewood, N.J. They have five grandchildren and lead active lives in their community. Friends can reach Sam at (201) 567-6116. Is there a zone leader among our readership who would volunteer to assume responsibility for the West Coast? Although our alumni group in that area is not very large, we do have members in California and Washington. Please contact your class correspondent if you can be helpful. The workload will be minimal but the satisfaction great! The Columbia College Office of Alumni Affairs and Development has asked Andrew S. Greene, assistant director, to help organize our reunion. Andrew is personable and attentive to details. If you need information or wish to provide reunion input, he can be reached at (212) 870-3207. George S. Zimbel, referring to himself as the "long lost classmate," sent e-mail news. George and his wife, Elaine, have lived in Montreal since 1980; they now have seven grandchildren. This year they celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. George has been a documentary photographer for over 50 years and most recently exhibited his work at the Institute of Modern Art in Valencia, Spain. His work has been acquired by MOMA, the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montreal. Collections of his prints are in Bonni Benrubi Gallery in New York, Stuart Baum Gallery in Chicago, Shapiro Gallery in San Francisco as well as numerous other locations throughout North America. Please phone or send e-mail to your class correspondent. 2000 is an important year for us, and we need help from everyone in planning the 50th anniversary. Watch for your mailing about Dean's Day in New York and plan to attend this important event in April.
Robert
Kandel Joe Di Palma and the Di Palma Center for the Study of Jewelry and Precious Metals co-sponsored an exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York, a branch of the Smithsonian Institute. Titled "The Huguenot Legacy," some 110 pieces were displayed, including exquisite table silver. Evelyn and I have been "commuting" to Massachusetts. First, for a solo art show Ev had in the Boston area in October and November, and then to visit our son, Chris, and his wife, Doris. They recently bought a house in Massachusetts and, in October, Doris presented us with our third grandson, Samuel (their first child). If you are growing tired of hearing about the Kandel family why don't you send in some tidbits for this column? Now that many of you have been freed from the rigors of everyday work, you should be able to find time to dash off a few lines. (Hints: Tell us about your travels, hobbies, interests, books you have read recently, or merely indicate that you read this column.)
Lew
Robins
Howard
Falberg I wonder how many members of our class thought as they were growing up whether we would see the next century. I know that I did. I'm looking forward to exciting times and events for a good number of years to come-here's hoping. From Washington, D.C., Edward Cowan-who worked for The New York Times for 23 years as a reporter, foreign and Washington correspondent, and Washington economics editor-spent three months in Indonesia in 1999 on a Knight International Press Fellowship. This is his summary of his assignment. "The Knight Foundation has been offering a media-assistance program in developing and transitional countries since 1993. Its purpose is to encourage independent journalism where there has been little or none-if such coaching by experienced American journalists is wanted by local publishers, editors and broadcasters. With Indonesia's President Suharto forced out of office in May 1998, his successor relaxed government controls over the press. The Knight Foundation thought it might be timely to introduce its program in Indonesia. They asked me to make a 'needs assessment' to see if media assistance was needed and wanted. "My wife, Ann Louise, and I were based in Jakarta from April to July. We traveled widely throughout the archipelago - to Sumatra, including Aceh: to east, central and west Java; to the small islands of Bali and Lombok; and to the big islands of Borneo and Sulawesi. Most editors and reporters I met were full of questions about how 'free press' works in the United Slates. I encouraged enterprise reporting - as distinguished from press release and press conference reporting. Sometimes the questions asked of me were revealing. One reporter asked, 'Why was no American journalist arrested for writing about Clinton and Lewinski?' Others asked how far I thought they could go before provoking a government crackdown. Most editors, especially on smaller newspapers away from Jakarta, were enthusiastic about having Knight put on media-assistance workshops for their staff (at no charge to the newspapers.) The Knight staff has recruited someone to make a follow-up visit to Indonesia in 2000 to conduct workshops. I suspect that still others will follow her. "Fortunately, we were in Indonesia for the surprisingly orderly June 7 parliamentary election, which we observed at several polling places in Jakarta. It marked an auspicious first step towards democracy after decades of authoritarian government. We found most Indonesians friendly, welcoming, helpful and hospitable. Apart from organized, persistent and fraudulent use of my credit-card number (I had not lost the card itself), we had little trouble in Indonesia. Since returning to Washington I have resumed writing for an investment research firm and I have been contributing to the English-language Indonesian Daily News, in Surabaya. Ann Louise and I hope to revisit Indonesia before long." And now a message from our beloved president, Bernd Brecher, "As major domo planner, MC, all round tummler and reunion chair, I can now admit that for our 45th reunion at Arden House last June, I was essentially a shill for the reunion committee: primarily Dick Bernstein, who called me twice a day for half a year, Alan Fendrick, Howard Falberg, Amiel Rudavsky, Henry Littlefield, Saul Turteltaub and Herb Hagerty, who called just a little less often. "The official class picture was taken on the back steps of Arden House leading to the pool just before sunset by official class photographer, Ted Spiegel. Ted, who is a world famous pro in this area, unfortunately left his flash equipment in a place unknown. He was able to take some wonderful pictures with his Brownie that we will save and prominently display at our 50th. "I was too busy to do more than to savor the occasion, the special memories, the reunions and to fervently hope that our class can build on this for 2004. Howard, in the previous CCT report, mentioned a number of attendees who added mightily to the weekend through their special participation as panelists, speakers and in other essential capacities. I would like to add to that list the following: Peter Ehrenhaft, Peter Skomorowsky, Bill Haddad, Bob Wesler, Peter Kenen, Fred Ripin, Bob Viarengo, Jim King, Art James (who played the bagpipes), Rudy Clarence, Arnold Tolkin and Dean Tom Goldstein, our Saturday luncheon speaker. "So many of our classmates, among the above and others made the 'open mike' session on Saturday indeed a once-in-a-decade occasion for those who attended. Spouses participated and made that occasion even more special. "In all, we left after two full days of learning, reliving and perhaps reallocating some priorities, not so much wanting more but being thankful that we were there and that we had so many shared memories. One unfortunate statistic was that more than 10 percent of the class (that we know about) has passed away during the last 45 years. "I cannot at this date remember all of those things that we would want to share with the classmates who could not attend, but I urge you all to attend our first meeting at a time and place yet to be determined in order to plan for our 50th. If you cannot make it, please send me your suggestions and volunteer your participation for any of a number of important responsibilities for our 50th anniversary reunion. My address is Suite 208, 65 Main Street, Tuckahoe, N.Y. 10707 or BerndBrecher@aol.com. "We expect to have a 'Class Autobiography.' After all, we are the Bicentennial Class and the Golden Class as the College celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2004." Here is a late flash. Professor Jim Shenton '49, who was with us on several other five-year celebrations but whose illness precluded his participation at the 1999 reunion, is looking forward to being with us at our 50th. Well, that's all for now folks. Please let us hear from you. Our class has made so many contributions in ways large and small during this past century. I hope that with good health we will continue to do so in the next millennium.
Gerald
Sherwin As a prospective applicant to the College from the midwest said recently upon stepping onto the campus for the first time: "It's a whole new world...I never expected Columbia to be like this...it's a heartland within New York City. I can't wait to go here." Many folks seem to feel this way. Once again early decision applications are up (15%). Columbia is "hot." New York City is "hot." (The impending senatorial race between Hillary and Rudy should make things even "hotter.") Tours abound on campus. The Visitors' Center is a flurry of activity as the Columbia folk try to keep up with the many requests to see what makes Columbia tick. Dodge Physical Fitness Center cannot be open enough hours to meet the demands of runners, weight lifters, and fitness afficionados. The libraries are always crowded either due to the quest for knowledge or to hang out at the coffee bars. In construction news, the new residence hall on Broadway will be finished in time to open in September 2000. Lerner Hall is moving toward completion and is being used on a constant basis. Classmates have been seen at various functions and events around campus. After all these years the Class of '55 is still participating and making an impact on Alma Mater. At the official Lerner Hall opening we espied Al Lerner, of course, Jim Berick, Larry Balfus, Anthony Viscusi, Jack Freeman, and Bob Pearlman. At the Hamilton Dinner where Jim Shenton '49 was one of the three honorees, among the '55ers were Donn Coffee, Ezra Levin, Don Laufer, Norm Roome and Bill Epstein. We've also run into Bob Brown and Stan Lubman (visiting from Northern California) and Hal Rosenthal (from Long Island) at other happenings. Everyone should know that Stan Lubman is a bit of a media celebrity. He appeared on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer where he shared his worldly wisdom with the viewing audience. Steve Viederman made news on campus and was written up in Spectator as he led a teach-in about Columbia's investment policy, which is fast becoming a highly discussed issue among the student body. Your reunion committee has been meeting and plotting, with everything falling into place quite nicely. Newsletters are being sent out updating classmates on events, attendees, etc. We've received positive responses from close to 100 classmates (and the acceptances are still coming in). These numbers dwarf all other reunion classes. Included are Bernie Kirtman from Northern California, Alan Sloate and Ron McPhee from Westchester, Jesse Roth from North Carolina, Dan Hovey and Beryl Nusbaum from Upstate New York, and Bob Banz and Ralph Wagner from Massachusetts. We're hopeful that the former members of the Spectator editorial board, Lee Townsend, Gerry Pomper, Ron Cowan, Milt Finegold, George Gruen, Bob Kushner, Paul Zimmerman, and the "money man" Shelly Wolf, will put out a special issue in honor of our 45th. While we are dreaming out loud, perhaps we could coax a couple of tennis lessons from our team captain, Peter Chase. The results of the class questionnaire, which other classes are using for reference, are currently being tabulated. We have received close to 45 percent response - amazing. Another who will be at Columbia on June 2-4 is Herb Cohen, who is still working full-time at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine running one of the largest programs for children with disabilities in the U.S. Herb, along with Bob Strauch and Peter Pressman was listed in a recent issue of New York magazine as "Best Doctors" in New York. They'll tell you all about it at the reunion. Gordon Kaye has retired from the academic world after 45 years of teaching histology. Retirement to Gordon means being able to take up full-time duty as chairman of the board of Waste Reduction, Inc., a company responsible for the safe disposal of biological waste. A news item: The Class of 1955 now has its own web page. For the latest information on the class or whatever, log in: www.columbia.edu/cu/college/alumni/classpages/classof55.html. We're officially in the 21st century, guys. On a sad note: we mourn the passing of Sondra Phelan, the wife of our Jim Phelan, in New York. Gentlemen of the wondrous Class of '55. Stay focused. The good guys are winning. Our reunion is almost upon us. Let's make this event bigger and better than the 40th. Love to all, Everywhere!!!
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