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CLASS NOTES
George Koplinka Bring back the NROTC to Columbia! That was the almost unanimous response to our invitation in the March issue of CCT to express your sentiments. Both B. James Lowe and your class secretary received large numbers of replies that encouraged the class meeting of April 13 to approve a motion to return the NROTC to Columbia. In the months ahead, appropriate action will be taken to make this position known to Columbia’s administration. Confidentiality precludes publishing specific names and comments on this controversial topic. However, a letter from Warren A. Wanamaker contained a paragraph that summed up class feelings on the matter. Warren wrote: “Columbia has a role to play in bringing balance between the traditional laissez faire liberalism that characterizes the Columbia education and the organizationally efficient, mission-focused training of the military. In part because of Dwight Eisenhower, Columbia has an image and a tradition of blending liberal arts with military training. Few universities are as well equipped as Columbia to bring thoughtful, synergistic integration to what historically have been divergent educational paths. Returning the NROTC to campus would install an educational component that would enrich an already relevant educational experience.” Dean’s Day 2002 was an event not to be missed. On April 13, ’51 was represented by David Berman, Ted Bihuniak, Carroll Brown, Joseph Buda, Robert Flynn, George Koplinka, Archie MacGregor, Warren Nadel, Nis A. Petersen, Frank Raimondo, Stanley Schachter, Robert Snyder, Elliot Wales, Paul Wallace and Ronald Young, along with numerous spouses. Jay Lefer and John Cervieri joined the group for the evening dinner festivities. Congratulations to the Columbia College Office of Alumni Affairs and Development for another splendid day on the Morningside campus. As noted in The New York Times, Phillip Bruno and Clare Henry were married in St. Peter’s Church in a chapel designed by the artist Louise Nevelson. Phillip is a director of the Marlborough Gallery in New York City. He has established collections at college and university art galleries and museums, including one at Columbia. Ms. Henry reports on art for the Financial Times of London and was for 20 years the art critic for The British Herald in Glasgow. She graduated from the University of Reading in England. Best wishes to both! With our 50th anniversary reunion behind us, Elliot Wales has written this retrospective for our class: “As I look about Columbia, I see a lot of history and am overcome with memories. In September 1947, we arrived on the campus with optimism and hope. We had a strong commitment to a liberal arts education and after that to professional goals, a strong commitment to the Core Curriculum seasoned with literature, philosophy, art and the humanities. “At that time, Columbia was a national school with a strong regional presence. The College was all male and mostly white. Things have changed for the better. Today, half of the students are women, and there is a strong presence of Asians, Latinos and African Americans. Many of the faculty are women. The College is an international school with a strong national presence. “In September 1947, the world looked hopeful. World War II had ended, and it appeared that peace was coming at last. The United Nations had been formed with headquarters in New York City. Internationalism was developing and the isolation of the ’30s becoming ancient history. Our country initiated the Marshall Plan and the rebuilding of Europe financially and industrially. “In 1947, we watched the partition of Palestine; the next year the creation of the state of Israel. In the same year, we observed the partition of India, the decline of colonialism and the rise of independent nations in Africa and Asia. The 1948 presidential election was very much an upset, with Truman defeating Dewey. Truman’s election continued our country’s commitment to internationalism. Its impact upon the campus was profound, expanding the study of other civilizations, other regions, other nations. “In 1949, the world was beginning to change. The Cold War was developing. Fear of the Soviet Union and communism became prevalent in the Western world. We watched the Alger Hiss trial and the rise to public acceptance of Richard Nixon and Whittaker Chambers. Following civil war in China, communists gained control of the government and the nation from Chiang Kai-shek. “By 1950, we had the beginning of McCarthyism. With it came the attack on intellectualism and scholarship. We had the growing acceptance of conformity as opposed to diversity. Levittown and the suburbs developed, along with the hydrogen bomb and the nuclear race between super powers. J. Robert Oppenheimer, who in good faith opposed the development of the H-bomb, was ostracized from government and professional physics associations. In June, the Korean War began. When we graduated in 1951, many of our classmates entered the service. During our four-year program at the College, despite profound threats to our peace and stability, we did not lose our commitment to excellence in education and professional growth. Looking back years later, it is remarkable how, with growing obstacles to our life and education, we maintained our healthy attitude and our dedication to core values.” Nis A. Petersen will write these notes for the September issue
of CCT, followed by Ralph L. Lowenstein. Both are
newly elected assistant class secretaries. News, comments and
opinions from classmates are always welcome and
appreciated.
Robert Kandel Charles Jacobs enjoys the benefits of the electronics age. He is able to do his work whether at home in New Jersey or Florida (where he spends the colder months). However, he does manage to squeeze in two concentrated weeks of skiing. He is editor-in-chief of an international travel Web site, has just sent his first novel to the publisher and is under contract for a nonfiction book about a shocking murder trial. Frank Walwer, a retired law school dean and a member of
the Senior Lawyer Division of the American Bar Association,
co-chairs a national effort to involve more senior lawyers in legal
education and professional development at the law school level.
This involvement should minimize his intrusion into Mary
Ann’s territory in the kitchen. These notes were written shortly before our 50th reunion, and
this is my penultimate column. I have been boring you for perhaps
some 20 years, and it is time for someone new. I hope to be able to
introduce my successor in September, when I’ll also fill you
in on much of what went on at reunion. Meanwhile, drop me a note or
an e-mail with any news that you have. Regards.
Lew Robins There’s good news! Ralph Schoenstein, our published class humorist, has written a new book: Toilet Trained for Yale, published by Perseus Publishing. Ralph holds the Playboy Award for Humor and is the author of 16 books including the I-Hate-Preppies Handbook. He was the co-author of a number of Bill Cosby’s bestsellers. His new book is a magically funny romp. Cosby wrote, “If you care about kids as much as I do, you’ll love this wise, tender and hilarious look at what childhood should and shouldn’t be.” According to Jimmy Breslin, “Ralph Shoenstein writes these marvelous smiling pages, with each one prompting glee from the reader.” Toilet Trained for Yale is the kind of book that members of the class will find uproarious. I found myself laughing aloud page after page. Our 50th Reunion in 2003: The reunion committee, under the leadership of George Lowry, is moving ahead to solidify plans for the great event. If you would like to join the committee please send George an email at lowrys@aol.com. To commemorate their 50th reunion, many classes publish a booklet with pictures of classmates along with their prestigious resumes. The reunion committee felt that at our advancing years, it isn’t likely that any of us will be hired by someone impressed with our résumés. Thus, we’ve come up with another idea. We’re asking all classmates to recall their favorite anecdotes about professors, teachers, coaches, classmates and events. The stories can be funny, poignant, sad. Anecdotes should include comments about professors who had enormous influence on our lives. For example, in a letter announcing the publication of his new book, Ralph Schoenstein wrote, “I wish Mark Van Doren, Joseph Wood Krutch and Andrew Chiappe were alive to read it. They all showed me what the English language could be.” The idea is for us to publish a book for a 50th reunion that will capture the excitement and fun that we had and leave evidence of what life was like in the early ’50s. Sad news: Allan Jackman writes from San Francisco that Marvin Haiken passed away on January 4 after a long battle with esophageal cancer. About 20 years ago, Marv married one of Ajax’s patients. An obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle indicated that Marv had been the assistant director at the Center for Judicial Education and Research, a division of the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts, and had retired in 1992. As an environmentalist, Marv was involved in battles to preserve open space in Marin and Sonoma counties, including the fight to prevent the development of the Marin headlands. I haven’t learned the details, however, it appears that
Mirek Stevenson, Ed Meloni and Joel Dolin also
have passed away. Good going, Ajax. Could you read every issue looking for anecdotes we might include in our planned book for the 50th reunion? Please send along information about yourself, your family or any
of our classmates for the next edition to the email or address
above, or call (203) 372-6961.
Howard Falberg Ed Cowan and his wife, Anne Louise, were in Southern California visiting relatives and making the tour of Major League Baseball parks. Carol and I were so pleased that we were able to get together with them here in San Diego. Ed continues on a part-time basis as an editor at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. Brian Tansey has moved into Amish country in southern Ohio and is active (and talented) in an American subculture, namely those who love and perform on the dulcimer. He also has started a new career as a furniture refinisher. Southern Ohio today, maybe Williamsburg tomorrow ... who knows? Bob Weber occasionally sends e-mails that are funny and oh, so true. The latest had to do with a comparison of 1970 and 2000 ... 30 years makes a difference ... 1970: long hair, 2000: longing for hair. And then there’s 1970: moving to California because it’s “cool”, 2000: moving to California because it’s warm. Please be healthy, wealthy in spirit and never forget the influence that Columbia College has had on us before and after 1954. Also, we are only two years away from our 50th, so please let us hear from you.
Gerald Sherwin Despite the apparent serenity on campus with most of the student body away for the summer, working, traveling, and even following their dreams, there is still a lot of activity on Morningside Heights. Low Library is being refurbished, to be completed in time for various late fall events. A new floor is finally being installed at Levien Gym for the first time since the facility opened in 1974. The undergrads who are still on campus can be seen preparing for the new student orientation that will take place late August for the Class of 2006. (Believe it!). There are jazz concerts, which are held on South Field and attended by a goodly number of people from the nearby neighborhood and people drifting over from other parts of the city. A little further downtown on 110th Street, the work on the school and residence is rapidly moving, with talk about completion in 2003. The restaurants and shops along Broadway and Amsterdam (affectionately known as SoHa by The New York Times) are bustling with people, visiting, doing their errands and just enjoying themselves. Most importantly, Lee C. Bollinger has taken the reins as president of Columbia University. After meeting him briefly, one could describe him as professorial, comfortable in talking to students and alumni about any topic, sincere and a person who listens to what you are saying. It looks like he is living up to, and even surpassing, expectations. As we slowly move through our 47th year since graduation, our classmates seem to be as active as ever attending Columbia events and leading interesting lives. Dean’s Day, held April 13, is a prime example of how the Class of ’55 responds to an event on campus. We had the most attendees of any class at the lectures given by the school’s all-star faculty. There were the usual suspects and others we hadn’t seen in a while: Alfred Gollomp, breaking away from his tennis game with Dick Kuhn, came in from Brooklyn; Jay Joseph and Steve Bernstein drove in from Long Island; Elliot Gross, Bob Pearlman (the old engineer) and Howard Loeb trekked across the river from New Jersey; one of the regulars, Donn Coffee, who now is tri-coastal, came from Los Angeles, and now is in London; Nick Moore motored down from Riverdale as did Herb Finkelstein from Ossining; and there were the Manhattanites: Julius Brown, Bob Brown (another regular), Don Kresge, Don Laufer, Ed Siegel and, in a rare appearance, which we hope will become a regular occurrence, Herb Rubinowitz. There are a couple of doctors and many lawyers in this group. All are still practicing, I believe. At an occasion honoring outgoing President George Rupp, the class was represented by Allen Hyman and Anthony Viscusi, who both live in Manhattan, and Jim Berick, who flew in from Cleveland to attend the dinner in Low Library as well as other meetings. Jim sends regards from Al Lerner, who could not attend the event. Earlier this year, Harold Kushner spoke at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan to an overflow crowd. The subject was the Ten Commandments and how taking them seriously can change your life. In case it slipped our minds, Hal’s most recent book is Living a Life That Matters: Resolving the Conflict Between Conscience and Success (Knopf, 2001). We heard from Tony Blandi in Florida. Tony received a visit from Herb Levine, who he had not seen in more than 45 years. Dr. Herb was a tenured professor of political science at the University of Southwest Louisiana for 20 years and has been a freelance writer in the Washington, D.C., area since 1985. Washington, D.C., will be visited by the Columbia men’s basketball team later this year when young Lions participate in the Red Auerbach Classic. Details will be forthcoming for an alumni event surrounding the team’s appearance. We know Jerry Plasse, practicing in Owings Mills, Md., will be interested, as will Warren Cohen, who is a history professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Warren lives with his family in Potomac, Md. Other guys in the D.C. area we hope to see are Sheldon Bloom, a consultant/retired attorney; Henry Hubbard, also a lawyer; and the all-league fencer, Stanley Zinberg, still active in his Ob/Gyn practice in the nation’s capital. New York ex-patriot Roger Stern lives in Chevy Chase, Md., and is a real estate exchange adviser. Although Roger misses the New York theater, he enjoys residing where he is. From the West Coast, Lew Sternfels and Charlie Sergis have been in touch. Lew is still a patent attorney in Los Angeles, and Charlie, who promises to come East for a couple of football games this fall, retired from the field of radio news reporting, which he did for so many years in New York and Los Angeles. On a sad note, we mourn the passing of Jack
Armstrong’s wife, Nancy, who died several months ago. She
was a part of our class. What more can I say? Gentle souls of the Class of ’55: Enjoy yourselves to the fullest. Email a classmate or two when you get a chance. You guys are the best. Love to all! Everywhere!
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