Past Events

Class of '47 60th Reunion


June 7, 2007 -June 12, 2007
Thursday June7 through Saturday June 9, on-campus.
77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 01945, United States

Saturday June 9 through Tuesday June 12, off-campus in the Berkshires centered at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA

Attendees at Our 60th Reunion, June, 2007



Check out the Reunion Photo Album here!

A listing of the registrants is as follows:

Harl Aldrich and Lois Aldrich
Thomas Bell and Joanne Kouris
John Bradley
Claude Brenner
David Brillembourg and Ines Brillembourg
Carol Browning
Daniel Carnese and Jean Carnese
John Connors and Evelyn Connors
Morgan Cooper and Daphne Cooper
John Cowan and Audrey Bird
William Crawford and Corvine Yetman
Fredric Ehrich and Joan Ehrich
Hubert Flomenhoft
Martin Haas and Marju Haas
Raymond Hasse and Wilma Hasse
Albert Hylas and Anne Heger
Arnold Judson and June Judson
Mitchell Keamy and Donald Keamy, Donna Keamy, and R Keamy
John Kellett
Joan Knight and Joanne Perez-Knight
James Kyle and Jeremy Mason, Ethel Kyle, Sarah Bernardis, Anais Kyle, and Gleidson Campbell
Kenneth Marshall and Lois Marshall
Leslie Martin and Jean Martin, Peter Martin, Margot Martin, Rich Martin, and Anne Martin
William McClelland
Aaron Newman and Florence Newman, Norton Ferrin, and Suzanne Ferrin
Alexis Pastuhov and Adele Pastuhov
James Prigoff and Arline Prigoff
Jack Rizika and Adam Rizika, Robert Rizika, Ellen Rizika, Danielle Rizika, Karen Rizika, and Douglas Carmichael
James Robertson
Edwin Rosenberg and Harriet Rosenberg
Hrand Saxenian and Lucy Saxenian
Irving Schwarz and Marjorie Schwarz
Parker Symmes Mary-Alice Symmes
James Van Meter and Ruth Van Meter
Mary Frances Wagley
David Yablong and Ivy Yablong
Howard Zwemer Patricia Knodel

 Reunion Gift Campaign Report from Harl Aldrich
It is my profound pleasure to report the results of our 60th Reunion Gift Campaign. We exceeded our $3.5 million goal with a 60th reunion gift of $3,586,222. In addition, we achieved an incredible 81.6% participation from our classmates during the five-year period. Thank you all.

If you returned to campus for Tech Reunions, you saw that MIT not only continues to expand its academic horizons, but strives to enhance the overall student experience both inside and outside the classroom. Whether they're gaining practical experience through UROP projects or bonding with teammates on the playing field, today's students have more opportunities for academic and personal growth at MIT than ever before.

At the heart of the Institute resides the commitment to ideals that we and other alumni share and uphold: advancing knowledge; keeping an MIT education possible for all qualified students regardless of financial need; and remaining on the cutting-edge of science and technology to enable MIT community members to have a meaningful impact in the world.

Perhaps that's why many of us give back: we recognize the value of helping tomorrow's leaders solve real-world problems today. And MIT is doing just that ý through the Center for Cancer Research, the MIT Energy Initiative, and in every discipline in between. Please join me in recognizing all the members of our class who chose to make an impact through their generosity during our 60th reunion.

Finally, I would like to offer special thanks to our classmates who served on our 60th Reunion Committee. Their efforts helped make our class milestone an exceptional one.

With appreciation,
Harl P Aldrich Jr. '47 60th Reunion Gift Chair



Message from the Class President

We welcomed Professor Meg Jacobs just in time, as her term ended on June 30th. Associate Professor of History in the Humanities Department, Professor Jacobs was educated at Cornell and the University of Virginia where she earned her M.A. and Ph. D. Following a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Business School she joined the faculty of Claremont McKenna College in 1999 and two years later was appointed Assistant Professor of History at MIT. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2006 and was granted tenure last year.

Professor Jacobs is a prolific and eminently readable writer. I recommend to you her most recent book, Pocketbook Politics, Economic Citizenship in Twentieth Century America, which should resonate strongly with our generation, who, as consumers and shoppers, have lived through most of the twists and turns that she explores. Last year she was awarded both the OAH Ellis Prize for the best book on modern U.S. Politics and the New England Historical Association Best Book Prize.

She is currently writing a book entitled, ýPanic at the Pumpý on the energy crisis of the 1970s. I have no doubt that we all have vivid memories of that one as well. She has written numerous book chapters, journal articles, encyclopedia articles - I bet you didn't know that there is an Encyclopedia of the Great Depression - and book reviews as well, and has received a number of fellowships and honors.

She also has high visibility at the Institute. At a grand alumni-faculty banquet in Walker Memorial last September, recognizing all the individual alumni and classes who have endowed chairs. she spoke as the representative of the faculty chairs. This spring she was invited to address the Institute's Academic Council - the senior administration, deans, and department heads - and she has been in featured articles in Tech Talk and other internal publications. A rising star indeed.

Arnold Judson followed with a program of three Brahms Intermezzi, three Chopin Mazurka's, a Mozart Fantasy, a Rachmaninoff Prelude and a Schumann. Jud selected his program For the most part from pieces that were written as the composers neared the end of their careers, attesting to the creativity and productivity that can be achieved at advanced age. Jud's performance was spellbinding, which proved the point doubly.

Jud had started piano study at age five, stopping only when he entered MIT where he played extensively as accompanist for the Glee Club and in other venues. When he entered graduate school his interest in performance waned and he turned to composition studying under Walter Piston at Harvard. He composed for the next 15 years, mostly incidental music for theatre and dance. Then his job caught up with him. He was traveling widely and often, which prevented him from continuing with his music. Some 20 years ago his interest in performance re-ignited and he started practicing again, playing for audiences of friends at his home and elsewhere. You will remember the splendid concert he gave us at the Class Dinner in the Parker House at our 50th. This reprise was rewarding for us all. As his encore he entertained us appropriately with Scott Joplin's rag, "The Entertainer." It was a fulfilling evening altogether.

The Class Dinner and after-dinner program drew the largest participation of any event during the Reunion. Enjoying the evening together were Harl & Lois Aldrich. Tom Bell & Joanne Kouris, David & Ines Brillembourg, Carol Browning, Dan Carnese (Jean joined us in Stockbridge), Jack & Evelyn Connors, Morgan & Daphne Cooper, John Cowan & Audrey Bird, Fred & Joan Ehrich, Hugh Flomenhoft, Ray & Wilma Hasse, Albert Hylas & Anne Heger, Arnold & June Judson, Mitch & Donna Keamy & brother Donald '53 & Yvonne Keamy, Joan Knight & Joanne Perez-Knight, Pat Knodel, Jim & Ethel Kyle, Ken & Lois Marshall, Bill McClelland, Aaron & Florence Newman, Alex Pastuhov (Adele joined us in Stockbridge), Jim & Arline Prigoff, Jack & Karen Rizika, Jim Robertson, Ed & Harriet Rosenberg, Hrand & Lucy Saxenian, Lee & Margie Schwarz, Parker & Midge Symmes, Jim & Ruth Van Meter, Mary Frances Wagley, Dave & Ivy Yablong, & Howard Zwemer, as well as Profs. Jacobs, Jacob, & Byrne.

The Saturday morning program was devoted to global energy and climate-change. Ira Hochman '89, Chair of the Technology Day Committee, hosted the event, President Susan Hockfield welcomed us and Beth Garvin HM, Executive Vice President of the Alumni Association, extended greetings as well. I shan't review the substance of the program as the forthcoming issue of Technology Review will provide a full report. Briefly, however, the speakers were (in order) Prof. Nazli Choucri, Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the Technology and Development Program who discussed the global issues of dealing with the looming problems; Institute Professor John Deutch '61 who talked about carbon dioxide sequestration, the capture and burial of CO2 emissions from power plants; and Class of 1957 (their 50th reunion) Career Development Associate Professor of Architecture who examined energy management in the built environment.

We filled 4 tables at the Technology Day Luncheon in the Johnson Athletics Center (see photo album) where retiring President of the Alumni Association, Hong Kong-based Martin Tang '72 (a third-generation alumnus), turned the gavel over to his successor, Dr. Harbo Jensen G'74, and introduced the two newly elected Honorary Members of the Alumni Association - Institute Corporation Members and benefactors, Desh Deshpande (Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation) and Barrie Zesiger (Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center).

Each of the 14 reunion classes was called upon to report the dollar magnitude and percentage participation of its class gift to MIT. Save for the 25th, 40th, and 50th reunions, the reporters were instructed to keep it short - no speeches, just the two numbers, although they were allowed to add the words "record-breaking" before either number, if that were so.

Our Reunion Gift Chairman, Harl Aldrich, distinguished himself and the class. He reported a total (now as of June 21st) of $3,584,567 and a record-breaking participation of 82% (rounded up from 81.6%, but what the hell). We can be proud. For your interest, the gift is the total of all the individual gifts given in the five years following our last reunion up to June 30th this year. Indeed in the nine days yet to count, the gift may continue to grow. So, to paraphrase George M. Cohan, the Institute thanks you, the Alumni Association thanks you, the Class thanks you, Harl and the Reunion Gift Committee thank you, Ken Marshall, our Class Agent thanks you, and I thank you.

That afternoon the day had turned misty and drizzly. The 26 of us who had registered for Stockbridge set off by car for the two-hour drive to the Berkshires with a touch of foreboding as to the weather to come during our three-day stay at the Red Lion Inn. Even so, we arrived in good time to check in, refresh ourselves, and gather for a glass of wine before enjoying a buffet dinner with a Caribbean flare.

The Inn itself was built in 1773, but has, of course, expanded extensively. It's now a four-story structure that takes the better part of a city block. It has a pre-1950 feel to it; an ancient, agonizingly slow, iron-cage elevator in the front that must be operated by hotel staff; the long halls decorated with movie posters from the '30s and '40s; creaky wooden floors; novels of the period gracing small tables in most rooms; all of which create a charming ambience which, together with fully appointed modern amenities, make it a first-class experience. The experience is only complete, however, if you sit on a rocking chair on the long front porch and watch the world go by.

The weather improved each day, and by Monday it was sunshine perfect. With two days in hand we broke up to the various attractions within the Red Lion's orbit. Nearest are the Norman Rockwell Museum which not only houses most of Norman Rockwell's work, including all his Saturday Evening Post covers, but also features changing exhibits of other well-known illustrators.

A couple of miles away in Great Barrington is Chesterwood, the studio and summer home of Daniel Chester French 1871, Course IV, sculptor of, among other well-known works, Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concord Minuteman. It also features changing exhibits of outdoor art.

Also nearby in Stockbridge is Naumkeag, the summer cottage of the prominent New York lawyer, writer, and orator, and McKinley's Ambassador to Great Britain, Joseph Hodges Choate and his family. Now owned by the Massachusetts Trust for Reservations, its landscaped gardens are alone worth a visit and the guided tour of the three-story, 14-bedroom house -- a fascinating window of moneyed life at the turn of the last century. Some also visited Herman Melville's home Arrowhead. All of this was a full day's adventure.

A visit up north was also a whole-day reward. North Adams is home to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in what was a textile mill and later home to Sprague Electrical Company (Robert C. Sprague '23). It's rambling complex of huge exhibition halls accommodate huge and sometimes grotesque works of art. Next door, in Williamstown is the Williams College of Art Museum which had a Warhol retrospective, closing the day of our visit, and the Clark Museum, judged to be the finest small museum of art in the country.

Sunday night we dined in small groups at several of the local restaurants, and the general report was that each was of high standard. At our farewell dinner at the Inn on Monday night we had dwindled to 20 as three couples had to leave early.

As we parted at breakfast on Tuesday, several people suggested that we not wait till our 65th to get together again, rather that we should have a mini-reunion sooner. The current fad among the newer classes is a pi reunion (3.1419 years). We could go them one better and have an e reunion (2.71828 years.) Oh, the MIT culture!! Whether it's e or pi or some other, rounder, number, what do you think? Perhaps a threeý day week end in early autumn, in or near Cambridge with a dash of MIT but mostly enough time to enjoy the rich history and culture of the Boston metropolitan area, and most of all to enjoy each other's company. Let us know what you think - when, where, and what to do. Your permanent Reunion Committee is ready to start planning now! Well, almost.

As Garrison Keillor is fond of saying: Keep well, do good work, and stay in touch!

Warmest Regards,

Claude Brenner