Cornell University
Class of 1955
60TH Reunion
June 4 – 7, 2015
On Saturday night, June 6, 2015, 147 classmates and 75 of their guests
(out of the 236 registered) sat down for a delicious dinner at the Statler’s
Carrier Ballroom. After a thoughtful invocation by our classmate, Rex Boda
and a moment of silence in memory of our departed classmates, we were
entertained by the harmony of the Hangover’s Emeriti. Near the end of dinner
we had the great fortune of listening to Professor Glenn Altschuler, Co-author
of Cornell: A History 1940 - 2015. His knowledge of “Cornell Then”, our
days on the Hill, was only surpassed by the humorous manner in which he
discussed our memorable times at Cornell in the early ‘50’s. Each classmate
received a copy of Professor Altschuler’s book and he was available twice
during the reunion to sign them.
The dinner on Saturday was the highlight of the days of renewing our
friendships of long ago and the return to our magnificent campus. Wednesday
marked the arrival of the Reunion team to prepare for the next four days and
meet six student clerks who became an important part of our success. Even
the weather was on our side, except for Friday night’s thunderstorm and
torrential rain (a few of us got soaked coming back to Mews Hall on Friday
night from the glee club concert), the weather was perfect. Thursday morning
was “get ready” time. We found out that the helium tank delivered the night
before was empty but, after some frantic phone calls, a new one was delivered
and the “blow-up” began. The clerks prepared a colorful balloon arch with the
numbers 55 displayed at the entrance to Mews as well as balloons for our
Thursday night dinner at Appel Commons. The arrival table with the luggage
wraps was set up and our greeters, Fred Antil, Carol (Ritt) Byron, Bill
Doerler, Phil Harvey, and Eva Ray went to work welcoming our classmates
and helping them check in and pick up their welcome packages.
142 of our classmates and guests registered on Thursday with 98 staying
at our headquarters at Mews. Thursday afternoon was “at leisure” with 53
people able to participate in a campus tour conducted by Corey Earle, class of
2007, who gave an excellent perspective of the new Cornell. Thursday dinner
had us listening to Charlie Phlegar, the departing Vic President of Alumni
Affairs and Development, who is going to be in a similar position at Virginia
Tech. Joel Malina, Vice President for University Relations, talked to us about
“Cornell Now”, what is occurring in many areas on campus. Charlie and
Mary Anne Wolf then announced that our class had set the record for an
annual fund amount for a 60th Reunion – $39.7 million. This was one of the
four records that the “greatest class of Cornell University” set this weekend.
On Friday, 73 of our classmates and guests registered with 30 staying at
Mews. That morning in the Lund Lounge, with an overflow crowd of about
70 people, Barbara Peltz hosted the discussion of Professor Gail HolstWarhaft’s review of the 2014-15 freshman book, A Clash of Civilization
Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittoria. That afternoon, 54 people participated in
the second campus tour conducted by a University tour guide. Friday night
dinner was at the newly remodeled Stocking Hall, home of the Cornell Dairy
Barn, where we heard to the wonderful harmonizing of the Cayuga’s Waiters
of the ‘50’s who serenaded Barbara Peltz with their infamous song, “Good
Night Little Girl, Good Night”. Some of us went on to the Cornell University
Chorus and Glee Club concert at Bailey Hall. Others came back to Mews to
listen to jazz vocalist Joanna Pascale (thanks to Phil Harvey) who gave us a
terrific rendering of the Great American Song book. Unfortunately her
concert was cut short by a couple of numbers due to the thunderstorm and
lightning.
Saturday dawned much nicer than the night before and many of our
classmates went on to College breakfasts with only 110 of all those registered
having breakfast at the tent at Mews. That morning many attended President
Skorton’s last State of the University address and then returned to Appel
Commons for our lunch and our class meeting. Outgoing Presidents Fred
Antil and Barbara Peltz announced the slate of officers for the next five years;
Michael Avery and Phil Harvey - CO-Presidents, Carol Rittershausen Byron
and William Doerler - CO-Vice Presidents, Daniel Krouner – Treasurer, Eva
Konig Ray – Secretary, Nancy Savage Petrie – Class Correspondent, all were
elected by unanimous voice vote. We then announced that we were the first
class to commit to a Naming Opportunity for the new University Health
Services Center (UHSC), a major expansion and renovation of the current
campus facility (Gannett). This was due to the funding of $25,000 from
classmate Peter Schluter with the remaining monies coming from our
investment and class accounts to reach the minimum naming opportunity of
$100,000.
Saturday night was the dinner where we recognized and thanked all our
classmates and their guests for coming to our 60th Reunion, especially Bob
Miller from Hong Kong, the Hirsch’s from Israel, and Roger Burggraf from
Alaska. Our breakfast Sunday morning was attended by 169 people and we
said our good-byes for another five years.
Our 60th Reunion will most likely be considered one of the finest
moments in our class history not just because of the records made or
established; breaking the attendance record for a 60th, which we have done for
the last four Reunions (no other class has done this in recent time),
establishing the record for funding for a 60th Reunion and the first class to
name a room at the USHC. We have elected to place our plaque on the
Clinical Consult room, which is directly across from a waiting room allowing
many students to see the contribution made by the super-class of 1955! It will
also be considered the finest due to the many compliments both verbal and
written that were received by our Reunion team.
See you all in 2020.