March 2013
Dear Classmates,
Snowflakes are falling in Washington, DC, this first weekend in March. The weather keeps alive the events of Winter 2013. In January we again inaugurated a president. The inaugural events always remind me of our first January in Saratoga - the JAN PLAN days of Skidmore's celebrated "4-1-4."
We were free from the routine. We could try new courses and adventures. It was 1969 and President Richard Nixon had been elected 37th President of the United States. Someone (help me here??) organized a bus trip from Skidmore to Washington DC so that we could witness the historic events. I didn't subscribe to The Saratogian and I know we couldn't download the New York Times to our smart phones. I don't think we had televisions in our rooms. We had no idea that when we stepped from the bus we would encounter mass anti-Vietnam protests. I think we were on our own and honestly don't remember how we found our way around town. There were certainly no security checks or pre-assigned ticket zones.
Sally Ferguson and Susie Horowitz - look closely. There you are amidst those big city protesters at Union Station. I remember being terrified of the face paint and noise. This was just the beginning of the protests we would encounter over the next few years.
We returned to campus and February brought Valentine's Day. Here is a photo of Barbara Devine (pony tail tied with a ribbon and pink sweater, of course) celebrating in Skidmore Hall. Note that we all sent each other Valentine's cards. I wonder if the heartwarming tradition remains?
As winter 1969 came to a close, it was time for us to experience our first "Happy Pappy Weekend." Carol Brady - here is a memorable photo of you and your sweet Dad. Nancy Bonfils -there you are in the background. The theme was "A Man for All Seasons" and here is my dad along with Judy Stein (later Williams 72) and her dad, Sally Ferguson and little Miss Gail Packer dancing the night away.
Final exams loomed in late spring. I found this lovely shot of the nursing majors studying in our Skidmore Hall "triple." The goal was a move to New York City and two years at NYU Medical Center. Here Sue Hadley, Debbie Craig, and Diana Kenney spread out papers on the floor. Note the splendid housekeeping skills and room upkeep. We were especially good at making beds. This memory is in sharp contrast to the spacious double beds we found in the new dorms at reunion this year
I have so many warm memories of our class reunion. Our classmates did an outstanding job organizing events and I cherish the opportunities we had to reconnect. I hope that we continue efforts to stay in touch over the next few years.
We were known for our cameras and spontaneous photo shoots. I plan to send out a few golden oldies with each letter and I encourage you to send me cherished photos. I would like to keep our memories alive. It is important for us to celebrate our generation. We have "done it all" just as our Skidmore professors encouraged us to do.
We may have been "training for careers" during the spring of 1969 but in the spring of 2013 we are experts in our chosen fields, whether in the work force, community, or in our own home. Some of us are grandmothers and some of us still have young children. Some of us have been leaders in our profession, others found success in pioneering new career paths, and others have touched the lives of countless people through volunteer work.
The civic engagement, technical expertise, academic rigor, and public service efforts that were afforded to us in 1969 remain a hallmark of a Skidmore education. What impressed me most at our 40th reunion was the caliber of leader our class produced. So many in our class continue to work and demonstrate excellence. This year Newsweek reported that the college had a 95% full time student retention rate. Our students are researchers, performers, academics, clinicians, educators, scientists, writers, and All-American athletes.
Please join me as we continue to support and celebrate Skidmore, its traditions, and people. Send me your good news and don't be shy about your accomplishments. I know you and I know you are world class.
Judy
Judith Costello Brinckerhoff ‘72
Class President
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Reunion 2012 Home
Class Officers
Class President
Nancy A. Brennan
Class Fund Chair
Joan Baptie Barkan
Mary Crombie Geer
Roberta Hertz Rifkin
Carol A. Strickland
Class Secretary
Martha Pantier Tehan
Reunion Chair
Jane Feinberg Karlin
Reunion Volunteer
Victoria H. Wirth
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