In a year when most of our classmates have achieved octogenarian status, the energy, spirit and production of our class remains high with a large number of us still actively engaged in productive pursuits.


For instance, the Hon. Peter Bridges reports, “In October [2011] I had an interesting trip to the Republic of Georgia. I was invited to lecture at universities in Kutaisi and Tbilisi after the Georgians learned that the officer from the American embassy in Moscow who accompanied John Steinbeck to Georgia in 1963 was still on earth. I also discussed early contacts between Georgia and America, beginning with an American who visited Tbilisi in 1804, when Georgia had just lost its independence to Russia. Today, both government and people are keen on developing contacts with us. My host had just come back from eight months at the University of California at Santa Cruz.


“I also spent two days in the region of Svaneti, which features mountains higher than the Alps and old towers, not to defend against invaders but because of blood feuds. The road into Svaneti has been rebuilt, and in hopes of attracting more tourists the government is repairing the old towers and building new guest houses. I want to go back and do some hiking in Svaneti. Anybody interested?”


With a year and one half to go before our 60th reunion, president Allen Collins has appointed Harlan Fair chairman of the reunion committee. Harlan is hard at work organizing the most exciting 60th reunion yet. Please make sure to save the dates: June 10 through June 13, 2013.


On the other hand, such longevity status brings with it the loss of classmates whom we hold dear. We never become inured to this situation so it is with great sadness that I acknowledge the following classmates who have left us recently, and offer the sincere condolences of the class to their families. They are Richard L. Core, Walter Rod Jennings, Karl G. McGhee, Dudley R. Williams, Frank G. Willard, John E. Crisp, Harvey W.F. Mason, Peter S. Spalding, Clifford H. Rusch, James A. Rose, Gilbert S. Osborne, Frederick Chase Jr., Chester F. Caswell Jr.


—Mark H. Smoller, 4 Schuyler Drive, Jericho, NY 11753; (516) 938-3616; dartmark@gmail.com