1967 - 40th Reunion

From William Faulkner’s Nobel acceptance speech:“... when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of [man’s] puny inexhaustible voice, still talking.” For [man’s] put [’67’s] and you have the situation as it is whenever we meet. I always feel I should say a little something momentous to open our proceedings, but by the time I say “Welcome,” no one is listening—everyone is completely immersed in their own conversations. It is marvelous and like no other thing in my life.

Those in attendance at the 40th reunion for the Class of 1967 included Daniel and Elissa Arons, Mary Williams Clark, Cynthia Rapp Curry, James and Dolly Dineen, Alexander and Trina Dora, James Dowaliby, John Drews with Janet Eyster, Richard and Lilian Hart, Richard and Carol Heppner, Peter and Maureen Herbert, Robert and Gale Kirkwood, Melvyn Korobkin, Anthony and Kathleen Lovell, Stephen and Christina Miller, John and Marilyn Pastore, Brian Rigney with Jessica Coviello, Sidney and Lucy Smith, Helen Smits with Roger LeCompte, Richard and Caroline Swett, Robert S.K. Young, Ihor and Areta Zachary, and Peter and Ellen Zeman.

The feeling of solidarity among those of us who attend our reunions is indeed remarkable. Conversation does not begin; it simply continues where it paused five years ago. I wondered for a long time if all ysm classes had this quality. Now I think not—Ireally believe it is special. One bit of evidence to support this: Alex Dora reported that on Friday night at the clambake, ’67 was still clustered together talking when everyone else had gone home.

Dinner Saturday night at Mory’s was well-attended. The only flaw was that we were in two rooms, so if you wanted everyone to hear what you were saying, you either had to stand in the doorway or say it twice. Steve Miller stood in the doorway to report that our reunion gift to the school is significant. Peter Herbert was not in the doorway when he spoke for himself (and for the rest of us, too) of his admiration and affection for the group, so he must have said it twice. Peter, it should be noted, was honored by the school with the Distinguished Alumni Service Award—an award well-deserved, earned by hard work and devoted service.

I had to say goodnight and leave the party early this year. As I waved and walked out, I looked back. Guess what. No one noticed my exit—they were already completely immersed in their own conversations. Marvelous!

James M. Dowaliby II