*The Class and Reunion Committee would appreciate any donation to help cover the cost of the dinner and the entertainment. Suggested minimum: $40 per person. (Can give Prather cash or check made out to Princeton Class of 1961 at the dinner.)
Saturday, June 2: P-rade (Show up around 1:30pm by Nassau Hall). Costume: black polo shirts from the 45th under our blazers. Reunion hats if available.Click here for the Alumni Council's full reunions schedule.
3 campus beds @ $120 each (for the weekend) are available. Email the chairs reunions@princeton61.org to book -- they won't last long. Sorry, all gone.
DIRECTIONS to Carol's (609) 921-9135
From HQ, go east on Nassau St. toward Palmer Square. Continue 1.6 mi. on Princeton-Kingston Rd. Left on River Rd. for 0.2 mi. Left on Herrontown Rd. to # 7 (on right).
Who was there? (classmates: 20, spouses/guests/associates: 11)
Jim Adams
John & Beverly Baker
Len Berton
Jim & Sue Blair
George & Ellen Brakeley
Patrick & Diane Davidson
John & Suzy Graham
Jon & Pat Hlafter
Justin & Suzanne Kimball
Cookie Krongard
*Dick Mandell & Nancy Caudill
Joe & Maureen McGinity
*Chris Nelson ‘92, son of the late Rick Nelson marched with us wearing his father's blazer
Jay Parsons
Bob & Mary Pickens
Joe & Ev Prather
Charlie Rippin
Ken Scasserra
Jerry Shattuck
Art Smith
Jim & Martha Wickenden
Carol Wojciechowicz h61
* Saturday only
46th REUNION REPORT
Dear Classmates,
Carol Wojciechowicz's home in Princeton provided the perfect setting as we started the reunion weekend Friday evening with 20 of us and wives and guests joined together for libation, food and camaraderie. The traditional '61 thunderstorm showed up right on queue and chased us off Carol's veranda where we were enjoying good spirits and excellent hors d'oeuvres. We dined on grilled salmon and sliced filet mignon. Joe Prather had arranged entertainment by The Katzenjammers undergraduate vocal group who helped get us in the mood with their spirited rendition of the Tiger tunes. We managed to stay awake for the annual class meeting and then we enjoyed quiet and liquid socializing well into the evening.
Saturday afternoon we assembled at the side of Nassau Hall (we are getting closer to the front of the line every year) and, as Joe Prather said, "What a grand day for a walk in the sun." And walk and talk and laugh we did! A small but spirited gathering of the Class of '61 enjoyed a wonderful P-rade across the campus under a bright sun without a trace of rain for a change. With the mummer band playing "And then we'll crash through that line of blue" and the bagpipers blasting a stirring rendition of "Going Back", we joined 25,000 other alums for the annual rite of inducting the graduating class into the ranks of Princeton alumni. Cookie Krongard and Joe McGinity proudly preceded us with the "1961" banner held high, as John Hlafter led us in locomotives until we were hoarse. Many along the route were heard to say that our blazers were the best looking in the P-rade, but considering the competition, that may be faint praise. There were lots of sweaty smiles in our group when we finally made it to the reviewing stands.
Dick Mandell won the "long distance" award coming all the way from his home in Palm Springs California to join us. Congratulations Dick!
For those who stayed around a bit longer, the fireworks that evening were sensational as thousands gathered in the lower playing fields for a marvelous musical presentation by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra followed by 45 minutes of fireworks choreographed to the music and finally ending with a stirring rendition of "Old Nassau" as the sky erupted in explosions.
All in all it was a memorable 46th Reunion. Hope to see you at the 47th next year or the 50th in 2011.
John
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CLASS OF 1961
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
JUNE 1, 2007
The meeting was called to order at 9 P.M. by the class president.
Upon motion from Cookie Krongard, the minutes of the meeting of June 12th, 2006 were unanimously approved.
The President thanked Carol Wojciechowicz for her hospitality in again opening her lovely home to the class and for serving as hostess for the class dinner.
The President also thanked his fellow officers for their support and efforts on behalf of the class during the past year, especially Patrick Davidson's work in organizing the Harvard weekend festivities and in representing the class on Alumni Day; George Brakeley for his continuing excellent work with PAW and acting as the class' institutional memory; Len Berton for continuing to provide invaluable information to the class through the outstanding '61 web site; and Mike Burton for continuing to keep us solvent. The President also thanked former president Joe McGinity for his invaluable assistance with the transition to a new administration.
OLD BUSINESS
Joe Prather reported on last year's very successful 45th Reunion, advising that, despite some inclement weather, the critiques of the weekend festivities by fellow classmates were almost uniformly positive. The President thanked Joe and Ev for co-chairing the event and for their agreement to continue in that role through the 50th Reunion. He also thanked the other members of the Reunion Committee who were present for their outstanding efforts - Ken Scasserra, Justin Kimball, Jim Blair, George Brakeley, Joe McGinity, Bob Pickens, Jay Parsons, Jim Adams, Art Smith and Len Berton.
The President thanked those classmates who assisted in the numerous class gatherings during the past school year, including the Harvard football functions, the Yale and Dartmouth football games, the Yale basketball gathering, the class dinner in New York City, the Florida golf outing and the Baltimore class dinner.
NEW BUSINESS
On behalf of Treasurer Mike Burton, the President reported that the current treasury balance was $32,488 (in an interest bearing account) plus $2564 in the class Paypal account and $11,815 in our Reunion account. This fiscal year (July 1, 2006 to June 30th 2007) we received $14,860 in dues payments from 288 classmates and an additional $5645 from 87 classmates for the class scholarship fund. That fund currently is in excess of $2 million and provided scholarships to 10 Princeton students this year. The class also has 37 members of the 1746 Society (classmates who have remembered Princeton in their wills or in intervivos trusts) with a total of $824,579 in planned gifts from classmates to the University. In addition, classmates have individually established scholarships and academic studies funds at Princeton in aggregate exceeding $2 million.
On behalf of Annual Giving co-chairs Tony Atkiss and Kathy Wall, the President reported that last year's Annual Giving campaign was very successful with 426 classmates (68% participation) contributing over $700,000 to Princeton. This year's campaign is slightly ahead of the pace of a typical minor reunion year, with approximately 45% of the class contributing $160,000 to date. The President thanked all in attendance for their continued financial support of Princeton.
Jim Blair reported on the progress of the Princeton Varsity Club in assisting Princeton athletics, the various Friends groups and the athletic department. He believes that the Varsity Club will grow into a major unifying force in Princeton athletics.
Jim and Martha Wickenden reported with much enthusiasm on the trips they had taken as part of the University-sponsored Princeton Journeys outings. They encouraged all classmates to investigate these unique events which combine unusual venues with stimulating presentations by Princeton professors. Jim described his two trips as outstanding learning experiences. He passed out brochures on the Journeys planned for 2007-2008 and encouraged all to seriously consider participating in one.
Patrick Davidson reported on the special class event planned for September 2008 in Charleston as part of the Princeton - Citadel football weekend. A long weekend with golf, tennis etc. is planned including a joint Princeton '61 - Citadel '61 party. More to come.
Finally, as the highlight of the evening, George Brakeley offered the following resolution proposing the election of Carol Wojciechowicz as an Honorary Member of the Class of 1961:
Five and a half years ago, we lost Wojie. He is very much missed, but he is also very much present, in that Carol has been such an active part of the life of the class since his death. She is our representative on the Alumni Council’s Class Associates Committee, which works with next of kin of deceased alumni; she attends class events regularly; I learned only recently that she and Charlie Rippin co-chaired Wojie’s 50th reunion at Lawrenceville, with a lot of our classmates present; and here we are tonight, not for the first time.
With all of that in mind, I offer the following: Resolved, that Carol Wojciechowicz be appointed an Honorary Member of the Princeton University Class of 1961.
The resolution was unanimously approved and the classmates in attendance welcomed Carol as our newest member.
Following the singing of the class song, composed and led by Jim Adams, the meeting was adjourned.
Sincerely,
John Graham
President
Class of 1961
Click here for pictures
