April 29, 2026
Forbes Hall
Princeton, NJ

Dear Classmates and Associates,

Our long - awaited 65th Reunion is right around the corner, May 21 - 24, and we cannot wait to:

Catch up with old friends and new, dine under the tent at Forbes, tour the new Art Museum, hear from classmates at the Alumni Faculty Forums on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, Hear the Nassoons at our Memorial Service, honor classmates and elect new officers at our annual dinner, march with the Princeton Tiger or ride in the P-rade, taste fine wines from Kingston Vineyards, and watch the fireworks Saturday night from the leafy front lawn at Forbes.

All this and more at our 65th Reunion. If you haven't registered yet, there's still time. Want to skip the hassle? You can do it by phone - it takes about ten minutes. Call Lee Blyler (908) 672-8505; he'll complete the process for you. Come for all or part of the reunion - you are welcome.

If you don't have a '61 reunion blazer, let George Brakeley know at 203-912-3362.

What to expect when you arrive at Forbes College, 115 Alexander St, Princeton.
- Check in with the help of Will Rhoades '27 and his fantastic crew.
- Pick up your optional apparel orders and complimentary lady's scarves.
- Get a program of the events and their locations, maps, and our contact phone numbers (in your swag bag).
- Help yourself to a refreshing beverage and enjoy!

In our earlier letters last fall we described some of the changes you'll see here on campus, and how we'll facilitate transportation for those of us who need it. We've also added a section on parking, since most of us plan to arrive by car. Please click here to see the map/information on transportation and parking (which they say is coming soon).

And if this letter doesn't answer all your questions, call us or Frank Novak, Transportation Chair, at 973-342-7835.

- because -

We can't wait to see you!!!

Sincerely,,

Reunion Co-chairs

Transportation and Parking

What to expect -

As you know, Princeton University is growing. Undergraduate class size has doubled since our time. In 1961, 686 of us graduated. Today the Class of 2026 numbers some 1,500. The campus has expanded as well, so you'll see many new buildings, including the new Art Museum, around the main campus core. There may be a few building sites unfinished, but most will be complete. The faculty has expanded as well, so the student - faculty ratio remains about 5 to 1, as it was in our time. The students are top notch and very helpful, as you'll see when you meet our student crew, led by a great guy. He's Will Rhoades '27, from North Carolina. And of course, there are many more alumni attending reunions now than ever before. Expect crowds of fellow Tigers in party mode!

Our headquarters will be in Forbes College, 115 Alexander Road, across from the old "Dinky Station" location. In 1961 it was still "The Princeton Inn". It became Forbes College in 1984. Forbes patio overlooks scenic Springdale Golf Club, and is across the street from the campus transportation center. The "Old Guard" will share space at Forbes with us.

One of two major car parking centers is a short walk or golf cart ride from Forbes. You may drop passengers and luggage off at Forbes, and personal golf carts may park here, but there is no car parking at Forbes. So where should we park? (Parking maps will be available at check-in, but are not yet available.)

1. Parking near Forbes. For those of us who can walk 100 yards, the Theater Drive Garage is the nearest to Forbes. It's across Alexander St., between Forbes and Baker Rink. However, for those who need assistance walking, the first choice would be the ADA parking area adjacent to the parking garage. This lot is served by golf carts that can bring you and your guests to Forbes. From Forbes, drive south on Alexander St. and turn left at the traffic light on Faculty Road. Follow the directions to parking. Note that Faculty Road is the only way to drive to the two primary parking lots, including the Stadium Drive Parking Garage and lot across campus near the stadium.

2. Parking near Princeton Stadium. When parking near Baker Rink is full, you will be directed to follow Faculty Road to the Stadium Drive Garage. Just follow the signs past Washington Road intersection. Lake Carnegie will be on your right. There is frequent Campus Circulator bus service from the Stadium Drive Garage to the Bus station on Alexander St., directly across from Forbes. The bus is air conditioned, ADA and wheelchair accessible. The ride to the Bus station takes about 15 minutes. The good news - Princeton's buses and parking are free of charge! And, as its name implies, the Campus Circulator Buses run all day and until 3 am around the campus up Alexander St., across Nassau St., down Washington Rd and along Faculty Rd. back to Alexander St., making multiple stops.

3. With the addition of the Stadium Drive Garage, Reunions parking options on campus have expanded. That being said, attendees are still strongly encouraged to use hotel shuttles where offered, transit, or carpool when traveling to campus to avoid traffic and potential re-routing if a campus parking lot is full. Additionally, ridesharing wherever possible is encouraged. Uber and Lyft are readily accessible and provide a reliable transportation option.

Those driving might encounter traffic delays or be redirected to overflow parking lots, particularly if arriving on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Parking professionals will be onsite to direct arriving vehicles to:
o Theater Drive Garage and Lot 20
o Stadium Drive Garage (with shuttle service)
o Meadows Drive Garage (with shuttle service)
o Prospect Ave Garage and adjacent lots (no shuttle service)
o Overflow lots at Lakeside Apartments and Lawrence Apartments (with shuttle service)
o Grad College Lot 19 (limited shuttle service)

Alternatives to campus traffic and at-capacity lots include parking at the Princeton Junction train station in West Windsor and taking the Dinky to campus. Parking is available for $7 daily (including the option to park for multiple days overnight) with the Dinky running all day and well after midnight on Friday and Saturday. Round Trip fare is $6.

o Most on-street meters in Princeton are free of charge after 8:00 pm
o There are public garages on Chambers, Hulfish & Spring Streets

Transportation to and from events - Many of us have mobility issues now and may have concerns about getting around. Realizing this, we have planned most of our events and all meals at Forbes. However, let's say you wanted to go from Forbes over to the Art Museum, or to another location on campus, and want a ride. The best way would be to take the Tiger Trolley, which runs continual loops along Elm Drive in the middle of campus, looping past the ADA parking lot near Baker Rink, then back up to the Art Museum. The Trolley stop nearest to Forbes is at Baker Rink, about 100 yards away from Forbes. Please walk to the trolley if you can. If you would rather request a golf cart ride, read on -

Requesting a Golf Cart ride - For scheduled events we will endeavor to provide golf cart request sheets at the check-in table before the events. It will help us plan for rides if you use the request sheets.

For unscheduled events call our student crew, Frank, or Joe, whose cell phone numbers are listed on our reunion program, and we'll do our best to fill your request. At busy times, please be patient!

The P-rade, of course, is Saturday at 2 pm. Our Burning Bright as Ever! class will march, we in our bright reunion jackets, ladies in their new scarves, all wearing sunglasses and led by the one and only Princeton Tiger! (A good photo op!) We'll brief the class on P-rade transportation Friday night.

We'll be bused from Forbes to Nassau Hall before the P-rade, so please have an early lunch! Afterwards, we can walk back to Forbes, or wait for a golf cart ride, if desired.

If you've rented a golf cart, you may ride it in the P-rade, but it must be parked at Nassau Hall by our crew before 12 noon. You can ride the bus up to Nassau Hall before the P-rade, and drive your cart back to Forbes afterwards.

If you'd prefer to ride the free "Tiger Trolley" in air-conditioned comfort in the P-rade and back to Forbes, that's fine, just sign up Thursday or Friday on the "Tiger Trolley" P-rade sign-up sheet at Forbes. First come, first served.

Remember, we have many transportation options at our reunion location. We're a short walk across the street from the University's bus transportation center, the Theater Drive parking garage, and the Dinky station. From the transportation center, shuttle buses loop continually to hotels along Route 1 and back. The Uber and LYFT taxi line is right in front of Forbes, along Alexander Road. For campus transportation, Campus Circulator buses run around the edges of campus, and the Tiger Trolleys prowl on Elm Drive in the center of campus.

If your mobility needs require more help, it is available. It may be possible to rent a golf cart for your personal use, either for the P-rade or for the entire Reunion. (A 3-day golf cart rental costs $990, P-rade only, $550.) Eligibility is restricted to alumni holding state-issued proof of a handicap designation. Orders must be placed with the University asap through a specific online form:
Personal Golf Cart Rental Order Form: https://princeton.reunioniq.com/shop/golfcart26

After dinner Saturday night, the University celebrates with a half hour fireworks extravaganza at Princeton Stadium. For safety reasons, most roads around campus are closed before 8 pm, and golf carts are not allowed to cross Washington Road. So, we plan to set up chairs on Forbes front lawn to hear and observe the fireworks through the treetops. There will be no band concert before the fireworks this year.

Below are all the details for registration, including links to TigerNet and on-line registration.

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Dec. 1, 2025

Dear Classmates of 1961!

Welcome to our 65^th Reunion, May 21-24, 2026!

                                                            A mere 14 years ago!

Ready, Set, going back to Old Nassau – with the best old class of all – Burning Bright as Ever!

We’re gearing up for another great reunion, this time in historic and friendly Forbes College, overlooking Springdale golf course.  The program is shaping up as a combination of old and new Princeton, as the campus expands to accommodate more students, new programs and new technologies.  We’re including virtual as well as actual tours of campus and the new Art Museum, Alumni-Faculty Forums on meaningful and controversial topics, and quiet conversations with old friends you may not have seen in many years.

Dining will be excellent, under the discriminating eye of Bob Pickens, who once again has arranged a Saturday wine tasting by the Kingston Family Vineyards. Our cocktail hours will feature Bob Egan ’75 on the piano and keyboard.  The Nassoons will sing during our traditional memorial service on Friday afternoon, with our annual class dinner and election of officers that evening.

We’re making every effort to keep reunion costs under control, and to minimize unnecessary walking from place to place.  All meals will be at Forbes, prepared for us by Princeton dining services. Reception/dinner music will be provided by Bob Egan ’75 on the piano and keyboards.  Our student crew now numbers six, our least ever.  Even so, as our class numbers decline, reunion fees are higher per person than at our last physical reunion in 2016, just to enable us to cover our expenses.  If you find that the reunion fees make it difficult for you and your spouse or partner to attend, please let Bob Pickens or Justin Kimball know.  Assistance may be available.  Bob’s at 609-924-8907, pickens.robert@gmail.com, and Justin’s at 610-268-2657, jhkimball@comcast.net.  We’d like everyone to attend who can do so safely.

The P-rade, of course, is Saturday. Our Burning Bright as Ever! class will march; we in our bright reunion jackets, ladies in their new scarves, (provided as a gift at check in) all wearing sunglasses and led by the one and only Princeton Tiger!       (A good photo op!)  We’ll be bused from Forbes to Nassau Hall before the P-rade, and we can ride back to Forbes afterwards, if desired.  If you’ve rented a golf cart, you may ride it in the P-rade. If you’d prefer to ride the free “Tiger Trolley” in comfort in the P-rade and back to Forbes, that’s fine, just sign-up Thursday or Friday on the “Tiger Trolley” P-rade sign-up sheet at Forbes.

Besides the P-rade “Tiger Trolley”, we have many transportation options at our reunion location. We’re a short walk across the street from the University’s bus transportation center, a parking garage, and the Dinky station. From the center, shuttle buses loop continually to hotels along Route 1 and back. The Uber and LYFT taxi line is right in front of Forbes, along Alexander Road. Buses will continue to provide trips around the perimeter of campus, and trolleys will run along Elm Drive, from the handicapped parking area to Chapel Drive circle and back. There will be golf cart drivers stationed at Forbes who can transport guests to and from main campus as needed, instead of the “roving” golf cart service that was offered in past years. 

If your mobility needs require more help, it is available.  It may be possible to rent a golf cart for your personal use, either for the P-rade or for the entire Reunion. (Last May, a 3-day golf cart rental cost about $950.)  Eligibility is restricted to alumni holding state-issued proof of a handicap designation. Orders must be placed with the University through a specific online form which we can make available to you. Prices for our reunion are not yet determined. If you wish to pursue this option, or to rent a scooter, let me or Frank Novak know. He is our Transportation Chair. (novakf@verizon.net, 973-342-7835) We will work with you to get the ball rolling. Orders must be placed by the end of April.

After dinner Saturday night, the University celebrates with a band concert and a half hour fireworks extravaganza at Princeton Stadium!

Sunday Brunch at Forbes is our final event.  From then on, we’ll be part of the Old Guard at reunions!  So, let’s make our 65^th a great one!  Be there, “Burning Bright - as Ever!”

REGISTRATION INFO

Registration is where you tell us about yourself, your diet preferences, and about your guests, family or otherwise. Then you make your selections for a full or partial reunion, if you want on-campus housing, or to order a golf shirt or T shirt with our reunion logo. (No new apparel items are required to be purchased for the reunion.  They are optional.) All the online data will be included in the wristband you receive at Forbes College when you check in.  If you use the paper form our registrar, Lee Blyler, will enter the data for you.

You may register online, or by using the paper form enclosed with this letter.  Having used online registration myself, I recommend you try it.  Once you begin, it’s a simple series of boxes to fill in, does the addition for you, and prompts you if you miss a box.  For security, the form resides on the University’s Tigernet system, which requires a password.  It’s easy to register on Tigernet, and instructions are on the next page.   Once you are in Tigernet, select registration, and your initial page will look like mine –

Reunions 2026

Class of 1961 - 65th Reunion

Tell us about yourself

First Name

Nickname  “Joe”

Prefer to be known by a different first name? Enter it here. We'll use this on your name tag.

  There are several benefits to using online registration.  You can pay by credit card or check. You can easily correct or revise the registration yourself, right up to May 21, 2026.  With paper registration you must pay by check, and to revise the registration you must call or email Lee.  Modifications to paper registrations after May 1 are discouraged.

Registering online – If you do not have a Tigernet account, register for one using this link

https://puwebp.princeton.edu/tigerNet/startPage.jsf?type=A1 tartPage.jsf?type=A1

Click on “Register Now” and follow the instructions. Once registered, click on the link that will be sent to you by email, or copy and paste this address into your browser: http://princeton.reunioniq.com/go/2026/1961rinceton.reunioniq.com/go/2026/1961 

Then click on “Register Now,” enter your Tigernet ID and p/w, and continue your registration.

Registering on paper – complete the form enclosed, and mail it with your check payable to Princeton University Class of 1961, to Lee Blyler, 55 Kensington Road, Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920.  His contact info is on page 4 of the form and here – (blylers@verizon.net, 908-672-8505.)

The second section on the registration form is campus Housing, where you may request to stay in Forbes College or the Theological Seminary.  We have reserved a limited number of campus beds, as described in our Sept. 30 letter.  Please read the registration form carefully before requesting campus beds, and submit your request before Jan. 10, 2026.  We expect demand for these beds to exceed supply, so we’ll conduct a lottery in late January – early February.  We’ll advise everyone after the lottery, and the winners will be billed. They must pay by check for their beds to the Class of 1961, sent to Lee Blyler.  Please pay promptly. Beds unpaid by April 1 will be returned to the University for others to use.  Remember:  If you don’t request campus beds by Jan 10, you will not be entered into the campus bed lottery!

Apparel – This section is on the last registration page. You may order white golf shirts and/or white T-shirts with our reunion logo. They are optional, not required.  To ensure that they will be waiting for you at check-in in May, please order shirts prior to Jan. 10, 2026.

P-rade apparel – Our great reunion jacket, with any white shirt and long trousers, and your own sunglasses, is our official men’s outfit for the P-rade. If  you need a jacket, please let George Brakeley (secy@princeton61.org, 203-912-3362) or me know!

For the ladies we will provide a complimentary long narrow scarf in our orange and white jacket pattern for the  P-rade, to be worn with their choice of white blouse and white skirt or pants, and their own sunglasses.  Your other guests, of all ages, should wear predominantly white comfortable attire and sunglasses.

Thanks!  We look forward to being with you at our 65^th reunion in May!

We’re expecting an excellent turnout, with over 41 classmates so far, plus their wives and Class Associates, already planning to attend.  Hope you can be here with us!  The latest Who’s Coming list and links to online registration are available on the 65^th Reunion page of our great class website – www.princeton61.org.

Go Tigers!

Joe McGinity, co-chair

(mcginj9@gmail.com, 215-595-6995)

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To register on-line, while logged on to TigerNet, go to https://princeton.reunioniq.com/go/2026/1961.