Forties

Arthur L. Solomon ’41 recently joined the Horace Mann Society, and he is living rather grandly in Shelter Bay, La Conner, Washington. The less than grand part is the chemo treatments for his B-cell lymphoma – treatable but not curable – a six-month regimen that leaves him rather depleted, but he swears he will resume tennis again. Friends write: 276 Cowlitz Place, La Conner, WA 98257 or e-mail: arthur.sol@verizon.net.

David S. Brown ’42 writes: “Thrilled – if a bit fuzzy – at being 83 and outside your newsletter’s obituaries, a Class Note now seems less ‘corny.’ 58 years out of Cornell’s Medical College, Charlotte (Rush – Stanford ’42) and I are enjoying a rewarding retirement in the special and grateful small town where we, for 50-odd years, practiced ‘old style’ (house calls, etc.) internal medicine, pediatrics and public health. Our senility lets us think we remain actively involved in our busy town’s joys and struggles, and, although poor and extensively repaired and replaced, ‘significant’ in Antioch ways. As evidence of that, our 52-year-old daughter’s Antioch genes have her halfway through her three months in Danbury Federal Prison for demonstrating against our country’s immoral School of the Americas. We’d love to have you join us in urging your legislators to erase it through voting for the McGovern Bill.

“Alas, the few Antiochians who surfaced in our social and practice lives remain mostly as pleasant memories, but we meet Junius Eddy ’42 occasionally at our Little Compton, Rhode Island weekend spot.” Friends write: 11 Garibaldi Road, New Canaan, CT 06840.

Robert R. (Bob) Cruse ’42 writes: “Interesting about Paul Pitz. FYI: In his first year, he was known to us – his hall mates in Viking, South Hall 3rd floor, 1937-38 – as ‘Panther’ on all the first athletic teams. Question (hope it’s not regarded as stupid) for Antioch’s collection of medicine men, technicians, scientists, nurses, etc: ‘What is the fatal mechanism of Alzheimer’s Disease???’ Supposedly it’s terminal, but this diagnosis hasn’t appeared on any death certificate with which I am familiar. Prove this one, and you’re a shoe-in for the Nobel Prize.”

Mary Jane Pobst ’43 of Concord, New Hampshire traveled to the Cook Islands to discover the real people behind the travel posters – and lend a helping hand.

In February, Pobst was part of a Global Volunteers team working on Rarotonga Island in the Cook Islands. The volunteers spent three weeks living among local residents and helping with various community projects – everything from tutoring children in reading to clearing nature trails. (Global Volunteers is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that offers short-term service programs around the world.)

By serving in the island community, the volunteers gained an “insider’s perspective” on the Cook Islands and discovered another side of paradise – one in which jobs are scarce and low paying, and health care and education are luxuries. Yet even in the face of these challenges, Cook Islanders greet each new day with dignity and joy.

Pobst devoted her energies to tutoring schoolchildren in reading and assisting at the Cook Islands Library, where she made the acquaintance of Johnny Frisbie, a well-known local island historian and storyteller. During free time, the volunteers took in the natural beauty of the islands, hiking the wild interior, strolling its beaches and attending island dance shows.

Nelle Bennett ’46 e-mails: “I have one of my five sons living with me as well as his seven-and-a-half-year-old son so I am busy keeping up with the younger generation. My writing consists of a church newsletter and managing to be published in Lyrical IA (Iowa Poetry Association contest book) 17 out of 19 years. Last year, my A Quiet Place Remembered chronicled my 9-11 experience of hearing about Trinity Church being covered on radio when towers fell (it wasn’t). I had taken my paper bag lunches to eat on a bench in the churchyard when I worked at Gibbs and Cox shipbuilding office on the harbor (1944). Other experiences there were meeting Nancy Sinatra’s sister, who was baby-sitting for the Frank Sinatra children. I also saw Frank Sinatra at the Paramount the night he got hit by eggs. Hope to hear from other Antioch alumni at nellebennett@hotmail.com and to receive your news again.”

Rollin Brewer ’48 writes: “It pays to advertise! As a result of my earlier letter, I was surprised out of my socks to hear from Ken Carter ’52 and wife, Mary Deuchler Carter. Mary was my secretary in the 50s-60s (and later P.D. colleague) as was Ken! Last I knew, they were in Vermont. Now they’re in Sacramento. I’m thinking of visiting them in the near future. Small world; best to all.” Friends write: 205 S. Sunset Drive #173, Sedona, AZ 86336.

Tom Charlton ’49 e-mails: “Marjorie and I left Ohio in 1987 and moved to Southern Shores, NC. We are on the Atlantic Coast in the area known as the Outer Banks. This year we will be better known as the place where the Wright Brothers achieved their First Flight in 1903. This past December, Marjorie passed away. I intend to remain here as long as I can. I still enjoy golf, fishing, and this fine supportive community. Of interest, Bob Siegel ’48 and Norma Siegel ’48, both Antiochians, are neighbors who moved down after they saw our names in the Antiochian. I look forward to your newsletters.”

Margaret Bourcier Mathis ’49 e-mails: “I liked your article on the sink-holes on the old golf course… as I have been a student of geology for the last 15 years, and took some courses at Syracuse University about ten years ago.

“I was at Antioch several years ago, in October, not long before Al Stewart ’42 died. He kindly came over to the Science Building just to see me. I don’t expect to come back again… only one friend left there. Hasn’t changed much there; is that good or bad?

“I seldom see or hear from Antioch alumni, although I have recently been e-mailing with John Hoke ’50 a lot. Now 77, I am still moderately active with gardening, yard work, and dog training; and I am seeing a lot of my high school and college classmates passing on. My parents lived into their 80s, and my father’s sister lived to be 104.” Margaret’s new e-mail address is: Laddiesmbmathis@aol.com.

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