Fall 2013 AAUS Newsletter

ALUMNI

ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL FALL 2013

UNIVERSITY

NEWSLETTER

ANNUAL MEETING REPORT Our two committees report progress on updating and modernizing our current Endowment Fund to make it more accessible and on establishing a permanent University school photo display to line the first floor halls.

Our annual meeting, July 27th, was quite unusual this year for many reasons. With the Arps Garage closed and pouring rain, it was difficult to find parking. However, about 32 brave souls made their way to the newly refurbished Rm.100. The preponderance of the dedicated people came from the Class of 1963 who celebrated their 50th reunion with us. We sang the Alma Mater and dedicated the afternoon to Mary Tolbert since this was our first meeting in Rm. 100 since Mary passed away.

Our group made up the only people in the building so on our tour we took the opportunity to snap several pictures of the interior, flap lockers open/closed, ride the elevator a lot and noisily relive our days at University School and marvel in its architectural detail and beauty. Here is one of those photos‌

We re-elected the current AAUS Board; Skip Woodruff, President; Alan Stickney, VicePresident, Steffanie Woodruff Haueisen, Treasurer/Membership and Carole Hardy Moyer, Recording Secretary.

The treasurer’s report acknowledged the generous donations AAUS received during this past year. We are especially grateful to the Class of 1962 which donated $1600+, and to Tom Thatcher whose Nicodemus donations raised about $280. (The class of 1962 had their major banquet for their 50th reunion canceled because the restaurant had no power due to that terrible storm we had during the last day or so of June 2012.

The restaurant returned their money so they generously decided to donate it to AAUS where it will be put to good use.)

Looking at Woodruff Ave. in curved stairwell going up to third floor on east end of building with the terrazzo floor, brass handrail and wrought iron spindles.

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In the summer edition, we asked a question about the origin and author of the inscription over one of the rear doors, “Prize the doubt, low kinds exist without.” I was amazed at how many of our alumni not only knew the answer but were able to elaborate a lot about it. But the answer is the phrase is from the 3rd stanza of the poem, Rabbi Ben Ezra, by Robert Browning.

people. We just slid whenever we had the chance.)

“Another thing, in all the newsletters, I’ve never seen any reference to the Christmas Programs of the early days.

These were gigantic productions with sets and stages constructed to slide into the east end of the gym. 1935 was set in England. The whole school studied the time, place, customs and the role of each class. I think we worked on this project much of November and December. As a 7th grader, I was thrilled to be just a villager performing some sort of group dance with much clapping of hands and swirling of skirts. In 1936, it was Christmas in Russia. My class got to sing in Latin. A church was erected with altars, icons, candles, incense, priests, etc.!! All the older Latin students got to intone, carry censors, etc. We had borscht at our noon meal and were totally disappointed in that. I fell in love with a least a dozen of the “older boys” because they were so talented and handsome in their costumes.

That was the end of the school extravaganzas. We never knew precisely why but it was rumored that: 1) we spent too much time, both student and teacher time, in preparation and 2) that depicting a whole Christmas enactment involved too much church emphasis for a state supported school.

Four years later, when my class of ’41 planned our graduation ceremony, we reluctantly agreed to sing our school song, but insisted that we also sing the same Latin song we sang at that 1936 Christmas program. Anyway, our advisor, Miss Willis, was furious with us saying it was most inappropriate for us to sing a religious chant on the OSU campus. We did it anyway, and that was the best thing I remember about our graduation.

It is wonderful how many of us are not only aware of these special building details but can still appreciate and elaborate on them.

We received this timely letter from Barbara Funk Reinert, ’41: “Thanks for the pictures reminding me of special times at UHS. Regarding the brass banister; it was always shiny and the wall railing was always dull. Why? Some of us slid the banisters whenever we could get away with it. Starting in 8th grade, we figured that only left-handed people should attempt the west end stairway between the 3rd and 2nd floor. We right-handers achieved better balance on the east end.

Rules were unwritten-you could hold on with both hands to get started but had to hold both hands about your head before jumping off at the landing. Girls’ skirts were a problem!

At least once, a bunch of us served as lookouts to enable two boys to slide from the 3rd floor to the first without stopping or getting caught.

Perhaps this was only a project of a few rebels in the class of 1941…Were there others? (Response: Yes, I remember doing the same thing, as did many of my classmates, though I don’t think were as scientific about which stairways were better to use for left and right handed

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organization of AAUS, our website and our special projects and, most importantly, to keep our University School connection strong and alive.

There is a membership information page included in this newsletter. If you are a life member or do not need to renew your membership at this time, you will not have the information page.

Please consider either joining us as a new member or renewing membership for another year to help AAUS keep us all in touch.

I really enjoy the newsletters although fewer and fewer names are familiar to me. I think I met Leslie Hauck once and remember her parents and grandparents with much affection. My husband I and went to their special island in Canada several times.

You wrote about Jim Cheney a few years ago. I remember all of that family as well as the Devennishs. Jim’s grandma Briggs was an impressive woman. According to my grandmother, it was rumored that Mrs. Briggs was one of the grey veiled ladies who decorated the graves of Confederate Army soldiers during the nights before Memorial Day. At ninety, I find now that my involvement with the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood and a few environmental organizations keep me engaged, but everything takes me longer to accomplish.”

(The letter included all the words to the Latin chant her class sang – still in her memory after all these years!)

FAREWELLS Since we are a finite group of people, sadly we continue to lose our members.

As is the custom in the Fall newsletter, we once again want to recognize the names of our University School “family” who have passed away during the past year. Our deepest sympathies go to the family members and friends of these fondly remembered souls…

Thank you, Barbara, for this memory of our special school. I had never heard of these programs before. By the early 1950s the holiday programs were very different but still, I think for most, a very special memory. University School made every holiday special; from our Halloween costume dress up day for the elementary school, the wonderful Thanksgiving programs and then the special Christmas event in the gym.

Please continue to send in your memories. From each of you we can learn something new!

*Betty Neff Fry, ‘35 *James P. Barry, ‘35 *Clyde Wooley, ‘35 *Elizabeth Manley Corban, ‘38 *Betty Crandall Nason, ‘39 *Duane (Duey) Guerin, ‘39 *Mary Jane “Polly” Ryan Landon, ‘40 *Betty Scott Polsley, ‘40 *Earl W. Hiatt, ‘40 *Polly Saxe Devennish, ’41 mother of Julie Devennish, ‘69 *Marjorie Rardon Klages, ‘43 *Lois MacLean Guda, ’43 *Kaethe Petroschka Haddox, ‘45 *Jack Hoyt, 47 *Jack Swisher, ‘47 *Sue Eckhart Greer, ’49 sister of Henry Eckhart, ‘50 *Paul Rodney Baker, ‘51 *Barbara Wilson Hensel, ‘52

MEMBERSHIP 2014 This is the kick-off for our annual membership drive. Our members are our financial support to continue the

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opened his first restaurant after our class was out of school for 30 years.

On Saturday many of the class attended the annual meeting of the Alumni Association of University School (AAUS). The officers of AAUS arranged for the annual meeting to coincide with the Class of ’63 50th Reunion.

Several toured the building after the meeting. Later Saturday afternoon, the Class of 1963 represented by 14 members of the class along with 7 spouses gathered at the Whetstone Shelter house. They were joined by Dr. Fred Schmieder, his wife and daughter along with Coach Jim Stahl and his wife. This was a highlight of our gathering.

As the class shared their most embarrassing moments at U-Hi, Dr. Schmieder admitted that he had not heard most of the stories and might have to reconsider some of those senior statements.

*Dee D. Wheeler, ‘52 *Keifer Newman, ‘54 *John R. (Jack) Ferguson, ’55 brother of Ed Ferguson, ‘57 *Sallie Gloeckner Jennings, ’55 sister of Martha Gloeckner Holthausen ’52 *Allison Hedrick James, ’55 sister of Dwight, ‘52 *Jane (Leslie) Snypp Drain, ‘56 *Bruce Sherman, ’57 brother of Richard Sherman ’55 and Lyn Mumma Sherman *Tom Wickens, ’60 husband of Lucia Bogatay. 60 and brother of Chris Wickens, ‘63 *Charles Taft Peters, ‘60 *Bill Helsel, ‘61 We sadly now add these names to our list of departed souls; *Robert M. Fowle, ‘39 *Eileen Fulton Watson, ‘47 *Richard Dunkle, ‘47 *John R. Alter, ‘48

Keeping with the laid back approach from our 2009 (46th) reunion, we ate City Barbeque. This City Barbeque experience was another food vendor that did not exist when we were in high school. We wanted to cater it from Jerry’s, BBF or the places we went to 50 years ago but that wasn’t possible. There was music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s along with a cake decorated with the senior picture for the Class of 1963.

REUNIONS Class of 1963 50th Reunion July 26 – 28, 2013 (by Bob Parsons) The Class of 1963’s 50th Reunion was held on July 26, 27, and 28 in Columbus. Five locals calling themselves “Core Columbus” (*below) arranged for three gatherings to allow the maximum opportunity to visit based on a survey submitted by members of the class. Their preference was for casual opportunities that maximized the chance to visit with each other.

On Sunday, July 28 Doug and Barb Bradley invited us to their “Amish Retreat” in Morrow County. They have a beautiful home they built from recycled materials and shared their adventures in creating their hideaway. The crowning gift was a jar of homemade preserves for each of us. The entertainment was watching Doug coach an escaped horse back into the barn. Learning the skills acquired by classmates over the last 50 years generated a new respect for them.

On Friday night, July 26, we met at Marcella’s Italian Kitchen at Polaris for dinner. We had a separate room that comfortably handled the 10 class members and 6 spouses that attended. While this offered a comfortable setting, Marcella’s also introduced the class to a Cameron Mitchell restaurant. Cameron Mitchell

The Class of 1963 graduated with 36 members, 14 attended the reunion, 7 are deceased and 4 cannot be located. The others could not attend due to conflicts or health reasons but have been in touch with the others. We had a great time to visit and

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talk about all those who did not attend as well as the opportunity to visit with Dr.

Schmieder and Coach Stahl.

1963 Class Members Attending Doug Bradley*, Suzanne Foster Manley, Mark Reynard*, Sandy Buchsbaum Lewis, Kris Frederiksen*, Arch Rutherford, Geoff Cummings, Mike McCoy, Noula Sardelis Contakis*, Joan Devereaux Watson, Ann Mickle , Mark Nadel, Kate Eveland Turner, Bob Parsons*

Row 1:Ann Mickle; Suzanne Foster Manley, Fred Schmieder with wife in front, Noula Sardelis Contakis, Sandy Buchsbaum Lewis, Joan Devereaux Watson, Jim Stahl with wife behind him.

Row 2:Tom Manley(Suzannes’s husband), Cheryl Parsons(Bob’s wife), Connie Reynard (Mark’s wife), Kathy Eveland Turner.

Row 3:Linda Cummings(Geoff’s wife), Geoff Cummings, Barbara and Doug Bradley, Mark Nadel, Mark Reynard.

Row 4:Kris Frederickson, Carolyn and Arch Rutherford, Bob Parsons, Mike McCoy and Lowell Turner(Kate(Kathy)’s husband).

UPCOMING REUNIONS 21st, 2014 should RSVP to Class Treasurer Richard Evans at

There are two reunions being planned for 2014: Class of 1954: Those interested in attending a modest reunion party hosted by Class President Bill McCormick, Richard H. Evans, Jr. and Robert Butche, at Robert's Columbus home on the evening of June

rhej@classicnet.net, by December 15th, 2013. If there is sufficient interest the planning committee will email all respondents details, times and costs by March 1, 2014.

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Class of 1964: Plans are still in the beginning stage. The reunion will also occur the weekend of June 21st, 2014. Those interested please contact Steffanie Woodruff Haueisen at jswhaueisen@yahoo.com or mail to 587 Fox Lane, Worthington, OH 43085. The committee will take it from there.

Personal belongings include her Royal typewriter, which has a dried up ribbon but otherwise is in great shape, her pocketbook with some personal stuff, a laugh rock, eyeglasses, magnifying glass, a paper weight, an award from th OSU, her picture, an 8 grade certificate of graduation.

WEBSITE NEWS

Her books are mostly about history, social culture, historical events, educational philosophies and were printed in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.

Included are maps and books on foreign cultures, languages, education, old and modern civilizations from Europe to Asia as well as the United States.

Both of the Guinea Pigs books are available as well as one from Elsie Alberty and Lou LaBrant.

The biographies include “Boss Tweed”, Alexander of Macedonia, and Disraeli.

There are a couple of fiction books as well as some very old ones; The History of the United States by Willard printed in 1830; a History of England by Coman printed in 1899; a Webster’s Dictionary from 1899, a Treasury of Science from 1943; History, Ancient and Modern by Warchester printed in 1830.

There are way too many to list here. A complete list can be available if you request one through e-mail (jswhaueisen@yahoo.com) or I can mail you one if you write to me at 587 Fox Lane, Worthington, OH 43085.

The website, www.tosus.org, continues to delight, add material, and entertain.

There are special features about classmates, a travel journal about China

by Cyndy Mote Saunders, ’63 and other areas. Of special note is that thanks to the efforts of Dick Baker and John Jacobs, both ’62, the OSU Knowledge Bank now has all the U-Hi yearbooks available for you to see. The 1959 one will be coming soon. To access the yearbooks go to: https:kb.osu.edu/dspace Once there, choose 1) Communities and collections, 2) go alphabetically to University Archives, 3) then go alphabetically to University School and you will find the yearbooks listed by year. What fun!!!

MARGARET WILLIS Some years ago many items of Margaret Willis’ personal belongings and books were sent to Columbus for inclusion in the OSU Archives. From this the Archives selected all the items within their scope of archiving for research. We have many items left and they need to find good homes. I will be glad to ship them to you, or deliver within a close radius to Columbus, Ohio. All we ask is for you to pay shipping if mailed.

Anything unwanted after Jan. 30th will be disposed of through local sales to book dealers.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

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