SUMMER 2017 /// Volume XL /// NUMBER 2
RCS Community Celebrates
Aquatic Center Opening
of note SHOWING TEAMWORK
TUG-OF-WAR AT THE CONSTRUCTING AMERICA OLYMPICS There’s no better display of Riverdale teamwork than at the annual Constructing America Olympics, when the juniors and their CA teaching pairs compete against each other in a variety of fun games and contests, including the classic tug-of-war.
ON THE COVER SUMMER 2017 /// Volume XL /// NUMBER 2
The new Aquatic Center was unveiled at Riverdale's Spring Celebration in May.
CONTENTS
HIGHLIGHTS
R+ The Riverdale Campaign 02
02
| Community Marks Aquatic Center Opening at Spring Celebration
Aquatic Center Opening After months of anticipation, the Riverdale community finally got a look at the new pool.
The RCS Community 05 | Riverdale Falcons Pursue College Athletics Classroom Highlights 08 | Students Enjoy Spending Time in the U.N. Archive This Summer Outstanding Events 10 | Commencement 2017
Riverdale Falcons Pursue College Athletics
Riverdale Alumni 16
Many Riverdale athletes have gone on to compete in college.
| Class Notes
Riverdale Faculty IBC | Profile: Gaspar Epstein
08 QUAD is published by the Communications Office. Mary Ludemann,
05
Students Enjoy Spending Time in the U.N. Archive This Summer A two-week summer program challenges students to question historical narratives.
QUAD Editor and Director of Community Relations Lila Locksley, Director of Communications Georgia Tucker, Communications Associate Robin Gottlieb, Director of Alumni Affairs Design: White Communications, Inc., Tuxedo, NY
www.riverdale.edu | 1
THE RIVERDALE CAMPAIGN UPDATE (Right): An exterior view of the Aquatic Center, located between William C.W. Mow Hall and the Linda M. Lindenbaum Center for the Arts.
Community Marks
Aquatic Center Opening
2 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
at Spring Celebration
(Above): Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph thanked the community for their patience and support during the Aquatic Center construction process.
more 
(Left): A wall of windows overlooks Frank J. Bertino Memorial Field and allows for an abundant amount of natural light. The infinity pool features six lanes and ranges in depth from 3 ft., 8 in. to 6 ft., 8 in.
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THE RIVERDALE CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Community Marks
Aquatic Center Opening at Spring Celebration
(Above): Members of the boys and girls swim teams celebrated the opening of the Aquatic Center. They are looking forward to competing in their new location this winter. (Right): The locker rooms in the new Aquatic Center feature wet and dry areas so that teams using the nearby Alumni and Frankel Fields will be able to change in there as well.
4 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
THE RCS COMMUNITY
Riverdale Falcons Pursue
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Many athletes dream about playing Director of Athletics their sport in college and beyond, and John Pizzi, Jr. provides for anyone who encouragement and feels they have the athletic ability and assistance to those desire to pursue student-athletes athletics in college, Riverdale hosts a who want to compete College Night in the in collegiate athletics. fall. “Kristi Marshall, Director of College Counseling, and I talk about the process in broad strokes in that meeting,” says Director of Athletics John Pizzi, Jr., “and then the student-athlete and their parents meet with me and their college counselor so we can tailor the process for them.” Pizzi adds, “We want the student-athlete to come out of the process with a list of schools they would be happy to attend even if they didn’t wind up playing sports. We help match the student-athlete with schools that meet their other interests, in addition to the sports.” As is the case for all of Riverdale’s college admissions, the student drives the process. Once a broad list of schools is approved by the college counselor, Pizzi reviews the list to determine if the student-athlete has the ability to play there. “Ninety percent of the list winds up being a good match,” Pizzi notes.
While 82% of Upper School students participate on at least one athletics team during their high school career, not all of those student-athletes are interested in pursuing sports in college. “Students have to really want to do it,” PIzzi explains, “since it is a huge commitment. It’s not just
CREW
during the game season, either. They need to work out and train during the off-season, too.” Even so, as much as 14% of the Riverdale senior class plays at college, which Pizzi notes is “pretty high compared to the national average [around 3.5 or 4%].” more
Julia Sesler ’14 competes in crew at Yale University. She is also a member of the U.S. Rowing “Under 23” teams, where she placed 11th in the quadruple sculls in the 2016 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
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THE RCS COMMUNITY
For those student-athletes committed to the idea of playing a sport at college, Strength and Conditioning Coach Roberta MacIvor helps to develop a strength training plan. The school also encourages multi-sport participation rather than a focus on just the one preferred sport. “Training in the weight room is not the same as competing,” Pizzi says, adding, “The competition piece is important for maintaining their focus and staying sharp.” Young alumni with whom Pizzi is in contact often tell him that Riverdale prepared them well for college athletics.
Nat Irving ’11 played baseball for the University of Virginia Cavaliers before being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014. He currently plays for the Sussex County Miners in the Canadian-American Association, an independent league.
"College athletes assimilate to campus better than non-athletes, and all of the time management skills they needed to get through high school carry over to college, which helps them enormously."
“They know the commitment level required of them before they go,” Pizzi says. “We want our student-athletes to recruit the college as well as the college recruiting them. We want students to ask all the many essential questions so there are no surprises when they step onto their college campus. The level of play is sometimes surprising,” he admits, “but the nitty gritty stuff is not.” Pizzi makes a good case for encouraging Riverdale student-athletes to compete at the college level. “College athletes assimilate to campus better than non-athletes, and all of the time management skills they needed to get through high school carry over to college, which helps them enormously.”
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BASEBALL
Olympic medalist Tim Morehouse ’96 fenced for Brandeis University, where he was ranked in the top 10 of the NCAA’s Division III men’s sabre in each of his final three years at the school.
FENCING
Alumni Competing in College Athletics Highlighted on RCS Website Director of Athletics John Pizzi, Jr. has compiled a list of Riverdale alumni who have competed (or currently are competing) in college athletics. While the list is not comprehensive, Pizzi is continually updating it. To view the list, visit www.riverdale.edu/collegiate. College athletes in the following sports are represented on the website:
Baseball
Crew
CLASS OF 2017 Seven student-athletes from the Class of 2017 signed letters of intent to play sports at college in the 2017-18 school year. Shown with their families at the signing event are, seated from left: Katelyn Schwartz (lacrosse, Kenyon College); Gabrielle Herzig (golf, Pomona College); Morgan Wolfe (swimming, University of Chicago); Jake Klores (basketball, Columbia University); Jacob Rhee (squash, Yale University); Jackson Karofsky (swimming, Williams College); and Phillip Wong (swimming, Wesleyan University).
Basketball Equestrian Fencing
Field Hockey Football Golf
Ice Hockey Lacrosse Sailing Soccer
Squash
Swimming Tennis
Track and Field Wrestling
Water Polo
Alumni, if you are not on the list but should be, please fill out this Google form: http://bit.ly/2s43T94.
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CLASSROOM HIGHLIGHTS
Students Enjoy Spending Time
A two-week summer workshop challenges students to question historical narratives.
(Top): Students in the Summer U.N. Archives program visited the United Nations Security Council chamber while touring the U.N. (Middle): Prior to diving into the U.N. archives, students spent a few days at the New York Public Library for an introduction to the history of the United Nations, the central questions raised by peacekeeping missions, and approaches to archival research. (Bottom): A tour of the New York Public Library proved helpful in learning what resources are available for research.
R
iverdale Upper School history teacher Laura Honsberger has always loved archives.
“Working in an archive is a wonderful process of discovery, weeding through documents and papers to get to the good stuff. Inconsequential materials, like a copy of the lunch order, will be piled on top of some really interesting document. It’s also a very creative experience because once you have the documents that interest you the questions begin. What does this tell us about the people who created it, beyond its specific use?” Honsberger had an opportunity to share her enthusiasm for archives with her students starting in summer 2016, when she taught a two-week workshop that included extensive time in the Peacekeeping Missions at the United Nations Archives. A mini-course followed during the school year, and this summer seven students participated in the summer workshop during the last two weeks of June. While the class returned to the United Nations Peacekeeping archive, they also spent time in the New York Public Library. The historical focus was the Suez Canal crisis. Students received an introduction to archival research in the collections of Peacekeeping Missions at the United Nations Archives. Throughout the program they were challenged to question accepted historical narratives, to examine the documents from which history is made, and to develop their own arguments. The course packed a lot into two weeks. The first few days were spent at the New York Public Library for an introduction to the history of the United Nations, the central questions raised by peacekeeping missions, and approaches to archival research. A tour of the U.N. followed. Students
8 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
developed their own research questions and began their dive into primary documents. Honsberger was delighted to see how excited students were to work in the archive, and their willingness to dig deep into documents. The patience they showed in sifting through materials over an extended period of time was impressive. Their persistence paid off, “as they used the materials as a springboard to gain a deeper understanding of world history.”
in the U.N. Archive this Summer Most students were especially excited to be actually working in the U.N., a place they had only read about in history class or perhaps driven by its headquarters on the east side of New York.
interesting material. In addition to their self-crafted project, students selected primary sources to annotate and share with their peers, helping to curate a collection of documents for use by future students.
Rising junior Nathalia Tavares says, “I have admired the U.N. for their humanitarian efforts and ability to unite 193 countries for the sake of peace. When I learned that the class would include a tour of the U.N. building, as well as access to the U.N. archives, I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity. This was my chance to learn more about an organization I idolized, while also pursuing a new interest in historical research on international relations.”
In addition to learning research skills, a closer look at the U.N. uncovered some surprises that stimulated students’ interest in other areas of study, which will inform research questions in later years.
During the second week of the program, students explored the world of the archives through selfpaced and self-directed archival research at the U.N. Each day began as a group, discussing challenges, questions, and goals for the day, and the afternoon ended with reflection on the experiences and sharing
Rising senior Sammie Halem was “surprised to find out that the U.N. has no system to archive the emails exchanged between U.N. members in a peacekeeping mission. Whereas in earlier missions, telegrams and conversations were documented, I am curious to know how the U.N. plans to document information about missions in the future, especially because emails are now one of the primary modes of communication.” The U.N. Research Project gave students the opportunity to broaden their understanding of world events while learning valuable research skills, and by building on their own interests in world affairs and enhancing their independence as scholars, the program was a success on many levels. Nathalia Tavares says, “When I completed my tenth grade term paper this year, I discovered a new interest in conducting historical research, particularly on international relations. Historical research allowed me to create my own argument and opinion on a particular event in history by referring to several different perspectives. This process of formulating my own argument differed from a typical history class because rather than have a discussion and already be given my sources, I needed to do these things independently. For me, historical research is like a challenging puzzle that I need to piece together.”
(Top): Students worked on their individual research projects in the U.N. archives. (Bottom): Students learned various approaches to conducting archival research at the New York Public Library before delving into their own research projects in the U.N. archive.
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OUTSTANDING EVENTS
Riverdale was pleased to welcome back Gillian Caldwell ʼ84 as this yearʼs alumni guest speaker.
Gillian Caldwell ’84 Returns to RCS as Commencement Speaker Gillian Caldwell ’84 is a true scholar-athlete, having run track and played field hockey and basketball for Riverdale before graduating in 1984 and heading to Harvard for her B.A., and then to Georgetown University for her J.D. Her demonstrated passion at Riverdale for sports, social justice, and play continue to this day. Caldwell has lived and worked all over the world, using her law degree and her passion for film and storytelling as ways to move the needle on big problems. She is a dynamic and award-winning three-time executive director, campaigner, serial social entrepreneur, attorney, author and filmmaker. Caldwell is currently the CEO of Global Witness, an independent not-for-profit that is campaigning to end many of the world’s worst environmental and human rights abuses which are driven by the exploitation of natural resources and corruption in the global political and economic system. She has said that her position is a welcome combination of feeling like her experience prepared her for this, and as if she is learning and growing every day in the role. Caldwell is also emboldened by the knowledge that Global Witness’ work is more relevant now than it ever has been. In her commencement speech, Caldwell offered the graduates three rules to live by: Follow your intuition to feed your soul and find your way; be ambitious and shoot for your own stars; and pay attention and take 100% responsibility for every interaction you have. She ended by saying, “You may not realize it now, but you already bear the indelible marks of people all around you who are shaping your future. I urge you to look around and take it all in because you are never going to be surrounded by this group of people again, but you will carry them with you in some shape or form for the rest of your lives.”
10 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
Senior speaker Amanda Chiles ’17 with her mom, RCS Board member Terri Austin. Terri represented the Board at graduation and introduced the alumni guest speaker.
As is tradition, faculty formed a receiving line that all of the seniors passed through, with faculty and students sharing hugs, tears, and high fives for a job well done.
Congratulations to the Classes of 2017, 2021 (8th grade), and 2024 (5th grade) and their families.
GRADUATION 2017
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OUTSTANDING EVENTS
GRADUATION 2017 Dr. James Duval, Head of the Lower School, addressed the fifth-grade graduates.
“Lifers” Gabe Sokoloff ’17 and Aliah Banchik ’17, who have been at RCS since kindergarten and pre-kindergarten, respectively, offered some sage advice to the Class of 2024.
12 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
English teacher Carin McLain was chosen by the Class of 2017 to speak on behalf of the faculty. (Below): Ria McDonald ’21 addressed her classmates at the Middle School graduation.
Mike Sclafani, Dean of Students for the 8th Grade, drew from his own middle school experiences to offer advice to the Class of 2021. (Left): Middle and Upper School theater teacher Amanda Eastman brought her newborn son, Levi, up to the stage with her to accept an award of appreciation from members of the Middle School Student Council.
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OUTSTANDING EVENTS
GRADUATION 2017
The Class of 2021
(Right): Ronit Malde ’21 was chosen to speak on behalf of the Class of 2021 at the Middle School graduation.
(Right): Guest speaker Gillian Caldwell ’84, CEO of Global Witness, with Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph.
Blair Parker, Dean of the Class of 2017, addressed the class one final time at graduation.
Robert Frank ’17 reflected on the Class of 2017’s legacy at Riverdale. 14 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
The Class of 2024
The Class of 2017
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Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
Class Notes Please send your news to your Class Correspondent before OCTOBER 1, 2017.
1942
QUAD is sad to report that Class Correspondent Richard Korf died in August 2016.
1941, 1942, 1943 Be a QUAD Class Correspondent*
1944 Richard D. Rosenblatt rrosey26@gmail.com
1945 Be a QUAD Class Correspondent*
1946 Elizabeth Eidlitz eidlitz@gmail.com
1947 Be a QUAD Class Correspondent*
1948 Victor S. Noerdlinger vnoerdlinger@comcast.net
1949 Be a QUAD Class Correspondent*
16 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
1944
From Class Correspondent Richard Rosenblatt: I have news of three of Riverdale’s most distinguished graduates. I am writing you from up high at the Grand Hotel Pacific Regent retirement palace in La Jolla, CA, with a view of the coast, Arizona, and Mexico. We can see fighters at the Marine Corps Air Station, and the seagulls swoop past our windows, mimicking the dogfighting jets. By the time this gets to you, my new book of memoirs will be out for advance sale on Amazon. It contains a selection of 40 of my 100 short stories; one or two about Riverdale. Not for children.
Norman Holland writes, “I’m still running my Film Club at this retirement community and putting essays about the films on www. asharperfocus.com. And I’ve joined the Indivisibles and regularly telephone my Congresspeople to protest what’s being done to my country.” (I, also, belong to the Indivisibles). Richard Abrons had lunch with Bruce Gelb (1060 Fifth Avenue, NYC 10028). Richard writes, “Our lunch really was special. Bruce recalled how he used to take the bus with Norman Holland and how he bit the hand of someone who was bullying Norman. That got him thrown out of Riverdale. He went to Andover, a year behind me, then to Choate, where he has been on the board for years. His wife died about a year ago. A daughter’s family lives with him. Here are the names that came up in conversation: Norman Holland, Mrs. Atkins, Mrs. Guiney, Martin Dubilier,
Donald Bliss, John Rudolph, Tommy Kempner, Bruce Hutchinson, Tommy Buckner, Danny Gardner and, of course, you (Richard Rosenblatt). Bruce wondered if you had thinned out. It is really wonderful to have him back in my life. Too bad you are not coming to NYC…” I, too, went to Andover, but we three wished we had stayed at Riverdale. I have “thinned out” and now weigh the same as when I was a cadet at West Point. I hope to get to NYC, if only to see Richard and Bruce.
1949
QUAD is sad to report that Class Correspondent Barbara Neebe Thompson died November 24, 2016. She is greatly missed by family and myriad friends she made in Hastings during her service at the historical society, senior council and Unitarian Society, as well as by her Riverdale and Vassar classmates.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES QUAD extends condolences to the family and friends of Ann Rose Isaac, who died October 11, 2016 at the age of 84. Beginning with school athletics (including field hockey and softball), Ann grew into an adult whose natural athleticism found expression in horseback riding, water and snow skiing, bowling, scuba diving, billiards, and golf. Ann is survived by her husband, René; her son Andrew and his wife, Denise; daughter Nancy Isaac and her husband, Stephen Cohn; and daughter Jeanne Mooney and her husband, Joel. Her son Geoffrey predeceased her. She is also survived by her five grandchildren: John Mooney, Sarah Mooney, Frances Mooney, Chase Cohn, and Dylan Cohn, as well as her brothers, Frank “Sandy” Rose ’53 and Dr. Stuart Rose ’56.
1950
Peter Rosenblatt shared the sad news that John M. (“Jack”) Hirst died January 6, 2017 in Manchester, VT, where he lived with his wife, Mary, during the last years of his life. Bina Pawley wrote to tell us that she is still extremely busy with her high performing church choir. Last fall, she went on a cruise to Asia and visited Thailand, where the country was mourning the loss of their King; Cambodia, which was very educational; and Vietnam, which was quite lovely.
1951
Class Correspondent Karl Heiser shared the sad news that classmate John Johnson died December 26, 2016. QUAD extends condolences to his devoted wife, Anne Parks Johnson. QUAD was also saddened to learn about the death of Richard “Dick” Miller, who passed away on his 83rd birthday, October 31, 2016. A retired member of the Brooklyn College faculty and a popular jazz musician in New York City and on Cape Cod, Dick
was also recognized as a superb athlete who was a three-letter man at Riverdale (soccer, basketball, baseball) and later pitched for the Wesleyan baseball team. Dick is survived by his wife of 56 years, the artist Joan McD Miller; a son, Lucas J. Miller; daughter-in-law Jennifer Sale; granddaughter Alice Q. Miller; brother John L. Miller ’50; niece Emily Miller ’86; and nephew Dr. Ivan Miller ’84. Condolences as well to the family and friends of Herbert Warren Mason II, who died January 1, 2017. An eminent American scholar, translator, writer and poet, Herbert was Professor Emeritus and the William Goodwin Aurelio Professor of History and Religious Thought at Boston University and past President of the Association des Amis de Louis Massignon, Paris (see photo below right). He is survived by his wife, Jeanine Young-Mason; his children Cathleen Mason, Paul Mason, and Sarah Mason and their families; and his stepsons Scott Angell, Gregg Angell, and Glenn Angell and their families. He is also survived by his sister, Sarah Nelson, and her family. A report from Class Correspondent Karl Heiser: In recent months we’ve lost two more of our classmates: John Johnson and Herb Mason. Both were active, popular and fellow “dorm rats.” Herb’s website, www.herbertwmason. com, is worth your attention! Dick Bernard writes, “Thanks very much for relaying to us the sad news of the passing of still another of our classmates, John Johnson. He was one of my best friends at RCS (1947-1951) and at Cornell (1951-1956); we were both in the 5-year program in mechanical engineering, and we roomed together for the first two years. I was also best man at his first wedding in 1958 in Seale, AL. He suffered badly from senility
for the past several years, and his wonderful second wife, Anne Parks, has done a great job in caring for him and in keeping us posted; it’s really a blessing that their suffering is now over. “Another of our classmates who has not been at all well for several years and who is getting worse is Kent Montgomery, living up in Worcester County, MA. His wife, Betty, in her Christmas card to us reported that he has now been diagnosed with dementia and has “good days and bad days,” apparently mostly the latter. Kent and I have been good friends since we were five years old, neighbors in Woodstock Park in Yonkers. Our respective mothers were lifelong best friends. Our thoughts and prayers need to be with Kent, Betty, and their four sons and families.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1950 Bina Pawley beanpawl@gmail.com
1951 Karl R. Heiser krheiser@verizon.net
“I [have] four grandchildren, all of whom live here in Raleigh. The Lord continues to give me life and breath, and I try to use it wisely. I would not now be able to endure even a week of the pace and pressure we had as students at RCS, but I am still alive and functional. I’m sorry to have missed our RCS 65th reunion. The picture of you on the Internet from the school is great, and I’m happy to learn from your e-mails and QUAD magazine that Felix Santoni and John Lancaster are still doing well; I hope at least some of the others are, too. In recent years I’ve had some correspondence with our history teacher, Richard ‘Dick” M. Garten (1921-), elderly and frail, living in Jacksonville, FL. He’s been a widower since 2000; I haven’t heard from him since December 2015.”
Herbert Warren Mason II, Class of 1951, who died January 1, 2017.
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Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1952 Barbara Dean Schuler 17 Bronxville Road Bronxville, NY 10708
1953 Gail Fletcher Edwards blueheronlake1@gmail.com William H. Gardner whginc@mindspring.com
1954 Nancy Bomeisler Nightingale nbnight@optimum.net
From Dorothea Hutton: “Herb and I reconnected a few years ago. Had lunch with him and his lovely wife Jeanine a couple of times. He was brilliant. We both loved Paris and went every year. You can see from his picture he hadn’t changed much since Riverdale days. It was shocking when he died so suddenly. I have his book, the translation of Gilgamesh. What a loss!” And from John Lankester: “Everything goes well with us, though as we get older the horizon draws closer and we find that our priorities are changing. So happy we live in Australia with all the kerfuffle that is going on in the USA. I was brought up to think that Communism was bad and China was a mortal enemy. But recent visits to that country as well as routine visits to the USA to see my kids have given us some whole new perspectives on the workings of democracy, democratic socialism, communism, and capitalism. When sailing I disdained big cruise ships and the kind of people that they carried. On my 80th I took the extended family on a Caribbean cruise and it wasn't so bad after all. Since then we have revisited many of our True Blue sailing yacht landfalls aboard cruise liners and enjoyed our time at sea immensely. And a bon-bon on the pillow every night. In April we are doing a 30day Pacific cruise from Sydney to Los Angeles aboard the Emerald Princess, thence to Des Moines for a grandson’s wedding followed by a rail tour of the Canadian Rockies before flying home. A ski vacation! (Spending kids’ inheritance).” Jack McGinty is still in CA at: 1885 Eucalyptus Hill Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93108 (760-498-7392). Married since August 7, 1983 to wife Shirley. Jack is playing lots of tennis and maintains frequent e-mail contacts with John Vance and John Lankester, whom he sees once in a while on John’s trips from Australia to the US. Felix Santoni reports: “Just wanted to let you know that the
18 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
former Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Eric Fanning, approved my resignation as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Puerto Rico effective November 9, 2016, but asked that I stay on as a Civilian Aide Emeritus. Thus, I am still involved with the Army and will continue to receive the input that is sent to the Civilian Aides. “I will be very much involved in the April 2017 dedication of the new Naval Support Activities Center at Fort Buchanan that will bear the name of Admiral Horacio Rivero, who was born in Puerto Rico and retired as a four star Admiral and was the Commander of the Navy in Europe during his last assignment. This facility houses the over-300 Navy reservists who are in units on the island. “The mayor of Arecibo, Puerto Rio, where I was born, has selected me as a Distinguished Citizen of Arecibo, and a plaque will be unveiled at the Municipio de Arecibo on March 30, 2017.” A personal note: Enjoyed the school’s hospitality at our 65th reunion in October, but was sorry to have been the only 1951 there. For those who saw the Reunion photos, I’m the young guy between sons Karl and Bill. Best to all!
1952
From Class Correspondent Barbara Dean Schuler: “As Dotty Hoffman wrote in the last issue, ‘The big news is I’m still here.’ “In June 2013, I had triple bypass surgery. Recovery was quick, but shortly thereafter I was diagnosed with colon cancer. In January 2015 I had surgery for this evil disease. “Treatment for cancer is wicked: radiation before, and chemotherapy after. Both put me in intensive care. With four hospitalizations and each requiring rehabilitation hospitals, most of 2013 through 2015 was spent in treatment.
“The good news is, in Summer 2016 I was able to swim again—my lifelong ‘love activity’—and get back to my tap dance class. We’re all seniors and entertain on occasion— another love of mine. God has been good to me and was with me all the way, healing me, and healing through numerous doctors. “I’m still on a cane, but then, so was Fred Astaire! “Eternal blessings to everyone. “A personal note: I wasn’t sure about sharing my health issues, but I did! You still have a Class Correspondent ’52. Love to all, Bobbe.” QUAD was saddened to learn that Emily Mandelbaum FixelleFarber died May 30, 2016, in Airmont, NY.
1953
From Class Correspondent Gail Fletcher Edwards: My apologies for having been a very poor ‘communicator’ for the Class of 1953. I need help…any takers? Meanwhile… From Tamzin Carr Hutchinson: “My children are interested in good music and good food ... so a family visit to New Orleans was arranged for us all in February (good weather, too). Otherwise, I keep up with swimming, book club, walking the dog in the woods, and I am a good client of our local library here in Nantucket. Best to our classmates.” As for me, this has been a quiet year. I keep up as best I can with my garden—a terrific dahlia summer! Spent 10 days in May in Ireland—mostly Dublin and environs, visiting libraries... university, regional, but largely private collections in Downton Abbey-like houses. Loved the collections, loved the gardens, and really loved the formal teas—Irish scones to die for.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES
1955
QUAD was saddened to learn that Joseph Nugent died on June 22, 2016, at the age of 79, and extends condolences to his wife Joan Tildesley Nugent, as well as his children, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and step-greatgrandchild. QUAD also extends condolences to the friends and family of Donald Zimmerman, who passed away November 18.
1956
Class Correspondent Barbara Berger Goldman happily reports that she and classmate R. Craig Gray have reunited and are now a couple. Stuart Rose writes, “Hi Barbara [Berger Goldman] and Craig [Gray]: Thanks for the note and a nice surprise to hear from you. Craig, I still remember your car. “I retired from emergency medicine last June but stay active running my travel clinic and online business in Northampton, MA (see photo below right). I’m remarried since 1979 to Waltraud (see photo below far right). She’s Austrian, in the U.S. since the 1960s. I have a stepson, Nick (her son), and two boys, John and Justin, from liaison #1. All great guys! “I’m still active and pretty healthy. We just got back from South Africa; going to Barcelona in May for a conference. Other than various travels, we love living in Northampton, which is a vibrant five-college town with much to do and enjoy and close to New York and Burlington, VT, where our kids live and we often visit. I am very fortunate and I have fond memories of all the years at RCS. You can get more info from my web sites: www.travelinghealthy.com and www. travmed.com.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1955 Jane Samet Rogers jazzpiano77@verizon.net
1956 good number of classmates who are attending, including folks from England, Peru, Brazil, California, Florida, and Brooklyn. Paul Dickson has published his latest book, Leo Durocher, to outstanding reviews (see photo above). We highly recommend that you purchase this entertaining and informative work. Paul has now published more books than the number of years since our graduation from Riverdale. Janis and Steve Wasserman (on the right in the photo above right) have moved from Connecticut to Florida. They recently visited Lassa and Marty Zelnik at the golf course that Marty owns in the Bradenton/ Sarasota area. The course, Moccasin Wallow, is a 7,100-yard, 18-hole championship course that wraps around a 55-acre lake. Maarten Meckman, a resident of Sarasota, FL, also visited with the Zelniks at the golf course. Richard Meade, a resident of Cambridge, England, announced
that his daughter, Claire, was married in Cambridge on July 8th. A member of the Class of 1957 was the answer in a New York Times crossword puzzle last October. The clue was—restaurant guide name since 1979 (5 letters). If you are having trouble, the answer is Zagat (Tim Zagat). Larry Johnson has retired from his law firm and has acquired a working farm in Wrentham, MA. Larry’s new clients are 13 horses, a dozen sheep, 60 chickens, eight dogs (four to guard the sheep and four to guard Larry), and three donkeys. In the Democratic state of Massachusetts you are unlikely to find an elephant.
Barbara Berger Goldman barbaraandronnie@aol.com
1957 Judy Austin judyaustin40@yahoo.com Rick Bates rick.bates27@gmail.com Sue Jacobs Schaffzin craftyme33@hotmail.com Marty Zelnik panzel1@aol.com
In May Sue Jacobs Schaffzin’s son, John Diamond, competed in the World Bridge Federation tournament to determine the U.S. team in the Bermuda Bowl, which will be held in Lyon, France this August. Because of his ranking the Diamond Team was exempt from the first two rounds. The team then won two matches but was unsuccessful in the finals for the USA team.
1957
The Class of 1957 is celebrating its 60th Reunion this year. We have a
Stuart Rose ’56 volunteering in Haiti.
Waltraud and Stuart Rose ’56 hiking in Austria. WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 19
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
1958 Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1958 David F. Lahm dflahm@gmail.com
1959 Micki Seligson 139 Cushing Street, #1 Cambridge, MA 02138 Geoff Howard howards@warwick.net
Alan Coyne writes: “We have lived on Hilton Head Island since 1980. Twelve years ago we started a Keller Williams real estate franchise and it has grown to be the largest real estate office in our market area. I am the broker in charge and am having fun! Only one of our four children lives in the area. We now have eight grandchildren who like to visit us here. We recently returned from Mexico—one son lives in Saudi Arabia and just married a girl from Oaxaca, Mexico. Big wedding, great family reunion, and now our new daughter-in-law is adjusting to life in Saudi Arabia. Hopefully for Christmas the whole family will be here.” Frank Clarke is now “living full time in Stuart, FL, having sold the Connecticut house this past December. Doing a little consulting and more golf, and getting down to Miami to see the grandchildren pretty often. Vera is now singing with a local choral group, as she did in Greenwich. That’s about it. Hope all is well with the rest of the group. 60th anniversary next year!” David Frankel says, “Linda and I are on an Asian cruise visiting ports in Hong Kong, China, Japan and Korea. Glad to know Frank is in Stuart (Florida) and comes to Miami. He and any others should give us a call in Miami Beach when in the area.” Alex Garvin “spent 10 days in Egypt over New Year’s; have travelled to San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Los Angeles to give book talks; am doing some consulting in Dallas, and next week flying to London for five days of fun. Almost forgot to mention that I spent a lovely three days at the beginning of February with Paul Brest in Palo Alto. Paul is back teaching at the Stanford Law School and thriving.” From Bennett Galef: “Mertice and I moved to Durham, NC, about 18 months ago and are enjoying life in a CCRC [continuing care retirement
20 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
community] in the New South. As for travels, big trips to Patagonia, Japan and Costa Rica, small ones to Charleston, the Outer Banks, Ashville, Kinston, Wrightsville Beach, Washington, Toronto and New York...just made deposits on trips to Oman and Sri Lanka. Definitely enjoying life. — Jeff (now known as Bennett)” James Gordon writes, “In this time of fear and division, the healing work that my Center for Mind-Body Medicine does is needed even more than usual and is in great demand. We are doing our best to respond: moving ahead with our nationwide program of self-care and group support for U.S. veterans, working intensively on the Pine Ridge and Standing Rock Indian Reservations, expanding our work in Gaza and Israel, and developing a new program for Syrian refugees in Jordan. I invite alumni to visit our website, www.cmbm.org, where you can see videos of our programs, including a 60 Minutes segment which features our work with war-traumatized kids in Gaza and Israel, testimonials from veterans, and a recent video which will give you a feeling for the way we’re combining evidence-based MindBody Medicine with traditional Lakota healing. Please be in touch if you’re interested in learning more about what we do, in collaborating with us, or supporting our work: jgordon@cmbm.org.” From Phil Proctor: “I just finished a very successful run of a world premier play written by Dan ‘Homer Simpson’ Castellaneta at the late Garry Marshall’s Falcon Theatre in Toluca Lake, called For Piano and Harpo, about Oscar Levant’s relationship with Harpo Marx. Dan plays Oscar, and it takes place in his mind and memory while undergoing treatments for addiction. I got to play eight roles, including his autocratic father, a manic-depressive patient, and Harpo’s British butler. Lots of quick changes!”
In March, Phil and his wife Melinda were in Palm Springs, performing for their third year in On The Air, a live recreation of Old Time Radio classics to raise funds for Dezart Performs. This year’s shows included It Pays to be Ignorant, My Friend Irma, The Battling Bickersons, and Ray Bradbury’s Mars is Heaven on Dimension X. They worked with Gavin McCloud, Peter Marshall, and Joyce Bullifant, among others. Phil adds, “Then it’s back to LA to cast and direct a SAG/AFTRA audio presentation of An Evening with the Firesign Theatre, then off to Puget Sound to appear at another Old Time Radio Convention with my darling wife, Melinda. “In May, we flew to London to catch up with our classmate, George White, and thence to Vienna and a drive around Switzerland with some Canadian friends, including a visit to Bern where my Amish ancestors, the Jotters (AKA Yoders) originate. After that, we will be visiting friends and relatives in Connecticut and New York City, where I have been invited to speak at my grade school graduation at Allen-Stevenson School on East 78th and Lexington. Hope to see some of you!! “Back in LA, I will oversee the launch of my biography, Where’s My Fortune Cookie, and two other books of Firesign Theatre and Proctor & Bergman scripts, through Bear Manor Press. “On July 28th, I will turn 77. Really?”
1959
QUAD is saddened to report that Jeffrey D. Holzman died August 19, 2016. A report from Class Correspondent Geoff Howard: Let’s start with some items from our farthest-flung classmates: Jane Chiang Sieh writes from Brazil: Thank you for always including me in the loop—and it is a great way
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES for me to feel in touch with the Class of ’59. Though still living in Brazil (almost 52 years!) I do come a few times a year stateside (to visit family and friends). I hope one of these trips will coincide with a Reunion and I can see everyone again. Good health and cheers to all!” And from the Old World, these memories and comments from Andrew Cadbury: “1959 was one of the most memorable times of my life.” He goes on to talk about his very positive experience as a dorm student and as a key member of both the soccer and fencing teams. He went on to talk about his memorable post-graduation tour of the American West: “What an amazing country the U.S. is!” Andrew included a bit of his bio, which may interest classmates: “Nearly 60 years have passed since then; I married in 1965, to Loraine; we had four children and have seven grandchildren. Sadly, Lorraine died of cancer in 2009. I retired in 1999 and live near Exeter Devon, residing on my own.” A whole slew of announcements and accomplishments from various ’59ers in the Arts and Letters: Major league congratulations to John Lahr, to whom the The National Arts Club will be awarding its Medal of Honor for Achievement in Theatre in June. One more honor —or honour—in a very long list. Sticking with the literary arts, two items: Chris Hobson is working on a new book on William Blake and awaiting news on his James Baldwin manuscript. Good luck on both, Chris! And Don Shea writes that he has endowed an annual writing prize at the highly competitive Bard High School Early College, where he taught for several years. And a quick note from the world of cinema: Ron Winston writes, “I’ve recently completed a screenplay which grew out of a trip to Belarus. It’s a story set against the background of pre-WWII Germany and Czechoslovakia and concerns
the relationship of two gifted and powerful women. Basically it’s an answer to what everyone’s been calling for, a woman’s story. Recently a major producer has attached himself to the project and my co-writer and I are attempting to further develop the project.” Stay tuned, everyone. Sticking with Ron, another midsummer reunion is planned for his and wife Heidi’s home in Westchester, so we should have lots of updates and some photos for the next edition. And yet another ’59 classmate with arts news, this time fine arts: Terre (Harriet) Alper Otto writes, “I have five paintings traveling around Europe and Japan through the AVA Galleria in Helsinki. They’ve been to Paris and Osaka, and I believe are now back in Finland. The AVA Galleria found me last year at The New York Pier Art Show in Manhattan. And by the way, I paint and am known in ‘the art world’ by my two middle names—Sigrid Somers, after my dad, Sigfried Somers Alper.” She definitely wins the class award for the most names! Mike Otten writes that while he is “not skydiving, nor even shooting the falls in a barrel,” he did manage to play soccer with “some very playful elephants in Laos.” Mike also offers to be a Southeast Asia travel advisor to any classmates considering a trip to that part of the world. We got a short note from Bob Feuer, who wanted to let us know that he is alive and well and “continuing to learn to play various stringed instruments.” Alive … well … learning … three good things 58 years later. Micki Seligson ran into Jessica Hoffmann Davis ’61 at the Cambridge ART production of Night of the Iguana, and talked about John Lahr’s excellent biography of Tennessee Williams. And Micki’s memory is still sharp: she remembers “that I escorted
her through the front door of the Girls School and gave her a teabag upon her ascension to the first or second form or whatever freshman or sophomore was called!” Micki is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the National Institute on Out of School Time at Wellesley College Centers for Women, which she founded. George Weiss continues his peripatetic RV travels around the country and reports that he ran into Nancy Begner at the Marin County Civic Center. Nancy continues to operate, along with son Stephen, the Native American art and Jewelry business that she founded with Tom so many years ago. Of the Begners George adds, “Everybody is good, including the business.”
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1960 E. Harvey Meer ehmeer@aol.com
1961 Lawrence Rosenbluth rosenbluth342@yahoo.com
1962 Joseph Pickard jpickard@oristanocapital.com
Thanks to all for sending me some good stuff. Keep it up!
1960
Janet Lindsay Burns Saint Germain passed away at home in Dorset, VT, on September 23, 2016, surrounded by her loving family. QUAD extends condolences to her husband, Peter M. Saint Germain, daughter Janet L.L. Saint Germain, son-in-law David J. Cahill, and granddaughter Clara L. Cahill.
1961
QUAD was saddened to learn that Elizabeth Marie Booth died in January.
1962
A report from Class Correspondent Joe Pickard: I’ve started to correspond with some classmates in preparation for our 55th reunion this fall. Paul Geiger writes: “Bonjour, Monsieur Picard, Comment allez vous?” Paul is leaving for his annual trip to Paris for 17 days but promises upon his return to use his investigative techniques learned from many years as one of NYC’s finest to corral some of our stray classmates.
WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 21
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1963 Stephen R. Blank stephen.blank@att.net Peter W. Philip petersells@aol.com Paul K. Safer pksmd@msn.com
1964 John H. Jiler johnjiler@earthlink.net
1965 Gail Hart York86@aol.com Melissa Gordon melmelg48@aol.com
1966 Be a QUAD Class Correspondent*
1967 Mary Lou Scott marylou.scott@gmail.com
This from Bob Golub: “Time and distance have made the faded recollections of Riverdale very blurry in the rearview mirror, but seeing the names Pickard and Schlecter on the same page reminded me of good friends and good times and required an effort to reach out. Greetings from out west. I am retired and living in Flagstaff, AZ. I have a small charitable foundation. If either of you find yourselves in my neighborhood, please get in touch. If you come in the summer, bring your golf clubs. If you show up in the winter, bring a warm coat. Flagstaff is at a 7,000-foot elevation in the mountains, and we have a small ski area, contrary to the general impression that all of Arizona is a flat desert environment. I hope that you are both healthy and doing well. I was sorry to miss our 50th, but enjoyed seeing the pictures and hearing some of the stories. Please pass along my regards if you run into others from the Class of ’62.” Gonzalo Trochez assures me that he will be making the trek from California to attend the 55th. “Hi, Joe. It is sure nice to hear from you! Glad you are fine and planning the next Reunion. I am making plans to make it on Oct. 14th. I sure would like to see my buddies after so many years, and you, especially. I saw Mr. Williams made it to last year’s reunion. Hope to see him, too.” From Bill Becker: “I am planning to attend [Reunion], and look forward to catching up with you and all others who are there. I have been retired since August 2014, and am enjoying the freedom it provides immensely. My days are filled with an ever-changing blend of kicking back and giving back. I have a two-year-old grandson, and am hoping for more.” Don Graves writes: “Greetings, Joe. I will try to make it down [for Reunion]. I will be going to Maine on May 8th and will be returning about that time. Why
22 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
not stop in NY? Makes sense to me. I was excited to see seven or eight graduates off to Dartmouth this year. I hope they can take the winters, if they are like when we were that age. Lots going on, which I will write to you about after I finish a newsletter for the Summer Residents Association in the town of Mount Desert, and an article about a mission run we had two weeks ago to Vizcaino, Baja Sur California to see how a church is doing (Answer: Better than the churches here in Orange County). I see shots of you fishing. Do you do any fly fishing these days? I have two trips planned up to the Rangel region, one in May and one in late September-early October. It is sweet fun, better than clearing a running slot for you against Horace Mann! I will talk to Litch about October. If he goes, I will no doubt be there as well.” As for your humble correspondent, Sarah and I are enjoying retirement in the great state of Vermont. I keep busy by managing a family hedge fund and although frustrating at times, it keeps my mind working and I’m having fun with it. Our big decision for the day is where to have lunch. We’re like coyotes with a 50-mile radius with which to choose from. To get away from the severe New England winters, Sarah and I have been traveling to the Caribbean as well as the Panhandle and the Keys of Florida. Had a great time in St. Thomas in January and coincidentally, Art Burns and his lovely wife Patty were there at the same time. It was wonderful to see them both and some good times were had. In response to Don’s fishing question, I do not do a lot of fly fishing but I do have a trout pond that is stocked with rainbows. I prefer bass fishing and once again extend an invitation to any of you to come to my place in Vermont to do some bass fishing in Lake Champlain.
1963
In Liberating Minds: The Case for College in Prison (The New Press), Ellen Condliffe Lagemann—a former Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education— explains why offering college to people in prison not only benefits the incarcerated, but society as a whole. Currently the Levy Institute Research Professor at Bard College, where she is also a Distinguished Fellow in the Bard Prison Initiative, Ellen teaches and advises in six New York State prisons where Bard operates a college-in-prison program. In her book, Ellen makes the case for these multiple benefits and also tells the stories of many formerly incarcerated college students and the remarkable transformations in their lives.
1965
Rachel Hadas and her husband, Shalom Gorewitz, have done some excellent poetry and videography collaborations that classmates might want to see: www. rachelandshalomshow.com. Jeffrey Richards produced Significant Other on Broadway this February, which ran through April 23.
1966
Roslyn Schloss and her husband, former Director of Studies and English teacher Bill Pahlka, recently spent five weeks in Rome, where they went to the Women’s March in Rome and Roslyn ended up being in two photos in Corriere della Sera, one of Rome’s biggest papers (see photos next page). To translate, Roslyn’s sign says, “American grandmother against Trump,” and Bill’s says: “This American says, Trump, go back to your planet!”
1967
QUAD is saddened to report the death of Henry Hinrichsen.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES
1969
Donnamarie Barnes ’74 let QUAD know the sad news that Sam Williams passed away April 4, 2017. “He had been ill with a respiratory condition that they hadn’t diagnosed. Sam was the captain of the football team and one of those wonderful guys you remember always for how nice and sweet and good he was. Very sad.” From Kathy Valyi: “Life as a fulltime volunteer has been great, if scattered. The greatest pleasure these days is watching grandson Ajax chatter and scramble his way to a second birthday in May. The second greatest is doing whatever I can to resist our demonic president (see photo from January 21, above right). Tom Elkind writes, “I successfully completed my Himalayan trek in November. It was a great experience being in Nepal and learning about the Sherpa culture. I retired from practicing law at the end of January, and I am now a mediator and arbitrator, affiliated with JAMS, a national provider of these services. I hope to help parties resolve their disputes out of court, which was the most satisfying part of my legal work. “In early February, Lise and I visited Karen and Peter Bernstein in New Jersey, and Jim Mendell visited us in Boston. I spent much of the rest of February skiing in Utah and
Kathy Valyi ’69 at a Trump protest in January.
Colorado. It is not hard to get used to this new routine!” From Judith Cohen: “Last summer was a wonderful opportunity for me to reconnect with classmates when I was in New York for the first time in several years. I got to catch up with Greg Schwed, Camille (Cissie) Douglas, and Kathy Valyi, and then saw Nancy Duff in San Francisco. It was a unique experience to see classmates whom I hadn’t seen in decades and be able to just dive into conversations about our past … and current lives. A powerful reminder of the importance of lifelong friendships. “And for those interested in what I’ve been up to for the past 40+ years: After graduating from Mills College (BA, sociology) in Oakland, CA, I entered the business world,
getting an MBA and CPA and was a tax accountant at one of the ʻBig 8ʼ CPA firms, Touche Ross (now Deloitte). There was a year I was the only woman in the tax department, and in those years in business it was legal for clients to say they didn’t want women working on their account. With the unlikely prospect of having a woman promoted to partner in the tax department— that would take another six years after I left—and with a specialty in retirement taxation, I left and joined Watson Wyatt (now Towers), one of the largest HR Consulting Firms. This was the ’80s and I got to work with a number of Silicon Valley companies as they were just starting. It was an exciting time; you would go to Silicon Valley and there would be tech companies next to farms. With the huge growth of the tech industry, I decided in the late ’90s to join a communications firm in Sausalito, CA, and worked on huge mergers and IPOs, providing employee communications and internal branding. This was the dot. com boom, and we sold our small communications firm to a New York dot.com public company. Like most dot.com companies in those days, this company didn’t survive. But with my technology clients in the middle of some big mergers and projects, I started my own communications firm, CoMotion Corporation, and continued to run that for another decade.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1968 John M. Davis johnmdavis3@gmail.com
1969 Nancy Duff-Boehm nduff611@aol.com Susan Tembeck Riccardi Plookie51@gmail.com
“Along the way I married my best
Roslyn Schloss ’66 and her husband, former Director of Studies and English teacher Bill Pahlka, participated in the Women’s March in Rome.
WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 23
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1970 David Asencio david102251@msn.com Robert Kahn bob@kahnconsulting.com
1971 Jerry J. Fall fall.jerry@gmail.com Charlotte Jones McCormick shamimccormick@gmail.com
1972 Elizabeth S. Lasdon eslasdon@gmail.com
1973 Tony Melchior melchprod@aol.com
1974 Donnamarie Barnes donnamariebarnes@gmail.com Roger Sherman rsherman@cyruscapital.com
friend, Malcolm Gissen, over 31 years ago. Malcolm’s civil rights work in Mississippi while he was in law school in the ’60s and afterwards inspired me to find a way to give back. So ten years ago, I started Handful Players, a musical theater nonprofit for underserved inner city youth in San Francisco (www.handfulplayers.org). I continue to donate all my time as Handful Players’ full time executive director. This is really the culmination of all my different careers, enormously challenging and yes, rewarding. “If any Riverdale classmates are in San Francisco, I’d love to reconnect: 415-921-8246 (office) or 415-264-2488 (cell).”
1970
Deborah Freund writes, “I moved 3.5 years ago from my position as Vice Chancellor and Provost at Syracuse University to be President of Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA. I love the weather. “Four of us from The Girls School live out here and we enjoy getting together: me, Amy Davis, Jackie Kapelman Barton, and Beth Rudin DeWoody. I would love to hear from others in our class who come here to visit or who may live close by.” Congratulations to Andy Ebon, who recently announced his engagement to Helen M. Carr (see photo below left).
Helen M. Carr and Andy Ebon ’70 recently announced their engagement. 24 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
Several women from the Class of 1977 recently got together (from left): Susan Freyberg Wolfert, Linda Rasamny Kansao, Fran Hoffinger, Ellen Gross Polkes, Wendy Barasch ’78, Andrea Baumann Lustig, Denise Wilson Menton, Simi Neger Matera, Betty Dwoskin Sternlicht, Patty Friedland Templeton, Judy Bram Murphy, and Debbie Teicholz Guedalia.
From Class Correspondent Robert Kahn: “Michael Gury (1952 2017) was kind and had a quiet confidence that seemed to draw people to him. He was a true original thinker and was greatly admired by those of us who knew him in school and stayed in touch with him over the years. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family (see photo below right).” QUAD extends condolences to Michael’s family and friends.
1973
From Roy Pulvers: “I have retired (mostly) from the practice of law after 34 (mostly) enjoyable years. Deborah and I are looking forward to retirement together, including lots of time with our granddaughter, Leah Rose Pulvers, born February 16th here in Portland. She is tolerably adorable!”
Michael Gury ’70 and his family; sadly, Michael died in February 2017.
1977
QUAD extends condolences to the family and friends of Paula Blank, who died August 21, 2016 at her home in Williamsburg, VA. She was 57. Paula had been an English professor at the College of William and Mary since 1992, specializing in Shakespeare, Renaissance poetry and poetics, linguistics and literature, Renaissance gender and sexuality. She authored several books, including Shakespeare and the Mismeasure of Renaissance Man and Broken English: Dialects and the Politics of Language in Renaissance Writings, and was working on her third book at the time of her death. Didi Dunphy writes, “My daughter Lucy is graduating this spring from Sarah Lawrence [with a degree] in poetry and has a job with Poets House in Lower Manhattan, which is so fabulous. I am going on three years of being the director of a large arts center in Athens. I am curating shows for Indigo Gallery and the Georgia Museum of Art. And for artwork, the Zuckerman Museum just acquired a big work; I am represented by a lovely gallery in Atlanta, Whitespace. We are restoring our mid-century modern home currently, which can be fun and also hellish!” A group of women from the Class of 1977 got together recently at the home of Andrea Baumann Lustig (see photo above).
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES From Fran Hoffinger, Class Correspondent: “Little did I know when I offered to take over as Class Correspondent for the Class of 1977 in February that I would suddenly become so popular. (If only I had known the secret when I was in high school.) Within minutes of my sending out e-mails and with the help of my classmates who are part of our class Facebook group (a special thanks to Susan Freyberg Wolfert, who got on it right away) to let everyone know and to remind everyone that our 40th (!) Reunion is coming up in October, I heard from so many old friends, who helped locate and provide missing contact information for other classmates, and let me know how glad they were that I was going to be collecting and writing our Class Notes. A special thank you to everyone who reached out to me.” Jonathan Goodman (see photo below) writes: “Hi everyone. I’ve been living in Connecticut since 1999, in Farmington since 2004. I have a 15-year-old daughter, Natalie, and have been divorced since 2014. I practice as a naturopathic doctor (ND), for which I went to medical school in Seattle. I specialize in weight loss, helping people eat a healthy, whole food low(er) carb diet. My website is drgoodmannd.com. I plan to come in October and look forward to re-connecting!” Henry Hartevelt lives in San Francisco and has been there for almost 27 years now. He has his own business doing airline and travel market research and industry analysis. According to Henry,
Jon Goodman ’77
“having spent most of my career before this working for airlines, hotels, and in travel tech, it’s an interesting twist.” Jeff Salkin is finishing up 25 years in practice in Connecticut as an orthopaedic surgeon. He is now working in the City and contemplating a move back because he and his wife Sheila will soon be empty nesters. Sheila owns a woman’s clothing store in Madison, CT. They have four children: a daughter at FIT, another daughter who works in NYC at Victoria’s Secret, another daughter at Syracuse University, and a son who is in 9th grade and still at home. Jeff reports that he “still enjoys fishing, travel and martial arts and am looking forward to reconnect with my roots and old friends!” Michael Cohen writes: “I got re-married in 2015 to Dr. Tara Liberman, child and teen psychologist. I picked up a (now) 10-year-old stepson in the bargain. We are happily raising four children together.” Cathy Cramer writes: “I recently became the CEO of Legal Information for Families Today, a nonprofit organization that works to provide legal assistance to the 80% of litigants in family court who have no access to lawyers. Given what is going on in our country with the new administration, I figured it was extremely important to focus locally and provide direct services to people who are already disenfranchised in our society. I continue to be involved with Planned Parenthood and Sanctuary for Families, a domestic violence and anti-trafficking organization—organizations that are direct targets of Donald Trump and his few friends. Our four kids are out of the house, and about to be out of college! Hope to see many of you at the 40th Reunion.” Keith Krakaur and his wife Nancy moved to London in 2016. They still have a home in Chappaqua, NY, but Keith heads the European Government Enforcement and White Collar Crime practice for Skadden
Arps in London. Their three sons take after their artist mother, who is getting her MFA at the Slade School of Fine Art: Matt (25) is an aspiring TV comedy writer in LA; Dan (23) is an aspiring musician in NY; and Jon (20) is aspiring to graduate from Oberlin, which probably means he will do something creative as well. Nancy and the three boys all think Keith is really old.
1979
Andrew Delaney ’80 and Paul Delaney ’83 shared the sad news that their older brother, George J. Delaney, Jr. (Chip), died on June 16, 2017. He was 56.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1975 Jonathan J. Beitler jjbeitl@emory.edu Lisa Turgell Friedland lisa.friedland09@gmail.com Jeffrey J. Russell jjrussell@clearbridgeadvisors.com
1976 Daniel Easton mashfly007@aol.com
1977 Fran Hoffinger fhoffinger@hoffingerlaw.com
1978 William McGowan bill@claritymediagroup.com George “Chip” Delaney ’79, who died June 16, 2017.
1979 Lori Tarnopol Moore dlmoore4@aol.com
Chip grew up in Riverdale and graduated from Riverdale Country School in 1979, where he was a scholarship student; acted and sang in theater (such as playing the sentry Private Willis in Iolanthe); and was a star pitcher on the baseball team and a football player. He was known for his friendly personality and humility. Chip went on to receive his BA in economics from Tufts University in 1983 and started as a successful model with the Ford Modeling Agency in New York and the Hart Model Agency in Boston. He was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and appeared in many films. QUAD extends condolences to Andrew, Paul, and their brother John, as well as to Chip’s sister-in-law, Wendy; aunt and uncle Eileen and Dr. Philip Varriale; cousins Donna, Philip, and David; and niece and nephews Emma, Jack, and Michael Delaney. WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 25
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
1980 Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1980 Dana Swinsky Cantelmo danaswinsky@me.com
1981 Elizabeth A. Holoubek-Sebok eholoubek@aol.com Lisa Burge Swotes lswotes@gmail.com
1982 Meryl Poster meryl.poster@ superbentertainment.net
1983 Eric Yamin eric.yamin@ubs.com
Riverdalians marching in Washington to protest the inauguration included Kathy Hertz Kinter ’80, Karen Waddell ’80, Niki Vorhaus Thran ’80, Patience Moore ’80, Robbie Goldrich ’80, Dana Swinsky Cantelmo ’80, and Ann Chanler ’81.
Suzy Jurist-O’Shea has started The Eileen Fund in honor of her sister, Eileen Jurist ’85, who passed away on September 22, 2016. The fund supports research into precision therapies to cure cancer. Please visit http://theeileenfund.org for more information. From Class Correspondent Dana Swinsky Cantelmo: Hi Classmates, First, from Suzy Jurist O’Shea: “I’d like to ask my classmates to go to my son’s Go Fund Me page and consider donating—a dollar or any amount—to help him reach his goal to raise money in my sister’s memory to help fight cancer by funding research for precision medicine. The donation website is https://www.gofundme.com/john-onice-for-the-eileen-fund. Thanks for your consideration and support.” This January Kathy Hertz Kinter, Karen Waddell, Niki Vorhaus Thran, Patience Moore, Robbie Goldrich and I marched in Washington to protest the inauguration (see photo below left). We chanted “Riverdale” and “RCS” when in the massive crowd—we needed to stay together—and in doing so attracted Ann Chanler ’81 and random Riverdalians of all ages. Steve Mnuchin ’81 didn’t answer our call, though. I guess he was hiding. Then this March Penny Paul, Niki and I visited Iceland (see photo
Class of 1980 friends Penny Paul, Niki Vorhaus Thran and Dana Swinsky Cantelmo visited Iceland recently.
26 | QUAD SUMMER 2017
Sascha Feinstein ’81 during his senior year at Riverdale, amid a mountain of cement chunks; an explanation may be found in his new memoir, Wreckage: My Father’s Legacy of Art & Junk.
below center)! We had an amazing time, the people we met there were warm and funny, and the landscape is otherworldly and incredible. It’s fun travelling with old classmates! It continues to be great hearing from all of you; please keep writing, and of course, if you have e-mail addresses of classmates that I don’t, please send them to me! Thanks! —Dana Swinsky
Lipman, Rob Friedsam, and Bill Gorin. Teddy’s father, Gary Herman, also joined the dads. The group (see photo below) included the leaders of the twotime championship soccer team,
1981
Sascha Feinstein has released his 11th book, Wreckage: My Father’s Legacy of Art & Junk (Bucknell University Press, March 2017). In this memoir Sascha recounts life with his father, Sam Feinstein, who was both a brilliant artist and a hoarder of monumental proportions (see photos above).
1983
Strong Riverdale friendships passed down a generation as Class of 2016 best friends Andrew Cohen, Jack Delaney, Jack Yamin, Teddy Herman, Griffin Bader and Sam Barovick are the sons of Class of 1983 friends Rodney Cohen, Paul Delaney, Eric Yamin, Betsy Radin Frowein, Neil Bader ’84, and Jon Barovick ’78. The strong ties of the dads and boys led to a three-day celebratory 2016 graduation trip to Reykjavik, Iceland, which included Class of 2016 grads Reed Lipman, Ryan Friedsam, and Matt Gorin, as well as their fathers, Larry
Nine members of the Class of 2016 and their dads, many of whom are also Riverdale grads, enjoyed a father-son trip to Reykjavik, Iceland, last summer.
football team, lacrosse team, basketball team, and baseball teams at Riverdale. These boys built friendships playing NYC baseball and soccer together, all to be joined at RCS for high school. The father-son crew rode ATVs, shot skeet, jet boated down rivers, lounged in hot springs and rarely slept under the 24 hours of daylight. The trip was fantastic and we highly recommend Iceland or a similar graduation father-son trip. These RCS boys will, like their folks, be friends for life.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES
1984
From Chris Harrington: “I am sorry to say that I believe Nick Kjellgren died in September of 2015. He and I connected on Facebook a while back. His wife has posted of his death, but I have no specifics. You can find him as my friend on Facebook, and his wife from there. He had become a wonderful painter. He was a good friend at RCS and I wish his wife and child could have known him a much longer time.” Gillian Caldwell writes, “Our family has now been living in London for over a year and a half. In that time we have travelled throughout the U.K. and can highly recommend Cornwall on the southwest coast and the Great Lakes district in the northeast— both absolutely stunning in different ways. We have also journeyed as a family (quickly and relatively inexpensively!) to Morocco, Greece, France, Holland, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and of course the U.S. Next up are Spain, Scotland, and Croatia. While London is an amazing launching pad for adventure, I am increasingly enamored of the city in its own right. Greater London is enormous—611 square miles with a population of more than 7 million. It can take an hour to travel from our home in the north of Arnos Grove to our closest friends in the south of London, but it is in fact a series of villages stitched together so there is plenty of ‘small town feel’ if you know where to look. It is also very diverse—on any given tube ride I will hear at least five languages spoken. And of course it’s a cultural mecca for art, theatre, etc. The weather is grey this time of year but between June and October we seem to have had almost non-stop sun and warmth last year. One is essentially living on a large boat in the Atlantic Ocean, so weather passes quickly across the bow and while it rains with frequency this time of year, it rarely rains hard or for very
long. I am still surprised that a day that begins grey can burst into fantastic sunlight—or vice versa— in the blink of an eye. All this is to say that we encourage visitors and we have plenty of space to accommodate them. Some of you may recall my cookie delivery anecdote from last year, where Tess had baked and convinced me to deliver cookies with her to introduce ourselves to our neighbors on arrival. The Brits are quite reserved and private at first so that did not go over very well, but we are growing our network of friendships. We are particularly enjoying life at our little local tennis club, which is community-run with around 40 members. Lest you get the wrong idea, imagine us mowing the lawn and tending the bar in the wee clubhouse rather than wearing whites and sipping champagne. We are both playing on the tennis team and have some nice friendships forming through that. “Tess (14) and Finley (12) are well settled at Dwight School of London, which is a globally recognized International Baccalaureate program that will allow them to slot back into school in the U.S. or elsewhere with relative ease on an academic level. It has a diverse student body from Asia, Europe, Israel, the U.S. and beyond, and has a focus on developing active global citizens. Students are taught and even evaluated in part on the extent to which they embrace empathy, risk taking, compassion, and other human attributes which are core to our role in community. As parents, we particularly appreciate the emphasis on a well-rounded education and a respite from the ‘teach to the test’ mentality that we sometimes felt in our otherwise strong public school system in Montgomery County, MD. Tess remains passionate about performing arts—she is in an afterschool film program, a Saturday improvisational theatre group, and she is performing with her chorus at Carnegie Hall
in NYC and auditioning for the National Youth Theatre in February. Finley is a sports fanatic and is still absolutely obsessed with basketball, although he has also joined soccer, American football, and rugby teams. While the kids have adapted well and both have a strong group of friends here, all the moving has been hard on them. They have now lived in Brooklyn, Takoma Park, MD, Chiang Mai, and London, and have attended up to seven schools in their short lifetimes. It is hard for young children to understand how these global experiences are shaping and benefitting them. After fielding episodic requests since our arrival to ‘go home’, in the last few weeks Tess announced that she thinks we should stay put so she can finish high school at Dwight. Perhaps in part because they typically refuse to agree as a matter of principle, Finn is still sometimes talking about going ‘home,’ which to him means Takoma Park (more or less—depends on the day). We all live with this uncomfortable ambiguity. Louis and I are not indecisive as you may have noted, so while I wish we could settle on a timeline, all we can know now is that it is best for our children to be here for the foreseeable future. We don’t feel it would be wise to make a long-term decision for them now, and we want them to have a role in making it.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 1984 Eve Reppen Rogers evejewels@earthlink.net
“Louis is still really enjoying his part time work at Bioregional, which won the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. They pioneered the concept of One Planet Living and he is working with partners to make it a reality. He is overseeing the construction of a very exciting and ambitious online platform that will enable businesses, governments, and schools/universities to chart a course to One Planet Living and to monitor their progress in getting there. The work is incredibly relevant given the Paris climate agreement and they are pulling together the funding partners to
WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 27
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017.
1985
1996
Allison Unger Brody a.brody@elsevier.com
Lara Englebardt Metz larametz@gmail.com
1986
Tim Morehouse tim.morehouse08@gmail.com
Sanford E. Cannold Sandy.cannold@gmail.com
1987 Karyn Boosin Leit karynleit@mac.com
1988 Stacy J. Grossman S144man@yahoo.com
1989
1997 John C. Kirkham jckirkham@gmail.com Jaime Benjamin jaimebenj@gmail.com
1998 Jessica Endelson Baum jessbaum@live.com
Allison R. Rouse allison.rouse@gmail.com
Catherine Silver Smith catherinesilversmith@gmail.com
1990
1999
Jeffrey L. Korenman jkorenman@hotmail.com Achikam Yogev achikamyogev@gmail.com
1991 Stefanie Firtell Donath sadonath6873@gmail.com
1992
Matt Balaban MattBalaban1@gmail.com
Samantha A. Acunto ac.samantha@gmail.com
Alex P. Horn alexp.horn@gmail.com
Danielle J. Englebardt denglebardt@gmail.com
1995 Brittany Podell Levin bpodellco@gmail.com
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From Class Correspondent Eve Reppen Rogers: “Here is some sad news that Deirdre Davis recently shared with me: ‘Sadly, Max O’Neal passed away in November 2016. In January, a bunch of us got together to remember Max and celebrate his life with his family (see photos below). In attendance with me were Russell Hernandez, Amanda Smith, Marla SheltonLenhof, Yukio Sonoda, Jon Zambetti, Nick Notias, Mami Hidaka, Tony Berkman, Alex Hornig, Eddie Kleefield, Alex Gordon, Paul Delaney ’83, Sandy Gallo-Hernandez ’85, and Robert Sancho ’86. Lots of laughs were had and good memories shared.’ “Max will be missed by so many.”
2001
1993
1994
“I am now pretty well settled as CEO of Global Witness, which ‘works for a better world— where corruption is challenged and accountability prevails, all can thrive within the planet’s boundaries, and governments act in the public interest.’ It is a perfect fit for me— investigations and advocacy to drive change around natural resource exploitation, corruption, and related environmental and human rights abuses. It’s a welcome combination of feeling like my experience prepared me for this, and as if I am learning and growing every day in the role. I am also emboldened by the knowledge that our work is more relevant now than it has ever been. Our team pulled together a great 2016 blog round up of our successes around the world this year and a look
Lana Jacobs Edelman lanarose@gmail.com
Adam Brenner adam.brenner@gmail.com
Alexis Higgins alexis.higgins@gmail.com
ahead if you want to learn more. We have an amazing team of more than 100 staff located in Europe, Asia, and North America and we are always hiring and have an active internship program so please refer people you know who may have an interest to our jobs page.”
2000
Laura J. Kleinman kleinmanlaura@yahoo.com
George D. Creppy gcreppy75@gmail.com
complete and launch the platform. If you have ideas for partners, e-mail him at louis.spitzer@bioregional.com. In the rest of his time he stays busy with home renovations and keeping us well fed! He is my renaissance man and we are going strong at 17 years and counting.
David Rausnitz drausnitz@gmail.com
Members of the Classes of 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 came together to celebrate the life of classmate Max O’Neal.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES Other news from Deirdre Davis: “My job (as a intellectual property attorney for Scripps Networks, the media lifestyle company behind HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, and others) took me to London last fall where I got to have a wonderful dinner with Gillian Caldwell (who is doing good and important work at Global Witness) and her lovely family. “Marla Shelton-Lenhof, Amanda Smith, Camilla Catlin Sorenson and I try to get together on a regular basis, including Marla’s 50th birthday party, with a special appearance by Justine Gubar, who is now living in Florida and working as a producer for Fusion (see photo below).”
1985
Suzy Jurist O’Shea ’80 has started The Eileen Fund in honor of her sister, Eileen Jurist. The fund supports research into precision therapies to cure cancer. Please visit http://theeileenfund.org for more information.
6 and up, Ida, Always addresses bereavement in a way young children will understand. Caron conducts loss and bereavement groups for children through the Jewish Board’s Loss and Bereavement program. The Christopher Awards were created in 1949 to celebrate writers, producers, directors, authors, and illustrators whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit.” More information is available at www.christophers.org.
1997
From Ben Kruger: “Here's a photo of me and my little man, Simon Boyd Kruger, who turned 1 in January (see photo below). Split my time between LA and NYC, running the medical business I opened last year: www.priorityprivatecare.com.” Ben Kruger ’97 with his son, Simon Boyd Kruger.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017.
2002
2009
Samara J. Fetto samara.fetto@gmail.com
Daisy Hackett hackett.daisy@gmail.com
Benjamin Z. Koblentz bkoblentz@gmail.com
Josh A. Howard jh1003@gmail.com
2003
Joshua S. Pearl josh@joshpearl.com
Adam R. Heller adamheller1@gmail.com Ariel C. Schneider schneider.ariel@gmail.com
2004
Cristina E. Haley crissy.haley@gmail.com
Danielle Suchman danielle.suchman@gmail.com
2005
2010
Amy R. Schneiderman amy.r.schneiderman@gmail.com
Congratulations to author Caron Levis, who won a Christopher Award for Ida, Always (Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster), illustrated by Charles Santoso. Written for children aged
2006 Tracy Dansker tdansker@gmail.com Eric B. Nusbaum ericnusbaume@gmail.com Celebrating the 50th birthday of Marla Shelton-Lenhof ’84 were Deirdre Davis, Amanda Smith, Camilla Catlin Sorenson, and Justine Gubar.
Ashley M. Rainford ashley.rainford@gmail.com
Alyssa J. Smith Brandon Cohen brandon.adam.cohen@gmail.com alyssajaclyn@gmail.com
Daniel A. Perelstein dperelstein@gmail.com
1996
Gracie Phillips egphilli@gmail.com
2007 Kate Lehrhaupt kate.lehrhaupt@gmail.com
2008 Michael Roberts michael.roberts@law.nyu.edu
Ethan Gracer edagracer@gmail.com Ali Kokot alikokot@gmail.com Michael Shelton michael.e.shelton@gmail.com
2011 Laura Berman laura.e.berman@gmail.com
2012 Jay Dessy jbdessy@gmail.com Chloe Getrajdman cgetrajdman@gmail.com
2013
Andrew J. Taub andrew.james.taub@gmail.com
Khari Dawkins Kd4@williams.edu
Zoe Zetlin-Fishbein zzetlin@gmail.com
George Niedermayer george.s.niedermayer.17@dartmouth. edu
WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 29
Congratulations to the Classes ending in 1's and 6's, who are celebrating their reunions in the 2016-2017 school year!
RIVERDALE ALUMNI
1999
Travis Brady travis.brady@yale.edu
Lee Finkel Goldberg writes, “I am currently living in New York City with my husband Steve and our two kids, Henry (4 years old) and Hannah (2 years old). I am a business affairs executive at AMC Networks. When not at work you can find me with my kids at a playground on the Upper West Side.”
Saranya Vijayakumar svijayakumar@college.harvard.edu
2003
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent(S) before OCTOBER 1, 2017. 2014
2015 Corey Morrison dactadeo@gmail.com Robert Proner robertproner@gmail.com
2016 Christian Eggers cde2117@columbia.edu Jake Fallek jakefallek@gmail.com
2017 Luis Perez lperezteak14@gmail.com Zoe Schwartzman zozococo20@gmail.com
* TO BECOME A CLASS CORRESPONDENT, CONTACT Robin Gottlieb Director of Alumni Affairs (718) 519-2703 alumni@riverdale.edu
Congratulations to Harrie Bakst and his wife, Amy, who welcomed their baby girl, Judy Malka Bakst, on June 17, 2016 (see photo top right). Ian Group and his wife, Stefanie, honeymooned in New Zealand and Australia in late November into December of 2016. They road tripped all over both islands in New Zealand and Ian got some great
Class Correspondent Adam Heller started a real estate development company in 2015 after graduating from Columbia Business School. The company, Workable City Development, focuses on developing reasonably priced apartments in Brooklyn and Queens.
Judy Malka Bakst, daughter of Amy and Harrie Bakst ’03.
2004
In October 2017 Alexa Greenstadt will be marrying Daniel Marciano in Malibu, CA. Congrats! Stefanie and Ian Group ’03 on their honeymoon in New Zealand and Australia.
IN M E M O R I U M ALUMNI Richard Korf ’42 Ann Rose Isaac ’49 Barbara Neebe Thompson ’49 John M. (“Jack”) Hirst ’50 John Johnson ’51 Herbert Warren Mason II ’51 Richard “Dick” Miller ’51
Emily Mandelbaum Fixelle-Farber ’52 Joseph Nugent ’55 Donald Zimmerman ’55 Jeffrey D. Holzman ’59 Janet Lindsay Burns Saint Germain ’60 Elizabeth Marie Booth ’61
Henry Hinrichsen ’67 Sam Williams ’69 Michael Gury ’70 Paula Blank ’77 George “Chip” Delaney, Jr. ’79 Nick Kjellgren ’84 Max O’Neal ’84 Eileen Jurist ’85
Faculty and Staff News Former dean of students, swim coach, and US math teacher Brian Carver recently provided this update: “In a sentence, all is great with me and my family. The driving force for the move was more time with extended family and in the past six months, family that we might have seen once or not at all, we’ve seen a number of times and there are definitely strong bonds already forming among the 12 local cousins (ages between about-to-beborn and 8). “We’ve landed in Ipswich, a coastal, colonial town about 35 miles
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experience driving on the wrong side of the road. They capped off the trip with a few days on Hamilton Island by the Great Barrier Reef. Here they are on a day trip to Whitehaven Beach (see photo bottom right).
north of Boston with a small-town community feel, a great ocean beach, and a stop on the commuter rail. Ipswich is about 15 miles from my original hometown of Danvers, so for me, tons of familiarity with the geography. Our home backs up to Willowdale State Forest with miles and miles of biking and hiking trails—and a shortcut to the elementary school! “The kids are adjusting well and enjoying the new surroundings. Town sports are huge, and between football for Barry, soccer for Kadence, swimming for all, and
tons of pick-up stuff like skating and skiing (30 minutes away!), we are in the thick of it already. Barry’s had a very positive immersion to his new school and Kadence and Mila the same. I’m also looking forward to diving into the athletic community with plenty of local races and training groups in the nearby towns. “Melissa [Hadley Carver] is enjoying her position at Shady Hill School, teaching, coaching and working as Assistant Athletic Director. The challenges of the Boston commute have been wearing but worth it.
Classes ending in 2's and 7's will have their reunion in the 2017-2018 school year, beginning the weekend of October 13-15. Please save the date!
CLASS NOTES “For me at the Brookwood School, I’ve found a terrific, close-knit community. Teaching eighth grade again after nearly a decade away has been interesting to say the least, but getting a chance to prep the kids for their 9th and 10th grade courses has brought its own rewards. I’m the sole eighth grade math teacher (three sections, 51 kids), so I had the pleasure of writing 51 math recommendations for high school applications—not quite the massiveness of the college process, but a small, localized version. This fall, I coached a running program that will likely evolve into a cross country team in the next few years (the kids ran in one XC meet this year, Brookwood’s first ever), and I’ll coach running again in the spring—the kids know that I'm training them like swimmers—poor kids! I also advise the Chess Club, and after a fall of playing, we’re using the winter to 3D design and print personalized chess pieces—it’s been good to get the tech brain working again. “The Head of Grades 6-8 is a New Yorker (East-sider, Calhoun and Dwight Schools) and has held true to his Yankees and Giants, so he and I relate quite well. It was odd at first being around a school I knew nothing about, with a faculty I didn’t know and a staff that has very little turnover—I was one of only two new classroom teachers this fall (in a faculty of about 60)! But halfway through the year, I think I’m fully immersed in the culture and community life. “I am definitely planning to join the Class of 2012 for their five-year (yikes!) Reunion this fall. See you in October!” LS art teacher Hilda Shen has been making ceramic sculpture while on sabbatical this year. “It’s been a great time to focus,” she says. In April Hilda was part of the “Three Shelf Redder” exhibition in Queens. Congratulations to Middle and Upper School art teacher Angela Paris and her husband Josh on the birth of their son, Ellington Carmine Paris, on March 12 (see photo top row left). At the time of his birth Angela noted, “We’re healthy and happy. We’re huge
Ellington Carmine Paris, son of Middle and Upper School art teacher Angela Paris.
Upper School math teacher Jeff Shamp’s bundle of joy, Kiên Haduong Shamp.
Grade 3 Co-Teacher Jessica Pak with Hudson Alexander Pak.
Levi Eastman Curry, son of Middle and Upper School theater teacher Amanda Eastman and Chair of the Music Department Jason Curry.
May Fania Silverstein, daughter of Middle and Upper School Learning Research Team Director and English teacher Jed Silverstein and wife Lilli Weisz.
and strong, too. Not quite toddler status like I thought, but 8 lbs., 7 oz. and 20.5 inches long...he’ll be doing push ups by Friday.” Congratulations to Phi-Hong Ha and Upper School math teacher Jeff Shamp on the birth of Kiên Haduong Shamp, who was born in mid-February, weighing 7 lbs., 5 oz. and measuring 21 inches long (see photo top row center). A warm Riverdale welcome as well to Hudson Alexander Pak (see photo top row right), son of Grade 3 CoTeacher Jessica Pak and her husband James. Hudson was born April 26 and everyone is adjusting well—including big brother, Fitz, who is sharing his dinosaurs with baby Hudson already! Double congratulations go to Middle and Upper School theater teacher Amanda Eastman and Chair of the Music Department Jason Curry on the birth of their son, Levi Eastman Curry, on April 28 (see photo bottom row left). Levi weighed 7 lbs., 2 oz. and measured 19.25 inches long at birth. Congratulations are also in order for Middle and Upper School Admission Coordinator Izzy German and her family, who welcomed Liam Milo Lausell on May 19th. Liam weighed in at 7 lbs., 9 oz. Congratulations to Middle and Upper School Learning Research Team Director and English teacher Jed Silverstein and Lilli Weisz on the birth of their daughter. May Fania Silverstein was born at 7:58am on February 23, weighing 6 lbs., 5 oz., and measuring 20” long. Older brother Benno is thrilled to share his toys with his new sister (see photo bottom row right).
R
Join Us Website Parents: www.riverdale.edu/parentportal Alumni: www.riverdale.edu/alumni Facebook @riverdalecountryschool @riverdale.alums Twitter @RiverdaleCS @daar17 (Head of School Dominic Randolph) @rivfalcons (Riverdale Athletics) Instagram @riverdalecs @riverdalealums Vimeo Official platform for RCS videos https://vimeo.com/riverdalefalcons Livestream Official platform for RCS speaker series https://livestream.com/riverdale LinkedIn Riverdale Country School Riverdale Country School Alumni
WWW.RIVERDALE.EDU | 31
Board of Trustees 2016-2017 Gwen Adolph Terri D. Austin, Secretary Ellen Nachtigall Biben ’83 David Blitzer Tory Burch John Castle ’91 Liz Strauss Clyman ’97, AAEC President Kenneth Eberts Sandra Kim Hoffen ’83 Mark D. Hostetter ’77 John Kao ’68
Michael A. Karsch Betsy Kenny Lack Kass Lazerow Gary A. Lieberman Marc S. Lipschultz Daniel C. Lubin Cindy McKinney, PA President Thomas K. Montag Anand More John A. Neuwirth Kathleen M. Pike Dominic A.A. Randolph, Head of School
David N. Roberts ’80, Chair Allan V. Rose Daniel J. Rosen ’92, Vice Chair Dr. Susan Drossman Sokoloff Deborah Sonnenberg Jamie Alexander Tisch Stacey Weinstein David Westin, Vice Chair Kazumi Yanai
Trustees Emeriti Michele R. Cohen Gandolfo V. DiBlasi Thomas C. Israel Jane Lisman Katz ’65 Peter M. Lehrer Linda Lewis Lindenbaum ’54 Dr. William C.W. Mow ’55 Harvey Schulweis Robert A. Staub Thomas W. Strauss Jeffrey N. Vinik ’77 Ada G. Zambetti Richard S. Zinman
Alumni Association Executive Committee 2016-2017 Samantha Acunto ’01 Lily Adler ’10 George Anagnos ’76 Rebecca Levy Anikstein ’99 Harrie Bakst ’03 Jessica Endelson Baum ’98 Liz Strauss Clyman ’97, President Stefanie Firtell Donath ’91 Edem Dzubey ’07
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Tara Pfeifer Englander ’93 Danielle J. Englebardt ’94 Joseph Goldschmid ’04 Paul Goldschmid ’96 Susan Golkin ’85 Betsy Fields Hayes ’86 Michelle Kirschtein Jacobs ’81 David F. Lahm ’58 Laurence B. Lederer ’91 Tiffany Austin Liston ’94
John Low ’90 Lorraine Mahony, Faculty Representative Tony Melchior ’73 Lara Englebardt-Metz ’96 Philip R. Michael ’00 Shary Moalemzadeh ’89 Ron Murison, Faculty Representative Omari Ramirez ’05
Amelia Levin Relles ’87 Michael Roberts ’08 Carolyn Braun Rosen ’92 Daniel J. Rosen ’92 Peter R. Rosenblatt ’50 Jessica Elghanayan Shell ’95, Vice President Roger Sherman ’74 Abigail Spiegel Sroka ’99
FACULTY PROFILE
Gaspar Epstein Gaspar Epstein joined Riverdale in the fall of 2007. He currently teaches Middle and Upper School Spanish, is a 10th grade advisor, and coaches all three seasons (soccer, squash, and softball). He holds a B.A. in Spanish from Hamilton College and received his Master’s from Middlebury College. When he isn’t teaching and coaching, he can be found with The Economist and The New Yorker in hand, riding the subway to play on one of his several fútbol teams. Gaspar also enjoys both listening and playing music, and spending time with his army of nephews and nieces.
In addition to teaching, you also coach three seasons. Where do you find the energy to do all this, and why do you do it? Historically speaking, I guess I have modeled some of this behavior after my mom. I grew up with a mom who was extremely energetic. For a significant period of time, she raised three kids virtually on her own while holding down several jobs and trying to get her doctorate. I took notice. Practically speaking, I just love being outdoors on the playing fields, or on the courts, with students. I truly value the bonds that are made there. I would argue that not only does coaching invigorate me, but that it is also where a lot of real learning goes on (for both the student-athletes and myself). It seems like service is a big part of all that you do at Riverdale, from getting your squash kids working with StreetSquash to your involvement with Achilles. Why is service important to you personally, and for the Riverdale community overall? I suppose my many summers at a tripping camp called Keewaydin instilled the idea of “help the other fellow” in me. The idea was simple to me: Put others before yourself. I bought into it and learned that it felt really good to help other people. I think it is important that students (and teachers!) partake in service so that not only can they give back and/or pay it forward, but also learn more about both themselves and others.
What made you decide to go into teaching? What is it about Riverdale specifically that keeps you coming back, year after year? Once again, my mom comes into play here, as does my step-dad, with whom I grew up during my adolescence. I lived in a household run by teachers, so I was brainwashed. Seriously, though, when I got to college I began tutoring middle schoolers at a local high school and as a senior, I taught supplemental 100-level classes in the evening to freshmen. I loved it and knew I wanted to do it as a full-time job. On your one-semester sabbatical next year you will be hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). Why did you choose to do this? I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors, and I’ve been fascinated by the idea of hiking the entire AT for several years now. I’ve done small portions with Riverdale students and a few parts on my own, and a few years ago, I knew in my heart that I wanted to hike it in its entirety, and I’ve been planning it now for about a year. I am very much looking forward to challenging myself both physically and emotionally, and I hope to grow as both an educator and overall person by the trip’s conclusion. I will be going from south to north (Georgia to Maine) on March 1, and my goal is to complete it before graduation ( June 12).
Riverdale Country School 5250 Fieldston Road Bronx, New York 10471-2999 www.riverdale.edu
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Thank you to everyone who supported the Annual Fund in the 2016-17 school year. Annual Fund gifts are essential to Riverdale and to the success of the R+ Campaign. A yearly gift of any size makes a meaningful difference, and brings the school closer to its Campaign goals. As of June 30, 2017, we raised $75,500,000 of our $100,000,000 campaign goal—$26,000,000 or almost one-third of which is from Annual Fund gifts during the first five years of the seven-year Campaign. In fact, to date, 99% of R+ Campaign gifts have been Annual Fund gifts! From faculty and course development to interdisciplinary offerings to global travel opportunities, the Annual Fund supports the unique experience provided to Riverdale students. Your gift has an immediate impact on our school, and we sincerely appreciate every contribution.
Riverdale’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. If you have questions about volunteering your time or making a gift to the Annual Fund, please contact Marie Capasso, Senior Manager of Annual Giving, at 718-519-2723 or mcapasso@riverdale.edu.