Eventually, we adjourned to the dining room for a delicious lunch.
Marjorie Gamso, Margaret Just, Linda Thau. (K)
Peggy Garrison, Stefi Keller. (K).
The colorful posters in the room added to the festive atmosphere. (J)
At their table, Miriam Burstein and Irving Kizner had a little reunion of their own, chatting animatedly about Hunter past and present, and held warm conversations with their former students. In a conversation with Ann Koppelman, Irving told her that he felt that his intellectual development began when he was hired to teach at Hunter. Miriam said that she felt the same way.
June Patron with Kizner & Burstein. (P)
Ann Kopelman with Kizner. (W)
After the main course, Patricia Anne Williams, our Senior Class President, welcomed the gathering in her characteristically witty, energetic fashion, complimenting us on our bravery in confronting fellow-high school students of 40 years in the past.
Reunion Treasurer Evi Eckstein Lieb announced that we will present $5,000 to the high school. Our gift is earmarked for a new conference table and chairs for the HCHS library. Acknowledgments for the large print photo name tags (Stella Homicki), illustrated song folios (Jane Leinninger Holcomb, not attending) , and reunion mailing and copyediting of the Class Directory (Renée Pachter Cafiero) were followed by thanks also to Diane (DeeDee) Brenner (not attending) and Joan Charlat Murray for several vintage photographs used in the Class Directory. In addition, Pat read a list of
our fellow alumnae whose whereabouts are unknown (11) or in the "might be missing" category (5). Joan Charlat Murray gave a humorous report on how diligent Helene was in tracking folks down, by recounting an incident in which she was in a ladies' room on the New York Thruway only to hear Helene's "dulcet tones" behind her inquiring as to whether it was really she (Joan)!
Pat read an e-mail message from Jane Klain, Manager of Research services at NYC's Museum of TV & Radio, regarding the CBS-TV program American Musical Theatre, which ran from 1959 to 1965. Jane, who has made it her mission to unearth, restore and make available to the public segments of American Musical Theatre, has also been trying to track down the "kids" who made up the audience. Among them, from our class, were Claire Harnan, Susan Wexler Hensel, Judy Hodges Kiriazis, Diane Brenner, Esther Klein Buddenhagen, Phyllis Klein and the late Dorothea Beckwith. Claire's name was on a fragment of notebook paper among the possessions of Ethel Burns, the show's producer, who died several years ago[, and Jane Klain tracked her down in the spring of 2001 through the Hunter Alumnae/i Ass'n]. Since that time, Claire and Susan Wexler Hensel have been to the museum to view some of the old tapes, which Claire characterized as "an extraordinary time-warpish experience!" Jane has extended an invitation to any Hunterite who attended any of the shows to visit the museum as her guest, whenever convenient. Jane can be reached at: (212) 621-6631, or e-mailed at <jklain@mtr.org>.
We had a moment of silence for the nine of us who have passed away (IN MEMORIAM); and Sharon Klayman Farber spoke, acknowledging her debt to Hunter by reading the dedication of her new book
The last bit of business before dessert (oh, the rich chocolate cake!!) was the presentation of a plaque to Helene Williams Spierman -- "The Lavender Rose Award,... with gratitude and affection for outstanding efforts on our behalf...," which Stella Homicki had masterminded. Although Stella had been Helene's house guest over the reunion weekend, she had no idea that this had been "cooked up." Along with the plaque came a tote bag, which many of those present autographed as a memento. Helene was thrilled and moved by the tribute. (K).
Helene, attempting to explain why she "does it." (H)
