>Changes in Hunter, starting with the admission of boys as the a result of a lawsuit.
>Curriculum; what's required these days. There is no longer a class called Speech (which in our day began with elocution lessons). Instead the program is now called Communications and Theatre. It is a required course taken at several grade levels. A major component of that course is public speaking.
>Tremendous number of extracurricular activities.
>The current President of Hunter College, Jennifer Raab, was a HCHS graduate, and is a positive force in support of the high school.
>Major fundraising initiative of Alum. Assoc.
>A few things which are important to her at
Hunter:
Academic freedom....teaching what is important and interesting to students who love to learn;
Working with faculty who are dedicated and smart;.
Many exciting events and varied programs in a personal atmosphere.
"After all these years..it is still an exciting and satisfying day."
First of all, I’d like to introduce two people who have never attended a reunion before. First, Rhoda Schlamm, who left after 10th Grade – I’m sure that those of you who spoke to her during the cocktail hour made her feel welcome. And second, Emily Paunovic, whose good spirit and positive outlook I remember to this day. Welcome back!
I hope you enjoy the new class directory, and that you have looked through the nostalgia book which is located on the table near the door. A new class address list will also be distributed via e-mail, and I have Rhoda Rothenberg Ferat to thank for volunteering to set it up for me. I’d also like to thank Ann Koppelman Stamler for typing the song words on your program, at fairly short notice and with no complaints! And, again, thanks to Renee Pachter Cafiero for sending out the snail-mailing.
We could not have a reunion without a committee – Carol Arndt Wolfe, our expert in wine and restaurants; Evi Eckstein Lieb, our reunion treasurer; and the rest of the committee, Leo Tiefer, Jane Walk Meisel, Margery Werdenschlag Nathanson-Smith, and of course Pat Williams, who all are ready with good advice and help in their respective areas of expertise.
Our class is an incredibly diverse group of women, who have achieved distinction in many different fields – and the fact that we are “of a certain age” hasn’t managed to stop us. While we’re all gathered here, I’d like to ask for a round of applause in recognition of recent achievements of two of our classmates. Claudia Wilson, and Susan Levine Fuhrman. Claudia will be ordained as a Priest in the Episcopal Church next weekend; and Sue was appointed this summer as the new President of Teachers College of Columbia University.
I have special greetings from a few of our classmates (Joan Charlat Murray, Michele Levenbook Kohler, Betsy Carey Bumgarner, Jane Chaplin Jordan, Roberta Sinnreich Ford); and Irving Kizner wrote us a short letter. Unfortunately, Miriam Burstein, who was planning to attend the reunion, decided at the last minute that she didn’t feel well enough to come.
We have had several reunions since we graduated, but we’ve never actually organized ourselves into a group for a Reunion Photo. Therefore, right after dessert, let’s get into a group in front of the urn, and get a reunion portrait.
