70TH-REIUNION-PAGE

 70TH REUNION PAGE

REMEMBER WHEN WE LOOKED LIKE THIS?

DONATIONS TO THE ARCHIVES

We're all in the process of "cleaning out stuff" so this is the perfect time to think about sending some of it to

The Mount Holyoke Archives!

Archives and Special Collections collects the papers and other records of individuals, institutions, and organizations connected with Mount Holyoke College. Archives and Special Collections also collects rare books related to a wide variety of areas, fields, and disciplines. All of these materials are maintained as primary resources for teaching and research conducted by students, faculty, and other users.

Archives and Special Collections has been shaped and strengthened through the generosity of thousands of individuals who have supported it through the decades. The rich and diverse collections are the result of the thought and effort of generations of loyal alumnae, faculty, librarians, archivists, and friends of Mount Holyoke.

We welcome donations of collections or of single items that directly support or complement the historic collections.

The first step in making a donation is to contact Deborah Richards, head of Archives and Special Collections. She looks forward to discussing what materials you have.

Donating archives

The manuscript collections document the academic, administrative, and social history of Mount Holyoke College through the letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, and course materials of faculty, staff, and students.

Each year, these collections are consulted by thousands of researchers from around the world. With the donation of each new collection, we are able to increase the breadth and depth of our resources to better serve the educational needs of the College and of scholars who are drawn to our collections due to Mount Holyoke's prominent place in the history of women's education. Each donation helps to enlarge the documentation of not only the effect of Mount Holyoke on the world but the effect of individuals on the institution itself.

Below are lists of some types of materials that Archives and Special Collections collects. Please note that these lists are not definitive; there may be other types of documents or records that may have continuing research value. Printed and digital materials are welcome.

Personal papers

ocorrespondence

odiaries and journals

oscrapbooks

ophotographs

oMHC course syllabi

obiographical information

oaudio/visual recordings

Institutional and organization records, including class years and student organizations

oarticles of incorporation

oby-laws

oannual reports

oclass histories

ocorrespondence

oevent flyers and programs

omeeting minutes

ophotographs

oplanning documents

opress releases

opublications

oaudio/visual recordings

Donating rare books

The Rare Books collection serves as a primary resource for teaching and research conducted by students, faculty and other researchers. Donations to this collection, or monetary donations for the purchase of rare books, help us to increase the breadth and depth of our collections and allow us to better support the curricular needs of the College.

The Archives and Special Collections main rare book collections include books written specifically for girl readers between 1830 and 1970; American history; illustrated editions of Dante Alighieri's Divina commedia; 19th-century books that are known to have been used in the courses of study at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary; rare children's books; published works related to the Collège de 'pataphysique; Renaissance science books; and fine press books. Because our collections cover more than these main areas, gifts of books will be considered on an individual basis.

DONATIONS (NOT MONEY THIS TIME!!!)

SOME FACTS...PLUS OR MINUS A FEW!

In September, 1951, when we entered Mount Holyoke, the Class of 1955 numbered 321. Their biggest class so far.

In 1955 271 of us graduated. Lots got married over the years and had to leave as I'm sure you all remember. Currently at the end of 2024, 98 of us remain.

Now, so far, 27 of us (that’s almost 30%!) plan to attend our 70th reunion, May 23-25, 2025. We're reaching out to contact everyone to hear their plans.

MARY LOU JUDD CARPENTER

NANCY SCHUSTER HANSON

JOAN WINKEL RIPLEY

ELEANOR GRAHAM CLAUS

SYLVIA JOHNSON LUCAS

DEE LAMB BARSTOW

BARBARA SUCHMAN KASMAN

PAM MOODY HARKINS

DEBBIE WALSH KENNEDY

NANCY NUTTING LANE

ANN TOMLINSON EDMONDSON

MARY CAREY BACHMANN CHURCHILL

SUSAN NUTTER KELLER

JANE BARTH

ALICE CZYZ

SALLIE BARR PALMER

MAC CROFT OSBORNE

JULI SHEA TOWELL

JUDY VERNON

JAN WILLIAMS LIBBY

DIANA ALEXANIAN JALELIAN

BARBARA MULVEHILL GRAY

JOAN HASKELL VICINUS

KAREN ZEHNER LUCAS

WIN PETUS LOSA

MIMI MALLACE FREEMAN

SUE ECKERT SMITH

Some short examples of answers to our first six prompts.

Prompts for our Storyworth 1955 Project

#1What do you remember about your very first day at Mount Holyoke?

Confusion, do I have the right things sent from Oklahoma to furnish my single room? NO! Pleased to have a single as I am a light sleeper! Thrilled at seeing the mature trees and vintage architecture around the campus, so different from where I come from! Also thrilled to think the intellectual atmosphere here is heady, no boys to put their hands up FIRST to answer the teacher’s questions. IT IS UP to US gals!

#2Tell us about some of the most fun things or happy times you remember about college.

Sneaking into the sculpture gallery one night with a small group of Art Majors and clothing the sculptures. Playing “who am I” to study for blue book exams. Sledding on borrowed cookie trays…

#3What unexpected occurrences do you recall encountering while at MHC?

Mostly everything was unexpected in some way -- it was the first time I'd ever lived away from home But one of the most exciting discoveries I made was --- PIZZA. I had never had pizza, or even seen one, before some of my classmates introduced me to this exotic dish. And I still like it today!

#4What teacher or teachers influenced you the most and why?

Mr. Rox and his splendid art course had a major influence on me. Whenever I go to the Met and view the paintings of the little Dutch painters particularly, Vermeer, I remember Mr. Rox pointing out that the light always comes from the left, and illuminates the clothing, face, hands, etc. of the subject. I look at Titian, and the hues of red, rose, rusty red in the cloaks and drapes of the subject and remember Mr. Rox. I could go on and on. Whenever I hear Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony I think of Mr. Leedy.

#5What were your friends like at Mount Holyoke?

The few close friends I made at Holyoke remain very special to me. But while thinking about college friends it struck me that over the years whenever I came in contact with a classmate, whether I remembered her well or not, there was always a certain bond. I think that affinity is what makes Mount Holyoke in general, and our class in particular, so unique.

#6What were your favorite movies when you were in high school or college and what do

you remember about them?

I remember Rear Window and The African Queen well. My husband and I watched them both, among many others, during the pandemic lockdown. But the one movie that really stands out is Kind Hearts and Coronets. I was so entranced with my date that evening that it was years later when I finally realized that Alec Guiness played all of the parts. P.S. I married my date of that evening and yes, we did watch it together again last winter.

#7. Why did you pick your major, and if you could do it over again,

would you pick it again? Why or why not?

#8. What were your political leanings back in the 50’s? Are they the same now?

#9. Would you choose a woman’s college if you were about to enter college? Why

#10. What are you learning from the next generations? Children?, Grandchildren?, etc.

# 11 What best describes you now and what best described you when you were in college?

You don't have to answer them all if you don't want to. Just pick a few that interest you and start composing.

It will bring back memories you haven't thought of in a long time and at the same time make a contribution to Mount Holyoke and a lasting memory for your family.

Friday 12:00 - 1:30 P.M. Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 President's State of the College

4:00 - 5:00 Book Program on Emily Dickinson: Riddles &

Definitions by Chris Benfry

5:00 - 6:00 Social Hour including our Honoraries

6:00 - 7:00 Dinner including our Honoraries

7:00 - 8:00 Russia Then and Now 1955-2025 What's Next?

With Edwina Cruise

Saturday 7:00 - 7:45 Breakfast

8:30 Gathering to start the Parade

10:00 - 12.00 Alum Association Annual Meeting

12:15 - 1:15 Lunch

1:30 - 2:30 Uncommon Graduates - Generation Apart with

Eleanor Townsley and the Class of 2005

3:00-4:30 Campus Bus Tour and Class Photo

5:00 - 6:00 Social Hour including our Honoraries

6:00 - 7:30 Dinner including our Honoraries

7:30 -8:30 Current Events Program by Vinnie Ferraro

Sunday 7:30 - 8:30 Breakfast

8:30 - 9:00 Class Meeting

9:30 - 10:30 Class of 1955 Memorial Service

ALL THE PROMPTS ARE LISTED BELOW. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THEM ALL, BUT PLEASE DO AT LEAST ONE!

EVEN THOUGH THE QUESTION ABOUT WWII WAS NOT WHILE WE WERE

AT COLLEGE, THIS ANSWER IS TRULY LIVING HISTORY.

WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION TO ACTUALLY REMEMBER THIS TIME.

PLEASE TRY TO SHARE YOUR MEMORIES ABOUT IT.

Short Reunion Bios

(Alphabetical by undergraduate name)

Diane Alexanian Jalelian lives in Arlington MA. Political Science Porter, N. Mandelle, Abbey, N. Mandelle

MC Bachmann Churchill lives in West Palm Beach, FL. History Porter, N. Rocky, Wilder, Pearsons

Sallie Barr Palmer and Peter have lived in the same home for 30 years in Largo, FL. , Brigham, Abbey, Brigham, Safford

Jane Barth lives in her own home in Collegeville, PA. Physics Porter, then 3 years in Lakeside where she was close to the Physics Lab!

Alice Czyz lives in her one home in Suffield, CT just 1 mile from the home in which she lived while growing up. Psychology Brigham, the Rockies for 2 years, Pearsons

Ellie Graham Claus lives in a CCRC in S. Yarmouth ,MA. Physiology-Sociology Porter, Mead, N. Rocky Ellie spent her last year at Hartford Hospital Nursing.

Joan Haskell Vicinus lives in a CCRC in Exeter, NH. Economics/Sociology Porter, Mead, Lakeside, Porter

Sylvia Johnson Lucas lives in her own home on a golf course in Kensington, CT. Physiology/Zoology Pearson’s Annex, 2 years in Lakeside, N. Rocky

Mary Lou Judd Carpenter lives in suburban Minneapolis in a CCRC, a national Fellowship Community. Political Science Pearsons, Mountain View, Pearsons, S. Mandelle.

Dee Lamb Barstow lives in Skidaway (a CCRC) in Savannah, GA. History Pearsons, Mead, Safford, N. Rocky

Pam Moody Harkins lives in a senior living facility in Exeter, NH, Pearsons, Abbey (left after her sophomore year)

Barbara Mulvehill Gray lives with her husband in a CCRC in Cleveland, O. Psychology Porter, Lakeside, Wilder, Pearsons

Sue Nutter Keller lives in a CCRC in New Providence, NJ and spends summers in her own home in Southport, ME. Math Pearsons, S. Rocky, Brigham, Porter

Nancy Nutting Lane lives at Edgehill, a CCRC in Stamford, CT. Art History Brigham, N. Rocky, Safford, Pearsons

Win Pettus Losa lives in a CCRC in Peabody, MA English Brigham, French House, Abbey, Woodbridge

Nancy Schuster Hanson lives in her own home in Savannah, GA. Economics/Sociology Pearsons, N. Mandelle, Wilder, Porter

Barbara Suchman Kasman lives in the home she has been in since 1962, in Chestnut Hill, MA. English Porter, S. Mandelle, S. Rocky, Mead

Tommy Tomlinson Edmondson lives in her own apartment which is attached to her daughter’s home in Holliston, MA. Zoology Brigham, ?,?, Safford

Judy Vernon lives with her husband Ed in an Over-55 facility in Township of Washington, NJ Political Science Brigham, S. Rocky, Mandelle, Abbey

Debbie Walsh Kennedy lives in Newton, PA in an assisted living facility near one of her daughters. French Safford, ?, Paris!, ?

Jan Williams Libby lives in her own home in Providence, RI Political Science Pearsons, Mead, Abbey, Porter

Wink Winkel Ripley lives with her husband, Mills, in their own home in Mount Kisco, NY. They spend summers in their home in Harwich on the Cape. Chemistry Safford, Mead, Wilder, S, Mandelle