MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE, CLASS OF 1958
60TH REUNION
CLASS MEETING ON MAY 26, 2018
Welcome and call to order.
Diana Marston Wood called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. (using the gavel created from White House wood, a gift to the class from Anne Ensworth Whitney). Sixty members of the ’58 class returned for the 60th reunion and those traveling the farthest were recognized: Betsy Roos Beuthel, WA, Sue Vaughn Himes, KS, Jane Katz Crist, CA, Nancy Levine Zakim, CA.
Di announced that she had gotten a call from Judy Sewall ’56 wishing us well at our 60th reunion. Di and Bobbi Bohman Travis attended a ’56 April mini-reunion in Santa Barbara. Our Big Sister class welcomed us warmly.
Alumnae Association staff spoke to us briefly about their new strategic plan for 2020. It will include building awareness, connecting alumnae with the College and providing a stronger voice for the alumnae.
I. Reports
a. Secretary Bobbi Travis summarized the minutes from our 55th reunion. They were accepted and are present on the class website.
b. Since treasurer Ann Hinchcliff was unable to attend, Betty Baker, reunion chair, presented the report. After expenses we have a balance of $5018 in the checking account and a balance of $11,354.56 in the Money Market for a total of $16,372.56. This report was approved.
c. Mini-reunions. Di reminded us that within a ten-year period we held four mini-reunions: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016. She emphasized that they were organized through enormous team effort with strong leadership from Smudge Rosen, Joyce Bernstein and Bobbi.
d. Reunion gift report. Ann Dolbear, class agent, said that our class was a joy to work with because of the consistent commitment of each class member regardless of life’s challenges. The Class of ’58 won the Sphinx Award, which went to the highest total participation during the reunion fiscal year. Our participation was 80 percent (FY18). Reunion giving follows: Mount Holyoke Fund (FY18) $133,470; Five-year cumulative total (all gifts to all funds) $2,821,712; Laurel Chain Society members (# of members in our class 110).
e. Mary Lyon Society. Anne Whitney first explained that “members of the MLS are those alumnae who have named the College as a beneficiary of their will, trust, retirement account, insurance plan or have documented their bequest as a pledge, or have a life income arrangement with Mount Holyoke.” She added that our class has 45 members of the MLS among 1500 alumnae in total.
II. New Business
a. Nominating Committee. Mary Edgerton Sloat announced the slate: Betty Baker for president, Joyce Klein for vice president, Ann Hinchcliff for treasurer, Bobbi Travis for secretary, Bonnie Cohen for webmaster and Ann Dolbear for class agent. This slate was approved.
b. Class connections. Both Smudge Rosen and Bonnie Cohen indicated that more news is very welcome. Travel news will be included on our Facebook page and 375 words are allowed.
c. Acknowledgment of volunteers. Di commented on the wonderful job done by Betty Baker as reunion chair. She then recognized the other women who have served as class officers for 10 years: Joyce Bernstein, Bobbi Travis, Ann Hinchcliff, Joan Rosen, Bonnie Cohen, Ann Dolbear, Amy Juviler, Mary Edgerton.
Betty Baker then thanked the committee members who worked on our 60th reunion: Pat Bennett, Misty Gideonse, Charlotte Sornborger, Ann Fullarton, Ginnie Keith, Lynn Osborne, Muffie Seifert, Carolyn Toper, Carol Truesdell and Bobbi Travis.
d. Betty Baker led a discussion about the status of our class treasury. The two options are the following: hand over the money to the College now or keep the money until our next reunion. The class voted with two opposed to keep the treasury open until our 65th reunion in order to support our mini-reunions, allow us to invite guests to events and mailing and administrative costs.
Betty also presented the idea of creating a $100,000 endowment which could be designated as a ’58 scholarship, be a contribution to the Weissman Center to fund its operations, underwrite a seminar or be given to the Alumnae Fund on behalf of the class of ’58. After lengthy discussion the question was called and the motion defeated.
e. Service of Remembrance. Lynne Osborn and Muffie Seifert led a beautiful service in honor of the 28 classmates we have lost since our last reunion. They also read one of Emily Dickinson’s poems.
Respectfully submitted,
Bobbi Bohman Travis, secretary