Class of 1955
We have been informed of the passing of David Humphrey ’55. David died on December 20, 2021. We are holding his family and friends in the Light. You can read his obituary here.
Class of 1962
As reported by Steve Lipmann:
We had a two-hour reunion gathering on Zoom on Saturday, May 15 after attempts at an in-person gathering foundered. In attendance: Jim Blatt, Richard Carr, Michael Deutsch, Kathy Emmett,
Tom Engelhardt, Gail Jackson, Steve Lipmann, Richard Lyons, Jill Nareff Blauner, Randy Nichols, Bob von Behr, Rodi Weyer York, Barbara Carey '64 (ex officio – a friend of many members of the class)
Reminiscences ranged far and wide. Countless teachers were remembered fondly, others less so, though staunch defenders usually emerged to counter the negatives. Standout memories of Mr. Prinz, the Principal in our tenure, included his chess-playing prowess and his strength (he could pick up a chair with one hand). We recalled individual classmates’ exploits and quirks, various parties and school gatherings, and the catcalls from Stuyvestant students as they passed by.
A collective sense emerged of how much we had benefited from our Friends education. An odd point of agreement: being drilled in diagramming sentences left a profound impact, not just on our grammar and writing but our ability to think clearly. The warmth in the group was palpable, and we agreed to gather again, though not to wait until our 70th reunion.
Class of 1964
As reported by Barbara Carey:
The class of 1964 continues connecting by email and Zoom, even in the absence of an actual reunion. We update each other on life events and sometimes discuss actual topics of interest—one was “what ‘good trouble’” we have been up to. Back in December and January, Mark Deyrup responded to my request for news with the following update: “All goes well here. We spent a couple of months this fall homeschooling our five-year-old grandson in eastern Kentucky, where the vaccination rate is extremely low. He now has his first shot and will go to school in a few months. His parents and grandparents all have advanced degrees, so this spring he may puzzle his kindergarten teachers with too much information, e.g., “That is not lava, it’s a pyroclastic cloud.” “If one is the smallest number, what about minus three?” “Pterodactyls are not dinosaurs.” “I’m unhappy and need oxytocin.” I’m sure he will adjust. We are now back in FL and getting our winter garden going. We were away for five months and the weeds were five feet tall. We now have lots of flowers and just harvested our first radishes. It is good to be back in the lab, where I work as a volunteer now that I am retired.”
At my request, Mark sent in a description of the kind of work he does—an article about Big-Headed Ants, probably something that those of us with more conventional (and urban) careers haven’t spent much time thinking about. A wonderful excerpt from the article: “Big-Headed Ants probably live in almost every backyard in Florida; however, their strange appearance and interesting behavior are seldom noticed. This is because they are small (usually no more than 1/8 inch long) and spend most of their time below ground. Unlike some small ants, they don’t get our attention by biting or stinging. Most people are happy to ignore these ants, but at Archbold Biological Station there are few kinds of animals, even small innocuous ones, that are beneath the attention of curious researchers. The ten species of Big-Headed Ants living on the Station have been studied by both resident and visiting biologists. Biologists can easily find the ants because the ants (and often the biologists) are strongly attracted to rich cookies, such as pecan sandies, which provide the tempting trifecta of sugar, fat and protein. The common little Big-Headed Ants working in their efficient teams at the station and throughout Florida must have an outsized effect reducing numbers of small insects and seeds that are gathered and consumed. These ants are just part of a menagerie of little creatures that manage the world beneath our feet. Just as a huge diversity of bacteria helps balance our digestive systems, a huge diversity of tiny insects helps balance the natural world upon which we live.
When he was making drawings for an identification guide to Florida ants, Dr. Deyrup had to draw both the big workers and the small ones of each species because they look so different. At Val’s and my requests, Mark furnished this drawing as an example:
Class of 1984
As reported by Mark Koyama:
During the pandemic summer of 2020, Rev. Mark Koyama led the Sacred Ally Quilt Ministry, a collaboration in which nine New Hampshire churches created 10 quilts that together memorialize the dying words of George Floyd. Prayers in thread, these quilts are a distillation of the devastating pain of America’s racial wounds. This quilting effort was chronicled in a documentary film, “Stitch, Breathe, Speak: The George Floyd Quilts” which premiered at Positive Exposure 109 Gallery in New York City on May 22, 2022. Three days of events culminated in a service of remembrance at Riverside Church on May 25, the second anniversary of Mr. Floyd’s death.
Class of 1992
Michael Bachrach was featured in The New York Times discussing death penalty legislation. To read more click here.
Class of 1993
Sunshine Sykes was confirmed by the United States Senate as district judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. To read more click here.