Class of 1970 – 50th Reunion Yearbook

THE AGNES IRWIN SCHOOL

1970 THE 100TH CLASS

2020

5 0 th r e u n i o n

Class of June 1970 Mary Bunting Alcorn

Linda Jane Kelly

Barbara Dandridge Bell

Anita Elizabeth Ketcham

Mary Le Vaun Bell

Kate Marguerite Ketcham

Brenda Lea Biddle

Susan Elfreth Laws

Lydia Lippincott Biddle

Sharon Anne Lefevre

Cecilly Anne Bowden

Robin Lee Leslie

Elizabeth Helene Brand

Anne Wilson Mitchell

Susan Redfield Byrnes

Pamela Elizabeth Moyer

Patricia Egerton Cauffman

Nancy Alice Mungall

Nancy Knight Decker

Sarah Carrington Nassau

Rebecca Pepper English

Virginia Pratt Nemir

Katharine Lloyd Fowle

Cary Crawford Olmstead

Ellen Anne Gordon

Susan Capehart Pennock

Priscilla Goodwyn Griffin

Amy Margot Potter

Colleen Ann Holt

Susan Mallory Prince

Priscilla Ann Hook

Virgilia Ingram Rawnsley

Jean Elizabeth Hubbard

Anita Kester Saville

Lindsay deBrandt Huffman

Linda Suzanne Smith

Elizabeth Wentworth Johnson

Beverly Randall Taylor

Candace Ann Jones In Memoriam: Laura Mercer

150 Years of History MERRICK STREET 1869–1875

In 1869, Miss Agnes Irwin became headmistress of the West Penn Square Seminary, an all-girls school located at 5 Merrick Street in Philadelphia’s Center Square. When it was announced that Center Square would be developed for Philadelphia’s new City Hall, the school began looking for a new location.

Construction on City Hall began in 1871, and in March 1875, the school moved to the southeast corner of 19th and Spruce Streets and was renamed Miss Irwin’s School of Philadelphia.

SPRUCE STREET 1875–1881

In March 1875, Miss Irwin’s School of Philadelphia opened its doors at a new location on the southeast corner of 19th and Spruce Streets. The building, purchased by Headmistress Agnes Irwin from her brother Richard Irwin, housed the growing school for six years. The same year, Sophy Dallas Irwin, Agnes’ younger sister by three years, joined the school’s staff as a teacher.

DELANCEY PLACE 1881–1933

In response to increasing enrollment at Miss Irwin’s School of Philadelphia, in 1881, Headmistress Agnes Irwin moved the school to a large brick building at 2011 Delancey Place, keeping the previous Spruce Street location as her home.

WYNNEWOOD 1933–1961

In 1933, after more than 60 years in Center City, The Agnes Irwin School moved westward. Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Fanny Brock Montgomery, Class of 1898, the school was able to purchase and move into the Ballytore Castle, the former Isaac H. Clothier Estate in Wynnewood. The massive undertaking was led by the school’s fourth Headmistress Miss Bertha Laws, who subsequently steered the school through its 75th anniversary, as well as the Great Depression and WWII.

ROSEMONT 1958–PRESENT

When the township commission proposed a road through the school’s Wynnewood property in the mid1950s, Mrs. Priscilla Taylor Grace, Class of 1934, donated a charming stone colonial house and 18 acres of land to The Agnes Irwin School of development. The next year, a caravan of parents’ cars transported the cartons of books, supplies, and files to the new site. The Lower School opened in 1958 while a Middle and Upper School was built. When the new building opened in Fall 1961, it marked the first time that all grades were together on one campus.

Class Photos “Old friends, old friends, Sat on their park bench like bookends A newspaper blown through the grass Falls on the round toes of the high shoes of the old friends�

Simon and Garfunkel

1ST GRADE

2ND GRADE

3RD GRADE

“ Everything has changed and yet, I am more me than I’ve ever been” Iain Thomas

4TH GRADE

5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

7TH GRADE

8TH GRADE

“ We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.”

Tim McGraw

9TH GRADE

10TH GRADE

11TH GRADE

“ Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.”

Paul McCartney

12TH GRADE

Do You Remember ...

– Several classmates recalled “somewhat eccentric”

– Miss Cooper taught us history with a passion.

faculty members and also expressed appreciation

She both terrified and excited us. The beaker

and fondness for our teachers.

of ammonia. We all smelled it! Guy Fawkes Day.

– Miss Farrar, a lovely Southern “maiden lady” exuded joy over literature, especially poetry.

Each student had to stand in front of the class and recite. One of us totally blanked, and Ms. Farrar took no pity. Kate Bartol later said, “I thought you were having a seizure!”

– Mrs. Sands was encouraging and lovely. We were struck by how she could cross her legs and twist them around each other. We asked about her

Didn’t she burn him in effigy!? Would that ever be allowed today!?

– Mr. Paul ... so many memories: the bees, the crutches, and the crooked glasses.

– Miss Jenkins was such a reader! Walking along the hallway, she’d look up with her distinctive red-lipsticked smile, to quickly say, “Hi sweetie!” then back to her book.

– During Mrs. Randolph’s lively Bio lab, at least

weekend plans. She was excited because she had

one of us wound up with a sheep’s eye secretly

nothing going on so we felt a little sorry for her.

dropped in our blazer pocket by a classmate ...

Now maybe we feel differently.

Susan?

– Latin with Miss Nelson and Ancient History with

– Ms. Reiser’s commitment to our work in drama.

Mrs. Stanley are memorable. One of us cried her

Productions of The Crucible and Our Town

eyes out the night before Mrs. Stanley’s exam…

(Sherry was wonderful as Abigail.) We dedicated

how to memorize endless pages of notes?!

our yearbook to her.

– Miss Goheen, who was Mrs. Swain by the end of

– Mr. Hutchinson was constantly gobbling sen-sen,

the year, taught us French and was so cool! She

a breath tablet. He was also very kind and smiled

wore short skirts and black patent leather boots

a lot.

that went above her knees.

– Miss Moss was also a cool young teacher, a different kind of cool, more restrained and scholarly, when she came to Irwins as a very green English teacher straight out of Smith.

– We didn’t know what to make of Mr. Riggs who told us he had lots of children. (Was it six?) His pants were shiny.

– Looking drab in our Wright and Ditson yellow uniform shirts, navy skirts, and saddle shoes — except of course on Fridays when we could wear “street clothes.” Who dreamed up that phrase!?

“ Oh, if you need a friend I’m sailing right behind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind …”

Simon and Garfunkel

– Bloomers under our middle school and athletic uniforms.

– Kneeling to check skirt length.

– Inspection of finger nails!

– Morning assembly: singing hymns, giving our senior assembly – Strong athletics program for girls before Title 9!

– The demonstration — we learned to march!

– Away games and bus trips … “100 bottles of beer on the wall...”

– PPC: Perfect Posture Club (being jealous of the ones who made it in) – Glee Club with Mrs. Carter – Carmina Burana concert with the Princeton boys – Singing at the Academy of Music with the Orpheus Club – CORE: a multi-disciplinary studies program way ahead of its time!

– CORE essays – Road trips for Art History – Using the library at Villanova and UPenn in uniform – Formal graduation at Goodhart Hall: Bryn Mawr College – Trip arranged by Mrs. Lenox to HEART (Household Employment and Rehabilitation Training) in Philadelphia – Our Bazaar booth with a black and a white hand in a handshake

Traditions

“ Life gives us brief moments with another, but sometimes in those moments, we get memories that last a lifetime�

Anonymous

“ Time it was, and what a time it was, it was A time of innocence, A time of confidences…”

Simon and Garfunkel

“ Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’ We’re finally on our own This summer I hear the drummin’ Four dead in Ohio” Neil Young

“ Here comes the sun …

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here” George Harrison

Back in 1970 Richard Nixon 37th president of the United States

70’S SLANG Can you dig it? - Do you understand?

Dream on - Unrealistic Far out - Cool!

Grody - Gross Psyche - Just kidding!

Book it - Hurry Cool beans - Groovy MEN’S STYLE

POPULATION World Population – 3.63 billion U.S. Population – 205 million

WHAT WAS THE PRICE? 1st Class Stamp – 6 cents Gallon of Gas – 36 cents Gallon of Milk – $1.32 Dozen Eggs – $1.62 Movie Ticket – $1.65 Average Yearly Income – $9,400 Average New House – $23,450 Average New Car – $3,543 Lava Lamp – $19.95 Barbie Doll – $4.77

– V-Neck Velour Shirts

– Suede Vests

– Disco Look

– Leisure Suits

– Turtlenecks

– Afros & Mullets

– Chest Hair & Sideburns

– Wide Ties

WOMEN’S STYLE – Bell Bottoms

– Hip Huggers

– Hair Like Judy Collins

– Mini Skirts

– Platform Shoes

– Granny Dresses

– Everything Mod & British – Maxi Coats

MUSIC

POPULAR SONGS

– 600,000 people attend Isle of Wight, largest ever

– Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon & Garfunkel

rock festival: Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors,

– (They Long to Be) Close to You, The Carpenters

Richie Havens, Joan Baez, and others

– American Woman, The Guess Who

– The Beatles release “Let It Be” and break up

– Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head, B.J. Thomas

– Grateful Dead members busted on LSD charges

– War, Edwin Starr

– Jackson Five debut on American Bandstand

– Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Diana Ross

– Janis Joplin has debut concert

– Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, The 5th Dimension

– Bob Dylan given Honorary Doctorate of Music at

– Who’ll Stop the Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

Princeton – Woodstock, August 15-18 – The Jackson 5 releases their debut album – Jimi Hendrix forms Band of Gypsies – Diana Ross leaves the Supremes for a solo career

– Fire and Rain, James Taylor

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS – Baltimore Orioles won the MLB World Series – Kansas City Chiefs won the Superbowl – New York Knicks became NBA champions – Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup

MOVIES & TV – Ironside

The Flip Wilson Show

– M*A*S*H

– Patton

– Woodstock

– Hello Dolly

– Here’s Lucy

– Marcus Welby, M.D.

– Catch 22

– Love Story

– On Her Majesty’s

– Midnight Cowboy

Secret Service

– Gunsmoke

OSCAR WINNERS – Actor: John Wayne, True Grit – Actress: Maggie Smith, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Director: John Schlesinger – Best Picture: Midnight Cowboy

Barbra Streisand congratulates John Wayne on his Oscar for “True Grit”

Maggie Smith in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”

TECHNOLOGY

TOYS

– Luna 17, first remote controlled rover,

Hot Wheels Track and Cars

launched by Russia to the moon

Chatty Cathy

– IBM introduces the “floppy” disc for storage

Frosty Snow Cone Maker

– Concorde 1st supersonic flight (700 mph)

Gigantor Robot

– First computer chess tournament

GI Joe Astronaut

– Apollo 13 mission to moon accident

NHL Table Hockey

– First jumbo jet: Boeing 747

Suzy Homemakers Super oven

– First artificial gene synthesized – The Chevrolet Vega and the Ford Pinto are introduced – Douglas Engelbart receives patent for first computer mouse (and yes, it was made of wood!)

NEWS: 1968-1969

– John Lennon and Yoko stage Bed-In for peace

– TET offensive by North Vietnamese and Viet

– Midnight Cowboy released with X rating

Cong forces – Eugene McCarthy loses Democratic presidential primary to LBJ by 230 votes – Assassination of Martin Luther King, April 4 – Anti-war protests at Columbia University – Assassination of Robert Kennedy, June 6 – Activists and police clash at Chicago Democratic convention – Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise gloved fists at summer Olympics – Astronauts Lovell, Anders, and Borman are the first humans to orbit moon – Stonewall riots – Moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin – 30,000 at “Rally for Decency” in Miami vs. Jim Morrison’s indecent exposure during concert

– Dr. Cooley implants first artificial heart – Manson murders – “Woodstock Music and Art Fair” – John Lennon returns OBE medal in protest of Vietnam War – FDA releases report that birth control pills are safe – 250,000 demonstrate against Vietnam War in Washington, D.C. – Alcatraz occupied by a group of American Indians – My Lai massacre – Two members of Black Panther party murdered

by Chicago police – 50 million watch Tiny Tim’s marriage on Johnny Carson show

JANUARY–JUNE 1970 – UCLA fires Angela Davis for being a Communist – Liberian tanker spills up to 100,000 gal crude oil into English Channel – Nightclub fire in Grenoble kills 142 – California adopts “no fault” divorce – First NY Marathon – Chicago 7 acquitted – Members of NOW demand attention at U.S. Senate gallery for the Equal Rights Amendment – Feminists sit-in at Ladies Home Journal protesting exploitation of women – Women’s Strike Day in NYC – Kate Millett’s book “Sexual Politics” published – May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guard moved in on rioting students at Kent State University. Four people were killed and 11 wounded.

– First Women’s Studies Department: San Diego State University – Riots in Belfast – Nixon signs bill limiting cigarette ads – US invades Cambodia: April 1970 – 100,000 people demonstrate in Washington, D.C. – Voting age lowered to 18 – Members of the Penn community organized the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 in Philadelphia – Race Riots in Augusta, Georgia: Six blacks killed – Environmental Protection Agency begins operation – First woman jockey competes at Kentucky Derby – International Olympic committee votes to expel South Africa – The U.S. gets its first female generals: Anna Mae Hayes and Elizabeth P. Hoisington

LIFE Magazine’s May 15, 1970 cover depicting the Kent State shootings.

Did You Know?

We are an incredibly accomplished group of individuals. Our class includes dedicated volunteers, published writers, world travelers, political activists, singers, actors, artists, gardeners, skiers, tennis players, curlers, horseback riders, swimmers, golfers, tennis players, knitters, craftspeople, designers, lawyers, doctors, college professors, retailers, luxury travel advisors, sales reps, educators, military, and our ancestors were accomplished, too.

The original name given to Irwins in 1869 was “West Penn Square Seminary for Young Ladies.” In our grandmothers’ era, students called the school “Miss Irwins.”

The Agnes Irwin School was founded in 1869 by Miss Agnes Irwin, an accomplished educator, the first dean of Radcliffe College, and the great-great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin.

Becky English and Agnes Irwin share ancestry through their grandmothers. For Becky, it’s her “many, many greats” grandmother.

NASA astronaut Pete Conrad holding two moon rocks

John Tyler 10th President of the United States

Cary Olmstead’s great-great uncle was landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Wendy Griffin’s great-great-great grandfather was John Tyler, 10th President of the United States.

Patty Cauffman and her four sisters were on Family Feud in December, 1983 and won $10,415.

Patty’s uncle was astronaut Pete Conrad, third man to walk on the moon in the Apollo 12 mission, November 14, 1969.

Father of Susan Byrnes, Philip Livingston Byrnes Jr.’s construction company, built the Upper School building. Susan’s ancestor, Robert Livingston, was one of the five founding fathers who drafted the

Declaration of Independence. Philip Livingston, his cousin, was a signer. Robert swore in George Washington as the first U.S. President.

Nelson Shanks, who painted portraits of several presidents, also painted both of Ginger Nemir’s parents.

Vaunie Bell’s grandfather, John Cromwell Bell, Jr., was Attorney General, then became governor of Pennsylvania (for 17 days) then later was chosen as Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, making him the only person in Pennsylvania history to head all three branches of government. Vaunie’s great uncle was Bert Bell, first commissioner of the National Football League. At different times, he was co-owner of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Kate Bartol is a direct descendant of Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Alta Wister’s grandfather, Owen Wister, was the only man to attend The Agnes Irwin School. He must have learned a lot because he also wrote “The Virginian.”

The first person Lindsay Huffman ever kissed was Christopher Reeve (Superman).

Kate is a niece of Anne Farr Bartol, former Headmistress (1948-1962) Wendy’s aunt, Adele Sands, was also Headmistress (1981-1986) having been Middle School Head and then Associate Head (1965-1981).

Susan Pennock’s daughter is married to Lt. Commander Michael Mullen, son of now-retired Admiral Michael Mullen, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Admiral Mike,” served under Presidents George Bush, Jr. and Barack Obama, October 2007 to July 2011.

Lydia Biddle and Kathy Norris’s cousin is Sydney Biddle Barrows, the “Mayflower Madam.”

Other distinguished Biddle ancestors are too numerous to mention and a “tough act to follow,” says Lydia, but include: Nicholas Biddle, ancestor of Lydia Biddle and Kathy Norris, was founder and President of the Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia.

Lydia’s cousin Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr. was the U.S. Ambassador to seven countries.

Her great-great grandfather, Joseph Wharton, was founder of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Through Lydia’s mother, Mary Hopkins Biddle, she is a collateral descendant of Johns Hopkins, founder of the University and hospital of the same name in Baltimore and a direct descendant of Samuel Vaughan Merrick, who co-founded the Franklin Institute and was first President of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

John Cromwell Bell, Jr. Attorney General, Governor, Chief Justice

Samuel Vaughan Merrick Co-founder of the Franklin Institute and first President of the Pennsylvania Railroad

Candids

“ Thank you for letting me be myself�

Sly and the Family Stone

“ When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things — not the great occasions — that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness.”

Bob Hope

“ Always remember to slow down in life; live, breathe, and learn; take a look around you whenever you have time and never forget everything and every person that has the least place within your heart.�

Unknown

“ Everybody get together Try to love one another right now.”

The Youngbloods

“ The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.�

Elizabeth Foley

“ Never go to your high school reunion pregnant or they will think that is all you have done since you graduated.�

Erma Bombeck

Reunions

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35 Three Generations of Irwins Graduates

30 Two Generations of Irwins Graduates

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40 45

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50th Reunion The Class of 1970 Celebrates a Virtual 50th Reunion The Class of 1970 was determined to celebrate our 50th reunion, even if we could not meet in person due to the coronavirus.

On May 1, 2020, 37 classmates gathered online to share our personal stories from the past 50 years. Organized by Pam and Wendy, the two-hour event ended with a surprise finale. A five-minute slide show featuring photographs from our Irwin’s days, set to “In My Life” and “Here Comes the Sun,” brought both wide smiles and sentimental tears.

The Class of 1970 is looking forward to celebrating our 50th reunion in person in May, 2021.

Class of ’70 Gives Back Scholarship Fund

The Class of 1970 has established the Student Support Fund with donations from our class.

This fund will provide a partial scholarship for a deserving, academically qualified student who might not otherwise be able to attend The Agnes Irwin School.

Almondbury House

The Class of 1970 is proud to donate the painting pictured above, a work in progress by our classmate and talented artist Ginger Nemir Lukefahr.

This oil painting features Almondbury House at 672 Conestoga Road, built in 1911 for the Herbert Darlington family. The school purchased the property in 2015 and it is now used for meetings, events, and administrative offices.

This grand mansion is now known simply as “672.”

Originally called Isle Field, the three story mansion was designed by Horace Trumbauer, a prominent American architect of the Gilded Age. Trumbauer also designed the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Union League of Philadelphia, buildings at the Merion Cricket Club, and the Philadelphia Racquet Club.

150 Acts of Kindness Irwins Girls Live a Legacy

As we recognize our school’s 150-year history of empowering girls, we are involved in an historic campaign to engage students and our global network of alumnae in giving back. Students and alumnae are making a personal pledge to perform 150 acts of kindness—both small and large — during the anniversary year of 2020.

The Class of 1970 (the 100th Class) and The Class of 2020 (the 150th Class) joined together to make casseroles for the food insecure through St. Agnes Church.

Class of ’70 This list is in alphabetical order by maiden name and includes graduates and non-graduates.

The name in bold are those who submitted write-ups and photographs for this 50th Reunion Yearbook. There are classmates we were unable to find, and we wish them well.

Bunny Alcorn Ballantine Bettina Bailey Kate Bartol Stenson-Lunt Vaunie Bell Graulty Barbara Bell Shea Cookie Betner Benckert Brenda Lea Biddle Lydia Biddle Thomas Cissy Bowden Sullivan Liz Brand Susan Byrnes Coté Tillie Cauffman Brush Vicky Cox Barnett Nancy Decker Wenzler Becky English Kennedy Nancy Fay Betsy Foote Katie Fowle Griswold Kaye Ellen Gordon Rosenkranz Wendy Griffin Palmer Colleen Holt McCauley Burse Hook Holleran Peggy Howard Eastwood Jean Hubbard Barrows Lindsay Huffman Smith Lillibeth Johnson Monroe Candy Jones Dryfka Kelly Graves Anita Ketcham Lewicki Kate Ketchem

Susan Laws Sherry Lefevre Robin Leslie Chalk Caroline Lutton Nunez Nina Manganaro Watson Lee Mayer Kendrick Nancy Mitchell Pam Moyer Fernley Joan Mueller Nancy Mungall McDowell Sally Nassau Ginger Nemir Lukefahr Kathy Norris Cary Olmstead Poropatich Susie Pennock Hansell Amy Potter Hancock Susan Prince Jill Rawnsley Lisa Roberts Nancy Sanderson Anita Saville Carol Smith Linda Smith Unland Randy Taylor Craven Alix Toland Connie Weaver Pullen Alta Wister Hamilton Ellen Westbrook Kathy Worrell Williams

Joan Mueller Memories – Family-style hot lunches at the long tables and benches in the Lower School basement. (Sadly, I always had to bring a bag lunch.)

– Rest time and story in the Lower School garage – May Fairs — Weaving the May Pole and bringing home a gold fish or turtle (every year) for tossing a ping pong ball in a fish bowl.

– Mrs. Lennox played the Great Quillow in our 5th grade play of the same name. I was terrified of this very tall and important person until she donned a big do blond wig for the part.

– 8th grade production of Our Town, (I played Joe, the paper boy.)

– Miss Moss and starting a 7th (or 8th?) grade student periodical (led by Nancy, Brenda, Cary, Katie, Sherry — who am I forgetting?)

– Mrs. Stanley’s Latin classes – Lacrosse and hockey - Mrs. Laskey and Miss Crook (I was part of the class in the old, old days) and Modern dance in oh my gosh, leotards – The library as a refuge – My love of theater and words; writing and reading was born and nurtured at AIS. I still climb trees (as a nanny) and live with my spouse of some 40 years in our timber frame home that I designed and built in the1980s. Our two amazing children and their partners join us for family travel every couple of years. Sadly, we no longer backpack, preferring day hikes with limited steep inclines more to our knees’ liking.

Along with my four siblings and a slew of nieces and nephews and all of their children, I have the great good fortune to also have a warm and wonderful in-law family. I am part of an extensive clan which sustains me, which I cherish and delight in, and which gives me hope for our future.

I spent eight years building furniture and then taught woodworking in a Waldorf Elementary School before becoming a classroom teacher for the next 15 years. I continue to take on one or two woodworking projects a year. I have been a member

of our town’s school board and planning board for 20 some years. I am an active supporter of the Kakamega Orphan Care Centre in western Kenya, whose mission is to provide assistance in the form of direct sponsorship for food, clothing, shelter, and education for those children who are otherwise unable to attend school. I plan to travel back to Kakamega (my 5th visit) in May where I will spend time with a 23-year-old whom we have sponsored since he was seven.

I am excited for this opportunity to revisit this part of my past (my AIS years), picking up threads of those girls from my childhood which I dropped so long ago.

May the long time sun shine upon you All love surround you And the pure light within you Guide your way on — Old Irish Blessing

Alta Wister Hamilton Memories, Kindergarten – 9th Grade - Kindergarten in Wynnewood with Miss Amram - My best friend Mary McFarland and I loved the guinea pig - Loved painting — masterpiece in Lucetta Sharp’s office - Dodge ball on the lower school tennis courts - Piglet in the 4th grade play - Loved hockey and lacrosse - Glee Club - Friends After AIS - Graduated from American University 1974 - Travel agent for a few years - Worked for an interior designer - Started my own business called “Alta Interiors” - Married and had two children - Remarried 2003 to my college sweetheart and gained four step-children, making “The Brady Bunch” - My greatest joys are family, friends, and being a grandmother - I'm passionate about golf, travel and taking photos along the way - On my bucket list, I would like to learn to play the ukulele; take painting classes, and travel the world.

“ No matter where you are on your journey, that’s exactly where you need to be. The next road is always ahead.”

Anita Ketcham Lewicki Memories Mrs. Lennox. She smiled at me and I smiled at her in Fourth grade, my first year at AIS, and she later told me how much that meant because it was the day that she was interviewing for the job as headmistress. I was glad to be in a class with girls. In my classes at Montgomery, boys far outnumbered the girls and I did not think much of them. I appreciate the fact that AIS made me a leader and that AIS gave me a life long love of learning. My grand-mother, Beatrice Wootton, b.1894, d.1994, told me several times that "No one can take education away from you." Despite working hard and little sleep, I enjoyed Bel Cantos, Glee Club and the Dance group under Mrs. Snyder so much. Nancy Mungall’s Dad helped us to sing at the Academy of Music. What a wonderful moment.

Crisp fall days, laughter in the halls, caring staff, uniforms measured to the right length, athletics, being able to take many years of Latin and French, being offered to use the computer as a shared event with other schools, the May Pole dancing in Lower School and the Lower School Fair, History, English, Math and Science.

After AIS After AIS I attended Connecticut College, William Smith College, and married Greg Lewicki in 1971 (we will be 50 years married next year). I worked for women’s issues as a member of NOW. I continued my education throughout my lifetime and became the Comptroller of our small family business manufacturing heat treating furnaces and kilns.

Greg and I had two sons, Eric and Greg, and we volunteered at their school, Episcopal Academy, for many years. Both sons graduated in 1990 and 1992.

Sadly, Eric passed away in 1990, one week before matriculating at Boston University. Our son Greg went on to earn a degree from Middlebury College and a Masters degree from Columbia University.

He is married and the father of six-year old Eva Shae who is the light in our lives.

“The only constant is change.”

Anita Saville Memories Challenging academic opportunities like the senior Core program. Leadership opportunities, like Glee Club president. A mentoring program for lowincome elementary students. Profound respect for the potential of young women. Unlimited expectations for our individual success. These are the gifts I enjoyed from my time at Irwins that underpin the many adventures I’ve had in the past 50 years.

After AIS – Completed a bachelor’s degree in history and education from Penn State and a master’s degree in journalism and political science from the University of Maryland – Taught English, social studies, and civics to junior high school students in Maryland – Written for a variety of business organizations in DC and Boston – Launched a communications firm specializing in technology, finance, and investment strategies for women – Founded Budget Buddies — an award-winning nonprofit that provides financial coaching to lowincome women and teen girls – Supported other initiatives to further women’s economic and political success – from the Equal Rights Amendment to the protection of abortion rights and marriage equality – Worked to increase the number of women elected to local, state, and national government Since stepping down as Executive Director of Budget Buddies in July 2019, I now volunteer with other organizations that promote financial literacy and continue to support women candidates. I am grateful to also have more time for my other passions — which include gardening, yoga singing, my wife Emily, and our cats Ricky and Lucy.

Barbara Bell Shea I was at Agnes Irwin for six years. It was an intimate class of 33 girls where I felt secure and made good friends. I loved drama club where I was always the production manager having no talent but loving the theater. I was definitely a nerd with an aptitude for math and science which was a problem in those days. I am extremely jealous when I see the opportunities afforded the girls there today.

I left the all-girl Irwins to enroll at Princeton University where I was in the second co-ed class, one of 200 women among 4000 men. It was quite the culture shock. I adjusted with only a few mishaps and ended up having the time of my life and meeting my future husband Jim. Upon graduation, he went to law school and I went to work for General Electric in their financial management training program. We got married in 1977 and moved to Baltimore. I proceeded to have four children in the 80s, get an MBA at night, and worked for an environmental company as controller. The fourth child convinced me I needed to take a step back and stay at home for a while. I took up gardening, golf, and nonprofit work. I even joined a garden club.

During the ensuing years I held various positions in the Garden Club of America which lead to an event that changed my life once again. The GCA was given $50 million to start a nonprofit to reforest Washington, D.C. I was made the founding president of the company Casey Trees and tasked with figuring out what came next. This was 2001.

Today, Casey Trees has 58 employees has planted 25,000 trees, runs a 728-acre farm with a 30,000tree organic nursery, advocates for tree protection and educates citizens on the importance of trees.

During the last 20 years I have also been involved with the Friends of the National Arboretum in D.C. It is a marvelous 450-acre research facility and public garden owned by the Department of Agriculture. I was chairman for four years and still serve on the board in a number of capacities. Despite the commute down I-95, I love both organizations and have had opportunities I never imagined.

On the home front, I garden on five acres, enjoy my sons and two grandsons, and try to take life as it comes. That includes my husband’s run for Governor of Maryland three years ago. (He did not win). I did not revisit Agnes Irwin until our 45th reunion. I could not believe the changes, all for the better. I look forward to our 50th.

“ What a long strange trip it’s been”

Becky English Kennedy Starting at Irwin’s in 7th grade was somewhat of a challenge, as I was overwhelmed with settling in with a group of girls who had already made lasting friendships. It was not long though before I felt quite comfortable and was soaking up every moment of life on Ithan Avenue. Five years flew by, and suddenly we were at Goodhart Hall. In hindsight, my Agnes Irwin journey was much too short, but many memories, impressions, and truths have traveled through life with me.

Here are some of the highlights: – The “longest” and most interesting trip(s): The many carpool trips with Ellen Gordon from Chester Springs and Birchrunville (which back then might as well have been Idaho) to the Paoli train station; – The biggest surprise: When Wendy Griffin would not let me wear my glasses to our sophomore dance; – The most interesting class: Studying the Magna Carta in Ms. Jenkins’ history class; she was so intimidating and intriguing — both at the same time; – The “course” that left the most lasting impression on me: The three-day Seminar for Youth on the Status of the Occupation of Household Employment; – The most impressive academic development (in retrospect): The CORE program, which was first implanted in its entirety with our senior class; – Proudest moment: Receiving an “A” in Miss Pease’s algebra class, after having failed the prior marking period; – The “happiest” moment: When I learned I was elected lacrosse captain for our senior year; – The moments that I feared the most: Inspection announcements during Assembly; – The second most fearful moment(s): Being called into Mrs. Lenox’s office, only to later realize that I welcomed the opportunities to spend time with her; – The classes requiring the most discipline: Mrs. Laskey’s marching classes;

– The two constants that have continued throughout my life: The hymns that we sang in Assembly later became my favorite hymns to sing in church, and my friendship with Sally Nassau; – The most valued part of my education: Learning to formulate and articulate a position.

After AIS In 1974, I graduated from Wells College with a BA in History. That was followed several years later by marriage to Daniel Kennedy. Over the next five years, we had two lovely daughters. We lived in various places, including Maryland, Texas, Utah, and then back to Pennsylvania. Now, I am settled in Vail, Colorado. Our oldest daughter Rebecca de Lorenzini, her husband Stefano, and daughter Maria (Mia) are in Pomona, CA. Our other daughter Meg Scully, her husband Ryan, and daughter Eva are in Vail, Colorado. At some point along the way, I began a 37-year insurance “career” in claims which focused mostly on civil rights, directors’ and officers’ liability, and employment practices.

I am now working part-time for the Town of Vail Municipal Court as the deputy clerk. The rest remains to be seen!

Elizabeth (Betsy) Foote I am looking forward to returning to Agnes Irwin for our 50th reunion — for me, it’s been 52 years since I left AIS, as I moved away from Philly in 1968, after 10th grade.

I finished secondary school at the Laurel School, much like AIS only bigger and in Cleveland, and then I studied social sciences, classics, food co-ops, music, movement politics, and my fellow - students at Oberlin College, which was a good fit for me.

I got my law degree at Harvard Law School, where I found a profession that has been a source of great satisfaction and interest to me for many years — lawyer and legal academic. After a few years clerking and practicing in Washington, D.C. in the 1980s, most of my legal career was spent on the teaching faculty of Boston College Law School, with short stints at nearby law schools and in England. My specialty has been the laws governing administrative agencies, with a focus on environmental law, so I work on a combination of constitutional law, federal statutes, and topics in public administration.

My “life in the law” ebbed and flowed with the needs of my family. Some years I worked less than others, yet, by and large, I stayed engaged throughout. I retired from teaching a couple of years ago. Since then, I have done pro bono work from time to time for a large environmental law nonprofit in New England, chiefly opposing federal

efforts to de-regulate environmental regulations.

Turning to family life, in 1983 I married a fellow law student, Howell Jackson, and so far, so good.

He’s been a faculty member at Harvard Law School for 30 years. Our two adult children gravitated to science and the great outdoors. Our son Henry is a civil engineer and tech guru who lives in Maine with his wife Rosy (a doctor), with woodlands, dogs, and beehives around them. Our Becca and her Nick are ocean scientists on the faculty at Rutgers U. and they feel at home in both New Jersey and the Arctic Circle. They are expecting their first child this Spring.

Howell and I have great fondness for Cambridge, England, and the university there, where we have lived for five or six semesters over the years, including a year with our children when they were young. Summers often take us to beautiful Castine, Maine. In my spare time, music has been an abiding interest of mine, including playing flute, though it seems I don’t ever get any better!

I’m very glad to be able to rejoin classmates who meant a lot to me when we were girls together at AIS. For me, those were years of strong friendships, personal growth, and a good deal of learning. I can’t wait to hear about everyone else. You are leading me back to the long and winding road!

" But they still lead me back, to the long and winding road." — The Beatles (1970)

Brenda Lea Biddle I begin with this, not because I am so much a fan of Borges, but because this expression of inter subjectivity sums up so well my sentiments in being asked to write something for this yearbook. I have edited the passage slightly.

“ I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the people that I have loved; all the cities I have visited.” ― Jorge Luis Borges Since I cannot possibly list all the writers that I have read or all the people that I have loved, I will start by mentioning a few places.

Places I have lived, in no particular order: In a roulette in a quince orchard on a communal farm in France, in a brick colonial in Westminster West, Vermont, in the basement of a health food store in Keene N.H., in a Brooklyn brownstone, in a shared apartment in Rome funded by the Partito Rifondazione Comunista, in an office on Fifth Ave, NYC where no one was supposed to live, in a tipi, in a three-story/ three-generation home in Sicily, in a stone cabin in the Larzac, France, in a dwelling that was once a cave in Matera, Italy.

Now, I will mention very few of the people I have loved, starting at Agnes Irwin — the indomitable Miss Rieser, Bill Abernathy, and my partner in fun and crime, Nancy Mitchell, among so many others.

It is astounding what a good education we got at Irwin’s and I credit that to the superb faculty. Our seventh grade foreign food feast actually set the stage for my later work as a cook, caterer, chef and private chef, and then later as an anthropologist of food. The CORE program convinced me that interdisciplinary studies were the very best kind and although I now teach anthropology, novels,

films, and photo essays are thrown into the pot, as is a dash of agro ecology and a generous portion of political economy. In my world, we can’t talk about food without also considering hunger.

The stars of my life have been my three daughters: Madeleine, Sophie, and Florence, and my four grandchildren: Charlie, Sylvan, Azro, and Otto. The first two live with their families in Vermont. Florence lives with her boyfriend here in Brooklyn and also upstate in their cabin. I could easily share hundreds of family photos. Sharing just a few is so much harder.

I still have a lot that I want to accomplish in life.

Please wish me the strength to do so. This past fall I took my bodhissatva vows, also known as taking the precepts, at the Brooklyn Zen Center where I am part of a wonderful and diverse sangha.

Colleen Holt McCauley After graduating from Vassar in 1974, took a job in John Heinz’s campaign for U.S. Senate in 1976.

When he won, was offered a job working on his Senate staff in D.C. and moved there in 1977.

Started Law School and graduated in 1983.

Passed the Bar exam in Pennsylvania in 1983 and moved home to Rose Lane, Haverford, where my Mother was still living. I clerked for a federal bankruptcy judge from 1983 to 1986, then worked in a Philadelphia law firm in the insolvency/ bankruptcy department for many years. I continue to practice law and no longer practice bankruptcy, but act as an arbitrator in Chester County and a non-profit attorney, after sitting on the Boards of many non-profits, including The Colonial Dames of America, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, Appleford, the Philadelphia Charity Ball, and The Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust. I am once again the President of Chapter II of The Colonial Dames of America, which used to maintain Lemon Hill. We provide scholarships to graduate students in historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania.

Met my husband Sean, and married in 1989. We adopted our daughter Laura at age three months from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1993. She is an opera singer with a Master’s degree in Opera.

We had our second daughter Courtney in 1995. She is an investment banker working for J.P. Morgan in New York. We moved to Wayne, Tredyffrin Township, in 1996.

I have been actively involved in the preservation of historic sites, including Stenton in Germantown and Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park, through the Colonial Dames. My Quaker ancestor settled in West New Jersey in the 1660s. Following my Mother’s genealogy and membership in the CDA, I joined the CDA first, then later the NSCDA on Latimer Street in Philadelphia. I love history and wish I had become a curator or director of a historic site. Antiques are my passion and I belong to an Antiques Study Group and have many collections, always seeking the next thrill at an auction, flea market, antique show, or consignment shop.

I continue to love horses, although I stopped riding. We are active members of Radnor Hunt and Ardrossan Beagles. I helped organize a fundraiser for Main Line Rescue in 2000 and adopted three rescue dogs, bringing the total to five dogs at one time. Right now, we have a Portuguese Water Dog, having lost our beagle, Bullitt, in December at age 15 ½.

I have very fond memories of my years at AIS and especially remember Mrs. Lenox, Mrs. Sands, Mrs. Carter, and Madame Knauer (what better French teacher?)! I remember sitting in Mrs. Lenox’s office for her Modern Drama Class, which was one of my favorites, reading the plays of Eugene O’Neill. I also loved being in Our Town at Episcopal Academy my junior year and made many long-term friends in the cast. I am still in touch with many of them. Our life is blessed with two wonderful daughters, neither of whom are married yet. Meanwhile, I continue to volunteer my time and legal skills whenever needed.

Ginger Nemir Lukefahr Besides my supportive and loving parents, AIS has been the biggest influence on my life. The liberal arts education, sports, modern dance, singing in the choir, the Bel Cantos and working on the WICK newspaper were all valuable opportunities for learning, working together, making Best friends for life.

A major event, facilitated by Mrs. Carter, was singing Carmina Burana along with the Princeton choir at AIS. Playing lacrosse with the best lacrosse players ever and beating Baldwin was always a good time. Reading T.S. Eliot and plays by Thornton Wilder and Tennessee Williams with Mrs. Lenox expanded my love of literature. The Peloponnesian Wars came alive with Ms. Jenkins. Latin, French, chemistry and geometry were a few of many subjects that shaped my life at AIS and influence me today.

After AIS, I received a BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University. Here is a happy picture with my sweet parents and me at my Ohio Wesleyan Graduation in 1974. I thought I would be a medical illustrator but Surprise… God had other plans. I met my husbandto- be, Jim Lukefahr, and we were married a few days after his graduation from medical school. We have loved 41 years together and hope for many more.

During the time we raised our family, I received my teaching certification in art education at Tx A&M University- Corpus Christi and taught in a public elementary school in Bacliff, TX and in San Antonio, TX for a total of 12 years. We have four loving and smart adult children who have their own families. This is a picture of the children in their late teens and early 20s, Jim and me. Currently, Helen is a Physician Assistant for a clinic that serves the underserved in intercity Richmond, VA. Catherine is director of finance for a mental health case management company in Houston, TX. Nathaniel is a technical writer for an oil and gas services company in Houston. Joseph is the IT director for a medium size manufacturing company in York, PA. I have six beautiful grandchildren who

bring great joy; Luke (9), Caroline (7), Elizabeth (7), Joseph Pratt (6), Charlotte (5), April (20mos.). Here is a picture of our family “on the wall” in front of our home in San Antonio, Christmas 2015.

I love art. It has been a constant in my life and I have my mom and grandmother to thank for their inspiration and teaching. Playing the piano, painting and drawing are my passions. My favorite subjects to paint are the grandchildren. Here is a current photo of our family celebrating Jim’s 65th birthday in Wimberley, TX July, 2109.

The challenges and sad parts come with the loss of my loving father Paul Nemir, MD in 1999, and of my gorgeous, artistic mother Helen Pratt, in 2009.

More challenges come with the loss of my dear inlaws, Maurice Lukefahr, entomologist, in 2002 and Nancy Lukefahr, mother of six and teacher, in 2016.

Paula and Helen, my sisters, and I live far apart. It is truly a blessing that we continue to stay in contact with each other.

I am grateful and humbled by God’s presence in my life and by my truly amazing AIS friends who have stood by me and been a huge support to me over the past 50 years!

Go Owls!

Kate Ketchem Lot’s happened in 50 years.

AIS prepared me for next step to Guilford College for 2 years. On to a year at Tyler School of Art in Rome and finishing up at Tyler in Elkins Park with a BFA major in Printmaking.

I returned to Pittsburgh where my parents lived and started working in the Display Department at Gimbels. After a couple of years, I moved on to be the Window Designer at May Company Flagship in Cleveland Ohio.

Always wanting to be back on the East Coast moved the NJ and worked for Bamberger’s. Met my future husband Michael Wu in SOHO where he had a renovated a loft on Mercer Street.

Did a stint as Visual Manger at the Cherry Hill Bamberger’s and lived in a Trinity House in Queen Village getting the real old Philadelphia experience. This proved to be a lovely place for Mike and me to meet-up on weekends. Also attended some house parties at Laura Taylor’s AIS class of ? We met some lifelong friends during these fun weekends. Attending Radnor Hunt Races and Blue Hill Troupe Gilbert and Sullivan shows.

We got married 1985 and settled in our 140-year-old Farm House that we have renovated in Locust NJ. Had 2 daughters Mercer 1986 and Madison 1988.

Was Visual Merchandising Manager on and off at stores for Bamberger’s-Macy*s-A&S. In the 90’s started working for a company that designed and manufactured Holiday Decor for Retail Display. After several mergers and company changes. I am still at it, selling a territory covering East Coast extending South to Virginia and North to Eastern Canada.

I am currently with Bernstein Display selling Mannequins and Fabrics to retailers across the country. I travel from New Jersey via high speed ferry daily into New York with an office in Chelsea.

Love traveling with friends and family.

We have been skiing often with friends in Switzerland and the girls in Colorado. Always

enjoying the Art and Architecture wherever we go.

Since my parents retired to Camden, South Carolina we spent many Holidays with them there as well as side trips to Kiawah Island and Charleston.

My brother Worth and his wife Terry live in Charleston now, so we visit often.

Living on the Jersey Shore no need to travel far to enjoy the summer at the beach.

Mike has his Architecture Office in are home and continues to do Single Family Customs homes.

I have enjoyed working with Monmouth Conservation Foundation raising money to Save Open Space in Monmouth County.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

“ Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier” — Colin Powell

Linda Kelly Graves The fact that it's been 50 years since we graduated is mind boggling. I am happy to say that I have remained in touch with many of my closest friends from Irwin’s, see others periodically and so look forward to seeing other classmates at reunion. We traveled our formative years together and we always will be bonded by that journey. I was “sent” to AIS in 7th grade, I don’t remember it being something I wanted necessarily or “chose,” but hey, not having to decide what to wear everyday was a big plus!

Little did I know what a foundation I was given, despite my general lack of interest in academics at the time. I could not see the gift until I left and was presented with a new environment and new academic challenges. AIS taught me so much, on so many levels and I “never felt a thing!” I will be ever grateful to my parents for putting me in an educational environment where “the bar” was set high and the school saw the potential in me that I didn’t see. So, what have I been up to these past 50 years, you ask…?

The 1970s From AIS, I went to Colby Junior College (now Colby-Sawyer College) in New London, NH, with Lydia Biddle and Kathy Norris. At Colby, I found my self confidence academically and as an individual. I was elected President of the Student Government my second year there (twoyear college at that time), then was awarded The Graduate Award the following year. From Colby I transferred to the University of VT, graduating in 1974 with a BA in theatre arts. Along the way, I had turned to Anne Lenox for guidance as to whether to complete my degree or seek another path.

Our conversations led me to apply to the USMC Officer Candidate School and to being accepted.

The summer between my junior and senior year of college found me arriving in Quantico, VA to attend OCS. Much to my delight, who arrived there too? Susan Byrnes and her college roommate! Were we glad to see each other! Over the course of the next eight weeks, we learned to march (thank you,

middle school demonstrations), learned about aspects of the USMC, learned to make a tight bunk and buff floors among other things! I also learned that a career in the USMC was not going to be for me and resigned from the program after six weeks.

After graduation from college, I decided I wanted to be in a “helping profession”, hopefully nursing. I moved to New Haven, CT to work as a medical assistant to see if the field of nursing would be right for me. It would be and has been.

After 2 years in New Haven, I moved home and started nursing school at Thomas Jefferson School of Nursing. While working at Yale, a recent grad, was admitted to my unit to finish his recovery from his “fall” from his fourth story dorm window on graduation night. Thus, I met, Robert Graves, my future husband, on his 21st birthday with his two broken wrists, hairline fracture of his hip,

bloodshot eyes, jaw “wired shut” with rubber bands.

I was smitten. Known to friends as “Digger,” he was headed to Penn for architecture graduate school that fall. When I started school back in Philly, a year later, we got together for a drink. The rest is history. We married in June 1979.

While at nursing school, in 1978, not quite over having left the Marines, I decided to join the Army Nurse Corps, to avoid getting into a “rut” by staying in Philadelphia. I was commissioned a 2LT upon graduation. My first assignment was at Ft. Lewis, WA. Digger, having just graduated from Penn, joined me there and started his first job as an architect.

“ Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends."

— H. Jackson Browne, Jr.

The 1980s I spent a total of seven years on active duty as an Army nurse. I left in 1985 to attend graduate school at Penn to become a Nurse Midwife (the Army had trained me to be an OB-GYN Nurse Practitioner).

While in grad school, I joined the Army Reserves and served another 10 years. I retired from service in 1995 and now collect a “pension” each month from the government for my service. I still believe that joining the Army Nurse Corps was one of the best decisions of my life.

Digger and I were blessed with the birth of our son, Robert B. Graves, Jr, in September 1984 — he is known as “Robin” (pun on “robbing graves, since his dad is “digger). Robin in now a Major in the US Army (Field Artillery branch), following in not only his mother’s footsteps, but his paternal family heritage of serving in the Army dating back to before the Civil War. Robin is married to Abby, who works in the editing/publishing world

(could have used her for those Core papers). They have two wonderful sons: Tommy, five, and Henry, almost four. Robin is a graduate of The Haverford School where he was friends with Pam Moyer’s sons. He attended the University of Richmond on a ROTC scholarship. Our daughter, Kathryn, was born in January 1988. She attended AIS and like me, was not so anxious to embrace the academic challenges offered. She was grateful, ultimately, that she attended and for the foundation she received there. Kathryn was married in October 2019 to her longtime boyfriend, Patrick, whom she met while attending Syracuse, where she majored in Stage Management. Kat and Pat, live in Queens, NY. Kat has used her Stage Management skills in being the production manager/coordinator for Superfly which is an experiential marketing, event planning company. Superfly has produced music festivals such as Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Kat works on the production of video gaming “festivals” that are held internationally. The job has taken her to Poland, Australia and China each year.

Her husband is the post-production manager of the TV show “Say Yes to the Dress,” overseeing the final editing of the program!

The 90s and Beyond Since 1992, I have worked as a nurse practitioner in the field of infertility. Yes, I am still workingnow four days a week and am looking hungrily at retirement.

I have been blessed with wonderful friends and coworkers through my years of work and life and that has been the greatest gift of all. My family, and extended family have been blessed with good health and longevity. There have been the ups and downs that come with Life, but I have been made stronger, wiser, more resilient, and more grateful, for they all have enriched my life.

So, 50 wonderful years have passed in a blink of an eye. I look forward to the next 50. (Just want to see if you are paying attention — but who knows?) I am thankful to all of you and for Irwin’s for helping

“launch” me into the life I have led to this point.

Thank you all, for your years of friendship-whether from near or from far. It’s been great, now on to the next chapter!

Nancy Mitchell AIS Memories – I look back with a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. Grateful for the excellent education and for wonderful friends. Embarrassed by my arrogance.

– Miss Reiser, who bucked every Agnes Irwin norm and challenged me to act. And Mrs Vickers, Miss Moss, and Mrs Trickey, all of whom delighted in the English language. And Miss Jenkins, who knew I would be a historian more than a decade before I did.

– Dancing around the maypole in Lower School, then, in 10th grade, Mr. Abernathy pointing out its phallic symbolism.

– The smell and the excruciating embarrassment of the locker room – Going into Philadelphia on the bus at night to hear the orchestra – The cigarette smoke billowing out of the teachers’ room.

– The wonderful importance of friendship

life I expected. But that no longer surprises me.

What does surprise me is how happy this surprising life is.

Accomplishments, Joys, and Challenges Professionally, I am a professor of history at North Carolina State University, and I have written two books and a lot of articles. My most recent book, Jimmy Carter in Africa: Race & the Cold War, won several prizes, including one from the State Department for the best book about US diplomacy.

That made me happy, but my greatest joys come from the relationships in my life, with friends, loves, neighbors, pets, and plants.

The Past 50 Years What fascinates me, from this vantage of 50 years, is how much more complex social change is than I expected when I was a young idealist in school.

There have been changes, especially in gay rights and in conceptions of gender, but the problems that galvanized me when I was young — racism and inequality — have proven to be depressingly deeprooted.

Has my life turned out as I expected?

No. Not at all. Even though I considered myself a rebel in my last years at Irwins, at some level I expected a rather conventional life: marriage and children. I married young, at 21, to an Irishman, and the next day moved to Dublin (and later Cairo and Geneva). We were married for a decade, and I could not carry pregnancies to term. We divorced, and I moved back to the states. I regrouped. Got a PhD. Became a professor. I live alone. It is not the

Looking Back I took it for granted when I was at AIS. My gratitude has grown every year. I appreciate the enormous luxury of the solid, careful education I was given at Irwins. I am aware that I rely on it every day. That said, I believe in public education.

I choose to teach in a huge state, land grant university because I want — to the best of my ability — and to bring the rigor and dedication that I was lucky enough to receive at Irwins to a more diverse student body.

Kate Bartol Stenson-Lunt I cannot recall much from my AIS days cuz frankly I’m old and don’t remember much about anything.

But I do remember a few things: “ OH! You’re Vicky and MR and Blair Bartol’s sister!” God I hated that! They were such goodie goodies! NO!!! I’m Kate! I was of a different DNA. Looking for fun and just a little trouble. I found it.

I went to AIS from 1st- 10th grade. AND OH HOW I WANTED TO STAY. I Loved AIS- ( or “Aggies Dump”) as it was often referred to by some-snobs.

Haha.

Lower school was a blast. I loved my second grade teacher -? Mrs Hall ? and excelled at spelling bees and penmanship. The Maypole dance was a fantastic experience. I loved the lemons with holes and candy sticks in them for sucking up the juice.

4th grade was my academic high point as I got STRAIGHT VG’s! And E’s for-effort. It was all Downhill from there. Mrs Dunn in 5th grade scared the hell out of me. Don’t think I ever got to the “A” section thereafter.

I remember the Saddle shoes and the CONSTANT polishing every morning so as to pass inspections.

Rolling up my uniform immediately after so it’d be shorter and cooler. I believe they actually had us kneel on the floor and measuring. Didn’t we have to wear bloomers??

Taking the train and the “ little bus” from Paoli to Villanova every day was such fun. Almost every station brought a new friend or cute boy from Haverford I wanted to flirt with. Wendy at Devon

was a high lite. Billy Gould. Hank Stevens. So cute.

So fun.

I love all the sports – except volleyball indoors on rainy days. . I was good at most but Lacrosse was my best. For some reason I loved the marching days. Such precision.

I remember loving and hating Wendy Griffin from the start. 6th grade I think. I wanted to cut off her perfect long blond braids while I sported a pixie ! But she was my bestie for a long time.

Best part is- she remains so. Susan is too -and she and Lindsay and Pam and Cookie-were the true troublemakers. But I think I missed the best years of THAT. Shit !

All in all I think I got a great education at AIS and was well prepared for college.

Since… Ive been married twice- live on Cape Cod- I have 2 beautiful and happy daughters- 4 adorable grandkids- unfortunately not too nearby -but a joy for me.

I became an OB-GYN nurse after college. Loved the career where I could be a nurse but NOT have to deal with sick people. LOL I Can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion.

PLEASE have name cards or I’m up the creek without a paddle. See you all soon.

Kathy Norris Memories, Kindergarten – 10th Grade – Started kindergarten in Wynnewood and rode the train to school – Was Christopher Robin in 4th grade play – Mayfair – Middle school class standing on chairs signing beagles song as teacher walks in – Dissecting pigs eyeballs and one ending up on the handle of the pencil sharpener – Enjoyed hockey, basketball and softball.

– Laskey & Crook – Putting poetry to the tune of the Mammas & the Pappas After AIS After graduation from Lake Forest College, Chicago, I spent six months in the desert working for Paolo Soleri working on an architectural project Four months in San Francisco.

Then, back to Philadelphia working in the arts — highlight was with Mr. Henry McIlhenny, who was Chairman of the Board at PMA and had a fabulous 19th c. art collection on Rittenhouse square.

I got involved with Young Friends of PMA and expanded my network of friends when living in town for 20 years.

I've been on the Board of The Andalusia Foundation and spent a few years in the corporate world with Airgas & Novacare. Back in the art world, I've been with MGA Partners architects in Philadelphia for the past 24 years as Office Manager.

I never married, but I have been blessed with six goddaughters.

Irwins gave the longline friendships for which I am eternaly grateful. We have supported each other through tough times all the while sharing many happy moments. AIS gave me a foundation to be responsible, to be a part of a team on the field and off.

Traveling the world with my camera has been most rewarding.

Katie Griswold Kaye Memories – Black leotards in the upstairs lobby space: modern dance with Mrs. Ross – Winning and losing student government elections, uniforms and saddle shoes – Being scared of Mme. Knauer… hating math… loving English and history – Struggles - Not as smart as the wiz-kids, not athletic, not popular with boys, not as rebellious as the rebels, just too boring… something I’ve been working on these past years!

After AIS 1970–72 — Trinity College, met my future husband Charles Griswold at “Skiing and Being,” a quintessentially 70’s semester program 1972–74 — Announced to my horrified father that I was transferring to UCLA to major in dance 1974–78 — Moved with Charles to D.C. where I taught and earned an MA in Performing Arts at American University. He taught philosophy, and we got married.

1974–1991 — Performed as a dancer and actress, taught dance and choreographed for student productions at Georgetown University. Amidst the ecstasy of performing and the agony of auditions, teaching was always a saving grace and hugely rewarding.

Family Our treasured daughters - Lisa born in 1983; Caroline in 1987. Lisa teaches English to middle school girls, and Caroline, a former professional dancer, works at a non-profit that supports teen parents in earning their college degrees and starting careers.

Sisters Julie and Mary continue as musicians and have also become psychotherapists. Lots of psychological self-excavation going on in our family. :) Dad sadly passed away at 84. Mom blessedly continues to blossom at 93. She is spunky, loving, devoted to serving others and has become a role model for all of us!

After 26 years together, Charles and I separated in 2000 — an excruciating process for the kids (and us), but thankfully we remain good friends and our daughters love our new spouses. Before the split, we moved to Boston in 1991 where he was hired as chair of the philosophy department at Boston University.

1991–2003 — I continued performing as well as teaching dance/theatre at Wellesley College. But it was time for Chapter 2, and so I earned a M.Ed. in school counseling for the next phase.

2003 – 2018 — High School Counselor at Boston College High School, a Jesuit Catholic all-boys school, doing personal, academic and college counseling.

I accepted my first job offer never having met a teenage boy! However, these years were some of the most fulfilling and most fun of my life. In these goofy, sweet, vulnerable boys, I played a small role in shaping their characters into what Jesuits call, “men for others.” I worked with the theatre program, the diversity program and founded their first Gay Straight Alliance.

2018 — Retired and moved with my second husband, Larry Kaye, to the Raleigh-Durham area of N.C. He is a social psychologist who has become well-known for his work in business developing leadership programs and coaching executives.

Between us we have four children and four grandchildren. These little ones have melted my heart and I visit them constantly!

“ Life is humbling…”

— Me

Linda Unland As I began my 3rd iteration of this writing, it occurred to me that I would like to begin with where and how I am today and connect my path back to Irwins. Right now, I live in Driggs, Idaho with my husband, John, of 43 years. We live on 52 acres in the Teton Mountains in a yurt and a cabin along a creek bed brimming with owls, songbirds, other raptors, a herd of wintering elk some years, occasional moose, plentiful jackrabbits, coyotes, deer, grouse and Newfoundlands. Sadly, we are down to just one from three. We have a camp with two large platform tents that are furnished and set up for the summer until the snow flies in the fall.

Our town has a population of 1,000, and our Teton Valley has a population of 10,000 and 44 nonprofits. While we can walk out our door any day to ski, hike, bike, walk, kayak, bird, watch mountain sunrises and sunsets - and we do - it’s the sense of community here that inspires us, compels us and embraces us. We have found our home.

So, how did we get here? Over many years, we found ourselves and our family gravitating more and more out west, first to Colorado, and finally, to Idaho. Although for years we lived in Washington, DC, New York and Philadelphia, our family ethos became ingrained in the west. We have two wonderful sons - Logan and Tyler - who now live where their careers have taken them - New York for Logan (and his fantastic wife, Serena Wolf) where he is a partner in a hedgefund, and LA for Tyler who is in the music recording and engineering industry, working at Paramount Studios. The west is our common meeting ground.

Before leaving the east, I got my Master’s in Environmental Education, we raised our boys, and I had my own advertising sales business, in which I represented outdoor and environmentally oriented magazines, such as Outside, Audubon an outdoor trade magazine and several others.

Meanwhile, John had a marketing strategy firm, and his first client was WL Gore, the makers of Gore-Tex, where he worked with them to develop their consumer market positioning. We both began

our careers in Washington, DC and met as White House interns. For me, that was after attending Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. My summers were spent during college and during Irwins as a camp counselor in New Hampshire, where I discovered my love for the outdoors.

I’ve been reflecting on how my days at Irwins influenced me along this path I’ve followed....

Unequivocally, I chose Irwins. Irwins did not choose me - until my 3rd time applying for

admission - and even then, to be admitted, I had to repeat 10th grade, so I did. I was a latecomer to Irwins, and I was thrilled to be there - yes, to wear the uniform; play on the sports teams; make wonderful, new friends; to become involved on so many levels, especially including student government; even to launch me into a lifelong love of classical music and Spanish. I loved it all at the time. I know that my experience there enabled me to build confidence, become more self-aware and enabled me to find my “place”, much like I now feel where we live and how I felt during my summer camp experience. At Irwins, I learned to give to my school. My involvement in Student Government was perhaps where I learned this most. At the same time, I loved my friends and appreciated our loyalty and mutual support. I still do, though we are far apart. From this 3-year experience at Irwins, I learned that I could walk into any new situation in life and feel confident. That’s how I approached my first job in Washington and started my own business and even decided to get my

Master’s at 40. There is one thing I regret. During those years at Irwins, the social and political climate of our country was raw. I know I was in my own glass bubble at Irwins. To this day, I want to acknowledge and thank our classmates who were so socially and politically aware. I feel that they brought these issues to the forefront and to all of us. As a result of the first Earth Day in 1970, that is how I have circled back in my life to environmental activism. I also must admit that over these 50 years, I have stayed in touch with friends from Irwins, but when talking about my high school years with others, I’ve not often admitted that I went to Irwins, a preppy, main line Philadelphia girls’ school. But you know, I did go to Irwins, I did love it at the time, and it was pivotal for me in navigating the rest of my life. I am ready to celebrate our 50th reunion with all of our wonderful classmates!

There is an important piece of my life that I haven’t mentioned. That is my sweet husband and soulmate’s stroke in 2007 at age 54. To say that it changed and rocked our world in a millisecond is an understatement. John was completely paralyzed on his left side and had to learn to walk, talk, tie his shoes, tell time and completely restructure his life.

As did we both. He was in the hospital in Boulder,

Colorado for a month and out-patient rehab for a month. Over the next year, he had completely lost his business, and we had gone through most of our savings. And then the economy tanked, so we couldn’t sell any of the real estate we had. With incredible will and perseverance (and a fantastic financial planner), John has come through all of this amazingly. We have been a team all the way along, but his spirit and drive has been mystifying at times and always an inspiration. To see him today, you would never know, but there are daily reminders to us both and often great frustration sometimes still tying his shoes or typing an email.

We are so grateful for voice activated software!!

He has just completed a book, some days walks 9 miles or snowshoes 10 and is putting his energies and expertise into community projects. He, and I, would say that he/we have never been happier, even though some would say that he’s lost so much. He, instead, would say that he has gained more. How else can we approach life and the turns it takes?

Strength, fortitude, perseverance and love make this possible, traits we both learned in high school and traits we hope that we have passed on to our boys.

Lindsay Huffman Smith The unfinished and supercondensed history of Lindsay debrandt Huffman Healy Smith Chapter 1 Well I guess this chapter begins with me being born, and ends with me coming very reluctantly to AIS for a visit. Then, after a boring tour of the school, I ended up sitting at a desk with “I love the Beatles” carved into it, and decided that this was the perfect school for me!

Chapter 2 – Started at AIS in 7th grade. So many great memories. So many good friends.

– The silent gas experiment in Mrs Cooper’s 8th grade class causing most of us to leave the class room sputtering and gasping to sit in the hall, only to be told it was a ‘power of suggestion’ experiment – Mr Hutchinson and the infamous spitball...ahem...

Wendy – 9th grade Latin with Mr Paul- the bees, the crutches, the crooked glasses...

– Begging Mrs Carter to let me be in Glee Club, and basically being told that I would have to stand in the back and lip sync – Bringing my goat Penelope to our home games – Wearing thigh high boots as I pranced across the assembly room stage singing “these boots are made for walking” and being reminded of that

by Mrs Lenox years later as her finest memory of me..really??

Chapter 3 – Went to Mt Holyoke, and then to Sarah Lawrence College where I graduated with an MFA in Theatre, and taught there for 2 years while doing some shows off Broadway Chapter 4 – Got married, moved to North Carolina, and taught theatre at Brevard College – Had 4 children and moved to Montclair, NJ – Went into Real Estate – Got divorced

Chapter 5 – Married my high school sweetheart, Huddy Smith, from Haverford School – Moved back to PA and was lucky enough to reunite with my AIS classmates – Spent the last 25 years working with my husband in his business, fixing up our old stone farmhouse in Birchrunville, sailing the Chesapeake, and traveling – We had 25 great years together, but unfortunately Hud passed away this past October after a twoyear battle with cancer Chapter 6 – So, now as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, my next chapter begins….

– First up is selling my house and moving to something smaller – Spending time with my kids who live in NJ, Georgia, Florida, and Afghanistan (One married, and no grandchildren yet) – Visiting my 92 year old Mom who lives in Maryland – Traveling to Ireland, and Italy later this year Chapter 7 I’m actually hoping to write a few more chapters, but we’ll have to wait until our next reunion to see how they turn out!

“ I trust that everything happens for a reason, even if we’re not wise enough to see it.”

Nancy Mungall McDowell Memories – Singing with Mrs. Carter, Bel Cantos – “Sing we our song to thee, praise honor victory” Class Night – NOT having to wear saddle shoes ever again – Senior Assembly with my Dad doing “Side by Side” After AIS – Colby, then Penn (history), then Masters in English – Lived here for a while, then moved to New York City to work for J.P. Morgan — 18 years!

– Met my husband Peter “on the stage of a Gilbert and Sullivan group called The Blue Hill Troupe” – Married (LATE) and decided to have kids in my 40s (always a late bloomer!)

– Two kids, Tyler and Julia — both tall!

– Julia attended AIS from 4th grade to graduation.

She didn’t mind the white long dress — at least she didn’t have to wear gloves!

– Tyler at Middlebury. Julia at Tufts. College.

Tuition will end some day — maybe.

– Moved back to this area in 2001 to work at a private investment company. Still there — 18 years again! Title: President.

Greatest Joys & Passions – My family, my cat – Music, reading (I started a book club) – Friends — the old ones are the best!

– Exercising — always. “I hate the gym!”

– Rhode Island, where my soul is restored.

– My church, Main Line Unitarian Church, and its community

“ Listen, laugh, love, and live life to the fullest!!”

Pam Moyer Fernley Memories – M&M’s and onion dip at the hockey dinners – Reciting poems in Miss Farrar’s class with Kathy Norris – “Demonstration” in middle school – Polishing saddle shoes – Kate Bartol’s fun stories – Getting our skirts measured for the proper length – Ether in Miss Cooper’s class – Spitballs in Mr. Hutchinson’s class – Tumbling class with Wendy Griffin – Being at the Haverford School with Susan Byrnes – Singing in the car on Ithan Avenue – Infamous slumber party with Linda Smith and Wendy Griffin followed by breakfast with Dr. Smith – Being an alto in choir with Alta Wister – The Heart Program – Blue Team – Cities in Crisis class with Miss Jenkins – Term papers for the Core program – Mr. Paul & bees – Eyeballs on the pencil sharpener – Ginger Nemir’s indoor pool – Chinese fire drills with my VW – Spending the night at Lindsay Huffman’s house with Burse Hook – Winning hockey, basketball, and lacrosse games – Mrs. Laskey, Miss Crook, and Mrs. Keyser – Senior Assemblies – Cookie Betner’s parties – Father Devine’s – Bermuda trip with Vaunie Bell – Carmina Burana with Mrs. Carter – Cheers on the bus for away games – Laughter and fun times with good friends...

Life After Irwin’s Life has been good for the last 50 years. After Irwin’s, I went to Syracuse University and majored in psychology and photojournalism. I have loved taking pictures since then and am so glad I had the opportunity to attend the Newhouse School of Communications.

In 1975, I married my high school sweetheart. You probably all remember Taylor Fernley. This July, we will have been married for 45 years! We have two boys who are 36 and 33. The oldest, Kyle, is married and has two daughters who are two years and 10 months, respectively. (We were quite surprised that he had girls because Taylor was one of five boys and we had two boys.) Kyle and Lauren live in Devon so we get to babysit quite often. Also, Kyle works with Taylor at Fernley & Fernley (a family association management company that has been in business for 134 years.) Kyle is the fifth generation. Our second son, Todd, lives in

Washington, D.C. He worked as a consultant in the White House helping out with cyber security. Now, he is in cyber security at the National Institute of Health.

I have had a checkered career in public relations, advertising, and college admissions, but I have finally found my true passion in travel.

Taylor and I celebrated our 40th anniversary in Africa and, when I returned from the trip, I decided that my mission was to allow one more person to experience what we had just experienced. So, I became a luxury travel advisor.

I am an independent contractor with Avenue Two Travel and plan trips all over the world. However, I have had the opportunity to become an African specialist with Abercrombie and Kent and I like planning trips to Africa the most. I work from home, but often go to the office in Villanova for meetings and to see suppliers. (As you can see, between Irwin’s and work, a good part of my life

has been spent in good old Villanova.)

I play tennis two to three times a week and have volunteered quite a bit over the years at the kids' schools, in the community, at church, and spent 20 years on the Women’s Committee of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Finally, I have to mention one more member of our family, Blizzard. She is a rescue dog who is part golden retriever and we think Great Dane.

She has eaten almost everything in our house. We almost gave her away because she was so bad, but got through the puppy stage, after almost five years, and now we love her to pieces.

We bought a 1790 farmhouse in Gladwyne and have lived there for 43 years. We put two additions

on the house and managed to stay married through both of them — quite an accomplishment!

When reflecting on Irwin’s, I have to say that I was naive and innocent and I applaud the big thinkers in our class who were socially and politically aware. They certainly made us cognizant of many important issues in life especially the need for peace, the environment, and race relations.

I am thankful for the solid foundation that Irwin’s gave me. I particularly like the fact that our teachers taught us to be strong, independent women. However, I think what I appreciate the most are my long lasting AIS friends. It is hard to believe that after 50 years, I feel connected to so many of you. We have helped each through difficult times and have celebrated the happy occasions. How lucky are we to have each other!

“ All You Need Is Love” — The Beatles

Cary Olmsted Poropatich I have immensely enjoyed my career as a pathologist and am still practicing at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Virginia. I graduated from Villanova University. After some indecision about what I wanted to do with my life, I became a medical technologist and eventually attended Penn State Medical School. I moved to Washington, D.C., where my husband was serving in the Army as a pulmonary physician. I was in the Army reserves for six years. We have been living in the D.C. area during his entire Army career, and we raised our two children, Kate and Kurt here. Kate has followed in my footsteps and is a pathologist in Houston.

Kurt is an engineer specializing in energy projects and lives in D.C. My husband and I have a goal to visit all the National Parks and we are almost there. We enjoy hiking together as well as traveling frequently to Croatia where his family originated. We also enjoy skiing and cooking together. We are looking forward to retirement but are enjoying our work.

When my parents were still living in Villanova, I enjoyed driving by AIS when visiting them and was amazed at how it has grown in size. I fondly remember the lower school building, which seemed so big to me, and watching the middle and upper school being built. When we finally started upper school, I realized my favorite courses were in science, and I was so happy that physics and chemistry, in addition to biology, were available. I knew that English and history were not my strong points. Although I found the sciences challenging in college, AIS prepared me very well for English and history, which I found to be very easy and my grades were much better!

I will be out of the country for the reunion but please send my best to all who attend. We still go to Basin Harbor Club occasionally, so perhaps we will see each other again.

Cookie Betner Benckert I came to Irwins in 8th grade after grade school at Shipley. After high school, I attended Roanoke College and ultimately graduated from Rider University. The advantage of a great education allowed me to discover my strengths and led me to a successful career and the sustainment of a very nice lifestyle, while maintaining a wonderful group of life-long friends!

I got married right after graduating from college, worked several years as an admin at Stouffers Bakery and then stayed home raising two boys, Rusty and Warren, who now live in Boston and Philadelphia, respectively. When it was time to go back to work, I interviewed for a job at a small leisure travel agency and was hired on the spot in a business about which I knew nothing whatsoever! I learned the business, top to bottom, and ultimately became part-owner, opening a corporate travel department which grew to over $3 million in volume. Along the way, I became interested in running meetings and corporate events for my clients, one of which was Airgas, a wonderful company based in Villanova.

Down the road, I parted ways with the travel agency and was hired by Airgas to run their travel

program and meetings and events. I studied for a year to get certified in meeting management and obtained my ‘CMP’/Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2000. I’m in my 22nd year with Airgas in a job that has taken me all over the United States, including Hawaii, plus Canada and the Caribbean, running meetings and events of all shapes and sizes. Some would call it a “dream job,” as I have managed gala events with large budgets which entailed renting amazing venues — to name a few — Marble House in Newport, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the New York and San Diego Yacht Clubs, Del Coronado Ballroom, for high-end events and black tie dinner dances for 350+ people, hiring entertainment including Lester Lanin Orchestras and City Rhythm Orchestra. I’ve done large receptions for 1,000+ in Orlando, San Antonio, Denver, and New Orleans, and worked and sailed with Dennis Connor of America’s Cup fame, arranging sailing events for clients and executives on America Cup boats in Newport, Rhode Island, and San Diego. I’ve sat in the green rooms with Vince Pappali, former PHILA Eagle and subject of the movie “Invincible,” and Jim Lovell, “Houston, we have a problem” having hired

them as keynote speakers for large meetings. I’ve had a firework show light up the sky from the docks of the Hyatt Chesapeake Bay, and hired members of The Four Tops to entertain clients at a Detroit reception. It’s been an amazing run and I’ve loved every minute. Running the company’s travel program is another large focus of my current job which entails a complex mix of contracting, managing, and decision making with the goal of showing continuous savings and efficiencies in all areas of corporate travel, with large interaction with travel industry professionals, and management teams in all divisions of Airgas.

On the personal side of the story, I remarried in 1999 after a divorce. I met my second husband Joe in Avalon at The Windrift beach bar — not exactly the place you meet a husband, but it worked! Joe retired from his IT career at Merck and Computer Science Corp several years ago and enjoys working at the ski resorts up here in the winter — Camelback and Jack Frost. We lived in Wayne until we decided it was time for a change of scene and built a house in Albrightsville, PA, in the Pocono Mountains. We love traveling and have been to a lot of amazing places including Alaska and several cruises to Europe — with more

to come. Boating is our #1 love! We keep an RV in Elkton, MD, where we have our boat and enjoy long days on the Chesapeake Bay, and evenings relaxing by our fire pit at the RV or dinner with friends at a small yacht club on the Northeast River. Colorado has a special place in our hearts and we go every year several times to Breckenridge, where we plan to spend a lot more time when we retire. We love the snow and enjoy all things winter — there is nothing better than a good snow storm! We have three adorable cats: Princess, Misty, and our newest kitten, Snickers — all rescued from the fate of being outdoor strays.

It’s been quite a ride ­— and it all started long ago in private school where the foundation was laid for a successful career and neverending friendships with a great group of smart, accomplished, beautiful friends.

Caroline Lutton Nunez Isn’t it strange when we think about how one choice can drastically change the course of our lives? I faced such a decision at age 17, toward the end of junior year. I could move to California with my mother, brother, and sister — start a new life with them and acquire a stepfather and two stepsisters who were both close to my age. Or, I could stay with my grandmother (Sarah Elizabeth Putnam Schroeder, class of 1910) and graduate with my AIS class.

Obviously, I chose the California adventure! I know that my life would be very, very different had I stayed in PA. What I remember about AIS is Mrs. Randolph helping me pull my biology grade up from an “F” to a “B!” I recall lazy Saturday afternoons with friends, listening to Beatles' records, and music with choir and Bel Cantos — so many things! Irwin’s helped me see the value of myself as a person and gave me unique experiences I could have gotten nowhere else.

What’s happened since then? A mere 50 years of experiences.

After my senior year at Santa Barbara High School, I attended Santa Barbara City College.

“Just” a community college, due to its location, it attracts top-notch people to teach there and is a great place to begin one’s higher education. Many students go on from there to four-year schools, including two of my friends, getting the first two years inexpensively.

At SBCC, I met Domingo Nuñez, and we married in 1973. Our daughter Anita (named for my two Anita friends from Irwin’s) was born the next year. We moved near City College, and we are still there! It’s a great location, and there are both ocean and mountain vistas.

We have two grandsons: Cadel, 19, and Declan, 14. Cadel (“CJ”) is a sophomore at Roanoke College in Virginia, and Declan (“Ducky”) is a freshman in high school.

Domingo retired in 2017, and I work as a pharmacy technician at CVS, less than a mile from

our home. Domingo has always loved to paint and draw, and now he has more time to do so! I still enjoy music, and I sing with a women’s a cappella quartet. We sing everything from spirituals to jazz to classical/sacred. We call ourselves “LUX.” I’m not ready to retire yet. I guess I’d say I reinvented myself seven years ago when I got my pharmacy technician license. I enjoy the work, but when I am ready to move on, I plan to make the next phase of my life the best yet!

"Chocolate is the only medicine."

Randy Taylor Craven Let’s start where we left off 50 years ago... Here I am with my old bomb on Graduation day in 1970!

One of my favorite stories (and there are too many!) was when I was determined to do better at French.

I figured if I took my portable Panasonic cassette tape recorder into French class (concealed in my book bag), I could switch it on during one of those tutorial filmstrips and record the lesson. Then, later at home, I could listen to it over and over again and hopefully cram some French into my mind! All worked well at first — just as planned! But, then Mme. Knauer noticed it and these best laid plans totally backfired! With fire in her eyes and bits of spit shot out from her teeth, she said “What are you doing? You are either a deaf-mute or a parasite de society! You choose!” Off I marched to Anne Lenox’s office thinking, given the choice, I would choose parasite de society! Yes — I got several detentions and stayed late on Friday afternoon to paint hockey balls down in the basement. Crewel punishment!

Lots of fond memories swirl around our sessions with Mr. Paul in Latin classes! Most of them are very well known! Ask me about bumble bees and perfume!

Today I enjoy Zentangle (a meditative art form), gardening, SoulCollage, playing my ukulele, traveling, the YMCA, and sharing moments with many circles of friends!

A few years back I tackled and won an annoying battle with breast cancer. Zentangle and a strong community of support helped me navigate that episode with flying colors and I am proud to report that, 6+ years out, I am still testing clean! Here’s to early detection with regular mammograms!

Playing ukulele with friends is a source of much delight! You just can’t help falling in love with the joyous tinkly tone of this tiny yet mighty instrument! I also reunited with Jolly Bailey within the ukulele community!

I still keep up with several AIS chums at our monthly “Succulent Wild Pink Flamingo” group, including Linda Kelly Graves, me, Nancy Fay, and

Sally Nassau! We get together with a few other gals to enjoy dinner and solve the world’s problems!

My husband Bill and I somehow managed to successfully raise two handsome sons, David and Dallas! Now it’s all about the Grands for us! We panic that Koral will all too soon be 21!

Pictured under “Happy Everything” are Joey and Nadia with their younger adoptive siblings Evan and May! Lots of joy going on in this bunch!

Last, but not least, is our little bundle of energy, Silas! Enough Granny-bragging!

Another way I keep busy is starting off most days at the YMCA where I participate in several Aquatic classes, as well as walking, bocce ball, pickle ball, and Senior Olympics!

We also get together for dinner every month!

Travel is also important to me. I love mixing and mingling with other cultures and learning over and over again that we are more alike than we are different. Some places I’ve been in the past few years are Cuba, Portugal, Ireland, South Africa, Panama, as well as many domestic locations and cruises.

A favorite memory — showering outdoors in South Africa with elephants and monkeys watching!

I am so grateful for my family and that I grew up in the 50s and 60s! AIS was enriching and fun! I will always hold dear my Blue & Gold comrades!

Don’t allow any moss to grow under your feet and always use sunscreen!

“ I am here ... until I’m not.”

Robin Leslie Chalk What could be a greater thing to have in common than attending Agnes Irwin during our formative years? I was there from 1st through 12th grade.

Though I didn’t have a career per se, looking back over my life I realize I used my Irwin’s education in opening a bookstore, homeschooling my children, helping found a private high school, tutoring children with learning struggles, and teaching the Bible at my parents’ retirement community.

Irwin’s taught me to love learning and to always be reading. I passed this on to my children, and six of my grandchildren are now homeschooled.

Life After Irwin’s – Attended Rochester and Bryn Mawr, and graduated from Kirkland (BA, psychology) 1974 – Opened The Mustard Seed bookstore 1975 – Married to John Chalk 1976-2003 (lost to cancer) – Four married children: Jennie (former teacher and now homeschooler), Miller (electrical engineer), Morgan (financial advisor), and Leslie (former psych nurse and present refugee aide in Greece) – 12 grandchildren and two on the way – Lived in Summit, NJ, 1976-79, Winston-Salem, NC, 1979-1991, and Atlanta 1991-present Besides loving to read, I enjoy watercolor painting and travel. Trips in the last decade include Budapest and Prague, South Africa twice (taught art to Zulu teenage orphans), Jordan, Israel, Nice and Madrid, China, Russia, and Greece.

But, my greatest joy is my family.

“ Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another “What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.”

— C. S. Lewis

Sarah Nassau I was deposited onto the doorstep of Irwin’s in 1963 and emerged from Goodhart Hall seven years later as a hopefully more educated specimen. All in all, I had a terrific experience. I cannot proclaim to have wrung out every last academic opportunity, but I did manage to leave with a curious mind and a few worthwhile morsels. Several have actually been handy along life’s path. Mrs. Hartman taught me the value of patience and good humor as she provided me with solo morning sessions, teaching me the hows and whys of math homework. Miss Jenkins called a halt to English history classes to teach outlining. Mme. Knauer crammed my head full of a fairly impressive array of vocabulary words. My astonished French business associates had no idea an American could know so many of their words. Finally, the most useful of all was Miss Pease’s insistence on defining ‘X’ for each and every problem. Her reasoning went something along the lines of how can you expect to solve the problem if you do not have a definition of what it is you are trying to solve. Let us just say this defining X biz has come into play on a frequent basis. There were many other great, dedicated teachers and I am grateful to all of them for the excellent foundation and love of learning that they managed to instilled in me.

After Irwins, I attended Wells College, graduating with a degree in Italian Studies. My first post-college job was working for the Italian Government in their NY Trade Office promoting Italian products for the U.S. market. After a few years, I decided I had enough of life in Manhattan and returned to the Philadelphia area. Three or four local stops later, I have ended up pretty much where I started — across the field from my childhood home. My next career step was into program management of large system integration projects — think air traffic control systems, industrial lighting systems, commercial banking systems, etc. I started with the planning, financial, and contractual aspects and eventually ended up as Program Director, responsible for the entire job

from engineering design through manufacturing and customer sign-off. This challenging work took me all over the world, including overseas assignments in Sweden and London. Upon leaving the corporate world, I worked for an antique dealer for several years. Now that was one fun job involving lots of American history and beautiful objects.

I decided at a relatively young age that life for me would be best flying solo. A major indulgence, if there ever was one. I have been extremely fortunate in having two nephews grow up next door and a sister-in-law and brother who were generous in sharing them. This has been supplemented by following Becky’s daughters to various continents to celebrate life events. Although that batch are now grown, I have a new set in my godson’s three children, aka the mini humans. He and his wife honored me by naming their first child after me. How can I not enjoy the next round of plays, recitals, Halloween parades, and some fantastic trips.

Let me finish by saying that putting this page together was more difficult than writing CORE papers. I have to thank my forever friends Becky and Kelly for encouraging me and prodding me along for a just-in-time completion.

Sherry Lefevre When I graduated from Princeton, I married Basim Musallam who taught Middle East History and was from Lebanon. I went to graduate school at Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature and he taught at Penn. When Basim was asked to be an adviser/moderator to a British television series, The Arabs, A Living History, I taught at Beirut University College for two years.

It was during the first years of the civil war. The Palestinian Sabra and Shatila camps were bombed, so too the Iraqi Embassy; there was constant fighting on the “Green Line.” I was young enough to think I was invincible and to find the conditions adventurous. Still I took away valuable insight into what it feels like to live where other countries have chosen to wage their wars.

The fighting finally caused an American evacuation and university closure, so I returned to the U.S. I abandoned my (very boring) dissertation and began to work on documentary films, as an editor and then producer. One of my films, King of The Junkmen, about homeless trash pickers, won first prize in the Philadelphia Film Festival.

In my early thirties, Basim accepted a position at Cambridge University, England. We bought a little medieval house in a village, but ultimately I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life there.

Basim continues to be my dearest friend.

In my early thirties, I had two children on my own through an arrangement with someone I was working with in film. To create a more child-friendly work-life, I re-entered the world of academics and became an Assistant Professor at The University of the Arts on Broad Street.

My position there was in the Writing for Film and Television Dept. which became the Creative Writing Department. I also “moonlighted” by teaching an 8:00 class every morning at The Community College of Philadelphia. For 34 years, my CCP students — often heading to work after class — have deepened my understanding of diverse life experiences. This continues to be so.

In 2018, I retired from teaching full-time at the

University of the Arts, though I still team-teach the Senior Portfolio Seminar in the Graphic Design Dept. And, I continue to teach two courses a semester at CCP. Over the years, I wrote books, a novel, Pencils Down, about a progressive school that goes to war with ETS; a work of creative non-fiction, The Heirloom House; a children’s book which I also illustrated, All Aboard Florida! For several years, I wrote a column for The Nantucket Chronicle about old houses on the island and a series on the workforce housing crisis there. Currently, I’m illustrating another children’s book I also wrote, on Matthias Baldwin’s first steam engine which was an amusement ride in Charles Wilson Peale’s Philadelphia Museum, housed on the second floor of Independence Hall.

My children Callie and Michael grew up, damn it. Callie practices international law in Washington D.C. She has worked twice for the UN, once in Senegal with The World Food Program and once in Lebanon with Syrian refugees as legal counsel with The High Commission for Refugees. Michael is Director of Operations for a high-speed passenger train in Florida called Brightline. As teenagers, they both had jobs as first person historical interpreters for Philadelphia’s Independence National Park (Callie was Betsy Ross). The city was a great village in which to raise kids.

Susan Pennock Hansell Memories Lower School: My favorite memory is Mayfair and the Maypole Dance. 4th graders were total celebrities.

Middle School: My favorite teachers ­— Mrs Jones for 6th grade homeroom and Social Studies; most patient teacher ever and a great confidence builder.

Miss Moss for 7th grade English; she gave us a book to read titled “The Other America,” JFK’s book on poverty in America. It made me think harder. Mrs. Laskey for PE; she was a drill sergeant who pushed hard to get our best effort. Mrs. Laskey conducted uniform inspections; we lined up and she inspected our fingernails to make sure they were clean, our shoes, to make sure they were polished, and our skirts to make sure they were not too short.

Upper School: My favorite activity was Drama Club with Miss Reiser. Miss Reiser was direct. She made it clear: if you were cast in the play, you better show up every Sunday afternoon for play practice, or else suffer dire consequences.

Other favorite teachers: Miss Jenkins and Mrs. Trickey, for their history and literature lectures, in the CORE program. They delivered their lectures with such passion. Miss Pease, for math. Miss Pease was fun. She sewed all her own clothes and supervised a sewing club. I remember sewing culotte skirts with Patty Cauffman and Miss Pease.

After AIS In 1974, soon after my college graduation, I moved from Lynchburg, Virginia, back to Philadelphia(Lafayette Hill). Even today, I miss the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I married and took a job at Aetna Life and Casualty in center city. I worked there until my son was born in 1978. My daughter was born in 1981. Knowing that I would return to work someday, I determined that rate calculating and underwriting insurance policies weren’t my “cup of tea.” Both of my children attended Penn Charter School. In her upper school

years, my daughter played hockey and lacrosse for PC, and it was nostalgic watching her play against AIS, on Irwin's playing fields.

As frequently is the case, life doesn’t go as planned. At 35, I went through a challenging divorce. I’d volunteered at Bryn Mawr Hospital while in the AIS upper school, and had enjoyed the work. I returned to school — this time nursing school. I had been an English major in college, and as an older learner, was nervous about successfully completing the heavy science courses, especially the required chemistry course. At a party, I ran into Sally Nassau who said to me, “You went to Irwins. You can do it.” She was right. For the next 25 years, I worked as a cardiac RN in the CCU and Telemetry units of Sacred Heart and Einstein Montgomery Hospitals.

I remarried in 1999, and my greatest joy today is spending time with my husband, children, and grandchildren. My son, his wife, and their daughter live in St. Davids. Elizabeth Shacklett, my granddaughter, is a 6th grader at AIS. Her favorite subjects are English with Mrs. Hahn, and math with Mrs. Connolly. She loves theater and music.

She is a competitive Irish dancer. Last winter, I enjoyed watching her compete in the Oireachtas All-Ireland competition in Killarney, Ireland.

My daughter lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two rambunctious toddlers, who love soccer and swimming. Though I don’t get much sleep when visiting, I LOVE to visit. I’m looking forward to a future of adventures with Gracie and Jamie, in a city that has so much to offer — especially during cherry blossom season.

My next greatest joy is spending time in a small New England village, Weekapaug, within the town of Westerly, R.I. In a world where many things are out of our control, this village remains a constant; my special, soothing place. My children and grandchildren visit in summer. Elizabeth manages her annual lemonade stand for charity.

We sail, swim, kayak, bike, and enjoy sparkling days together. What could be better?

“ The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails." — William Arthur Ward

Tillie Cauffman Brush Memories – Fingernail and collar inspection by Miss Laskey and Miss Crook – Taking the train to school – Coke and pretzels after athletic games – Waiting all year to see who won, Blue or Gold – Gold cording around our blazer senior year – Homeroom - always lots of good laughs – Visits to Mrs. Sands and Mrs Lenox — usually interim reports!

– The Bazaar – Morning Assembly - singing hymns – Lots of homework, especially junior and senior years – Heavy bookbags After AIS It’s amazing to me that 50 years have gone by so quickly.

I graduated from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. I met my husband Peter freshman year. We will be celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary in June 2020. We have been living in Larchmont, New York, for the past 40 years.

My retailing career started at Gimbels in Philadelphia. I continued with Gimbels in New York after marriage. I have spent the last 25 years working at Lynnens in Greenwich, Connecticut.

It is a luxury linen shop. I am winding down and working two days a week now. Peter is retired from the computer software industry.

Our greatest joy is our family. Peter Jr. and his wife Jacqui have two boys: Peter III (4 1/2) and Charlie (2 1/2) and are expecting their third child. Elizabeth and her husband Austin have two children: Serri (7 1/2) and Reeve (5). We are so fortunate that they live nearby. We are truly enjoying being grandparents and watching them grow up!

I also have an extensive family on the Main Line. They include four sisters and husbands, two brothers and wives, 14 nieces and nephews, and our 97-year-old Mother (Class of 1940). I am so lucky!

I feel that my time at AIS has given me the confidence, skills and drive to navigate the various roads of life. I am enjoying the time now to garden, go antiquing, sew, read, travel, babysit, and whatever else will be coming down our path.

Vaunie Bell Grautly In 1970, I moved away from Philadelphia for college and soon after, settled in New England, but I tried to keep in touch with a handful of classmates. Life was busy here in Massachusetts, but trips to see, and later to care for, family members brought me back. My Irwins friends were there for me when I needed them. It was always great fun to see them at our mini-reunions. I’m counting on these to continue FOREVER! I started at Irwins in 7th grade and graduated after 12th. Maybe memories of that time frame have stayed with me so vividly because I taught at a girls' school myself for 37 years. I have a soft spot in my heart for teenage girls — so much drama, so strong — and also vulnerable, such promise, and so much to sort out. 1964–1970 were impressionable and important years, not only for me personally as a teenager, muddling through adolescence, but for our country. What a decade!

As I look back, I now recognize the important influence of my classmates, even those who were not among my closest friends. I am grateful to ALL my classmates for their individuality and their talents. Your diversity and strengths helped me build an appreciation for difference and a hunger for justice. We did so much together: poetry club, class discussions, dance, drama, our yearbook, the newspaper … I learned to respect others whether or not we had the same ideas, skills, backgrounds, styles, intellects, personalities, likes, dislikes. At least I BEGAN to learn this, thanks to our class of strong individuals. Not that Irwins at the time was a very diverse place. I daresay our class was entirely made up of privileged white girls. Still, this was a beginning for me.

My unshakable foundation, both academic and personal, began at Irwins. I was appreciated as a thinker and student. The school gave me the chance to be an individual, to discover my talents and interests, to find my voice without boys to distract me (at least not in the school day!) or take all the leadership positions and steal the limelight.

Katie Fowle, Linda Unland, and I ran for president

of the school. Jean Hubbard was my campaign manager. Note: I worked on my speech while riding home on the bus from St. Paul’s School where I had gone to visit a boy for the weekend. Hmmmmmm...

Where were my priorities? I lost to my very deserving classmate, Linda.

I may not have been the most outspoken girl in my class, but I was determined NOT to go to an all girls college, contrary to Mrs. Woodward’s advice. She and Mrs. Lenox said I’d be better off at a female college like Vassar. Boy, did that make me mad! The school had instilled confidence in me, and I was going to make MY OWN choice. So I went off to newly coed Trinity College in Hartford.

I loved the intellectual stimulation at Trinity and made new friends in the Drama crowd, a very creative, funny, and free-spirited group. I played tennis at Trinity and actually played the role of a page boy in “The Devils of Loudon.” I had one foot in the fraternity world as well. Thank goodness, because that’s how I met my husband, Bill. He traveled down from Dartmouth and we fell in love

over the shrimp bowl at St. Anthony Hall. I married Bill a year and a half later.

As an Irwins alum and emerging young feminist, I didn’t expect to get married at age 19. In college, I recall being shocked and thrilled to hear Betty Friedan say “Women do not get orgasms from mopping floors!” but there it is. Bill and I never considered living together. We had fallen in love so getting married was the logical next step. We were terribly young, but fortunately we grew together instead of growing apart.

Bill and I built a wonderful life together and celebrated 46 years of marriage in June 2018, just four months before he died, way too young, at age 68. Our three children and their families are a source of great joy for me. Sarah will be married to Will Ikard in June of 2021, and they have made me step-grandmother to seven-year-old Islay. They

“ Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.”

— Oscar Wilde

live in Bath, Maine, so I am able to visit them quite often. I can also make road trips to see Sam and his wife Maddie who live in Jericho, Vermont. My other son Lyon and his wife Alice live in Austin and I am “Mimmy” to Josephine, aka Jojo, who is four. My trips to them are less frequent, but for the last few summers we have all been together for a magical vacation week, and all three families come to me for Christmas. I am proud that each of my kids works in their own way to make the world a better place.

My happiest times with Bill were on our sailboat, overnight cruising to Cuttyhunk, Block Island, Fisher’s Island, and other destinations in Narragansett and Cape Cod Bay. It was the one place I took orders from my husband, the captain!

Bill was also a curler and we were in a mixed league together. We also loved going to Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and other Berkshire venues. Early in our marriage, we bought and renovated a central chimney colonial built around 1840. Working on my current property and house, which we built in 1984, has been a constant and is now a source of comfort and joy for me.

My career has been in the field of Education. I received a Bachelor’s degree from Trinity, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Education and took advantage of the Twelve College Exchange program

by attending Dartmouth my junior year and Williams my senior year. What good fortune to have the opportunity to take courses at these schools! I remember the excitement I felt when we discussed the newly handed down 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in a pre-law class at Williams..

In 1978, while teaching full-time at Berkshire Country Day School, I earned my Masters in Educational Psychology. For a total of 45 years, I served as director of learning center programs.

Helping students with learning differences and working with their families has been hugely gratifying. At Miss Hall’s School, when real understanding of learning issues such as dyslexia was in its infancy, we started the Academic Skills Center, a model for other New England secondary schools. I grew and learned so much as a part of the MHS community. It’s an exceptional school.

(Ironically, I once went on a road trip to MHS with Mrs. Lenox who was on the Board at Miss Hall’s.

I had an old friend there and Mrs. Lenox wanted company, so I didn’t dare say no. Her opening words were, “If you smoke, go ahead!” Imagine that!)

My most meaningful volunteer work has been as president of the Boards of Pediatric Development

Center and Berkshire Center for Families and Children. Both support families and strive to make their lives better. I am a mentor for young women through Sisters for Peace and I currently sit on the Board of NEALS, Northeast Association of Learning Specialists.

It took me several years to decide, but I retired in 2018. I still miss the entire community, but I am having no trouble finding satisfying things to do. I get together with friends all the time. I play tennis on two teams. I write. I garden. I kayak. I sing in a chorus. I do yoga. I walk in the woods. I read and participate in a book group. I work on conservation projects. I ride my bike purely to feel the wind in my hair. I am a lector at my church and have been Senior Warden and Vestry member. I have started traveling and recently enjoyed trips to Spain and Croatia. I complain about the long New England winters, but I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

I make frequent road trips to see family, especially to Austin during late winter so I can escape the weather, but also to Maine and Vermont. As challenging as it is learning to live alone, life is good and I plan to live here in this house forever. I hope Irwins classmates will feel free to come visit.

I mean it!

Wendy Griffin Palmer Memories – Matching PINK staircases inside main entrance – Bridge and stream outside cafeteria, and the wonky lower field around said stream drain – Blue Team WON! – Trips to Hot Shoppes in hot rods (Cookie’s mainly) — and NO SMOKING on Ithan Avenue – Demonstration on Father’s Day in gym and many, many practices – Pam winning the Posture Cup in 8th grade and me being so jealous – Lasky, Crook, Keyser, Hoffman, and how they mocked our yearbook with their picture – Hiding in the closet in Mr. Hutchinson’s class and throwing a ginormous spitball that landed on the blackboard. And, I didn’t get into trouble!

Life After AIS – Met and married a lad from Norway the summer of freshman year at Bates College.

– Graduated Bates 1974 and moved to Rosemont, then Paoli, where my first two daughters, Kari and Sonia, were born 18 months apart.

– When Sonia was six weeks old, we followed husband’s job to Norway for one year, Qatar for four years and Singapore for three years, where my third daughter, Lise, was born.

– Back to the USA and Radnor in 1985, when Kari and Sonia enrolled at AIS (with help from Aunt Adele Sands who still was headmistress)

in first and second grades. Lise started at AIS in kindergarten. Kari and Sonia graduated from AIS and Lise switched to Episcopal Academy in 11th grade. That’s five generations of my family at AIS! – Starting in 1985, I began as Executive Director of the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center (now Legacy Youth Tennis and Education) and continued there for 16 years.

– Got divorced in 2004 and moved into the city.

– Got my Masters in Counseling from Villanova in 2005, and married my current husband, Russ Palmer, in 2006. Our “merger” gives us 16 grandchildren!

– 2002-2006: I started and ran a mentoring program pairing UPenn and Drexel students with juniors in a low-performing West Philly school (since closed) to help with college searches and applications.

– 2008: I co-founded the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, developing partnerships and initiatives with over 40 sport-based youth development organizations in Philly, the Department of Recreation, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Family Court. With a major grant, PYSC relaunched as its own nonprofit in 2015, now has a full-time staff of five, and continues to make ground-breaking strides with positive youth development through sports collaborations in Philadelphia.

– Now I’m retired and am having FUN!

“ It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson I dedicate this quote to the Spice Girls!

Lydia Biddle Thomas Through the Decades 1970 – 1979 – Colby Jr. College, AA, ’72 (with Linda Kelly and Kathy Norris) – Moved to New York City — it’s in my DNA now – Town & Country Magazine - Editorial – Vogue Magazine - Editorial – Yachting Magazine - Sales 1980- 1989 – Home Box Office - Sales – Married Stanley B. Thomas, 1986 – New York University, BBS, ’87 1990 – 1999 – Bank Street College, MS ’97 – The Harbor for Boys and Girls, teaching 2000 – 2009 – Remember Y2K! – Central Park Conservancy – Fundraising – American Museum of Natural History, Ornithology Volunteer to present day – On the Board of The Linnaean Society of New York to present day

2010 – 2020 – Started my own company: Power Thru The Clutter, LLC

Throughout the decades, I have been very fortunate to have traveled extensively around the world for business and pleasure. While my husband, my brother, and my parents have passed away during these decades, I have enjoyed spending time with my sisters and watching my nieces, nephew, stepchildren, and grandchildren grow and flourish.

I don’t feel my age! And, I'm thankful that my body still allows me to hike, kayak, sail, and snow-shoe!

“ Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one’s little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

—M ark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, 1869

Nancy Fay Since AIS – Worked at New Bolton Center, U of PA in conjunction with getting an AS in Animal Tech – Worked at/ran hunter/jumper boarding/training barns in Georgia, North Carolina, and PA – Worked as a wrangler on both George Washington movies filmed in Philadelphia, Valley Forge, and surrounding countryside – Photographed horse shows professionally from Florida to Vermont, as far west as Ohio – Worked as a Cancer Registrar, and then surgery scheduler, admitting registrar, facilities manager at Jersey Shore Medical Center – Worked as an Admin Assistant to the CIO at UHS in King of Prussia – Worked as a senior Pharmacy Consultant at Siemens Healthcare. Got to travel and see the country.

– Retired reluctantly in 2015!

– Family? Nope, just me and Chooch, my fourlegged Corgi roommate.

– Current passions are photography, announcing/ running local horse shows, and cruising — Alaska three times, Mexico (both east and west coasts), Caribbean, Northeast coast — nothing too far from home!

– Most recent joys are the use of my pictures on two CD covers and a DVD cover, as well as advertising and posters.

– Having a blast meeting up with my Wild Succulent Pink Flamingo AIS buds monthly — good for the soul!

“ Jane of all trades, master of none”

Bunny Alcorn Ballantine I live in southern New Hampshire with my husband in a small town, on a paved road near a lake. I work at Sophia’s Hearth, a Waldorf daycare in Keene, NH. I have four inspiring daughters!

Charlotte is about to begin residency as a doctor in internal medicine in New Mexico. Rachel is a social worker in Colorado. Lydia works at a science museum in Santa Barbara. Maysie works at a restaurant in New Hampshire.

Though I’ve worked with young children for years, I constantly bump into my shortcomings, challenges, etc. So that — and the purity of the little ones — keeps me on my toes.

I enjoy working outside, gardening, swimming, dancing, and music.

Those are the good bullet points; I won’t include the bad ones!

Burse Hook Holleran Favorite AIS Memories Gold Team, Bel Cantos, Lacrosse What I’ve Done Since AIS Hollins College, BA – Temple University MED Special Education I taught Special Education for 40 years and loved every minute of it!

Family Husband Kevin and our German Shepherd Violette, Shetland Sheepdog, Lorelai and cat, Huey Greatest Joys My family and volunteer work Current Passions Volunteering at Chester County Hospital and Penn Medicine Hospice with my therapy dog Violette, teaching special needs PREP students at St. Agnes in West Chester, and training our new puppy Lorelai for obedience trials and to become a therapy dog.

“ One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession.”

— Sophocles

Virgilia (Jill) Rawnsley Career Librarian, Archivist Enjoyments Photography, Art, Traveling, Walking, Reading

" Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

—M ary Oliver's poem, The Summer Day

Memories CORE of American Studies - loved the interdisciplinary approach; playing Maria Josefa in The House of Bernarda Alba by Garcia Lorca; when marching Mrs. Laskey saying “Rawnsley left, right;” eating orange slices during hockey and lacrosse games and the daily train rides to Villanova train station

I beg you, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them.

And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live into the answer.

— Rainer Maria Rilke, Letter to a Young Poet During the baptism service in the Book of Common Prayer there is a sentence that evokes what I feel was at the core of my Agnes Irwin education and I hope it was for all members of the class of 1970. I paraphrase: Give us an inquiring and discerning heart and mind, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to love, and the gift of joy and wonder.

" The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."

— Henry Miller, In Perspective

Susan Byrnes Cote Recollections (too many to list) – Throwing spitballs at the blackboard in Mr. Hutchinson’s science class with Wendy – Avoiding Ginger’s painful noogies – Hiding in the janitor’s closet across from the library – Writing notes about Haverford and Episcopal boys with Kate – Miss Pease’s sewing lessons – Miss Jenkin’s singing at assembly (and her brilliant lipstick) – Mme Knauer telling our class we should all be sterilized because we were so “stupide” – Cookie’s Black Hand – Pam’s gymnastic prowess – Cookie’s Mustang – Linda’s Baracuda, wished that Kathy and Alta hadn’t left – Radnor HS, etc.

I really could ramble on more. (Catch me in a few years and see how I get going.)

Accomplishments, Joys, and Challenges My accomplishments have been to raise two children who are responsible, functioning, and contributing members of society and, they are great parents, too. I can attribute these accomplishments to Irwins and my father.

My joy in life is the grandchildren, the four Bugs — what a crew!

Probably my three biggest challenges in life have been to survive a divorce after 30 years of marriage (I have a boyfriend now) and losing a few immediate family members in very short period of time.

Academics I learned the most from Miss Jenkins at AIS. She aroused my curiosity, encouraged critical thinking, and fostered a desire to learn and dissect historical issues. The skills I developed under her tutelage earned me the opportunity to work with Harold Weisburg, researching various aspects of the political assassinations of the 60s, including filing FOIA requests, and “sleuthing” for defense lawyers.

Even though I often dreaded Mme Knauer’s class, she more than prepared me for French following graduation.

Post Graduation After college, I worked in pharma and with medical devices.

Biggest Takeaway Many close friends made and kept; we are still in touch and will be forever. I still have a dear friend from Booth School (3rd grade) and I have maintained valuable friendships from The Haverford School.

I am looking forward to seeing EVERYONE at the reunion — catching up will be fun.

Amy Potter Hancock College Years I spent three years at Stetson University in Deland, Florida, where I majored in French. My senior year I spent in Neuchatel, Switzerland and received my Certificat d’Etudes Francais. French was always a passion when I was at AIS. Also, the travels to Europe with M Knauer inspired me to go back and live in a 100% French-speaking situation. Another passion at AIS was softball and all the fun times playing with my fellow AIS students! At Stetson, I continued to play softball and I still keep a few of my trophies around for my pitching finesse!

Post College: Part One I met my husband in college, George, and we got married fairly soon after my return from Europe.

We both were originally from Connecticut, so we set up roots here. I did not use my language degree, but went into the book business, working for Waldenbooks headquarters for 20+ years. It was a wonderful time of life, working with great people and meeting so many authors and celebrities who had written books! Softball was still tugging at me, so I joined various company and industrial teams where the competition became even tougher!

My pitching held up until one day, at 42, when I noticed the ball wasn't going over the plate as smoothly any more, but 26 years pitching — not bad! When I had to have surgery for a serious back situation, I asked my doctor about my softball career and he kindly said “Most young ladies have hung up their mitts by now.”

Post College: Part 2 The second part of my career I spent in health care working on marketing plans for OTC (over the counter) products. This too, was always interesting and cutting edge knowing what new items were down the lines. Around the age of 38, my husband and I decided we should see what nature decides and boom, I was pregnant with our son Jefferson, who is now 28 and pursuing retail endeavors, like Mom.

Post Career One fun passion from AIS days I never got back to until now was singing! The harmony of music and the camaraderie with my fellow Ridgefield Chorale singers is hard to put into words. I am now an officer for this amazing group of contemporary music singers whose 70+ members hail from Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Westchester County, New York. Jessie Potter (Kingston), my sister, AIS year behind us, also sings in a choral group, so we share our music stories!

“ When I was I grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I did not understand the assignment.

I told them, they did not understand life.

Singing makes me happy.”

— One of My Music Chorale Members

Class Directory Bettina H. Bailey 220 Potomac Road Wilmington, DE 19803-3121 Home: 856-299-6398 Mary Alcorn Ballantine 6 North Road East Alstead, NH 03602 Home: 603-835-2392 Cell: 603-4993902 marybb@live.com Victoria Cox Barnett 1416 Darmstadt Avenue Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215 Home: 609-965-2773 Cell: 215-206-0069 auntvc@aol.com Jean Hubbard Barrows P.O. Box 11758 St. Thomas, VI 00801-4758 Harriet Betner Benckert P.O. Box 1967 Albrightsville, PA 18210-1967 Cell: 610-291-8522 carlabenckert@gmail.com Brenda Biddle 281 Adelphi Street, Apt. 1 Brooklyn, NY 11205-4672 Cell: 360-878-7833 brendabiddle@gmail.com

Patricia Cauffman Brush 63 Chester Place Larchmont, NY 10538-3445 Home: 914-632-6767 Cell: 914-584-8327 tillie63@aol.com

Pamela Moyer Fernley 1318 Youngsford Road Gladwyne, PA 19035-1231 Home: 610-642-3442 Cell: 610-256-7973 pamfernley@comcast.net

Robin Leslie Chalk 245 Stepping Stone Drive Alpharetta, GA 30004-4006 Home: 404-406-5192 rchalk1@hotmail.com

Elizabeth V. Foote 8 Ash Street Place Cambridge, MA 02138 Home: 617-864-0736 Cell: 617-797-3084

Susan Byrnes CotĂŠ 109 N. Washington Street Winchester, VA 22601-3909 Cell: 571-243-8447 srbcote@mac.com

Vaunie Bell Graulty 14 Iron Mine Road West Stockbridge, MA 01266-9221 Cell: 413-441-4204 vgraulty@gmail.com

Randy Taylor Craven 1216 N. Trooper Road East Norriton, PA 19403-4540 Home: 610-584-6161 Cell: 610-505-8444 rtaylorcraven@aol.com

Linda Kelly Graves 880 Tannery Drive Wayne, PA 19087-2145 Home: 610-688-0230 Cell: 610-506-1786 dikeroka@aol.com

Candace Jones Dryfka 6951 SE Twin Oaks Circle, D 306 Stuart, FL 34997-4733

Katharine Fowle Griswold Kaye 933 Gillinder Place Cary, NC 27519-0998 Cell: 978-549-7929 kgriswoldkaye@gmail.com

Margaret Howard Eastwood Orchard House Thursby Cumbria, England CA5 6NX

Alta Wister Hamilton 500 Rose Lane Haverford, PA 19041 Cell: 484-572-0294 alta.w.hamilton@gmail.com

Amy Potter Hancock 35 Woodlawn Drive Ridgefield, CT 06877-5120 Home: 203-894-1889 potter551@comcast.net

Sharon A. Lefevre 310 Delancey Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-4209 Cell: 267-973-3217 SherryLefevre@yahoo.com

Susan Pennock Hansell 1680 Caslon Circle Blue Bell, PA 19422-2556 Home: 610-940-0539 hansellhd@verizon.net

Anita Ketcham Lewicki 22 William Howard Drive Glen Mills, PA 19342-1366 Home: 484-842-1415 Cell: 484-842-1415 aklewicki@gmail.com

Priscilla Hook Holleran 323 Old Kings Highway Downingtown, PA 19335-3352 Home: 610-269-1047 Cell: 610-220-6521 pholleran@verizon.net Emily Mayer Kendrick 4928 Sentinel Drive, Apt. 301 Bethesda, MD 20816-3543 Home: 301-229-0492 Rebecca English Kennedy 4800 Meadow Drive, Unit 10 Vail, CO 81657-5470 Cell: 610-937-7391 Kate M. Ketchem 547 Locust Point Road Locust, NJ 07760 Home: 732-291-1044 Cell: 732-291-8108 kketchem@comcast.net Susan E. Laws 929 Washington Street, Apt. 401 Evanston, IL 60202 Home: 847-475-5338 Cell: 847-414-8925 susan.laws@yahoo.com

Virginia Nemir Lukefahr 2663 Pebble Dawn Street San Antonio, TX 78232-4167 Home: 210-314-7330 vnlukefahr@yahoo.com Colleen Holt McCauley 672 Harwick Road Wayne, PA 19087-1921 Cell: 610-608-5876 colleenaholt@hotmail.com Nancy Mungall McDowell 116 Browning Lane Rosemont, PA 19010-1008 Cell: 610-213-0425 nmcdowell@maccapital.net Nancy W. Mitchell 1208 Castlemoor Court Raleigh, NC 27606-3462 Home: 919-233-3837 nancy_mitchell@ncsu.edu Elizabeth W. Johnson Monroe 709 Moore Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 Home: 484-380-3280 ewmonroe@comcast.net

Joan B. Mueller 101 Leighton Road Pownal, ME 04069 Home: 207-688-4110 Cell: 207-712-1552 pjkr7777@maine.rr.com Sarah C. Nassau 1610 LeBoutillier Road Malvern, PA 19355-8743 Home: 610-695-8621 Snassau@comcast.net Katharine H. Norris 31 Park Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2214 Home: 610-520-0462 Cell: 484-432-7062 knorris001@comcast.net Caroline Lutton Nunez 1016 Cliff Drive, Apt. 207 Santa Barbara, CA 93109-1704 Cell: 805-451-7228 carolinewlnunez@gmail.com Priscilla Griffin Palmer 210 W. Rittenhouse Square Apt. 1407 Philadelphia, PA 19103-5773 Home: 484-888-8693 Cell: 215-546-2580 wpalmer@palmer-group.com Cary Olmstead Poropatich 5710 Springfield Drive Bethesda, MD 20816-1238 Home: 301-320-6388 cop83@yahoo.com

Constance Weaver Pullen 11 Brookletts Avenue Easton, MD 21601-2901 Cell: 410-822-5007 Virgilia I. Rawnsley 210 Locust Street, Apt. 24F Philadelphia, PA 19106 Home: 215-627-0259 jrawnsley@msn.com Elisabeth P. Roberts P.O. Box 24142

Halethorpe, MD 21227 Home: 410-292-1963 lproberts23@yahoo.com Ellen Gordon Rosenkranz 2475 Virginia Ave. NW, Apt. 904 Washington DC 20037 erosenk@aol.com

Barbara Bell Shea 10909 Baronet Road Owings Mills, MD 21117-3003 Home: 410-363-1719 Cell: 410-868-2992 barbarashea@me.com Lindsay Huffman Smith P.O. Box 145 Birchrunville, PA 19421 Home: 610-469-3829 Cell: 610-850-3266 lindsaysmith145@gmail.com Katherine Bartol Stenson-Lunt 366 W. Falmouth Highway Falmouth, MA 02540 Cell: 508-737-8417 katiedid456@gmail.com

Nancy B. Sanderson 224 Salisbury Court Newtown Square, PA 19073

Cecilly Bowden Sullivan 13 Monet Court Somerset, NJ 08873-4892 Home: 732-873-8245

Anita K. Saville 14 Purcell Drive Chelmsford, MA 01824-4321 Home: 978-250-3852 Cell: 978-319-2753 asaville@comcast.net

Lydia Biddle Thomas 127 W. 79th Street, Apt. 9D New York, NY 10024 Home: 212-874-3338 Cell: 646-267-4705 lydiabthomas@gmail.com

Alix T. Toland 3 Calvert Place, Apt. 535 Jamestown, RI 02835-1514 Home: 401-423-1506 Linda Smith Unland P.O. Box 711 Driggs, ID 83422 Home: 970-926-8549 lindaunland@mac.com Nina Manganaro Watson 81 Chaplin Crescent Toronto, ON MSP1A4 Canada Home: 416-482-5571 Nancy Decker Wenzler 1714 Greenhouse Patio Drive NW Kennesaw, GA 30144-5856 Katherine Worrell Williams 890 Smartts Lane, N.E. Leesburg, VA 20176 Cell: 607-533-7616

Thank You Thank you to classmates for sharing updates of your lives and memories of our time together at AIS. In this year of Covid-19, we are especially happy to be touching base with our classmates. We hope our 50th Reunion in the Spring of 2021 and this Class of ’70 Reunion Yearbook bring you recollections of days gone by as well as new connections with old friends.

All the best,

The 50th Reunion Committee Tillie Cauffman Brush, Susan Byrnes CotĂŠ, Pam Moyer Fernley, Vaunie Bell Graulty, Linda Kelly Graves, Wendy Griffin Palmer, Lindsay Huffman Smith, Linda Smith Unland

Tillie Cauffman Brush, Our Lifelong Class Rep

Back row (left to right): Susan, Wendy, Kelly Front row: Vaunie (Yearbook Editor), Pam (Reunion Chair), Lindsay Missing from photo: Linda

ALMA MATER Words by A. Marjory Taylor Hardwick ’15 Sing we our song to thee, Praise, honor, victory Forevermore be thine, Alma Mater!

Fast roll the years by, soon must we part — But shall thy mem’ry Rest in ev’ry heart.

CHORUS: Hail then, Alma Mater, Our help, our guide, our friend!

The love we bear for thee Is love that hath no end.

Give we our pledge to thee, Faith, love and loyalty Forevermore be thine, Alma Mater!

May we whatever life shall give Keeping thy standards, Worthy of thee live.

When the moon is in the Seventh House And Jupiter aligns with Mars Then peace will guide the planets And love will steer the stars This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius Age of Aquarius‌ The 5th Dimension