Alumni News

Anneli Muschenheim Arms ’49 with a recentlyshown sculpture, “Her Royal Discontent”

1940s

Lois Mauder Pittis ’41 & Leigh Berrien Smith ’41 We have been friends since the VIIs in 1934 and talk frequently on the phone. Leigh has lived on Martha’s Vineyard since retiring from teaching in 1987. We both have daughters living near us. In Lois’ case, this has her in Ocean Grove, NJ in summer and Warren, VT in winter. We both have grandchildren as well.

From Leigh: C&C is one of my favorite places in this world! I am happy whenever I think of C&C, though I knew it as 165 West 12th Street from the VIIs through XIIIs. I lived in the basement apartment of 24 Washington Square North and roller skated after school Monday through Thursday with two of my best friends through the XIIs—had to commute with my Gramp for the XIIIs as my mom had died, so I commuted from Montclair, Leigh Berrien Smith ’41, at the annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Center Oscars party, with a real Oscar

NJ. Now my best friend, and only other female survivor from ’41, Lois Mauder Pittis, and I both wonder if any male classmates survive! Lois and I would like to know! Yes, I am 92 years old and a very lucky nonagenarian. I still play golf, which I learned young (12), and I dance better than I walk, seriously!

Ilse Jenkins Gay ’45 No news. Just grateful to be 88 years old and still living in our old house in Albuquerque with an old husband and, today, wearing an old sweatshirt from the 80th anniversary of City and Country School. Growing up as an only child, with a usually-absent father, the experiences and relationships presented to me by the C&C culture provided the groundwork for my adult life, and for that, I am profoundly grateful.

Peter Goldman ’46 A Trail Of Blood, the fourth book in my crime-fiction series, was published this spring. I’m working on book five.

Judy Geller ’47 After 60 years of teaching biology to 7th through 12th graders at Dalton, I have now semi-retired, teaching only one course and being a high school house advisor (a house is a combination of homeroom and guidance counselor for 20 9th through 12th graders) and mentoring new house advisors. In all my educator roles, I often say that I learned what education should be from C&C, [this is] what sticks with me.

Anneli Muschenheim Arms ’49 I still work as an artist, now mostly doing prints and teaching at Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC. My most recent showing was at Westbeth's “Parent Portrait Show” with sculpture “Her Regal Discontent,” based on my mother. This work is still on view at my loft on Greene Street. I recently showed my “Leopard Cub” print at the Climate Change exhibit at Manhattan Graphics Center.

1950s

Carol Levine Paasche ’51 I am living with my husband (outside of Boston) in Newton, MA. We still spend summers at our vegetable farm in upstate New York. Would love to hear from others in my “era” who are still “alive and kicking.” Am only in touch with Judith and Diddy.

Peter Weisman ’51 I am an architect and contractor, currently developing a 200-acre business park in Spartanburg, SC.

Meri Schachter ’53 I graduated from medical school in NYC 50 years ago—I’m still practicing psychiatry. I have never forgotten C&C.

Stephen Wandner ’54 My book, Strengths of the Social Safety Net in the Great Recession: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and Unemployment Insurance, was published in August. I have recently

been named to the National Academy of Social Insurance’s Study Panel on Economic Security. The panel plans to issue a report next year on the 85th anniversary of the publication of the Committee on Economic Security’s report to President Roosevelt, a report used to guide the design of the Social Security Act.

Ellen Leary ’55 After spending 20 years acting on the professional stage (see IBDB Ellen Tovatt), I have switched my creative talents to writing. A few years ago, I self-published a memoir about growing up in Greenwich Village (and attending City and Country!) called Mother, Once Removed. Now, after moving to Los Angeles with my husband to be near our son Daniel (who is an executive producer at The Ellen DeGeneres Show), I started writing a novel about my experiences in the theatre. It has been sold to a publisher and will be available soon. It is called The Understudy.

Roger Sessions ’65 I am happily retired and living in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. It is a lively university town overflowing with music, art, and beautiful architecture. It is the home of the Mexican Revolution and was named a World Heritage Site in 1988. As an added but welcome bonus, the cost of living is about one third of the United States. I’m learning Spanish as quickly as I can, which, it turns out, isn’t very quickly. My energy now goes to a website I started called meditationchapel.org, an Interfaith online community for contemplatives. Having retired from IT, my writing is now on spirituality. My last book was Wisdom’s Way: The Christian I Ching. My artistic outlet is the ukulele, an instrument which seems to fit my lifestyle of simplicity and minimalism. If any

1960s

Eric Darton ’64 For the last several years, I have co-edited The Wall-Witty Partition (wittypartition.org), a tri-annual online journal of world literature, much of it in translation. Our name derives from a line in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, specifically the play-within-a-play where one of the actors takes the part of a wall through whom lovers whisper. The writing we present encompasses many genres, and we also publish a good deal of visual material, including contemporary artists’ portfolios. Recent issues have included writing by Anna Seghers, Eduardo Galeano, and François Jullien. By all means, have a look. We’d love to hear from you.

ex-C&Cers are passing through Guanajuato, give me a call. I’ll give you the city tour, and I can pretty much promise you that you will fall in love with this amazing place and its warm and wonderful people.

Roger Sessions ’65 in Mexico

Dirk McDonnell ’66 For 30 years now, I’ve been living with my wife, Carol, and our dogs in Camden, ME, where I built our home and my photography studio. My main pursuit has been photography since the mid-80s, when, with my 35mm camera, I travelled extensively throughout Mexico. I’ve since travelled to photograph the life and landscapes in a number of places, including Turkey, Holland, England, Italy, France, Ireland, China, Argentina, Death Valley, and the Isle of Skye. In addition, I’ve been represented by Throckmorton Fine Art, New York; Robert Klein in Boston; and Caldbeck Gallery in Maine. In January 2017, everything was put on hold when I was diagnosed with brain cancer—glioblastoma multiforme stage 4, which has a very low survival rate in the first two years. After doing all one must do to deal with this illness, I am very thankful to report I am still alive and well! Despite some memory loss, I feel great and have had a busy year, with four photography shows of my work, including the final one that opened on November 23 at Cove Arts Gallery in Portland, ME. I am also thankful for my years at C&C, especially with Sylvia Miller (Rhythms Teacher, 1939–1976), Veronica “Roni” McLeod (Group and Art Teacher, 1946–1994), Georgiana Birch (Group Teacher, 1943–1968), and those who worked tirelessly there. This experience, in great part, shaped me into who I am today.

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