Class Notes 1950s 1951
Phyllis S. McCauley wrote My Two Cents Worth, a book of poetry subtitled 70 Years of Rhyme and Reason (sometimes not). Phyllis says the book is “evidence that it’s never too late for an Obie to use skills nurtured—even indirectly—at Oberlin.”
1953
Activist educator and administrator Chuck Grose published Dealing with Differences, part of the Vernon Press Series in Social Equality and Justice. “A lifelong commitment to transformed values and goals occurred for me at Oberlin,” Chuck writes.
1957
Jeanette Resnick completed her book Voyage
in Song and Story: Music, Poetry, and Plays for Teachers and Children Kindergarten through Sixth Grade (Waldorf), which is intended to foster interdependence and connection in young people. “Though it is NOT anti-technology,” Jeanette says, “it stresses the establishing of direct experience of the natural world and human/self-confidence—before the virtual and commercial world takes over, which it will and must!” n Elsa Verdehr and her husband, Walter, were honored in October 2019 with the Eastman School of Music’s Luminary Award in recognition of their service to music and the arts. Elsa’s new music group, the Verdehr Trio, has performed in 60 countries and major concert halls around the world over a 43-year career, releasing 30 CDs and 10 DVDs.
1958
Patricia Ann Straat
published To Mars with Love, the true story of her journey into space exploration sciences as coexperimenter of the Viking Labeled Release experiment, one of three life-detection experiments that landed on Mars in 1976. Patricia’s story is intertwined with her experiences away from the project, in the beachside communities of Los Angeles and with the equestrian world of Maryland and California. She was also part of 40
DISARMING PROTEST Stewart Edelstein ’70, wearing a black armband to indicate his opposition to the war in Vietnam, receives his diploma from Oberlin College President Robert Carr during 1970 commencement excercises. Commencement speaker Jesse Jackson is seated at left.