Class Notes, September/October 2022
By John M. PinneyFor those who found my osprey report of interest in the last notes, I’m happy to report two apparently healthy baby osprey in the nest off our property. And if you felt sorry for the male in the other nest whose curb appeal was lacking, he’s added a few pieces to the nest but still not attracted a mate.
The ’65 Zoom program scored another hit in June with Phil Crane leading a discussion with Gregory Laughlin, Yale professor of astronomy and astrophysics and director of undergraduate studies in astronomy. The Q and A portion was ably facilitated by Bill Moonan and Herb Thomas, both amateur astronomers. The topic, “The Search for Exoplanets: Is There Another Earth Out There?” generated a large and attentive audience, but I must admit, as an early science fiction addict, to being deeply disappointed by Professor Laughlin’s assessment that the chances of there being another earth out there are slim to none.
The Zoom program continued in July with Chief Ronnell Higgins of the Yale Police, on “Campus Safety and Civility, 1965 and Now.” August’s program is in the planning stage as I write this, and September will feature Steve Latham, director of Yale Bioethics Center, on “CRISPR and Gene Editing: Humans and Nature.” In October, as announced earlier, the class dinner will feature our own Bill Nelson on “JWST Early Images and What They Mean to Humanity” (James Webb Space Telescope, for the uninitiated).
Brief notes: Chris Cooke called attention to an article in the Washington Post that mentioned Kyle Pruett. The article was about talking with children about school shootings and was adapted from a 2015 article that quoted Kyle extensively on how to talk to kids about scary things. It’s hard to imagine anything scarier for a child than mass shootings in our schools.
On a more positive note, Robbie Franklin wrote: “I stopped killing insects in January. The Hindus are right. I remember a garden party for visitors from India. All the guests cupped their hands over their drinks so that no innocent insect could come to harm. I’m still a six-days-a-week team member of my scholarly publishing company (McFarland); as I’ve said before, retirement would seem a medical emergency. 350 books a year; I edit two a month and approve a test copy of every book printed.”
In late May Dennis Mack posted: “Classmate Carl Gershman, former president of the National Endowment for Democracy, was banned from Russia this week with over 900 other Americans, living and dead. Carl participated in two of our class Zoom programs. He retired from the National Endowment for Democracy last year, but that has not finished his resistance to the rise of anti-democratic movements around the globe.”
After a brief respite from the sad loss of classmates, I’m sorry to report we have lost three in recent weeks. I learned from Bill Hart via Perrin Quarles that Josh Jensen died in June. Josh began with ’65 and finished with ’66. Here’s a link to an article about his career as a vintner of fine pinot noir. The AYA informed me of the passing of Lee Greever on April 23, and Gerry Doyle posted this sad news on Bob Cook: “I am sorry to report that our classmate and NROTC shipmate Bob Cook passed away on April 26 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Bob and I were close friends beginning freshman year at Yale. His wife Laura told me today that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.” Obituaries for Lee and Bob are posted on our class website. Please visit the website and post remembrances of these and other classmates.
Reminder: Class dinner at the Yale Club of New York City on October 28 with NASA administrator Bill Nelson.