Class
of ’54
Plans
“Golden” Reunion
- By EdwinGranai ’54
The
class of ’54
began on October 27, 2002 to plan
in earnest for its 50th reunion in 2004. Pictured above at the home of
Judith and Michael Spock in Chicago are, left to right: back row—Michael
Spock, Janet (Adams) Munson, front row—Former Trustee Edwin Granai,
Former Trustee Judith (Wood) Spock, Robert Dawson. A second meeting at
the Spock’s included (not pictured here) David Goodwin and current
Antioch University Trustee Niels Lyster.
Not
unlike golden wedding anniversaries, 50th college reunions are landmark
occasions. Accordingly some members of the class of ’54 began planning
in earnest last year, two years in advance, to network about our 50th
Antioch College reunion in 2004.
Prior to 1979 most Antiochians considered alumni reunions an archaic indulgence.
There were many more urgent social needs. Reunions had been off Antioch’s
radar screen for decades. In 1979, however, one of those urgent needs
turned out to be the survival of the College and the Yellow Springs campus.
By 1979, Antioch College was on the verge of bankruptcy, and it was within
months of closing; the deep pockets of a few wealthy benefactors had been
exhausted.
Two years previous, some members of the class of ’54 had begun networking about the possibility of having a 25th College alumni reunion. We did not know how fragile Antioch’s finances had become. Beginning in 1977, while the College teetered on the edge of insolvency, we worked at designing a 25th Antioch College class of ’54 reunion to be held in 1979. In our planning we discovered a broad untapped commitment to the College among its alumni. With spouses and kids, 137 of us came to Yellow Springs in June of ’79 to celebrate together over a three-day period the contribution that Antioch College had made to our lives. The pattern was established. The next year’s reunion included all classes. Alumni reunions have not missed a beat since then. Over the last two decades alumni enthusiasm, participation and support have increased exponentially.
Today alumni energy is a central ingredient in the educational vitality of the College. In planning for our 50th reunion in 2004, the class of ’54 hopes to establish a benchmark level of energy for alumni comparable to that achieved 25 years ago. Though we’ve aged a bit, our enthusiasm for Antioch and its values is undiminished. And the mission of Antioch College is more important than ever.
Our next planning meeting was a day-long session at the Antioch Inn on Wednesday, March 19, 2003.
This past January a general invitation to join and participate in future planning was mailed to all members of the Class of ’54.
For more information about future plans contact Edwin Granai by mail at 106 Killarney Drive, Burlington, VT 05401; by telephone at 802.658.3774; or by email at egranai@aol.com.
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