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Class of 1956 - 46th Year Reunion
The second reunion of the 1956 class was held on November 9 and 10, 2002. Its
primary location was the Reitz Union Hotel, which is located near the center of
the University of Florida campus. All but four of the living graduates attended.
Of the four, Doug Baldwin could not be located, Marvin Shankin was in Italy on
business, Rudy Cabina was traveling, and Gordon Riel's wife was in a Washington
hospital.
The five major activities at the reunion were: A Saturday afternoon informal
kibitzing and individuals news updates session in Union Suite 620, where Joe and
Judy provided chips, dips, and sips; a Saturday evening dinner in the Micanopy
Room of the Union; a late-night return to Suite 620 to continue with jokes and
tall tales; a guided tour of the new (to most) Chemical Engineering Building on
Sunday morning; and an off-campus Sunday lunch. Several formed small groups and
walked the campus on Sunday, almost lost at times because of its growth and the
numerous new buildings. A few visited a large museum on the campus.
The greetings, examining of faces, kidding, laughter and back-slapping began as
people signed in at the Union desk at noon on Saturday. Fortunately, Credo
Schwab had placed his attache case filled with name tags (with very large
lettering) on the desk, as many had not seen some of the others since either
graduation or their 25th-year reunion, which had been held 21 years earlier.
Traveling the greatest distance, Jack Clement had flown from Akron, OH, Wally
Sumner had driven from Aiken, SC, Bob Agee had driven from Baton Rouge, Al
Leybourne from Hattiesburg, MS, and Tom Stewart from Miami. Most of the others
lived closer. It was somewhat baffling to see once young, vigorous, and
competitive classmates had become heavier, gray-haired, slower-speaking,
generally retired, but not retiring, gentlemen. Any 'youngest looking' prize
would probably have gone to Wally Sumner and his wife Carmen.
The dinner was attended by the graduates and their wives, Chemical Engineering
Department Chairman and dinner host Tim Anderson, Dr. Seymour Block, who had
assisted in the reunion planning and Reitz Union Hotel room reservations,
retired Professor Mack Tyner, and Jim Bosworth who had agreed to guide the
Chemical Engineering Building tour group the next day. The dinner menu had been
selected by Dr. Block's wife; the broiled salmon and chocolate cake dessert will
be remembered with relish a long time. Every graduate had looked forward to
seeing Dr. Tyner, who had been their stoichiometry instructor and was quietly
present. All chemical engineers agree that one must obtain a good grasp of
stoichiometry in order to successfully continue their education and then
practice chemical engineering. Earlier, futile attempts had been made to locate
and invite Professor Neff of the Civil (or Mechanical) Engineering Department
who had taught the class Strength of Materials, giving brutal exams and
referring to the class as "You Chemicals." An invitation to Professor Neff would
be akin to striking your head a second time, just to see if it really had hurt
so badly the first time.
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During desert, several commentaries were made. These included a statement by
Chairman Anderson that the graduating class had grown from the 1956 size of
approximately 20 to ones six times as large. A roasting of Joe Morris by Gil
Brown, who insisted he had thought the "joint project" Joe had spoken of by
telephone included an invitation for Gil and Barbara to spend a couple of weeks
with Joe and Judy at their vacation home in the North Carolina mountains, as
opposed to spending a couple of weeks searching telephone directories and the
internet, locating and inviting classmates to a reunion! Several graduates spoke
briefly of the more interesting work areas they had experienced before
retirement. Some mentioned how much pleasure and pride their chemical
engineering career had offered. A dozen 8X10 quality photographs of the 1956
Student AIChE Society were handed out by Gil. Several colored photographs of
Drs. Tyner and Block were provided by Roland Foster, enabling recipients to
obtain their autographs. |
When Chairman Anderson asked for a show or hands to determine how many were
still working, it was found approximately five were employed full time and about
the same number doing consulting part time. Two still working full time were the
Hall brothers (In college the Hall triplets had always been referred to as "The
Hall boys." As they were always together and you never knew which one was
which.), who are dentists, Al Leybourne who teaches at a Mississippi university,
and Tom Stewart who is the registrar at a Miami university. When Bob Agee was
asked why he still worked full time at the Ethyl Corporation, being the
corporation's oldest and longest term employee, he stated it was because of his
wife's insistence that "A 100% paycheck and 50% husband is preferable to a 50%
paycheck and a 100% husband."
| A Dr. Tyner story was told by Gil about one of their classmates who had
argued he be given credit for solving a quiz problem which had been presented
incompletely, hence was without solution. Sitting patiently through it all was
Dr. Tyner, the classes most liked and respected professor and the reunion's
primary calling card. He smiled quietly at times, probably remembering his
occasional muttering, "Please, God, help this class, and me." after a student's
ridiculous gaffe or goof up almost 50 years earlier, The graduates all
remembered he had said at least twice each semester, "This class is like a ton
of bricks. I sometimes think I have gotten you to the top of the hill, but by
the next week realize you are still at the bottom." |
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Some who attended the reunion insisted it was the most fun thing they had
experienced in several years. Several suggested it be repeated on the 50th year
after graduation. Probably what such occasions provide is a pleasing and happy
subconscious return to a time of vigor, youthfulness, and optimism, with
realistic expectations for a long, happy and productive future. Although
consciously, it is sadly realized that after the ages of 70 and above have been
reached, none of these is probably any longer truly possible. This may be why
reunions and reliving earlier experiences can be so enjoyable, even cathartic.
-Reported By Gilbert Brown Class of ‘56
More Pictures Coming Soon!
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