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class notes
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Chuck continues to follow the team
“as a way of reliving the past and
trying to stay and think young.” A
little genetic boost doesn’t hurt: His
dad lived to 101.
The class lunch is held on the
second Wednesday of every month
in the Grill Room of the Princeton/
Columbia Club, 15 W. 43rd St. ($31
per person). E-mail Art Radin if
you plan to attend, up to the day
before: aradin@radinglass.com.
59
Norman Gelfand
c/o CCT
Columbia Alumni Center
622 W. 113th St., MC 4530
New York, NY 10025
nmgc59@gmail.com
Steve Kallis Jr. writes, “So much
has happened in half a century.
When I graduated, after serving
my obligatory time, I went after
my dreams, formed years before.
I had the space bug, and in time
was hired by the Chrysler Space
Division, ending up in Huntsville,
Ala., where I worked on the Saturn
I/IB program as part of the Apollo
Project. The Huntsville years were
great, and although my contributions
to the overall effort were tiny,
they did help. To this day, I mourn
the emasculation of the manned
space effort, viewing the shuttle
program as a step back from greatness.
As the prospect of meaningful
manned space exploration
waned, I found myself working
in a whole new area — interactive
computers. I spent the majority of
my professional career with Digital
Equipment Corp., where I found
a home publicizing new and innovative
ways to apply computer
technology. Through the years, I’d
developed an interest in motion
picture production and its technology,
eventually to the point of
developing a computer system to
generate control tapes for the optical
printers found in motion-picture
film processing laboratories.
“Long before PCs, I had acquired
a PDP-8/e minicomputer, which I
installed in my home and which I
used to develop software avocationally.
I’d acquired some professional
16mm cameras and made a number
of industrial films to publicize
the company products. I’ve kept
my finger on the pulse of several
technical specialties and probably
will continue to do so until my last
breath. I’ve also been a writer, selling
my first article and short story
within 1½ years after graduating.
I’ve sold stories, articles and guest
editorials ever since. An old-time
radio show, Captain Midnight, was
something I aspired to develop
a book on, and in gathering data
for the work, I learned how to fly,
eventually acquiring an airplane
(a PA28-151, which led me into the
joys of aviating).
“My Captain Midnight book
finally appeared, and I flew from
Massachusetts to Washington, D.C.,
to get some of the illustrations.
“I’m quasi-retired (no writer who
can still write is ever really retired),
living in Florida with my wife and,
at this time, a very affectionate cat.”
From David Smith, “I had such
a wonderful time at our 50th reunion
I’m writing to share some of
our retirement life with my classmates.
My wife, Helen, who also is
retired, and I have continued our
world travels, but on a more expanded
scale. Last year, we spent
three months in Paris and traveled
in Turkey and Syria. In the fall,
we went to Scotland for a month,
followed by two months in Italy,
mostly in Ferrara and Venice with
side trips to Bologna and Ravenna.
We recently left for two months
in Turkey. We’ll spend a few days
in Istanbul, a week in Cappadocia
and return for a month to the same
house where we spent April last
year, in Yalikavak on the Bodrum
Peninsula. Bodrum is the home
of Herodotus and the Mausoleum,
one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world. We’ll finish
our sojourn in Edirne, ancient
Hadrianopolis and site of Sinan’s
finest mosque. After a month back
in Washington, we’ll return to
Orkney and to Lewis in the Outer
Hebrides for July and August. September
will find us again, as every
year, in Venice for a month.
“Helen is a wonderful photographer
and a member of the Society
of Woman Geographers. She
documents our adventures with
her insightful photographs. I write
about the wonders of what we are
seeing and experiencing.”
From Eugene Appel ’60E: “Most
of you know of my participation
in Columbia football; what you
probably don’t know was the driving
incentive. As a first-generation
American from Hungarian/Jewish
(Levite) immigrants, Appel-Lobl-
Almasy, first to attend college (Columbia),
football and engineering
presented me with a determined
objective where failure was not an
option!
“My 39 years of engineering
included a master’s, ’73 UNC-
Chapel Hill, in environmental engineering;
registration P.E. licenses
in New Jersey, California, Oregon
and Florida; and disciplines of
mechanical, civil, environmental,
system controls, structural,
water, waste water and construction
management. The results
of my work exist in New Jersey,
Wisconsin, Washington, California
and Oregon. I’m especially pleased
to say construction management
plans set forth more than 20 years
ago for Medford, Salem, Portland
and Gresham, Ore., are still in use.
A major factor in my success was
Columbia’s emphasis to look at the
big picture, the inclusive potentials,
not limiting the problem to just the
immediate needs!
“But Norm Gelfand asked, ‘What
are we doing and thinking now’
“Doing: Trying to stay healthy,
active and productive.
“Healthy: routine exercise (three
miles on treadmill three times per
week, 15 miles on bike two days per
week); watch what I eat (keep my
eyes on the food); use my mind (play
a lot of bridge and love Sudoku).
“Active: volunteer coach since
retirement in 1999 in football and
wrestling in the Portland area (2004
State Championship 3A); volunteer
help at local community center (developing
bridge and biking groups
and educational arts classes).
“Stepping forward: Any time I
see something I don’t like but feel
I can effect a change, I do. (I’ve
stepped into an argument at a bus
stop between a teenager and an
old bag lady, stepped into the path
of an escaping thief who the cops
then picked up off the ground,
pushed and cussed at an unruly
crowd in San Diego that separated
my son and grandchild from me).
“I’m not afraid to speak or vote
the less popular position because
my values are not negotiable. As
my wife, Linda, says, ‘I may not be
right but I’m sure!’ ”
“Thinking: I’m concerned there
is not enough time left in my life to
accomplish my cares and responsibilities.
First, I feel it is now my
responsibility as the last living
member of my immediate family to
leave the memories and stories for
my grandchildren. What these individuals
felt and taught us through
their examples and values represent
their souls. Therefore, I plan in the
next few years to retrace my path
and record on videotape places,
people and stories of our family and
friends.
“Also, before I die I want to
leave my eulogy on videotape to
be played at my funeral. I’d like to
share in the last laughs and the last
tears. As an example, in case some
of you can’t make it, a couple of
years ago I had a urinary infection
and my testicles enlarged about
10 times. The only thing I could
think about if I die from this, at
least my friends could say, ‘Appel
had balls!’
“On a more serious note, I want
to close on what my dad taught me.
The two most simple and important
values he left for me were, ‘Be the
best you can be’ and ‘Make the
world a better place.’ I hope we all
have time to do that! My definition
of success lies in Ralph Waldo
Emerson’s Success.”
More contributions like this would
be welcome in our Class Notes.
Joe Calarco writes that, “Things
are a bit crazy right now, but here’s
a brief summary: We recently closed
my production of A Midsummer
Night’s Dream after a five-month
run in our repertory. My son, Joey,
got married in Los Angeles. We
recently added a pair of stunning
B&W speakers to our surroundsound
system. I am getting back
into weight training after recent
knee surgery and plan to add water
aerobics. My wife, Sue, continues to
teach special education.”
Stan Feld reports, “The Class
of 1959 had a great 50th reunion.
Many wonderful comments have
appeared in our class’ CCT column.
“I hope my comments stimulate
all of us to keep communicating so
we have a fabulous 55th reunion.
“I started a social network called
Columbia College CC’59 nine
months prior to our reunion. We
had 200 valid e-mail addresses out
of our class of 660. One hundred
thirty classmates signed up for the
social network.
“I realize I might have been a
pest and apologize. I have been
told by many of you that joining
the social network amplified the
reunion experience and so I accomplished
my goal.
“The social network facilitated
reconnection of past friendships
and stimulated new friendships.
As we get older, social networking
will be important for our health.
The Columbia College CC’ 59
network should be used to increase
our fond memories at Columbia
College.
“The network is private and
available only by my invitation. If
you are interest in joining, please
e-mail me: stanfeld@feld.com.
“I am trying to keep CC ’59 alive
and active. I wrote that my wife of
47 years, Cecelia, and I were going
to New York City. I asked for some
hot suggestions. Michael Marks
wrote a note with wonderful suggestions.
Jack Kahn offered to take
me around the College.
“The Columbia communications
department is putting ‘Names in
the News’ and ‘What Is Doing at
Columbia’ on the network once a
week to keep us informed.
“As a stimulant for communications,
I have asked members of the
network to talk about their travel
and travel plans. Cecelia and I
always have been active travelers.
We recently went to Turkey. We
plan to go to Vietnam, Cambodia
and Thailand in January. This summer,
we are spending a month in
Colorado. In the fall, we are going
to take a car trip around the Finger
Lakes in upper New York State.
“I would love you to share your
travel experiences with all of us
july/august 2010
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