As a class secretary one has to use all one’s resources to flesh out these Technology Review columns. So, when I received an E-mail from Dick Males saying that he had visited Larry Beckreck on a recent trip to England, I followed up with Larry and solicited a contribution from him. Two messages for the price of one. Dick spent the first two weeks of May on a business trip to France, England, and Germany making site visits to water utilities. During his time in England, he stopped in Nottingham, and visited Larry Beckreck, who he had not seen in close to 30 years, when both were in San Francisco. Dick spent a pleasant evening with the Beckrecks, and enjoyed meeting Larry’s wife, Fiona, and step-daughter, Freya. Back home in Cincinnati, Dick said he was surprised to meet three other MIT grads of the 60’s at a neighborhood block party. [WE ARE EVERYWHERE. Well, maybe not everywhere, but we are all over.] Dick’s older son, Matthew, took his general exams in August ‘99, in philosophy. Younger son, Nathaniel, is working hard in Chicago, becoming something of a computer geek [his father’s words], doing the computer end of things for a company that does day trading software and data feeds. [Safer to be developing the software than using it, unless you are a big risk taker, I think.] Spouse Barbara continues with her knitting and beading business. [Doing outstanding work -- my granddaughter, Allison, MIT class of 2020, received a knitted "strawberry cap" that was exceptionally cute. Thank you Barbara.] And Dick continues with his software consulting, while amusing himself with pursuits like snowboarding, and playing the accordion.
Larry Beckreck reports that he and Fiona were married in April, 1998 and are enjoying connubial bliss. Larry has just retired from full time math teaching in a Derby secondary (high) school, and will do substitute teaching, tutoring, family computer consulting and other jobs locally in Nottingham where the Beckrecks live. Larry is looking forward to more flexibility and freedom from meetings, reports, grade assignments, and having more time for life. Their daughter Freya is completing her A-level exams and plans to work and travel for a year before starting a degree program in public relations at Bournemouth University. Larry’s older son, Seth, after quite a few years with British Rail, has started a railway consultancy firm, and after a year and a half has 8 people employed. Larry says that it looks pretty serious for Seth and his girlfriend Helen, but he’ll just wait and see what happens. [Of course, our kids will tell us what they’re going to do when they’ve done it.] And Larry’s younger son, Joshua, is married to Jan, and is the step-dad of Dean Ross, Allison, and Becky, ages 16, 12, and 10. Joshua teaches nursery school, and Jan teaches 4th grade, in Birmingham (England, not Alabama.)
Last issue I published a letter from a recipient of a Class of 1963 Scholarship recipient that was forwarded to me by class president, Larry Krakauer. This month Larry sent another letter, this one from Paula Vo, Course 6, MIT class of 2001. In a letter dated April 26, Paula writes: "On behalf of my parents and myself I would like to thank you and your class for the financial assistance. I am especially grateful for this scholarship since my parents are also trying to make ends meet with two more daughters currently attending Stanford University. & I am currently a sophomore at the Institute majoring in Course 6. Because of my particular interest in electrical engineering I am taking 6.101: Analog Electronics Lab (aka Analog Agony), as well as 6.003: Signals and Systems, 6.041: Probabilistic Systems, and 4.605 my HASS-D in architecture [Translation for those not versed in current MIT-speak: HASS-D = humanities and social sciences distribution requirement.] I have found them to be challenging, although a bit exhausting. It seems that one of the great benefits of an MIT education is that it has taught me how to appreciate a good sunrise. [We’ve all been there.] However, I am not altogether certain this is a good thing. & Outside of classes, I try to leave a few hours per week to remind myself what undergraduates at other colleges do to pass the time. I am currently a member of the Anime Club [a form of Japanese animation] and am an avid fan of Archmage, a Web-based war game. I have also been a member of my class council, the CACPB, and several class committees in addition to doing volunteer work at the Cambridge Science Expo, MIT telethon, MIT Project Contact, and the Walk for Hunger. & Again, I want to thank you and your class for making this fund available to students needing financial aid. With three family members in college, my family has experienced our share of difficulty in finding ways to keep us in college. I have greatly enjoyed my time here at MIT absorbing all the intellectual life and learning what it has to offer and I appreciate immensely the contribution your class has made toward making this possible." Thank you, Paula for writing and telling us about yourself. Sounds like MIT in particular, and life in general, is keeping you busy, and that the learning process at MIT in and out of the classroom is as hectic, stimulating, and exhausting as ever.
This past Sunday (June 20) I attended my 40th high school reunion -- the Bronx HS of Science Class of 1959. Two of our MIT ‘63 classmates were also there. Frank Model and Sue picked Barbara and me up at the airport, we went to the reunion together. I met Barbara our senior year at Bronx Science. In an E-mail a few days later, Frank said he felt there was less posturing at this 40th high school reunion than at our 25th. "I guess we all get more comfortable with ourselves as we grow older," he wrote, "Or is it just that the posturing diminishes as more and more careers emerge on the plateau?" After the reunion Frank gave us a lift back to the airport for our evening flight to California. I reminded him that exactly 35 years and one week before he had taken us to Kennedy airport as we flew off on our honeymoon.
Steve Gorad was his usual effervescent self at the Bronx Science gathering. Of all of us at that reunion Steve has been least touched by time. He looked great. Steve is remembered in our class lore as the man who introduced quinoa, the miracle grain of the Incas, to the United States. If you haven’t tried it, you should. And Steve gave me a piece of advice. At the beginning of the move, "The Graduate," William Daniels puts his arm around Dustin Hoffman’s shoulder, and whispers one word -- "plastics." Steve wrapped his arm around me and gave a piece of alternative advice -- "meditate." Judging from the way Steve looks, there must be something to this.
I’m writing this column on June 24. In two days Barbara and I set out for a five week trip to Botswana and Zimbabwe. It should be a wonderful adventure, with visits to interesting, unusual places and people, and full of big game viewing from lions to antelope to giraffes, zebra and buffalo. We will visit a San (Bushman) village in the Kalahari Desert, pole in dugout canoes in the Okavango Delta, and camp among the elephant herds in Chobe National Park. Victoria Falls should be breathtaking, but I’ll pass on the bungy jump from the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. After Vic Falls we will camp in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, where lion and elephant visit the camp at night. Fortunately they haven’t figured out how to open the tents, or more likely, they aren’t interested. Near the end, we will do a five day canoe trip with the crocs and hippos on the lower Zambezi River to Mana Pools Park, where, if we are lucky, we may see rhino. Finally we will make our way to Harare before departing for home.
So ... unless you want me to bore you with tales of our trip, send mail/E-mail for this column. Best regards to you all. You can reach me at: Mike Bertin, 22 Gillman St, Irvine, CA 92612. E-mail: MCB1@aol.com. If you want to schmooze, call me at (949) 786-9450.