ANNIVERSARY ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS:

… News of our members gleaned from past newsletters over the years.
... History of The MIT Club of Cape Cod is recalled and recounted.
... List of the presidents who directed our club's activities over these 25 years.
... Reminisce about past Club events.
 

CELEBRATION OF OUR CLUB'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY TO BE HELD AT MAY 23RD MEETING IN FALMOUTH

MIT President Charles Vest will be the guest of honor and main speaker at the meeting on May 23rd at Balymeade Country Club in Falmouth as The MIT Club of Cape Cod celebrates its 25th anniversary. The sixty-six alumni who attended the founding meeting on September 1, 1976 at The Delphi Restaurant in South Yarmouth included many of our present members who have memories of the 25 years since then.

Please plan to be part of this anniversary celebration and encourage other alumni to attend also to share in recalling the many events and accomplishments of the club's 25 years. There is much to be proud of in our club's history and many outstanding members who have been recognized for their contributions to the club and to MIT over the years.

The social which will begin at 11:30, the special anniversary luncheon at 12:15, and the address by President Charles Vest will certainly be enhanced by the spirit of good fellowship that has been a hallmark of our MIT Club of Cape Cod.
 

Ecologist Dr. George Woodwell Speaks On The Topic of "Losing Cape Cod" At The March 21st Meeting At The Courthouse Restaurant in Orleans.

The founder, director and president of The Woods Hole Research Center, Dr. George Woodwell, has won national and international recognition for his efforts and accomplishments in saving the environment and in raising the awareness of the government and of the public regarding the dangers of unregulated use of natural resources, of resulting pollution of our air, water and food supply, and of the problems involved in balancing environmental protection and economic progress. He has pointed out how here on The Cape there is an urgent need to balance conservation and development. A social and luncheon before the talk were also part of the planned program for the club members and their guests that day.
 

"For exemplary organization and excellence of service to alumni/ae in Cape Cod, the MIT Club of Cape Cod continues to demonstrate the best that clubs can offer to their membership. Founded in the fall of 1976, this club has maintained a focused, well-organized management structure that encourages diversity and teamwork and demonstrates volunteer leadership at its best. The club provides its membership with an annual directory, quarterly newsletter, and a broad range of speakers. This club deserves special recognition for their efforts to reach out to all members of the MIT community in the region -- alumni/ae, widows and widowers, and retired MIT staff members."
 
 

CLUB PRESIDENTS - 1976-2001

1976  Bernard Nelson '35
1978  Frank Gilmore '33
1980  Joseph Dietzgen '41
1982  Robert Pratt '39
1984  David Wadleigh Jr. '38
1986  Albert Dunning '32
1988  H. Tyler Marcy '40
1990  Horace Homer '38
1992  Donald Sparrow '49
1993  Harry Ferullo '40
1995  Willis Reals '47
1997  William Maini '51
1999  Herbert Grossimon '50

MEMBERSHIP NEWS……..Gleaned from past newsletters:

Dick Henderson '38   was congratulated for publishing the Club Directory with names of both members and spouses. (4/90)

Rick Armstrong '65   was the subject of a Cape Cod Times editorial supporting his bid for lieutenant governor. (4/90)

Roy Foster '25   saw his grandson,  Douglas Foster, graduate from MIT, following Roy's two sons,  Richard S. Foster '54 and Alden T. Foster '62,  Douglas's father. (8/90)

Robert Wilkie '53  was appointed to the Blue Ribbon panel appointed by the Massachusetts Aeronautical Commission to study possible sites for a second airport to serve southeastern MA since Logan has become so overcrowded. (9/90)

The club extended thanks to Don and Reta Sparrow,  Grace Ferullo,  John Ward and  Collie Cook  for their assistance at the annual picnic. (9/90)

F. Spaulding Dunbar '26   was featured on the front page of The Cape Codder  (10/19/90) which had his biography and a summary of his career as a naval architect. (11/90)

Ty Marcy '40  organized volunteers to speak to local high school students about the benefits of attending MIT. (11/90)

Al Haven '50 and his wife Jane have been active citizens on the Lower Cape.   Al served on The Truro Conservation Commission and was Chairman of The Board of Health there as well as Selectman.  Jane was President of The Cape Cod Branch of The American Association of University Women.

William Holden '51   has served a five year term on The Bourne Town Planning Board. (1/91)

Kenneth Brock '48   was appointed to The Cape Cod Commission from August 90-92. (1/91) (He was later chairman.)

Stanley Landgraf '47  was renominated for his third year as Treasurer of The Harwich Historical Society. His wife Priscilla was appointed a member of The Brook Academy Museum Committee. (7/91)

Morris Etsten '32  was a volunteer member of SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives, for 13 years. This group works with the Small Business Administration to counsel those starting in business or those whose small businesses have problems. (10/91)

Joseph "Sepp" Dietzgen '41  and Peg,  his wife, produced a TV documentary "Profile: Conservation in Cotuit" which was shown on 12/13 highlighting the donation of 120 acres by The Mary Barton Trust. (1/92)

Georgene French (Mrs. Joseph '32)  was featured in a Cape Cod Times article for her volunteer work at The Falmouth Service Center. (9/92)

Betty Ann Lehmann '53  retired as newsletter editor after 7 years. (10/95)

Kenneth Pettingill '49  attended the dedication of the World War II Submarine Veterans Memorial at Groton, CT and suggested that this site is well worth the visit for any of our members. (3/96)

Herb Grossimon '50 and Jim Reilly '68  played a major role in the reenactment of the Battle at Lexington Green where "the shot heard round the world" was fired. (8/96)

Willis "Bill" Reals '47  was featured in a Cape Cod Times article "The Reals Story" for his election as Chairman of The Board of Trustees of Cape Cod Healthcare, Inc. (9/98)

The Class of '50 celebrated its 50th reunion.  Mal and Susan Green were reunion co-chairs; Walter and Irene Attridge,   Jon and Jewell Ganger,  Nate and Collie Cook,  Sam and Holly Raymond and  Jack and Dot McKenna were on the reunion committee. Jon Ganger chaired the gift committee, which included club members Walter Attridge,  Mal Green and  Jack McKenna.   Nate Cook wrote and collated a survey which provided interesting and humorous facts about the class membership. (11/00)
 
 

MIT CLUB HAPPENINGS OVER THE YEARS: 1977-1991
 

October 1977      A bus trip to MIT by 33 members included the viewing of The Historical Collection , a luncheon with President Emeritus Julius Stratton and, after a tour of Strobe Alley with Doc Edgerton, a tour of the new Alumni Center and newly renovated Huntington Hall.

February 1978     51 club members enjoyed a bus tour of the Boston Edison Canal Power Plant in Sandwich followed by lunch at The Old Yarmouth Inn.

August 1979     A picnic at the Allen Harbor Yacht Club in Harwichport was attended by 73 members and guests Robert Blake former regional director of the Alumni Association and his successor, Paul Johnson.

August 1980    The home of Club President Joe Dietzgen in Cotuit was the site of the annual picnic with 78 members and guests attending.

December 1981    A Christmas party was held at the Unitarian Church in Barnstable. 77 members and guests attended the luncheon and musical entertainment.

April 1982    At the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth, with 75 members and guests in attendance, Dr. Philip Morrison, Professor of Physics, MIT, spoke on his research in astrophysics and on his involvement concerning arms control.

March 1990    A special memorial to the recently deceased Harold "Doc" Edgerton at Kresge Auditorium was attended by several club members. Speakers included then MIT President Paul Gray, a former student of Doc's, and fellow explorer and marine researcher Jacques Cousteau.

September 1990    The annual picnic at The Dennis Yacht Club was a great success with 101 members and spouses
enjoying the sunny, clear weather, a delicious potluck lunch and good fellowship.

December 1991    The Chatham Bars Inn was the setting for the 16th annual Christmas Party as Vice-President
Don Sparrow shared the experiences he and his wife Reta had in living and working in Zambia. The new club
directories were passed out and The 15th Anniversary History of the Club was also available.

February 1992    A meeting, held at The Sea Crest in North Falmouth, had 95 members in attendance for a dinner
followed by a talk by Professor Samuel Jay Keyser on "Humor at MIT Is No Laughing Matter", discussing the theory of humor and examples of "hacking" and practical jokes at The Institute over the years.

December 1995    The Annual Christmas Party was held at East Bay Lodge. The luncheon was followed by entertainment by "The Surftones" who provided barber shop harmony. Included in their singing group were club members John Malloy '50, Dave Acker '38 and Ed Larson '50.

March 1996    Guest speaker at the March meeting, held at The Woods Hole Golf Club, was Doreen Bilezikian,
co-founder of The Christmas Tree Shops, who spoke on growing a business on Cape Cod.

September 1997    The Annual Picnic became an informal luncheon, which was held at The Mattakeese Wharf restaurant.

November 1998    "What God Left Out When He Created Light" was the topic of guest speaker Dr. Shaoul Ezeckiel at the meeting held at Anthony's Cummaquid Inn. Using good humor and wit, the professor discussed his research in laser technology.

September 1999     A new format was introduced at the fall meeting held at The Sheraton Hotel in Hyannis as fellow members Ty Marcy, Jim Sethares and Bob Copeland gave presentations in a forum on use of the internet.

March 2000     Another first, the joint meeting of The MIT Club of Cape Cod and The Harvard Alumni Club of Cape Cod, was held at Balymeade Country Club and attended by almost 200 members of both clubs. Guest speaker was Dr. Edward Fouhy, Executive Director of The Pew Center On The States, who spoke on "News Media in Transition: Is Democracy on the Auction Block?"
 

MIT Club for the Cape Cod area proposed:   Near the end of 1975 The Alumni Association in Cambridge contacted Roy "Doc" Foster '25 to inquire about the possibility of forming an MIT Club for alumni in The Cape Cod area. Doc then chose Bernard Nelson '35 and Prescott Smith '35 to work with him, forming a committee to contact the 260 graduates on The Cape through a questionnaire to determine their interest in forming a club. The results of a questionnaire were enthusiastically favorable from almost 100 alumni who had responded by May of that year.
 

Founding Meeting:  The Delphi Restaurant in South Yarmouth was the location of "The First Get Together of MIT Alumni on Cape Cod" to plan the establishing of an alumni club. Held on September 21, 1976, this meeting was attended by 66 alumni, including the committee for the meeting: B.H.. Nelson '35, P.A. Smith '35 and F.L. Foster '25. The luncheon, which cost $3.50, was followed by a talk by Richard Knight, Secretary of The Alumni Association.
 

First Officers:     President: Bernard H. Nelson '35
                            Vice President for Programs: Dr. Eli M. Dannenberg '39
                            Vice President for Membership: Prof. Frank F. Gilmore '33
                            Secretary and Treasurer: Dr. F. Leroy Foster '25
                            Assistant Secretary: George D. Bryant '63
 

Directors:       Parker N. Chick '47                 G. Edward Nealand '32
                          Robert L. Gerstley '63             Prescott A. Smith '35
                          Samuel O. Raymond '50         William B. MacCallum '24
                          Charles F. Goodale '35           Franklin McDermott '28
 
 

Constitution and by-laws approved:   At the meeting at The Delphi Restaurant on December 8, 1976, attended by 63 alumni and guests James A. Champy, Executive Vice President of The Alumni Association and Robert Blake, Regional Director for New England, the constitution and by-laws were presented and unanimously approved.
 

First meeting to which spouses were invited:   In May of 1977 a meeting was held at The Wychmere Harbor Club in Harwichport. 166 members and spouses attended and honored guests were Robert Blake from MIT's Alumni Office and Edith Nelson of The Leadership Conference staff.
 

First club newsletter:   In January of 1990 the first newsletter of The MIT Club of Cape Cod was written by Nate Cook '50, newsletter editor.
 

Education Fund founded:   In 1991 Neil Helmers '48 chaired the committee to raise funds for sponsoring Cape Cod teachers to attend MIT's Science and Engineering Program for Middle and High School Teachers.
 
 
 

*History of The MIT Club of Cape Cod, written by Anne Mowat '38 with the assistance of Roy Foster '25, Stanley Landgraf '47 and Harry Ferullo '40, published in 1991 for the club's 15th anniversary.

* MIT Club of Cape Cod: A Brief History written by Bill Reals '47 in 1997.

AWARDS GIVEN BY MIT TO MEMBERS OF THE MIT CLUB OF CAPE COD
 

BRONZE BEAVER AWARD**       LOBDELL AWARD*

Horatio L. Bond '23
William H. MacCallum '24                       David R. Wadleigh '38
F. Leroy Foster '25                                                 Joseph Dietzgen '41
Bernard H. Nelson '35                                           Malcolm Green '50
Kenneth S. Brock '48                                             William Maini '51
William Maini '51

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP IN THE ALUMNI/AE ASSOCIATION*

Susan H. Green
 

*for distinguished service to the Institute and/or its Association of Alumni/ae
**the highest honor the Association can bestow upon any of its members
 
 

To paraphrase Dr. Michael Dertouzos, Director of the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science, we as a nation have experienced three revolutions: the American Revolution, freeing us from British Rule, the Industrial Revolution, thrusting us into the machine age, and now, the Information Revolution, putting billions of megabytes of information at our fingertips.

This change has affected MIT across its entire spectrum, but perhaps not more than in the areas of curriculum and research. While in the past MIT has been renowned for its leadership in technology and science, now, thanks to advances in computer sciences, The Institute now has the best cutting edge tools for advances in medicine and microtechnology in the world. Concomitantly, Computer Science has become the most popular major for incoming students during the last decade. MIT's technology was instrumental in mapping the human genome, discovering artificial skin used on burn victims, inventing chips embedded with cancer killing chemicals that can be implanted at a non-operable tumor site, and a host of other modern medical advances.

The internet has also made staying in touch with other alumni as easy as turning on one's home computer, and news about the Institute is always available online.

The last 25 years have seen vast changes in The Institute's student body as well. MIT now has an enrollment that is 40% female and has more ethnically diverse graduates than ever before. This cultural melange has added to the learning that flourishes outside the classroom in living groups, clubs and social organizations.

With all these changes going on however, perhaps what is most noticeable when first visiting MIT today is the major construction going on throughout the campus. Cranes and backhoes are everywhere as students tread along temporary detours to get to class. Building 20, always a hotbed of new research, was taken down (but not before it was reverently memorialized by its faculty and alumni at a gathering before the wrecking ball did its job) and in its place will rise as a new computer science/media laboratory. Also being built are new freshmen dormitories, a brain sciences building and a new pool and physical education facility.

Now in the midst of an exceedingly successful capital campaign to raise 1.5 billion dollars, MIT, rather than rest on its laurels, is poised on the cusp of the 21st century more vigorous and inventive than ever to face the challenges of the future.
 
 
 

EDITOR:
James Sethares '62 <jseth@alum.mit.edu>
WRITERS:
Janet Sethares <janets1@mediaone.net>
Janet Serman <jserman@whrc.org>