The Senior Bench Is...ahh. Blue!

It might be that time of the academic year when we will see the bench go through the fraternity colors…Seniors with an opportunity to get that last picture at the SENIOR bench?

The seniors’ days are numbered…it’s beginning to show in their eyes.  They are slowly being pulled over into the empire of “Them”.  They’re working to keep a foot in the door of “Us”…but it just doesn’t happen – or it shouldn’t!

Welcome to Wabash College

Stopped by the corner of Wabash and Grant this morning.  Temperature hit 35 degrees last night…may be colder tonight.  Thought I should get a couple of shots because it may not be so nice tomorrow.

And that got me to thinking…in a poor, dumb fighter pilot sort of warped logic…

What changes when the flowers are no longer “flowering”?  The corner isn’t so beautiful but there’s plenty of beauty here.  Then you could go further and ask yourself about the corner and is it the icing on the cake or merely a sprinkle or two?  Or even that?  Or, you could start way back there and work to define beauty.  Then real beauty.  Then true beauty.  Makes an old guy’s cranium swim.

Then it all comes back to the quote I use way too often from my friend Bill Cook ’66: “This   good   place”.  Good means good…but it leaves us the opportunity to take good to better.  We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t interested in that.

Happy Easter/Passover from the Grunge.

Attended the Fran Hollett Fun…er…Celebration today.  More than any other…Celebration…I have been to, this one was truly that.

The Rev. Anne Rosebrock set the tone from beginning to end.  She celebrated Fran’s great spirit, her love of life and humor, and the strong, strong links she shared with Barney when it came to all things Wabash.

Fran’s daughter Susan spoke, Tony Altavilla ’85 spoke, and President White spoke.  Love, enthusiasm, deep faith, lust for life…it all came through.  And we all laughed.

Those of you who know me well know I am a fighter pilot and thus I do not cry…but sometimes I deal with very sudden pollen attacks or micro colds that cause my eyes to water.  Didn’t happen today…for all the right reasons.  This was a Celebration that left everyone there smiling.

A life well lived.  A life well lived.

As I left the beautiful Church, the air was like an early fall day, the wind was almost calm, and I swear I could smell brats on a tailgate grill.  Somewhere, I know, a batch of tailgate “tomato juice-like” adult beverages were being passed around.

A perfect day for a Celebration.

On days like this…started bad last night and just got…longer.  I am left to wonder, having just “reviewed” the 312 comments on this blog……

1.  Why are all these Russians reading the Grunge Report?  And if they like it, why post all their comments in Russian? I’m just a poor, dumb fighter pilot, for goodness sake.  HELP!

2.  I don’t need any more shoes.  Or a Zune…whatever that is.  Or more “T”.  Or THAT kind of help…  I do need a bigger watch, tho…you ALWAYS need a bigger watch.

3.  Who booked that United flight for me and why do I need to check in 12 times over the internet with a credit card?

4.  Arabic?  See #1.

5.  How can I need to review 14 bank accounts I didn’t know I had and send the passwords to folks who speak #1 or #4 above?

6.  I have been to Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, East Germany (back when) and a few other places around the globe…but I didn’t know I had a Chinese bank account.  Wow!

7.  With just my account number and password, Lord What’s His Name will put $25,000,000 in my account.  Now that’s almost too good to be true.

8.  I’ll think of something else…just give me a little time to get my jaw loose…

9.  A week of SOF beginning to look good!  There, I said it, Jim!

Jon Pactor '71 presents the Vic Powell chair

Jon Pactor ’71 presented the “Vic Powell Chair” to Wabash and the Scarlet Inn in memory of beloved Professor Vic Powell H’55.  Vic was, among many things, a Hall of Fame member of the Scarlet Inn Roundtable.

The chair plaque mentions “Intelligent and Respectful Conversation.”  Vic was a master of lively conversation and loved, yes loved, discussing (without arguing) differing points of view.  Some might suggest this kind of conversation is vanishing from the landscape.

Marion Powell Thanks Jon Pactor '71

Marion Powell, a Wabash legend in her own right, thanked Jon and told a packed Scarlet Inn that Vic absolutely treasured his moments talking with friends at the round table.  Carol, Vic and Marion’s daughter, echoed those emotions and she recalled the first moment of conversation when her father came home was about the topics of discussion at the Inn.

I for one certainly hope the days of intelligent and respectful conversations aren’t gone.

Fran Hollett and Ginny Hays

I remember vividly walking into the Homecoming Alumni Chapel several years ago when the Wabash “Golden Girls” were quietly conversing – Fran Hollett and Ginny Hays.  Two of the greatest of Great Dames if ever there were.  Two of the most Honorary of Honorary alumnae…

Their Wabash husbands – legendary leaders – had helped make Wabash special.  If there was any unfinished business – and there always is – Ginny and Fran were here to do their share and more.  They touched the lives of generations of Wabash men…and their families.

In the Fall of 2008 we lost Ginny.  She simply went to bed one evening and woke up in heaven.  It was a tough Fall…made even tougher with her loss.

Last night we lost Fran.  No details yet…no details needed.  I have this vision of Barney Hollett and Ginny Hays standing next to St. Peter.  Ginny says “Just get your work done, St. Pete, we’ve got catching up to do.”

Wabash, the Sigma Chi house, football, Wabash men, their families…they meant the world to Fran.  And she meant the world to us.  We’ll miss her…

Thank Goodness for the Students Who Helped

Well, maybe not all of us.  But several members of the Advancement team have moved.

All of the major giving staff – Alison Kothe, David Troutman, Lu Hamilton, Steve Hoffman, and Alecia Franklin – have relocated into Kane House.  They’ll be collocated with the New Dean.  Deb Woods, our grant writer, and Marilyn Smith, our researcher (and Alumni Blog author), are also in Kane.  The rest of us will be housed in Hays Alumni Center with some reorganization planned.

If you’re looking for Jim Amidon and his crew in Communications and Marketing, they are now located in Hovey Cottage, right next to Caleb Mills House.  Jim is now a permanent member of the President’s staff and working directly for President White.  Communications and Marketing are both critical components of our collective work, as you know.

Trippet Hall

Took this on Tuesday morning.  Tuesday’s high was to be 84 degrees.  Have to keep reminding myself that it is March.  As in March Madness.  As in high’s in the 50s.  As in snow, not sunburn.

Don’t want to even begin to think about August!!!!!

You've Gotta Love Banners

We’ve got some decorations in the outfield at the Wabash Ballpark.  It’s nice to loo out there and see last year’s team celebrated for being th eNCAC Champions and also for their selection to pay in the Division III playoffs.

Of course, the logistics type in me says that in another 30 to 40 years we’ll need more room on the outfield fence.  I am OK with that – a nice problem to have.

Meanwhile we’ll keep in mind down the road that the 2011 team is the one who started it all.

Phi Psis Ready for Honors

Took this last Friday – first day of Honors.  Notice the guys are playing catch. That’s because before 2:00 PM it was already 75 degrees.  A lot of the trees on campus have already decided that spring is definitely here.

The Bachelor - A Must Read

Biut not everyone was playing ball.  Some guys were catching up on all the latest campus news…via the Bachelor.

Sound of mind and body.