The Beginning of the Charlie Finch '51 Alumni Meet

Took this right at the beginning of the Charlie Finch ’51 Memorial Meet last Saturday.  The young lady on the left, in the yellow t-shirt, is the daughter of Jim Kerr ’92.  Jim has the matching shirt.  I watched Jim “warm up” before the meet by giving a “piggy back” ride to one of his daughters.

Jim is a past president of the Indianapolis Association of Wabash Men and a new member of the college’s alumni board – his first official meeting will be in September.  His daughter looks like a runner – just like Dad.

Running on the far right is Greg Redding ’88.  Greg was recently featured in the Wabash Magazine – running a 100 mile race.  That’s right, 100 miles.  That makes my 30 minutes on the treadmill last night look…well…never mind!

Red-White Scrimmage Draws Crowd

The heat was on – in more ways than one.

The temperature was hot – a deep blue Colorado day and bright sunshine.  The field was hot.  Without any rain to “settle and soak”, the field turf was just a little warm – OK, well over 100!  The competition was hot.  Everyone was looking for a starting role or to move up the depth chart.

We had a very good crowd.  Someone remarked that there were many schools in Division III that would have loved to have the crowd we had for a regular home game.

Such is life.

Jake Kolisek '11, Frank Kolisek '82, and Charlie Kolisek '14

Team Kolisek.  Dad and Mom – Dr. Frank Kolisek ’82 and his lovely wife Lisa – were beaming all morning on Freshman Saturday.  What a great day.  You’ll see sons Jake back out on the gridiron this fall and Charlie on the baseball diamond.

Chip Timmons ’96, one of our Admissions superstars, has a photo album of some of the Wabash legacies in the Class of 2014.  (That’s where I “borrowed” the shot.)  You can find the album here.

Joe O’Rourke H’65 sent this to me.  It’s from a member of the Class of 1965 who was back on campus for the Big Bash this past June.

– – –

“I am a fellow member of the class of ’65 who left after three years to pursue a more active social life in Bloomington. I attended (and thoroughly enjoyed) last weekend’s festivities.  I’m always astounded when I run into one of my professors and they actually seem to remember me and greet me warmly just as you did. I had the same experience with Bert Stern a few years ago.

I must say that I remember 95% of my Wabash professors and about 5% of those that I had at IU.

When I was talking to a friend and classmate…about how great it would be if we could somehow come back to get degrees that say Wabash College rather than Indiana University, he responded by saying “Wabash will always be my academic home.” I can’t imagine a better expression of our feelings about Wabash.

It was great to see you.”

One of the things you are taught as a fighter pilot at a very early stage is to constantly “check six”.  “Check six” means clearing behind you to make sure there’s no one on your tail.  (Can’t demo this if you’re wearing a digital watch!)

Here’s another version…

The "JEC - GAC" BMW

The story goes like this.  Peter Durant’s (Class of 1970) daughter is behind this BMW in the Washington, DC area.  The license plate is a personalized one.  Not unusual as many are out there.  But it surrounded by a Wabash College plate frame.  She snaps the shot and emails it to Dad.  Dad takes one look and…ahah! – JEC is Jane Castanias and GEC is Greg Castanias ’87.  Greg gets the email…completes the loop.

It just goes to show you that the reach is far and wide by this little college for men in rural Indiana.

Professor Mike Abbott '85

Mike Abbott, Associate Professor of Theater and Department Chair, besides being a great guy and well respected teacher, is also an internet “star”.  Mike writes the very popular gaming blog “The Brainy Gamer”.

Mike’s idea has been to incorporate a game into the syllabus.  For more, read the on-line article here and a great story by our Magazine guru Steve Charles, here.

The "W" is now in place!

Taken this morning…to get larger size photos, click here.

The sun comes over the horizon - are you ready for some football?

The Glee Club Singing "Old Wabash" at Freshman Saturday Chapel

Great minds think alike, they say.  We’ll here’s a case where a barely average one (the Grunge) was thinking along the same lines as a smart one.  This from Fred Whitmer ’69 the same day I was working on the blog entry for the Glee Club!

“Seeing your blog about Freshman Saturday reminded me that in my day it was Freshman Sunday.  That’s a day I’ll never forget.  I had intended to use my college days without indulging in all the musical stuff that I had in high school, but as I sat in the chapel, awaiting the opening ceremony with the organ grinding out some Bach-like sonorities, suddenly, and dramatically, the now-familiar-but-then-unknown chromatic intro blared out, the Glee Club burst through a side door on the stage and the whole place rose up to the rapid incantation of “From the hills of Maine….”  I was hooked.  By the end of the week, Mitchum had held auditions; I was invited and accepted the invitation to be a member of the Wabash Glee Club.  Four years later, when, to my utter surprise I got the Outstanding Glee Club graduating Senior award, I was prouder of that than of my Phi Beta Kappa key.  The former meant more to me because it was from my colleagues.  The latter has been more useful, of course, but that’s the way it is.  And it does say something that the Glee Club Reunion is the only one I’ve ever attended.”

Saturday, August 21, 2010.  255 new freshman.  They were born in 1992.  Let me say that again – 1992!

The Caleb Mills Bell

The photo shows the Caleb Mills Bell.  It’s sitting there patiently awaiting its moment in history.  That history is debated, a little, but the symbolism is what counts.  The Class of 2014 has taken their place at Wabash…and the Class of 2010 no longer holds the reins as THE senior class.

Born in 1992. Geez I’m old!

Footnote: The new blog banner includes a photo.  The best nickname we have thus far for the shot of the guy with the huge nose and gap in his teeth is “Devil Tom.”  Bet you’ve got a better one – send it to me at runget@wabash.edu.

Jerry Porter ’65 has a book out and it’s most fitting for where we find ourselves today.  For that personal pick me up, try “I’ll Bet You’ll Laugh.”

For more details, go to Jerry’s web site here.