About Me

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Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, United States

Friday, November 11, 2011

Death of A Clock

It was the heartbeat of the house.
Situated at the opposite end from the master bedroom,
Atop the mantel over the living room fireplace,
Its loud clang could be heard in the wee hours.

Sometime in the late sixties,
The clock was purchased
From an antique store in Scarscale
As a Christmas present for the lady of the house.

The model is an Ansonia Parisian
From the late nineteenth century
With an etched glass front and
Carved wood head and lyres.

After extensive revision, cleaning,
And the purchase of a matching finial,
The clock took its place as a fixture
Of the decorating scheme of the establishment.

It never did keep exact time, even though
The counterweight could be adjusted
By screwing a nut up and down
To change the speed of the pendulum.

The clock survived the move to Cape Cod
But required periodic visits to the Clock Shop.
Scheduled windings of the gears
Took place on Saturday mornings.

Changes in the local times
And power outages were troublesome
As the hands had to move manually
To synchronize the time and chimes.

Alas, the clock's noises are no longer welcome
And it had to be retired from active duty.
Now it sits in a corner on a lady's desk
As a simple feature of the antique decor.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Cape Cod Culture

Summer visitors often ask:
"What do you do here in the winter?
It must be cold and deserted
With nothing to do.

Nothing could be further from reality.
After the tourists go home,
Cape Cod becomes alive with
Activities and cultural events.

This past weekend saw an
Explosion of performances
That rivaled our wild weekends
At various venues in Manhattan.

On Saturday, the Metropolitan Opera
Broadcast "Siegfried" in HD transmission
To our local art movie houses.
That was six plus hours in the seats.

Now admittedly that's not quite the same
As being in the opera house,
But the shots of the Met always show
Where we have sat in recent visits.

Watching the HD telecasts are
A whole different experience.
The closeups bring out the splendid
Acting by contemporary opera stars.

Siegfried featured the last minute
Substitution of the lead by a bit player
Who was called into action with
Only a week of rehearsal.

Thus Jay Hunter Morris, a genial
Blond Texas hunk became an instant hit
As one of the handful in the world who
Can sing Siegfried at all.

Our cultural marathon was followed
On Saturday evening with the Cape Rep's
Staging of "Avenue Q", the puppet musical,
To a full house of enthusiastic baby boomers.

On Sunday, our Episcopal Church service
Featured ten sung hymns and anthems.
The rector likes music, it seems,
So we stand and sing most of the liturgy.

Finally, the cultural explosion concluded
With the Cape Symphony's Mozart concert
Featuring a noted clarinetist performing
Mozart's exquisite concerto for the instrument.

This is not an unusual weekend on Cape Cod.
There are six theater groups in full season,
Four chorales, three chamber orchestras,
And numerous performing artists on stage.

Not to mention all the pubs and clubs
Who have night life of all persuasions.
Jazz, Irish, Country, and Rock are available
From P'town to Woods Hole, all along the Cape.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

"O Canada" Part II

Next to the fabled Montmorency Falls
Which are, as advertized, higher than Niagara.
Lunch at an ancient house with a water mill
On the Ile d'Orleans in the river.

Captive customers, as always on a tour,
We did delight in the visit to a sugar shack
On the island, reminiscent of similar establishments
In Vermont and New Hampshire.

At the park that was the Plains of Abraham,
One could visualize the half hour battle that
Killed both generals, Montcalm and Wolfe,
And resulted in Canada passing to British domination.

Immediately after the ship docked in Montreal,
We were treated to a lengthy tour of the city,
Including a ride to the top of Mount Royal
And the faux London suburb of West Mount.

The French language signs throughout Montreal
Are literal translations of their English counterparts
And thus easy to read and follow.
All the hospitality people spead idiomatic English.

But the British influence seems sadly gone.
The Black Watch Regiment Armoury was deserted.
Only the Anglican churches cling to old ways
With scheduled services for tiny congregations.

We attended a lengthy Sunday service at St. James the Apostle,
With a baptism of three infants by the lady Canon Rector.
The plaque on the walls of St. James and the cathedral
Paid tribute to Canadians in both World Wars; and
Listed the rectors and bishops of the Anglican diocese.

Starved for art, we hied up to the Musee des Beaux-Arts,
Only to find the major collections closed,
Save for a fascinating private exhibit
Of Napoleon paintings and artifacts.

The weather was very warm and humid for Montreal.
Droves of students from McGill and Laval swarmed the streets.
Best of all were the restaurants, featuring
Simple dishes prepared elegantly.

"O Canada" Part I

Hurricane Irene jeoparized the entire cruise.
But just before it bore down on Boston,
The M.S. Maasdam escaped to the North Atlantic,
Bearing its cargo of 1200 intrepid passengers.

Despite the problems of the weather,
We would commend Holland America Line
For cheerful service in adversity.
Most enjoyable was being seated at dinner
With different groups from
Canada, Scotland, and various U.S. points.

Alas, three ports of call were cancelled:
Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia
Were in the path of the storm, its high winds and rain.
Thus the first landing was on charming Prince Edward Island.

Of course, that tour had to include Anne of Green Gables,
Or rather the putative house of a fictitious heroine.
Surprisingly, the province resembles Cape Cod
In its extensive beaches and rolling landscape.

Sailing down the St. Lawrence River panorama,
We spied Joan and Tim's house on the bluff.
Immediately, the red roof of the hotel,
And the harbor of Tadoussac came into view.

Saguenay was a last minute, unplanned stop.
The locals welcomed us enthusiastically at the pier,
But the tour was to an odd mix of company towns,
Industrial installations, and the Victorian homes of their nabobs.
Still, not many other people can say that they have visited
Bagotville, Saguenay, Chicoutimi, and Jonquieres!

The all-day excursion into and around Quebec was a gem.
First, a walking tour of the old village
Where Benedict Arnold almost conquered Canada.
Next to the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre.

Never mind that Mary's mother is not mentioned in the bible.
She has a huge basilica built in her honor
Where she performs miraculous cures, and
Receives donations from thousands of pilgrims.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Normal Heart

The ostensible reason for our latest trip
To Old Greenwich and New York
Was to join the extended family in celebration
Of Frank's eightieth birthday.

But Sue suggested we arrive early to
Spend a few days using their apartment.
So, as is our wont, we first hied up to
Lincoln Center to see what we could score.

The American Ballet Theatre was in residence,
Performing "Swan Lake" as the week's offering.
We must have bought the very last tickets
Overlooking the stage from the lowest box.

It was a memorable and masterful exhibition,
With the parts of both the white and black swans
Danced by one prima ballerina, generally
Considered a tour de force in the genre.

The centerpiece of our visit was the next night's
"The Normal Heart," winner of numerous Toni awards.
The featured doctor in the play is copied directly from
The wheelchair bound daughter of a close friend.

She was the first to treat Aids patients in New York
And to identify the disease as a true plague.
The play is powerful theater, the actors mesmerizing
To the audience of mainly young men.

For light relief after such heavy cultural investment,
We toured St. Patrick's, where I dipped me fingers
In the holy water and made the sign of the cross,
Like the good Catholic boy I used to be.

Attended noontime HE at St. Thomas on Fifth Avenue,
Flew up to the Top of the Rock,
Joined a happy crowd whooping it up
To "Mamma Mia" at the Winter Garden on Broadway.

Where did you dine, you might ask,
That being an important feature of touring NYC.
Our favorites:  P.J. Clarke's on Columbus Avenue,
Basso 56 between 8th Avenue and Broadway on 56th St.

We have been to the latter so often that
The proprietor recognizes and greets us on the way in.
This time we sampled Ruhlmann's Brasserie at
Rockefeller Center and The Oyster Bar in Grand Central.

Then back to Old Greenwich to be enfolded
By numerous Millards, young and old, including
One of my stepdaughters and various cousins who now
Recognize me as one of the extended family.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Much Ado About A Million Dollar Budget

It has been said that the infighting is vicious
When the stakes are low.
A small local arts musuem has been the scene
Of a particularly nasty power struggle.

A small cabal of board members and the president
Conspired to remove the executive director
On the basis of difficult interpersonal relations
With staff personnel and persons on the board.

Considering the extraordinary improvements
This person has made to the position of the museum,
Some of the honorary trustees, long term veterans,
Rode to the rescue like Wagner's Walkyries.

The email crackled with fiery messages.
Rogue board members attempted end runs
Around the procecures of the board of trustees
To force the director to resign.

News about the battle leaked to the press.
Supporters responded with letters of encomia.
Donors met to cut off funding.
Staff members walked around like zombies.

Contentious board meetings were held
The details of which cannot be divulged.
But the public will discern
That the status quo has been preserved.

None of the turmoil was evident in discussions
At the board meeting before the annual meeting.
Two key members were absent.
The atmosphere was tense, though civil.

The museum is a very small operation,
Managed, in the legal sense, by a large
Board of Trustees supposedly dedicated
To the purpose and operation of the enterprise.

Unfortunately, outsize egos are much in display.
Their conclusions and deliberations are
More akin in spirit to the board of a Fortune 500,
And the jockeying of power seen at high levels.

The museum needs no "strategic plan" at this time.
It is in survival mode,
Therefore needs to be concentrated
On doing good things very well.

That requires straightening out the assignment
Of who does what, when, and how,
Among the Board of Trustees and the paid staff.
With measurable goals commonly established.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Amy

She was not an accident; the story is this:
Junior members of the Winnetka Womens Club
Had to fly up to senior status at thirty-five.
So a lot of them had babies that year.

Amy was seven years younger than her sister
Had two brothers ten and twelve years older.
She was the family pet;
Nicknamed boo by her siblings.

She was too young for kindergarten;
We should have held her back.
And did for seventh grade.
In high school she blossomed as an actress
  and choreographer.

I taught her how to drive, cool and confident,
Sometimes driving boyfriends on dates.
Drama school in college was a mixed success,
Never quite achieving a stage personality.

She was a beautiful young woman,
Romanced by one suitor after another.
All she turned away, never seeming
To be able to commit to married life.

She lacked the fire in the belly that acting requires,
Drifting along as a waitress and paralegal.
When into her life came a newly minted M.D.
With issues of his own in relationships.

He damaged her psyche, but inspired a resolution
To become a doctor herself, a pediatrician.
Moving in with her sister; she took difficult pre-med courses
Until another episode derailed her plan.

Perhaps she couldn't face the reality of medical school.
A third mental episode ended her life.
There is no greater anguish than that suffered
By couples who lose an adult child; a life's promise is gone.

Do I regret that we ever had a fourth child?
Never, our lives were enriched by her presence.
Not a day goes by that I do not think about Amy,
And be glad that she was our daughter.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Ode To First Daughter

She was an adorable baby.
When her father came home from work,
He would scoop her up on his lap,
Bouncing, giggling, and squealing.

Early on, she realized that she was
Different from her two older brothers.
She could wear clothes that they didn't,
Especially her "nightgrown."

Memorable moments:  when she ran a
Very high fever while her mother was
Out with the two boys, and had
To be rushed to the doctor's office.

Then, when it was evident that her
Foot was rolling inward, she had
To be taken to the "piggy doctor"
For fitting a corrective shoe insert.

Keen competition from her brothers
In schoolwork brought out a
Methodical side to her nature that
Later became determined pursuit of her goals.

Exposed to good times with a privileged
Hippy element at summer camp, she fancied
Herself briefly as one of culture's rebels,
But that gave way to a common sense outlook.

From Scarsdale High to Wheaton College, Mass.,
She vowed never to marry a Harvard lawyer.
But of course, that's exactly what she did
While pursuing a retailing career at Macy's.

She excelled in the tasks of management there,
Which later found usefulness in raising a
Sterling group of three only children,
Inspiring them to be good, better, and best.

She is a paragon of a wife and mother
Amongst the baby boomer generation,
With years of service to her church.
(She escapes to the paradise of Cape Cod!)

Ode To First Daughter

She was an adorable baby.
When her father came home from work,
He would scoop her up on his lap,
Bouncing, giggling, and squealing.

Early on, she realized that she was
Different from her two older brothers.
She could wear clothes that they didn't,
Especially her "nightgrown."

Memorable moments:  when she ran a
Very high fever while her mother was
Out with the two boys, and had
To be rushed to the doctor's office.

Then, when it was evident that her
Foot was rolling inward, she had
To be taken to the "piggy doctor"
For fitting a corrective shoe insert.

Keen competition from her brothers
In schoolwork brought out a
Methodical side to her nature that
Later became determined pursuit of her goals.

Exposed to good times with a privileged
Hippy element at summer camp, she fancied
Herself briefly as one of culture's rebels,
But that gave way to a common sense outlook.

From Scarsdale High to Wheaton College, Mass.,
She vowed never to marry a Harvard lawyer.
But of course, that's exactly what she did
While pursuing a retailing career at Macy's.

She excelled in the tasks of management there,
Which later found usefulness in raising a
Sterling group of three only children,
Inspiring them to be good, better, and best.

She is a paragon of a wife and mother
Amongst the baby boomer generation,
With years of service to her church.
(She escapes to the paradise of Cape Cod!)

Ode to First Son

He was the baby who traveled, at six weeks,
From Fort Knox, KY to Bad Wildungen, Germany,
With stops in New Hartford, NY, and Brooklyn;
Harbingers of events in the future.

For three years, he had a nursemaid to care for him,
Gaining a brother in Frankfurt, Germany.
At Camp Pickett, VA, Santa Claus brought him
A pedal-driven jeep with B Company markings.

At age six, his parents made a binding decision
To enroll him in the public school,
Thereby cementing their determination
To leave Catholicism for the Episcopal Church.

Thereafter, they aimed at living
In towns with the best public schools.
So the better part of his education
Occurred in Winnetka, IL, and Scarsdale, NY.

Before his freshman year at New Trier High School,
He wanted to go out for football, but lacked
Twenty-five of the 150 pounds required.
So his mother found a local soccer team just forming.

That became a determining factor in his life.
He took to soccer as a natural talent.
Acquiring the nickname of Prancer for
The way he approached and kicked the ball.

His sports heros were international futbol stars.
So he went on to Hamilton College, NY,
To study economics and Spanish, which
Led him to a career in international finance.

Chance ... or the hand of God
Brought him to a Spanish language program
With a beautiful tutor from Brooklyn
Who became his wife and mother of two fine children!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Ode to Second Son

His mother, an only child, wanted a big family,
So he came along two years after the first son.
Born in the Army hospital in Frankfurt;
After delivery, she sobbed, "It's another boy!"

"That's all right, dear," said the father,
"We'll enjoy another boy!"
And they did, after they recognized the
Remarkable differences between the two sons.

As much as any child can be
Said to resemble either of the parents,
The second son took after his father's family
In looks as well as persuasion.

He developed a gift of imagination,
Talked a blue streak all the time,
Read voraciously, excelled in school,
Sowed a little wild oats along the way.

The other kids said he was their parents' favorite,
They said he just required the most attention.
He was so thin when he was little that you
Could see his heart beating behind the rib cage.

He sang treble in the church choir, and in an opera;
Pursued dramatic arts in high school, college, and after.
Spent a year at a prep school for difficult boys,
Was accepted and matriculated at Yale University.

Then he entered his tai chi and proletarian period,
Working a variety of menial jobs, until, as a paralegal,
He found out that he was smarter than the associates,
And was being paid one-third their salaries.

Living with a gentle creature, who later
Turned out to have a core of spring steel,
He went to California's best law school,
And served in a variety of legal occupations.

Now he is a staid attorney at law in group practice,
The father of two fascinating children,
The husband of a nutritional scientist,
Altogether a splendid family man.

He fulfils the best of the Kimball tradition,
Who were known as devoted to their families,
Devoid of overweening ambition, but
Serious and thorough in their performance at work.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Cape Cod Trails Conference

Life member of the Appalachian Mountain Club,
Founder of the Mohican Chapter of the ADK,
Scaler of 4000 footers all over the Northeast,
Veteran back pack and hike leader,

He retired to Cape Cod in 1993 at age 65.
Immediately looking for local hikes and hiking groups,
He found them both in the Eastham Hiking Club, and
The local chapter of AMC.

They showed him walks all over Cape Cod,
Using unmarked trails unknown to visitors and most residents.
When he asked them how others could follow their routes,
They showed some reluctance to share their treasures.

Sometime in 1995, when the world wide web became popular,
He had the idea to put descriptions of hikes on Cape Cod
On the internet, under the banner of an organization that
He called the Cape Cod Trails Conference.

Finding a pro bono host for the website on C4.net,
He scouted and posted thirty long walks of 8 to 10 miles.
He began bicycling with Nauset Newcomers in 1994,
Posting thirty bicycle routes on a nested page.

He copyrighted the Long Walks to protect them
From appropriation by commercial sites.
But the material on the website he gave to the public,
To download, print, and use in exploring Cape Cod.

He drew sketch maps for the Long Walks,
And later used a Magellan mapping GPS
To plot way points on topographical maps,
Accompanying detailed descriptions of each hike.

When open heart surgery forced him to stop
Leading the long walks, he began tailoring some
Into short walks of four to five miles,
Listing these in a separate nest of web pages.

Age and an irregular heartbeat finally forced him
To discontinue participating in group hikes,
No longer able to check the accuracy of his creations,
He began searching for a person or group to replace him.

Last Tuesday, March 15, 2011, he met with
Three stalwart members of Nauset Newcomers,
Who were each former leaders of the bicycle group.
They agreed to take over the Cape Cod Trails Conference.

One person has become the webmaster;
The others will be major contributors to the bicycle routes.
The hiking portion may be delegated to other persons,
And perhaps result in a separate website.


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Pace University II

One by one, he developed new courses
And added them to the curriculum.
Production Management was a natural,
Later becoming Operations Management.

Social Responsibilities of Business was,
In effect, a course on business ethics,
But strictures on religious proselyting
Forbade overt moralizing.

Organizational Behavior and Management Science
Required hiring new professors in those specialties.
He taught the former long enough to introduce a more
Proactive course in Leadership, borrowed from West Point.

After a few years of growth, the Business Department
Was divided into separate business disciplines.
The Dean thought Marketing and Management should combine.
With a staff of four at the time, he held out for a separate department.

In time, that became the second largest in the university.
Asked to design the major, he divided it into six tracks
With overlapping courses at the core, and a few specialties.
This became popular, as offering flexibility in application.

But he also held out against pressure to institute
Career specific majors, such as hospitality or sports management,
And in so doing discovered a fundamental rule in
The principles of academic freedom.

As chairman of the management department, he and his colleagues
Had to be recognized as the authority in their discipline.
They could not be directed in what to teach or how to teach.
Changes could only suggested to them, as part of the larger whole.

When he was being considered for tenure, after six years,
The president let it be known that he must be approved,
There being no doctoral degree in his field,
And in recognition of his organizing abilities.

Looking at the familiar pattern of employment of graduates from Pace,
Of what was essentially a commuter school for local residents,
He originated a program for those in family or other small businesses,
With courses in entrepreneurship and small business management.

This was a hard sell to the powers that be, in overcoming
Objections that the courses were not sufficiently academic.
He formed a partnership with the Small Business Administration in
Using seniors in analysis and improvement of existing businesses.

He required both speaking and writing in each course, if feasible.
In advanced courses, he formed project teams of five each,
To examine existing business situations, and critique them,
Or to develop recommendations for wholly new strategies.

He had considered teaching to age 70, or perhaps 68.
But the trustees in their wisdom offered a retirement bonus,
So at 65, he consulted with his banker son, who said,
"Dad, take the first offer, they don't get any better."

They decided to relocate to Cape Cod, where
Their daughter and family had summered for years.
Sold the house in Mahopac and move to Brewster,
And lived happily there together for nine years.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Calico Corners

They worked hard together on their little house
In Mahopac, making up for years of neglect,
Transforming it into a decorator's showcase
And residing there for eighteen years.

He covered the exterior with Adirondack shingles,
Painted the trim and the chimney,
Painted and wallpapered the entire interior,
And converted the basement garage into his office.

She painted furniture and interior trim,
Made window treatments and accessories.
Then she decided to try interior design for
Clients who were recommended to her.

She had worked for two furniture showrooms,
In White Plains, and in Peekskill after the move.
But the compensation was strictly commission
And the business practices bordered the shady side.

On a visit to the Calico Corners fabric store in Mt. Kisco,
She saw a help wanted notice, and inquired about the job.
Hired instantly, she spent a year or so advising and
Selling decorator fabrics and arranging custom work.

Promoted to assistant manager, she made lifelong friends
With the store manager and the window display designer.
The three of them often went out for drinks after work,
And she replaced the store manager who became district boss.

She did the whole job, hiring and training new employees,
Supervising their work and handling difficult customers.
In 1985, she was awarded a silver bowl at a banquet,
Commemorating her first million dollar sales year.

She enjoyed the fun part, going to managers' meetings
At company headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
But the stress of retail operation was taking its toll,
So she stepped down from the job at age sixty.

Thereafter, she only worked part time at antique stores.
But the experience of managing at Calico Corners
Identified her as a somebody, not just anybody,
Who had conquered challenges in the business world.

Early on in her stint in management,
She announced to her assembled children at dinner,
"I don't seem to have any problem telling people what to do!",
Whereupon they collapsed in laughter.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Pace University I

Coming home from a month in Panama in 1973,
He was faced with the problem of what to do next.
The bad part of solo consulting is that it is next to
Impossible to perform a job and sell another at the same time.

So he took time to consider his options.
He might throw in with McKinsey or Booz Hamilton,
But that would surely mean considerable travel
And perhaps a difficult and/or international relocation.

That kind of consulting is a younger man's game,
And at 45, how much longer would he be willing to do it?
He really needed to stay with something long enough
To collect a decent pension, if such were available.

Asking himself, what do I really like to do,
The answer came in a flash -- teaching.
So he perused the educator tombstones in the Wall Street Journal,
And found something attractive that popped out of the pages.

Pace University in Manhattan and Pleasantville wanted
A full-time professor of management, a new position,
To introduce and teach courses in business management, and
To develop and expand an undergraduate program in management.

He said, "I can do that!", and fired off a letter and resume.
The first question that the dean asked in the subsequent interview
Was, "What do you know about Peter Drucker?"
"Everything."  So they talked for hours over lunch.

Pace already had scheduled a course in Principles of Management,
At both campuses, with the instructor, TBA, and
A required course for all business majors, called
Management Policies and Practices, whatever that was.

Commuting from Scarsdale to both campuses,
He struggled at first with confusing syllabi,
Then gradually shaped the courses to something resembling
The case method of teaching pioneered at Harvard.

His compensation was exactly half what he had last received
In the private sector, but he hoped to continue consulting on the side.
That didn't happen; he was too busy coping with academics.
Later he eked out more income from extra teaching and administration.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Scarsdale

They considered moving to two areas in New York,
Both in Westchester County, north of the city.
The choices narrowed to Scarsdale and Larchmont,
For the reputation of their public schools.

Larchmont would have required commuting on the
New Haven Line, which was then having operating difficulties.
Scarsdale seemed to have the edge on education,
And the commute was a 35 minute express ride to the city.

They first rented a big barn of a house opposite
The Episcopal church, St. James the Less,
And then bought a big Tudor home on the Post Road,
Settling the kids in high school and junior high.

The Scarsdale schools provided such a good preparation
That all three older children who graduated from the high school
Had no difficulty with the demands of the Eastern colleges they attended.
They had survived the challenging Scarsdale environment without damage.

Their parents found lifelong friends at St. James,
Plunging into its activities, and leading a busy social life.
They joined a tennis and swim club in Rye, on Long Island Sound.
She was admitted to a special group of volunteers at the Women's Club.

When the third child was in high school
She went to work for a local department store,
First in the gift shop, then in interior design,
Selling custom-made draperies and slip covers to the gentry.

Altogether, they were in Scarsdale for nine years.
Then, his job circumstances required reducing expenses,
And the property taxes were becoming prohibitive,
So they sold the house and settled far out in the country.

The New York Times

The New York Times

A recruiter brought them to New York.
After years of wandering, they lived there
For twenty-seven years, and might have stayed,
But no one can afford to live in the New York area anymore.

The first seven years were a melange of consulting projects,
Sometimes on a company payroll, sometimes free lancing.
All were characterized by objective analysis,
Leading to recommendations for change or improvement.

At first, he was employed by The New York Times,
With the title of Director of Management Services.
No one knew what that was, and neither did he,
But he proceeded to study the business dispassionately.

Years later he found out that his employer,
A Harvard MBA and VP of operations,
Was determined to bring The Times into the
Twentieth Century in business practices.

So he hired an innocent rube from Chicago,
Who had no understanding of the feudal fiefdoms
These giants of world journalism headed,
Nor their resentment of outside interference.

He had a small staff of industrial engineers,
Concentrating on making minor operating efficiencies,
And a data processing unit engaged in the most basic
Of punched card accounting applications.

He discovered the new idea of strategic planning,
And used its concepts to participate in task forces
Engaged in expanding the paper in separate sections,
And in planning the rollout to national distribution.

The high point of his tenure came when he gave
A slide presentation on long range planning to
An assemblage of all the brass in the company,
Receiving an ovation from the floor and a handshake
  from the publisher.

Three months later, he was fired.
"Things are just not working out!" he was told
By his boss, who himself was forced out
Two years later, for attempting a management coup.

It was an interesting experience.
Too much has been written about The New York Times
To attempt to explain how it drifted from a paper of record
To a radical political stance and a troubled organization.


Thursday, March 3, 2011

Arthur Young and Winnetka

At the time, one of the big accounting and auditing firms,
Arthur Young and Company in Chicago, was looking to
Beef up their consulting services to audit clients,
And were substantially behind their competitors in doing so.

One of their offerings was called Clerical Cost Controls,
Which had an industrial engineering flavor,
Hence their recruitment via newspapers ads
And subsequent interviews in Cincinnati and Chicago.

Moving to the Chicago area had its attractions.
His father had died in late 1960,
And his mother was staying with them temporarily,
To relocate also near Chicago, her origin.

Fortunately, he never did get involved in clerical efficiency,
But instead was able to provide advice and guidance
To small manufacturers in a variety of industrial systems, such as
Inventory management, production control, and product costing.

Living in Winnetka was a joy.
The progressive schools provided an excellent education.
They joined fashionable Christ Episcopal Church, where he
Became a lay minister and conducted the church school services.

She became a close friend with the lady next door,
The two families were intertwined thereafter.
She had the car all to herself, did volunteer work
For the church and the junior Woman's Club.

When she was nearing thirty-five, and would have to
Fly up to the senior Winnetka Woman's Club,
She, like several of her friends in the same situation,
Produced their fourth child, another daughter.

But his travels throughout the Midwest proved to be a burden,
Taking him away from home during illness and stressful periods.
The old house that they bought, after renting for a few years,
Needed work that they could not afford and he could not do himself.

Meanwhile, the Arthur Young audit partners were becoming nervous
About the scope of consulting engagements the group was tackling.
They were afraid that the difficulties of implementing recommendations
Of their consultants, would jeopardize the bread and butter of the firm.

Some of the large accounting firms created separate consulting entities.
Arthur Young and Company chose to restrict the nature of
The work that their consultants were pursuing, thus causing
A wholesale departure of their ambitious and capable personnel.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

General Electric and Xavier University

General Electric offered an intriguing situation
In something called Operations Analysis at
A semi-secret project located in Evendale, Ohio,
Labeled Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion.

Exactly how this came to his attention is
Lost in the mists of memory, but was
Most likely a call from a recruiter trolling
The engineering post-graduates at N.Y.U.

The work itself was not well-described, but
Seemed to involve designing the management structure,
With some emphasis on the interaction of groups,
And the systems and procedures whereby they did so.

To this day, it is difficult to measure what contribution
His department made to the functioning of the project.
He concentrated on charting the flow of information
In order to expedite accomplishment of given tasks.

Also, at that time, General Electric required all managers
And individual contributors to take a course in house on
Professional Management, written by a N.Y.U. professor,
One Peter F. Drucker, who was beginning to become renowned.

Meanwhile, he needed two more courses to complete
His degree requirements for Master of Industrial Engineering.
Xavier University in Cincinnati offered a budding M.B.A. program
With two courses that N.Y.U. approved.

Both were taught by members of his G.E. department.
Both came in handy in later experiences.
Upon completion, he applied to teach a course or two
In the M.B.A. program in the evening.

Promptly hired, he tackled a course which
He would later call, Principles of Management,
And another, Strategic Planning, thereby acquiring a
Resume entry that would inform his later career.

Teaching bought them a combination washer-dryer
For their new ranch home in a development north of Cincinnati.
It was an idyllic time in an idyllic place for a family
With three young children in elementary school.

They found a delightful Episcopal church in nearby Glendale.
They swam all summer in the pool run by the homeowners.
And went to drive-ins for meals and movies.
One summer, they drove to Colorado to visit and sight see.

But the project failed a Department of Defense review,
And was therefore scheduled for termination.
His fellows in the department all scattered to find other jobs,
Characterized by a working acquaintance with the tools of management.

He made a half-hearted effort to find employment in the area,
But nothing seriously interesting presented itself,
So he cast his net in wider circles, and identified an interest
In management consulting for an industrial management clientele.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Alcoa and New York University

Finding a job was easy in the mid-fifties,
With an engineering degree and military service,
He received favorable responses from several companies,
Choosing to interview with Alcoa in Pittsburgh.

When he expressed preference to be located
Near N.Y.C., he was sent to the Edgewater, N.J., works,
To meet the head industrial engineer,
Who promptly hired him to start as soon as possible.

Separated in April, 1954, the family moved to Lodi, N.J.,
Renting a small apartment near the Curtiss-Wright plant.
The army thoughtfully shipped their possessions to them,
And they settled into a new, strange civilian mode of living.

The industrial engineering department was composed of
Graduates of many of the leading technical schools in the East.
The main task involved maintaining a bonus sytem wherein
Workers were compensated extra for exceeding production quotas.

This required time and motion studies of the type
Pioneered by Frederick Taylor and Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreth.
The work led directly to the calculation of product costs,
Which then formed the basis for pricing individual products.

The factory produced aluminum sheet and foil from ingots
And hundreds of castings and drop-forged pieces.
The employees were a diverse mixture of local residents
Good-natured, easy to get along with, in a strong union.

She was stuck in the apartment with no friends, while
He commuted daily to work; until joining a car pool
Gave her the freedom to explore the area while shopping,
And search for her prime objective -- a house of her own.

His department supervisor suggested that he look into
Graduate education in industrial engineering at New York University.
He enrolled in the evening program at University Heights,
Applying for the scholarships afforded veterans of the Korean War period.

Some of his classes were in industrial management, taught by
Prof. Alex Rathe at the Washington Square Campus.
His master's thesis was on the product costing system
Of Alcoa at the Edgewater Works, its advantages and weaknesses.

On weekends, they looked for houses, and decided upon
A newly constructed Cape Cod style home in Washington Township, N.J.
And, as if their lives were not busy enough, she
Produced the first daughter to add to the family of four.

They moved in to their new home in late 1955,
Doing much work of expansion and improvement.
The second floor was unfinished, and would require hiring
A building contractor when finances permitted.

They made friends quickly, including a young mother of five, who
Later found fame as the mystery writer, Mary Higgins Clark.
They had already decided to leave the Roman Catholic Church
Before their older son would enter the first grade.

Received into the Anglican Communion in 1956, at
Grace Episcopal Churgh in Westwood, N.J., they began
A lifelong commitment to the words and worship of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.

He moved to the foil department as assistant manager,
Enjoying the interaction with employees and the routine of factory life.
But further promotion would require moving elsewhere in Alcoa
As the Edgewater Works was scheduled to be closed in a few years.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Living Quarters

He requested his next station be on the East Coast of the U.S.A.
So they sent him to the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment,
Based at Camp Pickett, deep in the piney woods of Virginia,
But within easy driving distance of Richmond and Petersburg.

He took command immediately of "B" troop of the regiment,
Staying at a spartan Bachelor Officers Quarter until
New housing for families of the regiment could be completed,
While she and their two little boys stayed with her parents in Michigan.

Almost two months elapsed before they could move in to their new home.
Her parents were anxious to off load the young family,
So they drove straight through to Camp Pickett,
Dumped them out, then returned immediately to Birmingham.

The houses were prefabricated with exterior walls
Like an extra thickness of gypsum wallboard.
The rooms were tiny and sparsely furnished.
A kerosene heater took up space in the middle of the living room.

All the houses in the area were located close together.
What they were living in, then, was a trailer park.
Officers of all grade up to colonel, and senior non-coms,
Had exactly the same kind of units to live in.

The regiment had very little to do except classroom
Training and maintenance, not even firing their weapons on the range.
They camped out a few times, and rumbled around the post.
Then out of the blue, the whole regiment was to be transferred to Fort Meade.

He had followed up on his request for graduate school
By calling Career Management for the Armor Branch at the Pentagon.
He was told that his application had been tabled
As only field grade officers were being given that privilege.

During the cold winter in Virginia of 1953-1954,
He and others turned off their heaters in the evening, because
They were afraid of carbon monoxide poisoning,
Or the possibility of the whole unit going up in flames.

One morning, he got up and found the boys missing.
There was an emergency door in their bedroom
Which the older boy had figured out how to open,
So both were playing on a swing set in their sleepers.

That same week, a directive came down from the Pentagon
Announcing that all persons who had fulfilled their obligation
For service during the Korean War could be released.
He put in a request to resign his commission and leave the Army.

Follow Up

He felt a measure of guilt that he had missed the Korean War,
When so many of his classmates fought and died or were wounded.
He would have had plenty of war later in combat tours in Viet Nam,
Probably serving with and advising the South Viet Nam armor.

Within a year or two after his separation, the policy was changed
To encourage any regular officer to pursue a graduate degree.
In fact, he was scheduled to be sent to the University of Pennsylvania
To obtain a Master of Arts in English and teach at the academy.

She would have loved living in Philadelphia and West Point.
But to those officers who did, it was a career buster.
By keeping them out of active duty for five or six years,
They never recovered a place in advancement.

Camp Pickett became Fort Pickett
And was turned over permanently to the Virginia National Guard.
The "trailer park" was bulldozed off the area.
No quarters for military families exist on the post today.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Vermont in Winter

West on the MassPike to Route 7, north past Greylock,
Massachusetts' highest peak, then into Vermont
Through Bennington to the valley between
Equinox and Stratton Mts., turning into Manchester Center.

Stopping at the Inn at Manchester, a handsome 1880s
Wooden mansion, with fireplace suites, and antique furnishings.
Next day, an expedition north on Route 100
To Weston's Vermont Country Store.

Where it is said, you cannot spend less than two hours
Or less than $100; we made both goals easily.
Up to Okemo in Ludlow, a major ski area,
To watch the skiers coming downhill, and riding the lifts.

Sampling the outlets in Manchester Center:
Woodcraft -- excellent, Ann Taylor -- good,
Dansk -- good, Orvis and Ralph Lauren -- laughable,
Kitchen Supply -- anything your heart desires.

Next day to Southern Vermont Art Center;
Museum closed, gallery featuring local artists.
Bought a print of the winter scene.
Lunch at The Equinox, for a touch of luxury.

Stopped at Pownal Center on the way back,
Where Barbara spent the summer in 1950,
With fellow artists from the Art Students League of New York,
Painting the mountain vistas, and exploring the area.

Alas, the town is now poor, drab, and miserable.
Route 7 has been relocated, so the main street dead ends.
The boarding house is a derelict, with boarded up windows.
The church meets in a tiny senior center for the winter.

Pownal is a microcosm of the rural poor in the Northeast.
The height of luxury is a neatly kept double-wide.
Trailers are jammed together in a small park.
The roads are narrow, pitted, and crumbling.

On to Williamstown to visit the Clark Art Center.
Took many, many photographs of Vermont in winter,
Deep snow, stark and beautiful,
And close-ups of paintings in the art centers.

Returned along Route 2, the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts,
Displaying fabulous views of Green Mountains to the north,
And winding through gorges along the Deerfield River,
Looks like a paradise for camping and fly fishing.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Drei Jahre in Deutschland

The couple sailed to Hamburg from Boston
On a Displaced Persons ship deadheading back to Europe.
The quarters were spartan, and the food was mediocre,
But the baby settled down to sleep regularly on the eleven day trip.

They were quartered first in an old resort hotel in Bad Wildungen,
Then given a requisitioned house in town, with a maid.
He went off to work in a kaserne in Fritzlar, close to the border,
That housed the First Battalion of the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment.

This was his first encounter with enlisted men in the army,
As platoon leader of thirty men, two light tanks, five jeeps,
   and two old half-tracks.
The G.I.s were a mixture of urban delinquents and poor rural boys,
Who had been encouraged to join the army by local authorities.

Fortunately, the sergeants were experienced men
Who had stayed in service after the war
And also stayed in Germany during the occupation.
They were patient and helpful to the new lieutenants.

Work was mainly maintenance of equipment and
Classes for the troops in their various combat specialties.
He took to teaching classes with ease,
Developing original material in addition to the field manuals.

Periodically, the battalion traveled to Vilseck or Grafenwoehr
To fire their weapons on the ranges;
Or engaged in patrolling maneuvers along the border
Between East and West Germany.

The strategic mission was to be the early warning of
A Soviet invasion, and to fight a delaying action if it occurred.
So when the U.S. forces were enhanced and reconfigured,
The new commander moved the battalion to Fulda,
   in a less exposed salient.

The families were moved to Frankfurt, to live in the
Old I.G.Farben apartment building,
Until new quarters were constructed in
Giessen, nearer to the kaserne in Fulda.

This caused a period of almost nine months,
When they only saw each other on two day leaves.
She almost decided to pack up and go home,
But her mother forbade her to do so.

So their second son was born in Frankfurt,
And has a German Geburtsurkunde to prove it,
With the parents listed as, Beide Katholische.
The family of four moved to a new airy apartment in Giessen.

When the battalion adjutant returned to the States,
He was given the job, and liked it, as primarily office management.
But the new battalion commander thought he belonged in the field,
And made him executive officer of Tank Company.

This was a job in motor pool management
Keeping seventeen M26 heavy tanks on the road,
And acting as range officer at Vilseck,
Where he lost about forty percent of his hearing.

Thinking of his posting after his three year tour in Germany,
He remembered how impressed he was by Colonel George Lincoln
Who was a Rhodes Scholar and department head at West Point.
His lectures on leadership were intellectual and inspiring.

So he applied for graduate school, to study for a Ph. D.,
And to teach military history at West Point.
His new battalion commander was also a scholar,
Gave him an enthusiastic recommendation, and sent it up
    for command endorsements, duly received.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Fort Riley and Fort Knox

After a two week honeymoon in Daytona Beach, Florida,
The newly married couple drove their Chevy coupe
To visit parents in Birmingham, Michigan, and Chicago
With all their worldly goods stuffed in the rear.

The assignment was a four month indoctrination at
Fort Riley, Kansas, to all aspects of the U.S. Army;
What they would have received at an officer candidate school,
But featuring very little training in the field.

The only value of the experience was the fostering of
Camaradarie with Regular Army R.O.T.C. graduates.
Then, after a quick Christmas leave,
On to Fort Knox for Armor officer school.

That featured a full round of field training, driving tanks
And firing their armament on the ranges.
As well as learning how to maintain these elephants,
And sometimes pull them out of the mud.

This was called branch training by the Army, as
Graduates dispersed to similar schools for their service branches.
One byproduct was the assignment thereafter of almost all
Armor officers to Germany to join the Armored Cavalry regiments.

The infantry officers, in the main, were to be sent to Japan after
Their training at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The Armor officers would spend three years in Germany
Patrolling the border between East and West Germany.

The infantry graduates went immediately to Korea in 1950
And never saw Japan unless wounded or in transit back home.
Twenty-seven of the class of 1949 were killed,
One was awarded a Medal of Honor posthumously.

Worse for the class of 1950 who had no field training
After graduation, and were sent into combat as replacements.
After such losses, new second lieutenants were pulled
Off the line and given a one week orientation in survival.

Meanwhile, those assigned to Germany sailed to Europe
With their families, for a three year tour of duty.
At Fort Knox hospital, the couple had added a dependent,
Who went along as the youngest passenger on board.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Hicks in New York

In her third year at Northwestern,
She developed an internal infection
That was cured by the new drug, penicillin,
But kept her home for the spring quarter.

Unless she went back to N.U. in the summer,
She would be behind, so during her convalescence
She explored alternatives, and found
Literature for The New York School of Interior Design.

She convinced her father that she had learned
Enough from Northwestern's program.
Whereas the NYSID experience would be
A much more professional preparation.

Her mother was not about to let her move
To New York without suitable living arrangements.
Through customer contacts, they found a pension
On Park Avenue that boarded girls studying
  in various academies as day students.

These girls all came from good families in the East,
And were to  be carefully chaperoned by the landlady.
In fact, they turned out to pretty wild kids who
Were anxious to get away from home and sample
  the delights of Manhattan.

So our heroine emigrated to the Big Apple
And never looked back thereafter.
She made friends with the cream of society's debutantes,
Absorbing their mannerisms and savoir faire.

In those days, NYSID was not yet accredited,
Offering only a one year program of study.
She took her classes very seriously,
Spending hours sketching in the city's museums.

Among fond remembrances were meeting the
Debutante of the Year, one Jacqueline Bouvier,
Who had roomed at Miss Porter's School with one of the girls,
And the night one girl's mother took them to the Village Gate
  to hear the new French chanteuse, Edith Piaf.

Of course, there were also weekend bus rides to West Point,
Where the boyfriend was in his third year.
In fact, they became engaged at Christmas vacation,
Though marriage was still a year and a half in the future.

The following year, she got a job
As an order clerk for an import firm in NYC,
Renting an apartment first with the fiancee of his roommate,
And then later with a friend from home who later
  met and married a cadet from the Class of 1950.

As a senior, or first classman, he got weekend leaves,
So they explored Manhattan together
From Greenwich Village to Riverside Park,
Specializing in the small, inexpensive cafes.

On other weekends, there were football games
And Saturday evening hops at West Point.
On nice Sundays, buying the New York Times
Sitting in a grotto on Flirtation Walk, watching
   the boats going up and down the Hudson.

Monday, February 7, 2011

USMA Class of 1949

906 young men were admitted to West Point in the summer of 1945.
Only 574 graduated four years later, an astonishing loss.
The reason is that over half the entering cadets were in the armed services,
And many saw this as a ticket to a free college education.

About that time, the G.I. Bill was beginning to be used by disabled veterans,
And would later be financial assistance to all in seeking higher education.
Thus a considerable number of admitted cadets decided rather quickly
That they didn't need all the verbal harassment afforded "plebes."

But many servicemen stayed, resulting in a great age disparity:
Five years, from seventeen to twenty-two, in the 1949 class.
The effect was soon realized in promotion opportunities for cadet rank,
And in ability to absorb the limited Army officer training cadets received.

Half the class was destined to join the new Air Force service,
Because the Air Force Academy was still an unrealized idea.
Army training was rudimentary, occuring only on the West Point reservation,
Outside orientation was almost entirely at airbases.

Otherwise, the college education at West Point was superb,
Utilizing the system of daily recitation and grading instituted by
Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the superintendent of early years, who is
Memorialized on his statue as the "Father of the Military Academy."

He enjoyed the academic instruction in all phases,
Forging a linear engineering approach to solving problems.
He was entranced by military history, devouring textbooks of the subject
As if they were first rate novels.

He should have been on the dean's list, missing academic stars by a hair.
His parents were disappointed that he didn't apply for a Rhodes Scholarship.
But his last two years were occupied by other interests,
That is, by someone else who commanded his attention.

Most important, he absorbed the ethos of the military academy,
Its emphasis on the motto:  "Duty, Honor, Country."
West Point molded his entire life thereafter, giving him an attitude
Of righteousness which was not always well received.

West Point's culture of self-reliance gave him the fortitude
To cope with almost any situation he faced.
He was not awed by authority figures,
Walking into meetings of the mighty as an equal.

He has attended every one of the class reunions held
At five year intervals at West Point.
A picture taken at the 60th reunion shows him standing erect,
Holding the guidon for the class, waiting for the Corps of Cadets
  to pass in review.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Old Detroit

She came from what residents called "Old Detroit."
That is, her parents' people predated the automobile era.
Her father's kin fought in Michigan regiments in the Civil War.
Her mother's parents came from Scotland.

He was a marine engineer, training ore boat engineers
Who sailed the Great Lakes after the discovery of iron ore
  in the Mesabi Range near Duluth.
Her mother was the manager of the Elizabeth Arden store in Detroit,
Serving the newly rich automobile aristocracy.

Her father sold real estate until the Crash, was out of work,
Until their connections got him an expediter's job at Ford.
They married late in life, had only one child, a girl
Whom they alternately spoiled and repressed.

Her mother did not take to mothering, so they
Packed her off to a Catholic boarding school at eleven,
Where she stayed until the end of her sophomore year,
When she found out the nuns would only send her transcripts
  to Catholic colleges.

Back in Birmingham for the last two years of high school,
She learned how to smoke and drink and generally
  have a good time.
Her parents wanted her to go to Ann Arbor, but
She chose to get farther away from home.

She heard that Northwestern had a program in
Interior Design, and thought that might be interesting.
She hadn't counted on being pursued by a young, blond twerp,
And from time to time gave him the slip.

But after he moved to Evanston for the Spring Quarter,
And was initiated into the Phi Delta Theta fraternity,
They spent time together with the brothers and their dates,
Sampling the roadhouses on "West Campus" near Evanston.

In late spring, he gave her his fraternity pin,
Which was sort of being engaged to be engaged.
The fraternity showed up at the freshman womens' dorm
To serenade her with the great old college songs.

By prearrangement, the freshman women responded with
"It Had to Be You," and that became their lifelong song.
Before his departure for West Point, they agreed that no strings
Would be on her social life for the next four years.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Northwestern Prep

You have to be seventeen to enter West Point
This presented a dilemma:
How to obtain an appointment for a year hence;
What to do in the meantime.

Robert Hutchins, president of the University of Chicago
Invited him and other top graduates of Chicago high schools
To enroll in the new program of great books
With a full academic scholarship.

While flattering, his parents vetoed the idea.
Sixteen was too young for him to be away at college
Especially as far distant as the South Side.
He didn't want to do it anyway.

So a compromise was achieved by
Enrolling him in the engineering school at Northwestern
Meeting in new buildings in Evanston,
And easily reached on the El from home.

Then the problem of securing a West Point appointment
Could be addressed separately.
His father found out that it could be obtained by
Making an unaffordable donation to the local congressman.

He reported to Northwestern for freshman orientation
A week before classes commenced.
Among the scheduled events was a mixer for
Members of various Christian denominations.

The hand of God was evident on that bright August day.
He and a very attractive girl approached a clergyman
In a clerical collar, thinking he was a Catholic priest.
Alan Watts, of later fame, directed them across the room.

This chance meeting led to a romance of fifty-eight years,
Resulting in four children, and seven grandchildren.
It is her story, more than his, which deserves
To be chronicled elsewhere in this volume.

A year at Northwestern proved invaluable as
Academic preparation for the military academy.
Later in 1944, Senator Brooks of Illinois
Held an open competition for his appointments.

He took the train downstate to Bloomington,
Scored second on the test.
The winner declined to accept,
Thus his appointment to West Point was assured for 1945.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Junior R.O.T.C.

He graduated from grade school in Kansas City in 1940.
He was twelve, short and slight, with a baby face.
The nuns at Visitation parochial school wanted him to
Enroll at the Jesuit high school in the city.

But he rebelled, told his parents that
He wanted to go to the public high school.
He had heard that the Jesuits beat the boys
At their school, and wanted no part of it.

As the third of three boys, he easily got his own way,
By staying out of trouble and excelling at school.
So off he went, and in his second year,
Enlisted in the Junior R.O.T.C. program.

War was imminent, and the draft had begun.
He liked wearing a soldier uniform with blue facings.
The R.O.T.C. instructor was an old sergeant
Who had fought in the trenches of France in 1918.

At the annual citywide drill competition of
High school R.O.T.C. units,
He was picked as the individual representative
Of Southwest High School.

The drill took a long time,
And was wearing on spectators and competitors.
Finally, one of the judges said
"Kimball looks pretty smooth!"

So he got the individual drill medal
And from that day on
Made service in the U.S. Army
His life ambition.

When they moved to Chicago,
His parents wanted him to go to Chicago Latin School.
But he insisted on the public school again,
And became a cadet major in the R.O.T.C. unit.

He enjoyed Waller High School on the Near North Side
And made a group of friends from diverse backgrounds;
All of whom, boys and girls, were college bound.
He made the graduation speech in June, 1944.     

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