NEXT "ALL CLASS" REUNION SCHEDULED FOR MAY OF 2009 IN VENICE.
1/3/2008
I finally succeeded getting in touch with Frank Sower by phone. The family
residence where he lives has been his home for almost a century. He still gets
out and walks every day, and he sounds like a grown-up kid on the
telephone.
I have to make an assumption that Frank and Guthrie Crowe are the two
oldest living Cadets remaining. Having lost 1929 grad Max Dieffenbach in
December 2006, and having had mail returned last year from Col. James Coleman,
class of 1927, the decade of the 1920s boils down to the lives of Crowe and
Sower. If I lived anywhere near Frankfort, Ky., I would be paying a social
call to Frank Sower. I bet he has some stories to tell.
Happy New Year
Leon
12/17/2007 Signs Of The Times
Okay You Mugs!
I had been bragging to a few of my KMI buds lately that we hadn't received
"deceased" notices for a while. Well, that satement has been blown to
"smitherenes" as of today. We lost one of our most active elder statesman on
Dec. 2. General Bodley Booker was a member of the class of 1936. He and
classmate Jimmy Codell shared the elder statesman honors at the 2003 reunion in
Venice. Bill Dixon, class of 1938, was a close second. We lost Jimmy several
months after that reunion. We lost Bill last year. Bodley and Bill attended
the unveiling of the KMI display cases at Country Day in 2005. I had a chat
with Mrs. Booker today. Bodley fell several months ago, cracked his head, and
never recovered. He was 89. It wasn't quite the same without that bunch last
May in Venice. They were so full of life.
On a happier note, I had a great chat with C.T. "Pat" Eddie today. Pat is
a member of the class of 1937 and lives in a high rise with his wife down in
Merritt Island, Fl. Pat was very active with our alumni group back in the '80s
and early '90s. He reports that his old KMI buddy from Louisville, coal baron
Charles Buddeke, also is getting along well. If you're visiting the area, get
in touch with Pat and see if you can beat him on the golf course.
I also talked to SSGT. Billy R. Harris, who graced our miltary department
in the mid '60s, and his wife Bea. Bea is in good shape, and Billy lately has
overcome a few health obstacles. They continue to reside on the southwest side
of Louisville and hope to see everyone in Venice in May 2009.
I have written from time to time about 1927 attendee Guthrie Crowe. Alycia
and I visited him in Fort Lauderdale four years ago. Back then he was still
driving his Grand Marquis, chasing his girlfriend, and going for long walks.
Guthrie is featured in Jim Stephens' book. He served in WWII and then sat on
the federal bench in Panama. Today, however, I can speak only with his
caregivers. Physically, Guthrie is holding his own. Mentally, however, he
wouldn't know any of his family. So, I guess we can project that the end is
near for this 97 year old Cadet who served his country well in several
capacities.
Now as far as I know, 1929 graduate Frank Sower is still running around
Frankfort, Ky. I have tried to reach him by phone several times without
success. He has a recorder, and I always leave a message. So I am confident
that I will catch up with him sometime over the holidays.
It's time for an update on Major Hewes. 1961 graduate Ben Kaufmann took
Major Hewes home with him for Thanksgiving dinner. 2007 is not the first year
Ben has bestowed this kindness. Keep in mind that Major Hewes lives in
Louisville and Ben lives in Lexington. Daily, however, Bill and Diane Simpson
have been keeping an eye on him. Remember that Major Hewes had serious surgery
this past summer. His mental health is slipping a bit, and he may sound
agitated on the phone. The Simpsons are going well beyond the call of duty with
their care. Major Hewes insists that he be able to continue living on his
own......and it's not as easy for him as it used to be.
So, in closing, I can suggest that you get in touch with a KMI bud over the
holidays. None of us is getting any younger, and the very youngest is 52.
Remember that we convene again in Venice in May 2009, the weekend after Mothers
Day. Many of our faculty, staff, and military department members are still with
us and would greatly appreciate hearing from you. See you in Venice!!
Leon Hirsh KMI 1968
May 3, 2007
Dear KMI
Alumni:
Thank you for this opportunity to
communicate with you during your reunion.
Having attended one of your reunions in beautiful Venice, I know that you are all having a
wonderful time. For those that know me,
I believe you have a sense of my sincerity when I say that it is an honor for
Kentucky Country Day to serve as the vessel that preserves your alma mater’s memory and the strong
principles by which it stood. KMI’s history is instructive to the present and
future generations of KCD leaders in how to educate young people, both
academically and socially.
We have made great strides in
recent years in preserving and augmenting KMI’s
legacy on our campus.
· A KMI
banner hangs in the main meeting room of our upper school, along with banners
representing KCD’s other three ancestral schools.
· Thanks to the generosity of KMI alumni, KCD arranged for the construction of
display cases in the lobby of the upper school to display KMI memorabilia.
· KCD students, under my supervision and the
assistance of Professor William Marshall, University of Kentucky Department of
Special Collections and Archives, gathered and reviewed thousands of KMI documents, photos and memorabilia. The students distilled and interpreted this
information, creating displays worthy of recognition on the floor of the
Commonwealth’s General Assembly.
· KCD hosted a celebration of KMI’s 160th anniversary that included
the unveiling of the school’s KMI
display. Approximately 200 KMI alumni, alumni spouses and friends of the
school attended the event.
· KCD has served as a “clearing house” for KMI memorabilia.
The school has conferred with Prof. Marshall on items given to the
school. KCD has given important papers
and artifacts to UK. All KMI
transcripts, once held by Dr. and Mrs. Simpson, are now kept by KCD.
· KCD’s Athletic Booster Club has dedicated a
great deal of time and energy to reconstruct and preserve KMI’s storied athletic history. Booster Club volunteers have devoted long
hours to athletic record collecting.
I am very proud of the fact that
my students brought to light some of the great KMI
stories that were hidden deep inside UK’s Old King Library. Our KCD students and all visitors to the
school enjoy the KMI display and
marvel at your school’s rich history.
Most importantly, the display serves as a constant reminder of those
ideals to which we aspire as both individuals and as a school. The value of KMI’s
history is not limited to KCD. I spoke
with the legendary professor and Kentucky Historian Laureate, Dr. Thomas Clark,
a couple of times before he passed away.
He was thrilled that we were telling KMI’s
story:
The Kentucky
Military Institute has a long and cherished history. In this transitional era of Kentucky education, KMI
stands on the threshold of giving a new direction and emphasis to its
educational mission.
TDC 9/7/04 I am certainly among a small
cadre that has very intimate knowledge of all the KMI
archival materials now housed at UK.
It is most evident to me and to others in this select group that these
materials are in desperate need of organizing and cataloging. I spoke with Professor Marshall about this
problem. He said that with appropriate
funding (tens of thousands), graduate students could execute the work that
needs to be done. Once completed,
graduate students, professors and scholars will be more apt to delve into this
rich source material and interpret it.
Such a plan is in keeping with Dr. Clark’s historic efforts to preserve Kentucky and Southern
heritage through effective archiving.
I hope you will look upon KMI’s history as one worth preserving. We have accomplished the first big step,
which is the consolidation and review of important materials. Now is the time to delve into them in detail,
with the greatest of professional care.
Please contact me if you have an interest in supporting such an
endeavor. The simplest way is through a
gift or bequest to UK
directed at the advancement of the KMI
Collection. There are also opportunities
to support this project through a gift to KCD. For those of you that have yet to
see the KMI display at KCD, please
call me if you are in Louisville
and wish to do so.
Wishing all members of the
Battalion great health and happiness on this, the 162nd anniversary
of KMI, I am respectfully yours,
Chris Brice
Assistant Head of School
Kentucky Country Day
502.814.4339
chris.brice@kcd.org
Hi, all, Charlie Norman (Lieutenant or Captain Norman, depending on the
years involved) here. Almost fifty years ago the KMI English Department taught with a
grammar text by a man named Raymond of Lawrenceville Preparatory School. I used
it and found it comprehensive. In fact, over the years I've taught English and
linguistics on the college and university level and never found a text that was
quite as complete. Though it's old-fashioned and hopelessly out of date it is
an example of thoroughness that is admirable.
I have tried to find a used copy but without success. I've tried
Ebay, Alibris and other sources on line that trade in used books.
I wonder if there is anyone from that era (1958-61) who has kept a
copy of the old Raymond text and might be willing to part with it. If so, would
you drop me a line so we could negotiate a way for me to have a
copy.
Thanks,
CN
cmnorman@insightbb.com
1302 Bluffsprings Ct.
Louisville, KY 40223
502-253-0447
04/10/2006
As Yogi Berra
once said, "It's deja vous all over again!"
The 2005-2006 year running Pensacola North Rotary has
been quite an active one for me. I have told several of the
members that, after trying to keep an alumni group sewn together whose
roots were pulled up 33 years ago, in comparison, running a Rotary
club was a piece of cake. The organizational training that the
KMI experience has given me, however, has been priceless.
What an amazing memory overwhelmed me just this last weekend
of April 8, 2006! I had driven over to Quincy, Fl., just west of
Tallahassee. My destination was a 600 acre Boy Scouts ranch that
was going to be used to facilitate the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
for our district. Eighty 16 year old boys and girls came in on
that Thursday to partake in a series of physical challenges, mental
exercises, and opportunities to bond with complete strangers.
Thanks to tax season, I couldn't get away from the office until late
Friday. The lights already were out by the time my sleeping bag
and I found the right bunkhouse. I was able to get acquainted
with some of the staff before hitting the hay, and they told me that we
would be up around 6:00 A.M. to make the rounds and make sure the kids
were up, dressed, and ready for chow. Are you ready?
6:00 A.M. sharp. Reveille goes off! Yes, I mean
REVEILLE!!!!!!!! I wound up bunking with the two program
directors who had the P.A. system under their complete control.
There I was, on the floor in my sleeping bag, sawing huge
logs, and REVEILLE went off! Since I already was close
to the floor, I assumed I was in the bottom bunk. All of a
sudden, I was thinking about where my uniform was, who my roommate
was....and then........the 2nd REVEILLE went off (just like
ours). I sure as hell didn't want Sgt. Harris to catch me in bed
when Orderly Out blew, so I jumped out of my sleeping bag, stood up,
opened my eyes, realized where I was and thought, Holy
Cow.........the sensation never again will be THAT real. I
tried hard to share the experience with several of the staff members,
but, verbally, I couldn't do it justice. You guys could
expect the symbolic worth of those few moments to be much
higher than anyone else.
Sunday morning at 6:00 A.M., Reveille again was heard
throughout the camp. This time, however, since I had no duties to
perform, I slept through it, missed Orderly Out, and, frankly, slept
right through morning chow. Those young people had worn me out on
Saturday! Had I been expecting our old bugle calls to sound off,
there would have been no emotion. Thank goodness no one briefed
me as to how the troops would be awakened. Other bugle calls
played during the day included Assembly, Tatoo, and Taps.
Leon Hirsh 1968
04/10/2006
A couple of weeks ago, I was able to get Guthrie Crowe on the telephone
at his home in Fort Lauderdale. Jim Stephens wrote a profile on
Guthrie in the KMI history book. Guthrie attended KMI for one
year in 1927. Three alums may remain living who could be at
least Guthrie's age or older: Frank Sower and Zach Schoolfield of
Frankfort, Ky.; both of the class of 1929, and Col. James Coleman,
class of 1927, Alexandria Va.
Guthrie sounded quite upbeat on the phone. He has
given up driving his Grand Marquis but still enjoys walks around the
neighborhood. He lost his girlfriend last year, so, at the
present, he has no one with whom to chase, drink
vodka, or play cards.
We should be fortunate enough to be chasing women into our
90s, don't you think?
Cheers!!
Leon Hirsh 1968
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