Article by Mary Jane Briggs Morgan, Photos by Marilea Swenson and Barbara Jani
The only thing wrong with the 2002 CHC Reunion was that there weren’t more
members of the Class of ‘67 there. To all those who couldn’t make it this
time, our message is: "See you in five years!"
The weekend for those who trekked in from both far and near went by all too
fast. Marilea Swensen, who coordinated rooms for one group at the Chestnut Hill
Hotel, met Barbara Jani "in Town" for a Philly
cheesesteak at Jim’s - the best cheesesteak in Philly, according to the
gourmets. Then they toured historical Philadelphia
and headed back to Chestnut Hill, where they met Nancy Keller Eck, Nancy
Cashman Lilly, Margaret (Midge) Moran and Mary Jane Briggs Morgan. Margaret and Mary
Jane had just had lunch with none other than Sister Ann Edward, who is still
going strong and is active in "the world." Everybody got in the spirit
right away and ate and chatted until the wee hours - not really the wee hours:
we're not 21 anymore.
Another group from out of town, Dorothea Klebacher Magyar, Nancy del Valle Korbeck and Susan Petras, reported that the food and camaraderie were great where they stayed too – the second floor of Fournier Hall. The price was right, the food was delicious all weekend, and the atmosphere was warm and familiar. Dee met Nancy Friday night for a wonderful dinner in the Dining Hall, which is the cafeteria, and afterwards they went swimming. Saturday began with a great brunch. Sue arrived and they went to the rest of the Saturday activities. There were many ways in which the 2002 reunion was special for this gang of friends. Not only was it Sue’s first reunion ever, but Dee said that staying in the dorm helped make it her best reunion ever.
Saturday’s official functions began with a delightful history of the
college and a tour given by Sister Mary Helen Kashuba, formerly Sr. Irma
Mercedes (remember French lab?). The history and lots of trivia are all in a book she wrote
Tradition and Risk – Chestnut Hill College, 1924-1999. The
highlight of the tour was the novitiate, which was off-limits in the old days.
Tour participants, new arrivals and members of the other classes (who turned out
to be a wealth of information on some of our favorite CHC legends, by the way)
fanned out across the campus, revisiting the dorms, the grotto, and even
Harper's Meadow across the street. The buildings, though they are as beautiful as ever, are
badly in need of modernizing, renovation and repair. The campus is still lovely;
there is parking now because there is no longer a restriction on residents
having cars.
The reuniting began in earnest with the cocktail party. Lunch was served in the gym in the new building partially donated by Barbara Martino and her husband. It’s a regulation gym with bleachers and lots of windows. College President Sister Carol Jean Vale made a convincing case for becoming co-ed. Most young women don’t want to attend schools without young men. It’s an economic reality that CHC had to face head-on.
Peggy Madden Bell led the class meeting which produced a lively discussion on
how the class of ‘67 could help CHC as
well as how we could encourage our
missing classmates to join us next time. Approximately 25 members of the Class
of ’67 were in attendance, including: Marie Denny Sweeney, Nancy del Valle
Korbeck, Mary Jane Briggs Morgan, Margaret Moran, Marilea Swenson, Barbara Jani,
Nancy Cashman Lilly, Nancy Keller Eck (Congratulations to the senior year suite
of Nancy, Nancy, Barbara and Marilea for 100% attendance!), Marilyn Hennessey
DiMuro, Mary Quinn, Marilyn Harris Dunning, Dee Klebacher Magyar, Liz Ann
McGarvey Smith, Peggy Madden Bell, Joan Burger King, Dianne Taglialatela Green,
Barbara Curran Merdiushev, Mary Louis Goldkamp Ryan, Sue Petras, Linda
Taraborrelli Donohue, Jean Brennan Pivetz, Sue Dames Gibbs, Mary Pat Gallagher
Boyle, Kathy Campbell Schugsta and Mary Jane Cross.
The reunion events ended around 5 pm and Dee, Nancy and Sue went to the barbecue in front of Fournier Hall, which was followed by a late tea in Clement Hall. The next day they went to Mass in St. Joseph’s Hall and left around noon. Meanwhile, that night Peggy Madden Bell coordinated dinner at a great restaurant in Chestnut Hill, then took a group on a tour of Philadelphia and the vicinity. As they used to say in more genteel times, a good time was had by all. Let’s come together in 2007 for our 40th (is it possible?) Class of ’67 reunion at Chestnut Hill College.
