On Monday night, Meloday James saw “King in the Wilderness.”
It was Martin Luther King Day, and the Westport Country Playhouse showed the documentary produced by Westport author/playwright/professor Trey Ellis.
The film portrayed a side of the civil rights icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner seldom discussed today: a conflicted leader, who at the time of his death was assailed by critics on both the left and right.
Melody — a 1964 Staples High School graduate — was deeply moved.
It resonated personally: She saw footage of the violent 1966 demonstrations in Chicago and Cicero, Illinois, for fair housing.
Melody arrived to start as a community organizer for JOIN Community Union in Uptown that same day.
“Some of us went to the demo,” she recalls.
“They threw cherry bombs at us. There were screaming, violent white people –much as we witnessed in Washington on January 6, 2021 — full of hatred. It was terrifying!”
That reminded her, in turn, of earlier activism, when she was still a Staples student. Her class raised funds for the World Health Organization.
At the UN (from left): Pete Seidman, Carole Seligman, Joy Wassell, Deb Begley, the head of the WHO, Tim Honey, Tom Dublin, Melody James, Katie Burnham, Dick Sugarman.
A few hours before watching “King in the Wilderness,” President Trump was inaugurated.
One of his first acts was to begin the process to withdraw the United States from the WHO.
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I nominate Staples reunion organizers for Unsung Heroes recognition.
Think about it: The rest of us simply show up and enjoy seeing old friends and/or reconnecting with old classmates — a bond we perhaps recognize as increasingly special as we age (and lose old friends as part of the life cycle).
How many people are out there who have shared memories with you of events, both big and small, that happened not just at Staples, but also at your elementary school or junior high?
And how many people exist who might remember some small incident involving your parents at your home or elsewhere that was lost in the deep recesses of your brain, until a decades-old friend triggered that recollection?
Long-lost precious memories perhaps waiting to be rediscovered — these are just some of the benefits of a reunion. Again, virtually all of us simply sign up, attend and reap those rewards.
Staples High School Class of 1971 (and friends) gather in the Ned Dimes Marina clubhouse, for a recent mini-reunion. (Photo/George Drapeau)
But a great deal of work goes into making it happen, by volunteer organizers.
These responsibilities include outreach via social media, email and texts to classmates and teachers; negotiating terms and contracting with hotels, restaurants and other venues; creating a website; decorations; creating favor bags and name tags; recognition of students who have passed; coordinating it all, and much, much more.
Reunion-goers enjoy events that seem seamless. But the work put in by organizers is enormous — and unseen.
The results are certainly worth it. The organizers are unsung heroes.
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Staples High School’s Class of 1964’s 60th reunion this past weekend had all the usual trappings of a great celebration: a cocktail party, dinner banquet, Compo Beach cookout … you know the drill.
But the still energetic, now-in-their-late-70s, once-and-always Wreckers, added a unique twist.
In a “Deep Dive” session, 6 reunion-goers — selected from many proposals — offered insights into their careers, volunteer work and the passions that impacted their lives, and others.
The group included Tom Dublin, who co-created a women and social movements document history website subscribed to by libraries and universities; former Staples lacrosse coach Paul McNulty, who coached and built an integrated football team in Mississippi; Nancy Wilson, who founded a Quaker school, and now teaches in a prison; Tim Honey, who spent a foreign exchange year in South Africa, and has revisited the much-changed country since apartheid ended; Sandi Crosby Goldie, who works on climate change, and Melody James, talking about bridging silence and sound, pioneering medical technology and navigating the opposition to the cochlear implant.
It was a wonderful afternoon.
Even more wonderfully, classmate Nick Passaro Jr. taped it — and put it online.
Now, all those members of the Class of ’64 who were not there can enjoy it.
So can the thousands of others of us who were not fortunately to be in that high-powered, tight, and very creative Staples class.
The Westport Library has benefited from many donors. They’ve endowed the building, sponsored programs, and bought books.
Julie and Rob Haroun have done something different. The Westport couple has improved and maintained the landscaping outside.
Among their improvements: a new irrigation system and plantings along Jesup Green, the Riverwalk path, and the hill below the café deck.
On Thursday (September 26, 4 p.m.), the Library will honor the Harouns with a special ceremony, on the Riverwalk Level. A plaque will be unveiled at the front of the building, near the police parking lot.
Outdoor Design and Living executed the makeover, at a discount as a generous donation to the Library.
“Having worked as a real estate developer for over 30 years, primarily focusing on properties in Westport, I was intent on ensuring that the exterior of the building was properly landscaped to reflect the first-class facility that we all enjoy in this town,” says Rob Haroun. He was a Library trustee from 2016 to ’23.
“We are confident that these funds will cover the maintenance for the next 5 to 10 years,” he adds.
“We have lived in town since 1992, raised 3 children, and built a business here. This is our way of giving back to an institution that is near and dear to our hearts.”
Several views of the Westport Library landscaping.
The 4th annual Westport Moms Fall Family Fun Festival returns this Saturday (September 28, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Compo Beach fields — no beach sticker needed).
Among the activities: pumpkin decorating, Grit Ninja obstacle course, music, yoga (kids’ class by Child’s Pose Westport at 10:30 a.m.), bubble show, bouncy house, face painting, art projects, sports, chess and more.
If you’re a kid, you’ll find something to love.
There ae food trucks from Jr’s Deli and Coalhoue Pizza.
Tickets are $25 per family. Click here to pre-purchase, and avoid lines the lines:
Twelve Staples High School seniors are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
William Boberski, Kendra Cheng, Alexander Esser, Anna Ji, Angelina Matra, Carolina Proctor, Andrew Rebello, Samuel Rossoni, Megan Sargent, Alexander Sod, Jackson Tracey and Ryan Tzou join 16,000 semifinalists nationwide.
That’s fewer than 1 percent of the over 1.3 million students who took the 2023 PSAT/NMSQT qualifying exam.
All will compete for 6,870 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $26 million.
From left: Staples principal Stafford Thomas, Jr., Samuel Rossoni, Andrew Rebello, Alexander Sod, Jackson Tracey, Angelina Matra, Carolina Proctor, Megan Sargent, Anna Ji, Kendra Cheng, assistant principal Patrick Micinilio. Missing: Alexander Esser and Ryan Tzou.
Podcasts are everywhere. I’ve got one of my own, thanks to the Westport Library. Every 2 weeks, I chat with interesting Westporters, from all walks of life.
Every once in a while, I find myself on the other side of the mic.
The Westport business/tech/media/retail/real estate leader — a visionary himself — launched his series at Content Studio, Chirag Shah’s Saugatuck space.
The goal of the podcast is to talk about visions, goals and dreams. And, of course, how to achieve them.
Jay says he’s “flipping the switch,” interviewing me instead of the other way around.
It was a great chat. I learned a lot, and hopefully threw in a couple of ideas that viewers can use.
Click below to listen to the very first “Visionary’s” podcast.
Adele Jacobs from Voices of Hope spoke on Friday to the Sunrise Rotary Club.
Voices of Hope is an educational non-profit organization established by the families of Holocaust survivors across Connecticut (including Jacobs). It promotes a culture of courage to stand up against hatred, through Holocaust and genocide education and remembrance.
Adele Jacobs, at the Westport Sunrise Rotary meeting. (Photo/Katie Augustyn)
Fairfield County bassist Phil Bowler has played with jazz legends like Horace Silver, Wynton Marsalis (with whom he received a Grammy for Marsalis’ album “Think of One”), Lightning Hopkins, Dr. John, Max Roach and Ralph Peterson.
He’s a frequent guest at Jazz at the Post. This Thursday (September 26), he headlines the event.
He’s joined by vocalist Janice Dempsey, pianist Joe McWilliams, guitarist Bob Riccio, drummer Bobby Leonard and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Shows at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 are at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. Dinner service starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20; $15 for veterans and students. Email: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
And finally … after seeing Andrew’s photo (above), you may have seen this coming:
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If you see 90 or so white-haired, spunky septuagenarians around town this weekend, there’s a reason: The Staples High School Class of 1964 is celebrating their 60th reunion.
(Note: That sentence is not mine. It came directly from one of the organizers, Deb Holliday Kintigh.)
The weekend includes the usual reunion activities: a cocktail party, dinner and Compo Beach gathering.
But there’s a lot more — including ideas other reunion classes might steal (er, borrow).
In a “Deep Dive” this afternoon (Friday), 6 reunion-goers — selected from many proposals — will offer insights into their careers, volunteer work and passions that impacted their lives, and others.
The diverse span of experiences features Tom Dublin, who co-created a women and social movements document history website subscribed to by libraries and universities; former Staples lacrosse coach Paul McNulty, who coached and built an integrated football team in Mississippi; Nancy Wilson, who founded a Quaker school, and now teaches in a prison; Tim Honey, who spent a foreign exchange year in South Africa, and has revisited the much-changed country since apartheid ended; Sandi Crosby Goldie, who works on climate change, and Melody James, talking about bridging silence and sound, pioneering medical technology and navigating the opposition to the cochlear implant.
The session will be videotaped, to be shared with a wider audience.
In 1962, the Staples Class of ’64 presented the director of the World Health Organization with a check the class raised to support the WHO. Among the attendees: Tim Honey (striped jacket, center). He will be part of today’s “Deep Dive.”
The other new event is “Roundtable Short Stories,” following the Saturday morning breakfast. There will be talks from current students, and principal Stafford Thomas.
Then, after a tour of the “new” school (as of 20 years ago), led by alum (and longtime track and cross country coach) Laddie Lawrence, the class will gather in a circle.
A mic will be passed, for anyone to share 3 to 5 minutes of whatever they wish.
The Staples High School that the Class of 1964 remembers.
The Saturday banquet at the Norwalk Inn includes song parodies by Eric Multhaup, Sylvia Robinson Corrigan, Nancy Wilson and Melody James, a solo Linda Clifford, and a compilation/adapted scene from Staples Players’ 1962 production of “Our Town,” with John Parriott, Claudia Daub Crawford and Melody James.
“Then we have a playlist of ’60s and ’70s music,” says co-organizer Melody James.
“We plan to boogie — well, move and sway.”
The reunion ends Sunday. The Compo Beach picnic features a hootenanny (remember those?), games and food, plus a tribute to departed classmates with a reading of names, and music by Mike Haydn.
Welcome back, Class of 1964! Have a great reunion — and many more.
NOTE: The Class of ’64 also has one of the best reunion websites anywhere. Click here to see.
(Whether you were in Staples’ Class of 1964, 2024 — or never went there — you’re part of our community. And part of our “06880” online community too. Please click here to support our work.)
“06880” is fair game for just about every story — so long as there’s a Westport angle.
I try to avoid missing-pet posts — though I did cover the expensive, long-running search for Andy, the lost corgi — and I turn down nearly every request about a Staples High School reunion. Trust me, I say to myself: No one cares about your little get-together. (My official response is more tactful.)
But Staples’ Class of 1964 reunion last weekend merits a mention. For one thing, the 50th is a Big Deal.
For another, it was a kick-ass class that came of age at an important time in Staples — and world — history.
For a 3rd, I gave a tour of the new Staples building to nearly 100 reunees. They truly loved what they saw, and appreciated the school they’d attended. They returned to Westport with the wisdom of adulthood, and the enthusiasm of teenagers. I had a blast, but they had an even better time.
The Staples Class of 1964 included many outstanding actors, singers and athletes. Two members — Paul McNulty (2nd from left) and Laddie Lawrence (6th from left) are back at Staples now, coaching lacrosse and track respectively.
So here — thanks to Barbara Range Szepesi, Arline Gertzoff and Bill Martin — is their report.
Many of them more than 100 members of the Class of ’64 who gathered last weekend were reunion first-timers who faced the experience with trepidation, deferring registration until the last possible moment. Others came only because another class member promised to be there. While many members of the class live locally, others came from all over the country: California, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, Tennessee.
What happened was nothing short of amazing: the rekindling of friendships and more after 50 years of separation, the mixing of a vast cross-section of class members who might never have interacted during a normal school day, the bonding power of shared experience then and 3 days now.
The celebration kicked off Friday night, August 8, at SoNo Brewhouse. Gordon Hall, a beloved history teacher at Staples, reminisced with students he fondly remembered and just had to see. Jack White, a pillar of education in Weston, shared memories with pupils who once were bused to Staples (there was no high school in the then-small town).
On Saturday morning, a large cohort toured the new Staples, so very different from the California-style campus of 50 years ago. Astonishment at how much the school has changed mixed with the realization of the great education we received there. We were the class that started senior year traumatized by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and seeing the “Ask not…” plaque from our class in the new courtyard only heightened our remembrances.
When the Class of 1964 entered Staples, the school consisted of 6 separate buildings. Walking between them was often an adventure.
The gala reunion dinner was held at the Red Barn on Saturday night. Classmates feasted and were entertained by members of their own class. Eric Multhaup, Melody James, Sylvia Robinson Corrigan and Bettina Walton updated songs of the ’60s for today. Mike Haydn played both Mozart and an original piano piece, accompanied by Bill Reardon on the drums. Bill Briggs and Linda Clifford performed a duet. Holly Kimball Tashian and husband Barry Tashian (’63) played selections from their Nashville repertoire.
As memorialized in a poem written for the occasion by Josh Markel, it was a time for reflection and celebration. So much changed in the course of 50 years, not the least of which was hair color (or lack thereof). We had married or not, had children and grandchildren, sometimes divorced and started over again. Careers spanned law, medicine and teaching; drama, art and music; business, social work, and beyond.
On Sunday classmates socialized at Compo Beach, a favorite haunt of 50 years ago. There, before a final class picture, quietly singing “Amazing Grace,” we approached the water and tossed 43 red roses into the Sound for the classmates we have lost and still hold dear.
Everyone stayed until the day ended with handshakes, hugs, and the hope to meet again in 5 years.
43 red roses honor members of the Class of 1964 who are gone.
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