november 16, 2008
Special recruitment event for local high school students

Share your Smith experience!
ALL ALUMS ARE WELCOME TO
join us for a special recruitment event for
local high school students interested in Smith.

june 1, 2008
Annual June Membership Meeting

Missing, Marginal, Mutilated. Reading the Remnant of Women's Manuscripts.
Professor Sharon Cadman Seelig was our guest speaker on June 1st, and she discussed how we've learned a great deal about the lives and lifewriting of early modern women, who were once supposed not to have written at all. In these records, which include diaries, autobiographies, and family histories, we find frustrating gaps - things missing or left unrecorded, manuscripts frayed by time, leaves removed by a censoring hand, marginal notes in dialogue with the text. Using examples from diaries and autobiographical writing of several remarkable 17th century English women, Professor Seelig explored ways of reading and interpreting these fascinating texts.

march 15, 2008
Shake off the Winter Doldrums

On Saturday, March 15th, seventeen New Haven area Smithies representing classes the "fabulous forties" to the twenty-first
century, met for an ice cream social at the Whitney Center. This purely social event was an occasion for reconnecting with old friends, meeting and networking with new ones.

february 10, 2008
open board meeting

The club board invites you to join us for an open board meeting on Sunday, February 10, 3pm - 5pm. We would like to share with you some exciting program possibilities that emerged from our annual December meeting and also to share with you the challenges of running the club.

Date:    Sunday, February 10th
Time:    3pm - 5pm
Place:   Sue Roberts' House
            166 East Rock Road
            New Haven, CT
            203-789-8223

december 2, 2007
Winter 2007 Meeting

The Club held its fall meeting on December 2nd at the home of Jane Willoughby and Pam Field.  In our brief business meeting, Treasurer Josefa Abdelnour explained the benefits of dues and membership. Our dues pay for communications (newsletter, mailings, website), outreach to prospective students (book awards), and the events that link us together.

We explored other possible activities such as a book group.  One idea that emerged from our discussion was to have more meetings where club members talked about their lives and activities. In addition to its appeal to many at the meeting, this type of “program” has the benefit of being easy to arrange.

President Sue Roberts reminded the group of one of our club’s central missions: raising students fro the New Haven area and funds to support them. This year, instead of elaborate time and energy consuming fund-raisers, we ask directly for contributions to the scholarship fund.  Please contribute! 

june 10, 2007
Spring 2007 Meeting



“Financial Literacy at Smith” was the topic at our annual meeting on Sunday, June 10, 2007. Jane Willoughby ’43 and her daughter Pam Field hosted the event at their gracious home on Ridge Road.

Speaker Randy Bartlett, Professor of Economics and Acting Director for Women and Financial Independence Program, who has been involved with the program since its inception six years ago, described the philosophy behind it and how it works successfully despite not having grades or course credit attached. From a first year workshop on “Dollars and Sense,” several 7-8 week courses during the middle ears, and finally the financial boot camp “Backpack to Briefcase” offered during Senior Week, students learn the basics of credit, finance, investment, and entrepreneurship. To make the realities hit home, Professor Bartlett uses parables and stories: if a young woman only pays the minimum on credit card debt, that $5,000 borrowed at 17.5% takes 37 years to pay off and the finance charges have amounted to $27,000! Caveat emptor!

Along with questions and answers, club members wondered if we could manage to bring elements of such a program to the younger alumnae in our area. More information and some of the course’s printed materials are online at www.smith.edu/wfi.

january 13, 2007

Suzanne Boorsch (in red scarf) YUAG Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs

Tour of the newly renovated Yale University Art Gallery
Bright and early on a dull and dreary Saturday, 19 area Smithies and their guests, totaling about 30 people, arrived at the Yale University Art Gallery for a tour of the newly renovated building designed by famed architect Louis Kahn in 1953. Club member Suzanne Boorsch ’58, Robert L. Solley Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs described the history of the building and how the renovation attempted to restore the spaces of the original gallery. She touched on the future of the gallery and its collections as one the entire Yale arts area. She led us through the breath-taking spaces, commenting on the permanent exhibits and collections, including the African art which had not been extensively displayed before, and ended the tour with a view of two stunning exhibits in the print galleries (must see before April 1st!).

january 4, 2007
First Thursdays Happy Hour
Location: Rusty Scupper, 501 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven

december 3, 2006
Annual December Membership Meeting

Nanci Young, Smith College Archivist, with a student scrapbook.

“Educate a girl?
You might as well attempt to educate a cat.”

Our traditional December meeting took place over afternoon tea at the gracious St. Ronan Street home of Allie Perry ’70. Some 24 of us gathered to hear Nanci Young, College Archivist, speak about the archives. Her talk was entitled: “Educate a girl? You might as well attempt to educate a cat.” She brought folders and boxes of wonderful archival materials, including posters and scrapbooks, postcards and letters to illustrate what the archives collect and the interest of this “stuff” for the history of the College and or educated women. She discussed the archives’ impact on current students and outreach to undergraduate and alumnae communities. If while cleaning house or sizing down, you bump into carefully saved mementos from your Smith years, you might consider donating them to the archives. See the Guideline for donations to the Smith College Archives >>

december 7, 2006
First Thursdays Happy Hour
Location: Rusty Scupper, 501 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven

honoring the fabulous forties at the Whitney Center

On Saturday, November 4, 2006 from 3-5 pm some 25 Smith alumnae gathered at the Whitney Center in Hamden for a wine & cheese social to celebrate the great Smith women who graduated during the 1940's. As it turned out we also honored at least four women who graduated in the classes of the EARLY 30s. And a lively group they were! Club President Danielle Williams reminded us of some of the events that made the decade of the 40s an interesting time in the world and some of the facts about Smith in this era. The 40s alum shared stories and memories and songs.

This intergenerational event gathered Smithies from all the decades. Those from the oldest classes shared wonderful stories and Smith experiences with our most recent graduates, inspiring us all to stay connected over the years.


First Thursdays Happy Hour-11/2/06

Lindbergh and lunch- 8/19/06

	Lindbergh Picture Collection. Manuscripts & Archives, Yale University Library.

Sue Roberts ‘66

Representing classes from nearly all decades from the Fabulous Forties to the Nifty Nineties, 14 members of the GNH club plus several partners and friends, gathered at Yale’s Sterling Memorial Library for this event. It was our special pleasure to welcome Laura Wiley ’09 (one of our scholarship recipients, from the Awesome Aughts) to our midst.

Yale’s Senior Research Archivist Judy Schiff presented a fascinating talk and slide show about Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her life with the famous aviator Charles. The quintessential 20th century couple, they were famous, photogenic, adventurers, explorers, writers, and innovators— more multi-faceted than any of us realized. We viewed the exhibition of photographs, letters and memorabilia while Judy commented and continued telling stories. The discussion continued over a delightful lunch on the terrace at La Piazza.

annual meeting and talk - 06/11/06

Sue Roberts ‘66

The annual meeting took place over tea on June 11,2006 at Lisa Totman’s home in Hamden with some 20 members in attendance. Members of the board reported on the ten book prizes awarded, the money raised for our scholarship fund ($2,000), and other club activities past and future. The question of whether to resume selling pecans was discussed briefly.

After the business, Leslie King, Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy and a member of Smith’s Sustainability committee spoke about sustainability at
Smith. She explained the Environmental Science and Policy program and its goal of promoting environmental literacy by raising environmental issues in courses in the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Then she reviewed how sustainability concerns are being explored and addressed in the operations of the college.

The discussion was lively as these concerns touch the lives and experiences of many of us.

winter wine tasting
This fundraising event was held March 10, 2006 at Chow Wine Bar at Zinc Restaurant. A guided wine tasting was provided by the experts at acclaimed local purveyor The Wine Thief.

december event
Sue Roberts '66

In attendance from left to right were Suzanne Boorsch ‘58, Ellen Doon ‘92, Josefa Abdelnour ‘97, Patty Pedersen ‘75, and Michele Whitney ‘97.

	"Gatekeeper to Los Alamos: Dorothy Scarritt McKibbin."

Over 25 alumnae found their way to Patty Pedersen's gracious home in Woodbridge for tea and goodies on December 4, 2005. During the tea and conversation, Sophie & Co. sold colorful and varied handbags and donated 10% of its sales to our scholarship fund. Eager shoppers got a head start on holiday gifts and netted the Club a $70 donation. Nancy Cook Steeper '59 then talked about her biography of Smith graduate Dorothy Scarritt McKibbin '19. McKibbin was a trusted confidante to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific director of the Manhattan Project, in Los Alamos, New Mexico—the site where the first atomic bomb was built. The biography is the story of resourceful Smith grad, widowed with a young child while in her early 30s, who witnessed history in the making. The book, copies of which Nancy brought to sell, won an award in 2004 for an Outstanding Publication by an affiliate of the Historical Society of New Mexico.

happy hour
Smithies gathered for a happy hour at Chow Dim Sum Wine Bar in New Haven, on Friday, September 30, 2005. We filled several tables and had a lovely time chatting over tasty treats and wine!

In attendance from left to right were Lauren Dutton ‘04, Brie Teaboldt ‘03, Jane Christie ‘62

happy hour
Josefa Abdelnour ‘97
As a warm-up to the annual meeting, Smithies gathered for a happy hour on Thursday, May 26, in the Grain Loft at Bar in New Haven. We filled two tables and had a lovely time chatting over pizza and brew! In attendance from left to right were Jo Kremer ‘67, Danielle Williams ‘91, Sue Roberts ‘66, Ellen Doon ‘92, Abigail Brown ‘99, Lauren Dutton ‘04, and Anne Williamson ‘82.

June 8, 2005: Annual meeting over cocktails followed by Sherrill Redmon, Director of the Sophia Smith Collection. Sherrill showed a video documentary that her staff produced “Creating Women’s History: The Sophia Smith Collection” and then spoke about current projects of the archive and the ongoing effort to gather women’s papers for the collection.

May 26, 2005: Smith TGIF at BAR is becoming a habit!

January 9, 2005: Wellesley-Smith post-holiday gathering at the historically interesting and still wonderfully adorned with holiday decorations home of Pat Cavanaugh. You’d be surprised how many of us knew each other!

November 21, 2004: Holiday tea and pecan-pushing event at Sue Roberts’ home in New Haven.

November 19, 2004: Another TGIF at BAR!

June 8, 2004: Annual meeting followed by talk by Professor Susan Voss of Smith’s Department of Engineering and the Picker Engineering Program. The talk “ Designing the Future: Engineering at Smith College” was a good introduction to the program and to the exciting curricular advances taking place. It made us proud indeed of the college, its faculty and graduates.

January 23, 2004: Our first Smith TGIF at BAR in New Haven.

December 7, 2003: High Tea at the New Haven Lawn Club with a panel of alumnae (Martha Dale ’77, Bonita Grubbs ’77, and Jean Harris ’45) speaking on the various ways they help the forgotten members of our community.

December 2003: Lunch-time speaker Professor L David Smith of Smith’s Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Policy Progam spoke about his work on invasive species: “Strangers in a Strange Land: Biologcal Invaders in Coastal Waters.” His talk was especially interesting to club members concerned about the health of Long Island Sound.

May 24, 2003: Annual meeting at the New Haven Lawn Club followed by reception for and remarks by Smith President Carol Christ.

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