| E-Notice |
THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2011-3
OF MARCH 1, 2011
Hello Hornets:
Here are some items that might be of
interest:
1.
MORE ABOUT "THE CONSPIRATOR".
Some of our more mature readers may have seen the cover story in the
March/April 2011 AARP magazine about Robert Redford, with the
subtitle "The fiercely private actor-director talks about fame,
family and his new film, The Conspirator." The article notes
that "Redford's latest directorial project is soon to be released in
theaters. 'The Conspirator' tells the story of Mary Surratt
(played by Robin Wright), whose boardinghouse was a meeting place
for John Wilkes Booth and fellow plotters of Abraham Lincoln's
assassination. Charged with conspiring in the president's
murder, Surratt is reluctantly represented at trial by a young Union
war hero (James McAvoy). The political climate of post-Civil
War Washington – when individual rights sometimes took a backseat to
national security – mirrors post-9/11 America, Redford admits:
'We don't seem to learn from our own history. But whatever
parallels exist are up to the audience to find; it won't be a
needles in a haystack. My focus is on the emotional arc of the
characters. What I loved about this story was the two characters who
start off at opposite sides and move together and across each
other.'"
[Ed. Note: It's sounding more and more
from the advanced press like Mary Surratt indeed will be the focus
of "The Conspirator." It will be very interesting for history
buffs to see if Mary is presented more in her "probably guilty" or
"probably innocent" persona.]
And we received this important technical
observation about "The Conspirator":
"Henry: Thanks
for the news that you send every month, but we all should be pretty
mad that Robert Redford (whom the Yahoo article that appears in the
February 1 e-Notice referred to as being "historically accurate")
had the nerve to shoot this film about Surrattsville in Savannah,
Georgia (see
http://savannahnow.com/news/2009-10-13/robert-redfords-movie-conspirator-begins-filming).
I thought you should tell people before they are all majorly
disappointed when they see the film. All the best! J.P.
Szymkowicz (87)"
[Ed. Note: …
adding to our disappointment that our own Oscar winner, Marcia Gay
Harden (76), wasn't cast in the role of Mary Surratt!.
Speaking of Marcia, I imagine that some of our readers took issue
with her being listed by CNBC in a February 28 piece as one of
fifteen powerful screen actors "hit with the Oscar curse." (http://www.cnbc.com/id/41720860)
Marcia's work since winning the Oscar for "Pollock" has often been
some of the best in film history, regardless of whether she has won
a second Oscar!]
2.
… AND MORE SOUTHERN MARYLAND HISTORY.
We received this interesting email from Serena Karandy Butch (73):
"Hi Henry: I am a youth librarian in a public library in
upstate New York. I recently read a wonderful children's book
called Countdown
by Deborah Wiles. It is set in Camp Springs, during the Cuban
Missile Crisis of 1962. There are some familiar references to the
area and the author did live there for several years in the 60s with
her military family. It is the first of a trilogy, so I am looking
forward to the next two. Check it out in the children's area of your
favorite public library! Thanks! Serena"
3.
THE LATEST REPORT FROM
AFGHANISTAN.
We received this latest interesting report from the war zone from
Rix Mills (62): "Henry: I'm back in Afghanistan again!
This time I'm on a slightly different mission than before,
admittedly less altruistic, but necessary nonetheless. I was
sent here to improve the Afghan Police intelligence analysis
capability so that they can figure out what is happening to them and
take measures to stop the tremendous loss of life in their ranks
each month due to Taliban attacks, tribal disputes, family
conflicts, common criminals, corruption and the list goes on.
This may be the closest to mission impossible that I have come in my
career but it is only for four months and then I will decide if I
want to continue or yield to the next brave soul. I am working
with a group of former police officers from Northern Ireland who
have seen their share of terrorism and used intelligence
successfully to their benefit to stop their own acute internal
problems in the past. Whether their experience has any
application here is another question altogether but they seem to
think so. Fortunately, they haven't mentioned anything adverse
about my family that came to America from Northern Ireland or are
keeping it to themselves like all good cops to be used at a later
date uncertain! Rix"
[Ed.
Note: Unfortunately, Rix also reported that after only three
weeks in
Afghanistan on his current mission, Rix came down with bronchitis
and typhoid fever. Rix noted: "The problem here is that
there is so much contamination in the air that it is only a matter
of time before something gets you. Kabul is a nasty place and
we are protected to the upmost but the filth just gets through
anyway. I am living in a fortress-like, multi-block area
called the "Green Zone" and there are more bunkers, razor wire and
guards than you can believe. We back up to the US Embassy and
can use their facilities, which is quite handy. All in all, it
isn't bad but the environment is deadly!" We're sending strong
get well wishes to Rix!]
4.
TEEN CLUB STARS RE-UNITE FOR MARCH 12 SHOW
IN GREENBELT.
Some of our readers who were Teen Club and
School dance regulars in the early 1970s may have fond memories of
the great band Slow Rush. Slow Rush recently reunited and has
been playing gigs in the D.C. area. (Your editor saw them last
year in North Beach and they were fantastic!) On March 11, a
special version of the reunited Slow Rush – featuring not only Jimi
Simon (71) on keyboards but also Bart Windsor (69) on vocals, will
play a show on March 12 at the Greenbelt American Legion Post 136
from 8:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. (A Facebook page about the event can
be found at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163565270362455.)
This event is sure to bring back some great musical memories!
5.
1969 AND 1970 BOOMERANGS SOUGHT.
Steve Ryle is trying to locate a copy of the 1969 Boomerang.
Please contact Steve at
sryle@tampabay.rr.com if you
have any information that might be helpful. And Pat McArthur
(70) is trying to locate a copy of the 1970 Boomerang. Please
contact Pat at
patmcarthur@hotmail.com
if you have any information that might be helpful.
6.
MORE MARLOW HEIGHTS MEMORIES.
We received these great Marlow Heights holiday memories from Sandy
Miller Oursler (72): "Hi
Henry: I find the stories of Marlow Heights very interesting
as I remember each year a few days before Christmas, yes a few
days....back in the olden days, people did not go Christmas shopping
2 months ahead of time, anyway, a few days before Christmas, my Mom
and Dad would load up the old station wagon with us 7 siblings who
by the way all graduated from Surrattsville back when we started out
in first grade, no kinder garden back then, going to Surrattsville
Elementary , Surrattsville Junior, and then on to Surrattsville
Senior to graduate and would make a trip to Marlow Heights for a few
hours to all do our shopping. It seemed like it took us so long to
make that trip from all the way down from Clinton, Piscataway Rd,
across from Hyde Field Airport......but we did. The best part
was we (us kids) got all our shopping done with about $10. We
couldn't wait to get home so that we could start wrapping.....I
remember stopping at "Mr. H" to get a burger, it was somewhere
around where they have Public Storage and what used to be" Cole's
Ethan Allen Furniture" store. Like the last news letter
stated, this was one of the closest shopping centers around. Boy,
they had so many stores to choose from, although I only remember
shopping in Woolworth's. I think that is what it was
called....Thanks for the memories. Hope everyone is staying safe and
enjoying life. Sandy"
7.
SEEKING INFO ON COACH BEAVER.
Lee Pascasio (64) is seeking
information on football Coach Beaver from the 1960s. Please
send Lee an email at
lee_f_pascasio@yahoo.com if you have any information that might
be helpful.
8.
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
NOMINEES SOUGHT. This is the time of year
when the Foundation Board seeks nominees for the Foundation's annual
Achievement Awards. Photos and bios of past years' absolutely
outstanding Achievement Award recipients (including the
aforementioned Rix Mills) can be found on the Foundation's web site
at
http://www.surrattsville.org/achievement/index.shtml.
If you know of a member of the Surrattsville community who you would
like to nominate for a 2010 Award, please send me an email at
hsmith@smithdowney.com.
9. SAVE THE DATES: JUNE 24 AND JUNE
25. Thanks to the very active
and organized Class of 76, the entire Surrattsville community is
invited to "Surrattsville Night" at the Maryland Blue Crabs stadium
in Waldorf on Saturday June 25. A special outfield picnic area
will be set aside for the Surrattsville community, and a single
price will cover admission and food. Additional details will
be published in future e-Notices.
In addition, the Class of 76 is planning some
Class-specific events for Friday June 24 and Saturday June 25, so
Class of 76 members should check out the Class of 76 Group on
Facebook for more information about those events.
10.
SEEKING LOST HORNETS. Dick Duke (47) is trying
to get in touch with members of the Classes of 46, 47 and 48.
Please contact Dick at 734-769-0467, or
dickduke@umich.edu, if you
have any info that might be helpful.
11.
ALL CLASSES/FACULTY/STAFF DIRECTORIES
AVAILABLE.
Thanks to the herculean work of Pat Becker
Oles (71), the Foundation's 2000 Alumni/Faculty/Staff Directory has
been updated for 2010, and now includes fascinating "what I'm up to"
paragraphs from those who submitted directory information. If
you would like a copy of the Directory, send a $20 check payable to
the Foundation to: Henry Smith, One W. Pennsylvania Avenue,
Suite 950, Towson, MD 21204.
12.
"SURRATTSVILLE ALUMNI" WINDOW STICKERS
AVAILABLE.
Pat Becker Oles (71) also kindly handles
the Foundation's "Surrattsville Alumni" window stickers project.
Pat notes that the stickers are
not the "static cling type,"
that stick to the inside of a window. Instead, they are the
"stick to the outside type," that can stick on a window or bumper,
and use "repositional adhesive" (meaning no sticky residue).
Information about purchasing the stickers can be found on the web
site at surrattsville.org.
13.
CLASS OF 2001 PLANS REUNION.
The Class of 2001 is beginning work on planning for its ten year
reunion, to be held on Saturday June 4, 2011 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.,
at a location to be determined. Please contact Jacquelyn Towns
at
jacquelyntowns@live.com
or Courtney Graham at
azia22@comcast.net
if you have any contact info on
members of the Class of 2001 or if you would like further
information. The Class also has a Facebook page called “The
Official c/o 2001 Reunion Page,” which contains photos and
information to date.
14.
BOOMERANGS AVAILABLE.
The Foundation has a limited supply of yearbooks from 1991, 1999,
2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. If you'd like one of these
yearbooks (which are available for $15 including shipping and
handling), please send me an email to
hsmith@smithdowney.com.
15.
POSSIBLE 80/81 REUNION.
The Classes of 80 and 81 are planning a possible reunion for June
2011. They need a contact person for the Class of 80.
Please contact Teresa Blandford Pepper at
teresa@dlpinc.net to provide
contact info.
16.
CLASS OF 61 PLANS REUNION.
The Class of 1961 will celebrate its 50th
Class Reunion at the Colony South Hotel and Conference Center in
Clinton. This three day event will take place on June 24-26,
2011. Classmates from other Classes who may be interested are
invited to join the celebration. If anyone has any information on
missing Class members (listed at the end of this e-Notice) or would
like information regarding the reunion, please contact: Don Byroads
at 301-475-0127 or
towerhill00@hotmail.com or
Darleen Mabry Burgess at 301-449-7261 or
darleenburgess@comcast.net.
I hope some of you soon will be seeing some
tiny hints of Spring! Henry Smith (71)
MANY THANKS TO
THESE (EARLY) DONORS TO THE 2011 CAMPAIGN!
Patricia
Becker Oles (71)
Steve Profilet (71)
Bob Marr (71)
Debbie
Cox Marr (72)
Thomas V. Mike Miller (60)
Vicky Simontacchi
Young (57)
Valerie Mercier
Bob Freitas (70)
Linda Dorsey
Blue (66)
AND MANY
THANKS TO THESE MANY DONORS TO THE 2010 CAMPAIGN!
Bob Marr (71)
Debbie Cox Marr (72)
Steve Profilet (71)
James Coffren (68)
Margaret Edmondson Loveless (39, and former School Nurse), In memory
of Truman S. Klein
Dan Bayne (71)
Linda Dorsey Blum (66)
Vicki Forsht Williams (65, and former faculty), In memory of Eugene
Colgan and Mildred Biedenkapp)
Susan Curtis Sturgill (65), In
memory of Greg White (65)
Vince Antonioli (69)
Terry Zinneman
Antonioli (70)
Helen Bovbjerg Niedung (54), In honor of Band
Director John Mathena
Victor Negron (71)
Thomas V. Mike
Miller, Jr. (60)
Janet Goddard Sullivan (54)
J. Paul Rickett
(69)
Gloria Blandford Rickett (71)
Jean Hurley Wilhelm (39),
In memory of members of the Class of 39
Carol Fite Mothershead
(65)
Larry Mothershead (65)
Edward Webster (65)
Sharon Till
Webster (66)
Jaquie Goss Leach (65), In memory of Fred Goss,
brother, and Class of 70 valedictorian
Jeanine Carroll Maclary
(73)
Coach Lew Jenkins (Former faculty for 25 years)
Mike
Gifford (84)
Mary Watson Crowley (37), In memory of Ruth Affron
Sellner (36)
Ruth Kessler (Former Faculty)
Mary Garner Whittington (46)
Deborah McAllister Brown (72)
Richard Brown (72)
Mary Jo Sputo (76),
In memory of Cindy Thompson Vutsinas (76)
Tom and Sally
LaPla Travis (72)
Lawrence Romjue (57), In memory of Lois Marie
Osgood (57), "You were always on my mind"
Vicky Simontacchi Young
(57), In memory of Lois Marie Osgood Honeywell (57)
Vera Twigg
(Friend of the Foundation)
Tom Shultz (71)
Nancy Oursler
Schillings (65), In memory of Robert Knadel (63)
Henry Smith
(71), In memory of John Mamone (72)
Donna Rae Sturtevant Smith
(71), In memory of John Mamone (72)
Dave Kraus (65)
Charles
Ronald Coleman (53), In memory of Donald England
Paul Monaghan
(59)
Ellen Talbert-Miller (61 and
former faculty), In celebration of the Class of 61 50th
Reunion
Cecelia Smith (former faculty), In memory of Marie
Grouby
Anne Noyes (former faculty)
T. Summers Gwynn (64), In
memory of Don Rhoades (64)
Melissa Gilcrest (69)
Natalie
Nadine Conrad Johnson (80), In memory of Allison Hinckle (80)
Nancy Miller (67)
Patricia Becker Oles (71)
Lee Hessberg (68)
Lois Barrett Hessberg (70)
Brenda Karnes (former faculty),
In memory of Marie Grouby and Dixie Vinciguerra
Anonymous, In
memory of Francis R. O’Clair