There are just two entries for this month, but they contain some good ideas for classmates to ponder. The first, a brief account of a lovely trip, reminds us that many classmates are now traveling again and might enjoy sharing highlights of their trips. Since none of us is taking anything for granted these days, and since we are in varying states of mobility, those of us who are no longer travelling will take pleasure in reading about our still wandering peers and remembering our own adventures. Those of us who are still traveling may get some new inspiration and ideas! The second item, redacted from The New York Times, and submitted by Ron Demer ‘59, reminds us of our many very colorful and creative classmates. So read, get your juices flowing, and send us something that we can ponder and enjoy!
From Neil Schilke: “Ro and I just returned from a Western Canada trip. Started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Took a cable car up Grouse Mountain for a dramatic view. Walked the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Boarded a Rocky Mountaineer train for Kamloops, BC and saw dramatic changes in scenery, from the lush green fields of the Fraser Valley, through forests and winding river canyons surrounded by the peaks of the Coastal and Cascade Mountains to the desert-like BC interior. Next day we re-boarded the train to Jasper, Alberta. We were surrounded by dramatic scenery through the Monashee and Cariboo Mountains as we climbed toward the Continental Divide. We stayed at the Jasper Park Lodge situated in the Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cruised Maligne Lake and saw the rock formations in the Maligne Canyon.
Headed for Lake Louise, stopping at the Columbia Icefield on the Athabasca Glacier and visiting the Glacier Skywalk. Lake Louise is idyllic; from the Chateau we could see the beautiful lake with reflections of the surrounding mountains and glacier. Then on to Chateau Banff Springs via the Yoho National Park. Got a spectacular view of the Chateau and surrounding area from the Banff Gondola. Final stop was Calgary, Alberta”
When Lenny Lipton, a physics major in the College of Arts and Sciences, died last month, an extensive write up of his life and accomplishments appeared in The New York Times. Lipton was singled out for his many notable achievements, including as a documentary filmmaker, author, and decades of pioneering research in 3-D filmmaking. Of particular interest to us is that as a 19-year-old Cornell freshman, Lenny wrote a poem entitled “Puff the Magic Dragon,” based on a 1936 poem by Ogden Nash. His friend, Peter Yarrow ’59, found the poem in his typewriter and later transformed it into lyrics that he set to music, and, in 1963, recorded with his folk group, Peter Paul and Mary. The rest is history. It was the “bountiful” royalties from this singular accomplishment that helped fund Lenny’s decades of research in stereoscopic projection. According to Ron Demer ’59, who sent along this wonderful item, Yarrow gave Lenny the Puff royalties because “it was the right thing to do.”
I hope you enjoyed these contributions and will consider submitting your own!
Evelyn Eskin [email protected]