Wednesday
Friday
Why Dickinson? (continued)
Needless to say I wasn't so naive as to limit my college search to where my Principal thought I should go - in fact that was a stimulus to look elsewhere. Remember in the late 60's we were flexing our independence. So where else did I look (do you remember where you looked)?
Ursinus wanted me. They knew me because I played my high school sports just down the road. No way was I going to a school that was 20 minutes from home. Scratch Ursinus.
Connecticut contacted me as a result of basketball. Now before you jump to any conclusions about my prowess on the court I need to qualify that this was an era long before the Huskies basketball dynasties (both men and women). Their program pretty much "sucked" (pardon my French). Anyway I received a letter from the coach asking me to visit. Aside from Ursinus which I'd already ruled out this was the only advanced interest I received regarding my athletic talents. So - off to Storrs, CT I go. While flattered that they "might" be interested in me it didn't take long to rule Connecticut out. For those who visited Storrs back in the day, you'll understand.
Delaware hit my radar screen and was intriguing. Decent academics. A little bigger than I wanted. And it was hard to swallow being dubbed a "Blue Hen", but it remained on my short list.
Gettysburg - is being a "Bullet" better than a "Blue Hen"? Oh well - what's all my concern about the schools' mascots anyway. G-burg again made the short list and once they found I was interested in them the basketball coach became interested in me to the point of phone calls on a regular basis. Flattered? Damn straight!
And then came my first visit to Dickinson. I sell real estate now and no doubt you've heard the term "curb appeal". Well as colleges go D'son has amazing curb appeal. One look at the campus and I was halfway to putting my name on the four year contract. Our forefathers knew what they were doing when they laid out the campus and chose the fabulous limestone to adorn the buildings. I got sucked right in.
So - a Principal's recommendation and a visit to the campus won me over. But the financial aid package was the deal sealer. It was the icing on the cake that made my decision much much easier.
Ursinus wanted me. They knew me because I played my high school sports just down the road. No way was I going to a school that was 20 minutes from home. Scratch Ursinus.
Connecticut contacted me as a result of basketball. Now before you jump to any conclusions about my prowess on the court I need to qualify that this was an era long before the Huskies basketball dynasties (both men and women). Their program pretty much "sucked" (pardon my French). Anyway I received a letter from the coach asking me to visit. Aside from Ursinus which I'd already ruled out this was the only advanced interest I received regarding my athletic talents. So - off to Storrs, CT I go. While flattered that they "might" be interested in me it didn't take long to rule Connecticut out. For those who visited Storrs back in the day, you'll understand.
Delaware hit my radar screen and was intriguing. Decent academics. A little bigger than I wanted. And it was hard to swallow being dubbed a "Blue Hen", but it remained on my short list.
Gettysburg - is being a "Bullet" better than a "Blue Hen"? Oh well - what's all my concern about the schools' mascots anyway. G-burg again made the short list and once they found I was interested in them the basketball coach became interested in me to the point of phone calls on a regular basis. Flattered? Damn straight!
And then came my first visit to Dickinson. I sell real estate now and no doubt you've heard the term "curb appeal". Well as colleges go D'son has amazing curb appeal. One look at the campus and I was halfway to putting my name on the four year contract. Our forefathers knew what they were doing when they laid out the campus and chose the fabulous limestone to adorn the buildings. I got sucked right in.
So - a Principal's recommendation and a visit to the campus won me over. But the financial aid package was the deal sealer. It was the icing on the cake that made my decision much much easier.
Thursday
Cleaned Up and Ready for Many More Years
I had the opportunity to get "up close and personal" with our Mermaid several years ago when she was removed from Old West for cleaning and repair. We are indeed privleged to have such a unique piece of art associated with the College.Wednesday
Why Dickinson?
We all have our reasons. Some of us followed in the footsteps of parents or sibs. Some got a great deal on tuition because their parent worked at the college. Some came from a prep or high school that had funneled good students to Dickinson for years. But not me.
If your college experience predates the internet you'll probably remember pouring over the thick college guidebooks that provided snapshots of the schools of higher education throughout the country. If a particular school interested you you sent a letter to the Admissions Office requesting a College Catalog (no e-mail existed back then - you actually typed a letter and probably used carbon paper to make a copy for yourself - yes - this was the dark ages - no copiers back then either).
Well I spent hours with that guidebook and collected a decent library of college catalogs. But why Dickinson? I was strongly influenced by my high school principal. Our high school was relatively new and no one from Methacton (near Norristown, PA) preceeded me to D'son. But our principal "targeted" several of us - ultimately nudging 4 of us out the PA Turnpike to then Exit 16 (Carlisle).
I never recall the principal dropping any names on us as he talked up the College, but I finally understood the connection the first time I presented myself at Drayer Hall to visit a girl (my high school classmate and now my wife of 35 1/2 years). Our principal's name was Alpheus P. Drayer.
And now you know the rest of the story.........
If your college experience predates the internet you'll probably remember pouring over the thick college guidebooks that provided snapshots of the schools of higher education throughout the country. If a particular school interested you you sent a letter to the Admissions Office requesting a College Catalog (no e-mail existed back then - you actually typed a letter and probably used carbon paper to make a copy for yourself - yes - this was the dark ages - no copiers back then either).
Well I spent hours with that guidebook and collected a decent library of college catalogs. But why Dickinson? I was strongly influenced by my high school principal. Our high school was relatively new and no one from Methacton (near Norristown, PA) preceeded me to D'son. But our principal "targeted" several of us - ultimately nudging 4 of us out the PA Turnpike to then Exit 16 (Carlisle).
I never recall the principal dropping any names on us as he talked up the College, but I finally understood the connection the first time I presented myself at Drayer Hall to visit a girl (my high school classmate and now my wife of 35 1/2 years). Our principal's name was Alpheus P. Drayer.
And now you know the rest of the story.........
Monday
Welcome Friends and Fellow Alumni
39 years ago (late summer of 1969) I left the comforts of home and ventured west from suburban Philadelphia to the booming metropolis of Carlisle in pursuit of a dream - to be the first in my family to attain a college education. I had no idea what to expect. I had no older siblings or parents who had attended that could provide guidance. And on top of that I had probably never been away from home for much more than a week at a time.
Fortunately for me I had a mini-support network of 3 high school classmates that had followed the path to Dickinson as well. They, along with the infrequent collect calls made from the pay phone in the dorm (remember that was "BCP" - "before cell phones"), were my connections to home.
Well - fast forward to almost 2009. It's most definitely a sign of aging as I have come to reflect back on my life's experiences. And one of the most influential of those experiences was the 4 years spent in Carlisle. When I was a teen my Mom would marvel at my growth spurts as I quickly approached the 6'+ stature. But those physical "spurts" were most definitely exceeded by the intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth I experienced during my 4 years at Dickinson.
The intent of this blog is to share our collective appreciations for our experiences provided by Dickinson - to recount some of the significant and not so significant happenings and to observe the difference Dickinson has made in our lives.
I have no intention that this blog be "all about me" and my experiences. I ask you to share yours as well. I look at this blog as a "quasi ongoing Alumni Weekend" where we reminisce and intermingle among fellow alumni. I'm guessing if you're here you have an appreciation for your experience as well. Please stop back often and share your perspectives and memories and enjoy those of others.
Thanks.
Fortunately for me I had a mini-support network of 3 high school classmates that had followed the path to Dickinson as well. They, along with the infrequent collect calls made from the pay phone in the dorm (remember that was "BCP" - "before cell phones"), were my connections to home.
Well - fast forward to almost 2009. It's most definitely a sign of aging as I have come to reflect back on my life's experiences. And one of the most influential of those experiences was the 4 years spent in Carlisle. When I was a teen my Mom would marvel at my growth spurts as I quickly approached the 6'+ stature. But those physical "spurts" were most definitely exceeded by the intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth I experienced during my 4 years at Dickinson.
The intent of this blog is to share our collective appreciations for our experiences provided by Dickinson - to recount some of the significant and not so significant happenings and to observe the difference Dickinson has made in our lives.
I have no intention that this blog be "all about me" and my experiences. I ask you to share yours as well. I look at this blog as a "quasi ongoing Alumni Weekend" where we reminisce and intermingle among fellow alumni. I'm guessing if you're here you have an appreciation for your experience as well. Please stop back often and share your perspectives and memories and enjoy those of others.
Thanks.
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