From
Marilyn Bruce True-Hill, '46
It was my first time away from home and I loved every bit of it. I made
many life long friends.
From Helen Claire Gegenheimer Kennedy ("Geg"),
'47
There are too many to mention but one amusing memory is of Mrs. Jackson
(our housemother) and her weekly lectures on how to conduct ourselves
and be a perfect lady -- including how to walk down a staircase without
lowering your head to look at the stairs! I would love to hear from
some of my classmates. A few months ago I was able to catch up with
Lila Mitchell Sparrell (she was a two year student) whom I hadn't seen
in over 50 years. We had a great visit and I plan to visit her when
I next get up to Massachusetts. I found Lila through the Alumnae Assn.
Thanks.
What dorm or house did I stay in while at Nasson? Well, Brown Hall when
I was a Freshman, Bradeen House when I was a Sophomore until they moved
us back to Brown Hall to make Bradeen over into a home for the new President,
John T. Holden. My Junior year was spent at Hanson Cottage and then
for my Senior Year I was asked to remain at Hanson in order to be a
House "Warden" for which I earned a small salary which was
applied to my tuition and other expenses. That helped my struggling
parents considerably. My own class moved on to Holmes House.
How many people were in my class? Oh gosh, the four year class had only
a handful...14 and there were 16 two year students.
What was Springvale like in those days? Like a small rural village in
which everyone knew everyone else. People congregated at Raymond's across
the main street for snacks in between classes, we got goodies at Kostis'
delicatessen and we did our practice work in and around Springvale.
I did my legal practice work in the office of L. Orlo Williams, who
had an office right there in the post office building near Brown Hall.
My religious secretarian office practice (if you could call it that)
was done with the Rev. Fred Charrier, minister of the North Parish Congregational
Church on Main Street in Sanford. I used to go there one afternoon a
week and type his letters and do other chores. The office was about
as large as a closet and was heated with a little small radiating fan
on the floor -- the rest of the building was unheated -- making for
"cold runs" when I had to deliver things to other parts of
the building.
My roommate was Lee Thorndike -- she was a home ec student so I was
always privileged to participate in samples from the home ec labs whenever
they were trying something new out in their kitchens.
One would ride the bus from Springvale to Sanford for an excursion --
be it shopping or going to the movies.
Brown Hall had a laundry in its basement and there we could wash our
clothes and hang them on lines to dry. Some of us would forget them
for days at a time until our house mother would remind us to take our
clothes down.
We always had to "sign out" and "sign in" when I
was at Nasson. Deadline for being in was, I believe, 10 o'clock.
Two nice things which happened to me as a result of being at Nasson
was that I met Dr. Francis Bailey, President of then Gorham State Teachers
College (now Univ. of Maine) and he called me to become his secretary
there at Gorham. I did that for a year but found I was terribly homesick
for the "religious" work I had left (I was then working for
a local Mass. Council of Churches.) And the other things was that Dr.
John Holden (who by then had gone to the University of New Hampshire
to teach) called me to become his secretary up there at UNH. Unfortunately
I had just accepted a job with the National Council of Churches in NYC
so could not accept his offer. But it was great just to be asked.
I still miss Nasson and all its good folks, even after 57 years.
Keep up your good work with the Association.
Helen "Geg" (Gegenheimer) Kennedy
P. S. through you folks I did find Lila Mitchell who was at Nasson same
time as myself and made contact. She and her husband stopped by my Branford
apartment for about an hour one day on their way south. It was a great
reunion.
From Lois Bull Schirmer, '53
Making great friends and keeping in touch all these years.
From June Peterson Gillis, '54
My husband of 45 years, George, and I have returned to Nasson for Alumni
Day and Homecoming in 1999. It was great to see old friends, and very
exciting to learn what the Alumni Association is doing--a dedicated
group! One of my favorite memories is to just close my eyes and picture
living in Maine Hall. What a homey place. We all had so much fun--talking
'til midnight or after, playing jokes on each other, singing the latest
songs, and last, but not least, studying and cramming for final exams!
From Barbara Landry Mason, '55
The roomies and friends there then; the "Smoker" in Brown
Hall; Big Sister Christine Stone Hoar and Journalism class; Nat Marriner
Hoag and Bill; Betty Buzzel, Roommate Alice Aloisi; the fire drills
when my fur coat would leave before I did, so much more that I'm recalling
since I found this site.
From Jean Penny Penfield Purcell, '58
Dave and I met at Nasson our first night of school there and married
two years later.
And that was just freshmen and sophomore year!
From Isaac "Speed" aka "Ike"
Reyes, '59
All of them, playing Whist, English class.
From John Downing, '59
Maine Hall.
Winter Carnival snow sculptures.
Ted's for coffee.
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