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Waterloo, Ontario Vol. 7 No. 1 Summer 1987 Canada N2L 3G3 University of St. Jerome's College College rejuvenated by Grads' Reunion '87 True to its theme, "Together Again", it was as though graduates and friends attending Reunion '87 had never been away. For it was, quite simply, the most successful reunion yet. The June 6 and 7 reunion weekend of the St. Jerome's College Graduates' Association had something for everyone and reflected the best traditions of Notre Dame and St. Jerome's Colleges: a lecture on one of Shakespeare's most famous plays and a trip to one of North America's major theatres to see it; the sharing of a meal; athletics; tours of a changed campus and a liturgy in the familiar surroundings of Notre Dame Chapel. Plus laughter, friendship and a lot of fun. And, as is traditional at St. Jerome's reunions, we even had some rain! College President Father Norm Choate measured the weekend's success by the number of hugs he received, while anxious organizers, perennially concerned with turnout, measured the success by the large crowds, thriving activities and unique chemistry which quickly developed among grads and friends. "There was a genuine sense of celebration, friendship and community," commented Director of Development Rob Donelson. "It was a truly memorable weekend which reinforced the strong feelings of commitment our graduates have toward the College." "It certainly reinvigorated me with the St. Jerome's spirit," wrote Marc Kealey (BA '83) afterwards, as did many others. "I had a terrific time." Valerie (née Moynihan, BES '80) and Paul McAlpine (BA '81) wrote to say that "it was so good to be at St. Jerome's again ... and it was super to be able to bring our kids and to have them be so welcome. But we hope the place survived!" The College did survive and was in fact rejuvenated by the weekend which saw over 250 graduates and friends return to celebrate two major milestones: the 25th anniversary of the graduation of the class of 1962, and the 25th anniversary of the opening of St. Jerome's and Notre Dame residences. Over 70 grads, many with their families in tow, stayed in both residences. At $4.99 per night and children free, who could beat the price? The residences even went co-ed for this reunion; it was rumoured that College administrators feared one last raid! A free babysitting service gave parents a chance to enjoy the company of other graduates with a minimum of interruptions. he day began with a casual barbeque in 1 front of the Men's Residence, allowing people to get reacquainted and have lunch after travelling. No sooner had the last hot dog been eaten than the serious business of mixed slo-pitch baseball between residence floors began. While not entirely a comedy of errors, it provided ample evidence that the competitive spirit among grads is alive and well. It also showed that some grads just aren't as fast as they used to be. The team representing second floor graduates emerged victorious. Highlighting the weekend was the trip to the Stratford Festival to see Romeo and Juliet. Twenty grads and friends enjoyed an informative lecture by College Shakespearean professor Ted McGee and shared a light lunch in the Common Room before heading to Stratford. Directed by the respected Robin Phillips, the play was the Festival's '87 season premiere performance of this classic love story. Both the play and the lecture received rave reviews. There was lots of action for children during the day. Many took part in numerous creative games and races organized by Peter Curtis (BA '79). One of the most popular indoor activities proved to be the College's new computer lab. Supervised computer games were available and the over 20 terminals were in constant use. Each child received a certificate from math students and games organizers Greg Milligan and Joanne Brown, indicating their participation. A pre-dinner cocktail reception was held in Notre Dame Lounge due to rain. The animated conversations and noise levels showed that spirits were not dampened. The dinner in the Men's cafeteria, attended by over 200, was ably emceed by the energetic and entertaining Dick Callahan (BA '62) of Moraga, California. Following a sumptuous buffet of hip of beef, Dick regaled all present with fast paced anecdotes from his student days and his exploits as PA announcer for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Faculty and grads from 1962 were honoured with handsome lapel pins presented by Pat Mackesy (BA '65), and former Notre Dame College Bursar, Sr. Rosalia, was recognized for her contribution to Notre Dame during the past 16 years. Current Directors of Residence Sr. Dianne Brenner (BA '73) and Frank O'Connor (BA '79) offered a reflection on twenty-five years of residence life and spoke of the enduring sense of community our students continue to experience. Both Sr. Dianne and Frank were invaluable in providing their ideas and assistance in organizing this reunion. Nearly 200 grads came together on Sunday morning for a mass, organized by grads Paul Tratnyek (BA '75) and Dana Woito (BA '84), and shared a pancake breakfast afterwards.