’47 Update

Three years ago on the 1st of July, Peggy Read and I moved into The Woodlands, shortly after the “Independent Living” facility opened. We have enjoyed our residency here, even though by some standards we are too mobile and energetic for this sort of residence.

Peggy and I made that decision because we reasoned that while we are, for our ages, in good physical and mental shape, we wanted to make the move before we became too decrepit to make a big , downsizing, move without huge stress. I have no children, and Peggy’s live in the far West, so access to help from the younger generation is significantly limited. We just felt that accomplishing the big move and getting used to the new environment would be a whole lot easier if we acted sooner rather than later.

Neither of us thought much about the sociological aspects of the communal living that characterizes a place like The Woodlands. There are wine and cheese parties, cribbage and bridge. We eat together in a beautiful dining room where the food is excellent and it’s wonderful to visit with different eating companions with whom we trade stories and make jokes. Funny how we seem to find humor in our various frailties. We have both gotten involved in volunteer activity : library, health care committee, newsletter, trails and weeding. We saved a lot of time when we gave up condo living: less maintenance, less cooking, fewer day to day chores, so I guess it’s natural that we would find other stuff to do in addition to our crossword puzzles and Scrabble.

I need to add that the Upper Valley, especially Hanover, Lebanon and White River Junction is an astounding cultural milieu with art, drama, dance, lectures and music. Oh, and add to this the matter of following and watching Dartmouth athletics and you really have a rounding out of a nearly perfect retirement environment. The quality and availability of these make our life far richer than we imagined back when we were busy with our careers.

I guess I can sum up by observing that life is still sweet in spite of the inevitable slow-downs that go with our generation.

Charlie Russell

Class of 1947

Frequently Asked Questions

Upon graduating from Deerfield, alumni enter a diverse network of former Deerfield students. Deerfield alumni have ventured into almost every area of employment, and many are at the top of their respective fields. The advantages of this vast network are numerous and significant, as every member of the Deerfield family receives the following:

Alumni are also eligible for alumni awards, such as the Ashley Award, Heritage Award, and the Mimi Morsman Award.

There are no membership fees or dues for members of the Deerfield family, but Deerfield does ask for assistance in a few areas. First of all, in order for Deerfield to have the most up-to-date records possible, we encourage members to keep us apprised of their current contact info. Alumni are also urged to direct all concerns and suggestions regarding Deerfield’s operations through the Executive Committee, the governing body of the Alumni Association. The committee acts as the voice of the alumni body, and works closely with the school administration. In order to keep tuition affordable and the quality of a Deerfield education at its highest, the Academy depends upon the continuing support of alumni and their families. This support can take the form of annual or capital gifts, or time spent volunteering on behalf of Deerfield.

There are Deerfield Clubs in many major American cities. Please visit here for more information on specific clubs and their sponsored events. 

Of course! Be sure to read the latest issue of From Albany Road in your email’s in-box for current news of what is happening on campus. As we also send out periodic invitations, it’s always best to make sure we have your current physical address. And if you do plan on visiting campus, why not tell us ahead of time?

Contact the Office of Advancement

alumni@deerfield.edu
413-774-1474

7 Boyden Lane, PO Box 306
Deerfield, MA 01342