Willard News
Volume 34, #2 December, 2001
Troy, New York 2001
Our 93rd Reunion & Annual Meeting
by Arlan Willard
On Friday, July 27th and Saturday, July 28th, we met at the Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. Thanks to Trudy E. Hall, Head of School, Trudy J. Hanmer, Associate Head of School, Barbara Wiley, Librarian, and Linda A. Turriglo, Director of Conferences and Special Events, we had a very successful and wonderful time.
Emma Hart Willard was a proud, responsible, and determined person who wanted to provide a place for the education of young girls in grades 9 through 12. This remarkable school, which she founded in 1814 with support from her husband, John Willard, continues to maintain her high standards today, thanks to the current leadership and staff.
Our registration and social hour began Friday evening in the Lyon-Remington Room an elegant Tudor-styled reception room with cathedral windows and many portraits. We then walked across the lovely inner campus to the Kellas living room for an excellent dinner.
Our speaker after dinner was Barbara Wiley, Librarian of the School. She told us about Emma Willard's life and a brief history of the school. After he talk she answered many questions from the Willard group who were impressed with her presentation.
Saturday morning found us back at the Kellas building for registration, coffee, juice and pastries before the annual meeting. The Annual Meeting was interactive with reports, questions and answers. The Nominating Committee's slate of Officers was voted unanimously, and Arlan Willard turned the meeting over to the new President, William L. Willard, Sr., of Willimantic, Connecticut. Bill then spoke to the group about Willard topics.
On November 13, 1966, then WFA Director, Willard Wescott Rathborne presented the Emma Willard School with a ceremonial mace and this impressive mace was on display for us both Friday evening and Saturday morning. It was exciting to see such a special item that the WFA had given the school 35 years ago.
After the Annual Meeting we served ourselves from a very nice buffet luncheon table. Then we had a tour of the campus chapel, library, classrooms, labs and dormitories and all with Librarian Barbara Wiley. She had also laid out special displays of interest to Willards in the library.
The Director of Conferences and Special Events, Linda Turriglio was with us all weekend to ensure that the Willards had a very special reunion. And we certainly did! Many thanks to all who contributed to its success.