Glory Days at the ’Dale

Written by Doug Goodnough

John Webb, ’72, had not stepped foot on the Hillsdale College campus since he graduated 50 years ago.

But, he said it wasn’t a difficult decision to come back for his class reunion when Hillsdale hosted members of the Classes of 1962 and 1972 from April 6-8.

Webb was part of a spirited group of alumni who spent three days touring campus, participating in Spring Convocation, sitting in on a class—even competing against current Hillsdale College student-athletes.

“We were thrilled to host our 50- and 60-year reunion groups on campus,” said Executive Director of Alumni Relations Colleen McGinness. “We plan full days of activities so our alumni receive a great Hillsdale experience. This group traveled from all around the country to be here, and we worked hard to make it a special and memorable reunion week.”

The College invited members of the 50- and 60-year classes to campus and housed them in the Dow Conference Center.

Along with the on-campus events and activities, attendees also got a bus tour of the city of Hillsdale, including a glimpse inside the renovated Dawn Theater and the Halter Shooting Sports Education Center.

But the stories made the week, and there were plenty of them. Here are some that I was able to overhear:

John Scott, ’72, said he never had a chance to play a match of high school tennis because he wasn’t good enough to crack his team’s lineup. So when he transferred in to Hillsdale College and decided to try out for the tennis team, he didn’t know what to expect. He found out he was pretty good. In fact, Scott eventually became the number one singles and doubles player for the Chargers, and had a chance to perform against some of the best college competition in Michigan, including Central Michigan and Ferris State. In fact, his love of tennis continued past college with the U.S. Tennis Association until the age of 65. The 72-year-old retired elementary school teacher brought his racket to the 50/60 Reunion, hoping for the chance to use it. Hillsdale men’s tennis coach Keith Turner graciously agreed to let Scott volley with the Chargers’ number one singles player, Brennan Cimpeanu, ’24, before practice in the Biermann Athletic Center. Scott showed off his skills, including a flair for the dramatic: he hit a between-the-legs winner to end the exhibition. He and his wife, Michelle, said it was one of the highlights of their week.
Caroline “Kay” Deckman Dent, ’62, was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority during her time on campus. She recalls the former Pi Phi house, which was located across from Galloway residence hall. The house was cramped, and there were no individual bedrooms—just a barracks-like set up where more than 20 women had to sleep each night. And because air circulation was an issue, the side windows were left open at night—regardless of the weather. In the winter, most of the women slept with electric blankets to keep warm. But that was not nearly enough to do the job, according to Dent. After graduating and working a short stint as a teacher, Dent carved out a successful career in a male-dominated field as a data processing programmer. In fact, she was eventually promoted as the manager of tech support for Compaq and Sun Microsystems before retiring. She said she is proud that Hillsdale has not changed its guiding principles since her time on campus. Dent recently found documents from her freshman orientation session, and “as I read, I almost could hear Dr. Arnn speaking those same words now. In the most important ways, Hillsdale is still the same as the school we attended 60 years ago.”
Gary “the Flushing Flash” Whitmire, ’72, was supposed to graduate in May 1972. However, his football coach, the legendary Frank “Muddy” Waters, had other plans for his star back. Because of an injury during his freshman year, Whitmire still had a year of eligibility left with the football team. Although Whitmire had enough credits in his business major to earn his degree, Waters told him he would “take care” of his classes if he returned. When Whitmire agreed, Waters set him up to student teach at a nearby school district during the fall semester. “I had never even taken an education class,” Whitmire said. That unexpected teaching experience led the Flushing, Michigan, resident to a career in education. He eventually became a teacher, coach, principal, and an interim superintendent for more than four decades before retiring. The “Flash” has perhaps lost a step or two from his playing days, but the quick wit is still there.

Classes of 1963 and 1973… you are on the clock! It’s not too early to plan for the 2023 50/60 Reunion. And if you are wondering if it is worth coming back to the ‘Dale, don’t take my word for it. Here are a couple of testimonials from this year’s attendees:

“What a wonderful reunion… What joy for us all. You made it happen and we thank you! Intimate and beautifully planned out! Love, too, the Central Hall ‘throw.’ Thank you for a terrific three days!” – Susan McColl Huttula, ’62

“Thank you very much for providing a fantastic 50-year class reunion last week. It was SO much fun to reconnect with classmates from the Hillsdale Class of 1972, see the beautiful changes to the campus, and learn about Hillsdale College in 2022. All the activities were well-organized and enjoyable. My room at the Dow Center was perfect, the gift of the Hillsdale blanket and tote bag along with the box of snacks were greatly appreciated, the meals were delicious, the entertainment was talented (fun trivia), visiting the Pi Phi house was terrific, and sitting in on a class was very interesting. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane as well as a glimpse into the current life at Hillsdale College.” – Wendy Wittig Gaines, ’72

Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s new director of Alumni Marketing. He’s looking forward to connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.

Published in April 2022