THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2009-07 as of July 1, 2009
Hello Hornets:
Here are some items that might be of interest:
1. 2009 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AND ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS FEATURED
ON WEBSITE. We're proud to report that the photos and bios of this year's extraordinary Foundation
Scholarship, and Foundation Achievement Award, recipients are featured on the Foundation's web site at
www.surrattsville.org. This year's Scholarship recipients are Harold Edmonds, Marina Anoh and Anica
Davis, and they join the other great Scholarship recipients from 2000-2008 (who also are featured on the
web site).
This year's Achievement Award recipients are Helen Bovbjerg Niedung (54), Chris Weller (62) and Debbie
McAllister Brown (72), and they join the extraordinary group Achievement Award recipients from
2000-2008 (who also are featured on the web site).
Congratulations again to these stellar members of the Surrattsville community!
2. A DREAM DELAYED, BUT ACHIEVED. We received this very inspirational story from Linda Ann
Westfall Conrad (71): "Henry: I had to write and share some great news. I graduate June 27 from Strayer
University after a 30-year gap in college. I will have my Bachelors in Business Administration. The reason
I am writing is to share with all the Hornets who think because they didn't get their college in after high
school, it's too late. I will be 57 in January, a grandmother of three, and another on the way, and I went
back to college around age 54. I didn't have the luxury of going when I graduated from Surrattsville in
1971. I was married that November, had children and went only part time. I had to take some time off from
college while working full time, going to school only at night. With two kids, it didn't work out and I dropped
out. I finally returned after 30 years. I was one of the oldest in the classes at night, but it goes to prove
that, at any age, we can do whatever we want! I raised two daughters and both have college degrees from
University of Maryland and are very successful, married businesswomen and mothers. And now as a
mother and a grandmother, with 34 years in government service, I finally achieved my college dream and
have hopes of doing a Master's degree in the fall! I love keeping up with the Surrattsville news and
alumni! Linda"
[Ed note: And we're very proud to report that Linda not only graduated, but graduated magna cum laude,
on June 27! Score one for us more "mature" Hornets!]
3. HISTORICAL SURRATT REFERENCE CORRECTION. In the last e-Notice, we reported that, on the
April 30 "Jeopardy" show, the following $1200 question appeared in the category "Mary, Mary": "Born in
Waterloo, MD, she met her Waterloo on the gallows on July 7, 1985." Even more surprisingly, a contestant
got the right answer! (Mary Surratt, of course) Of course, Mary Surratt was hanged in 1865, not "1985,"
as the typo in our item indicated!
4. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO PLAN FOR THE FOUNDATION'S 2010 ALL CLASSES/FACULTY/STAFF
EVENTS. Please don't forget to mark your calendar for the Foundation's third "All Classes/Faculty/Staff"
events to be held over the long weekend of Friday June 25 - Sunday June 27, 2010. The schedule of
events is as follows:
-Friday June 25, 2010 - Golf Outing.
-Friday June 25, 2010, 7 P.M. - 11 P.M. - Surrattstock III.
-Saturday June 26, 2010, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. - All Classes/Faculty/Staff Picnic and School Open House.
-Saturday June 26, Evening - Saturday evening will be set aside for Class-specific events.
-Sunday June 27 - Sunday will be set aside for Class-specific picnics and other informal gatherings.
5. UPDATE ON FOUNDATION PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK. There are now over 700 members of the
Surrattsville Alumni "Group" on Facebook. It can be found by going on Facebook, entering "Groups," then
entering "Search for Groups," and then entering "Surrattsville Alumni". (You will know you are at the
correct site if you see a color photo of the front of the "New School" when you get there.) The url of the
Group is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49215776591.
Please consider joining this Group on Facebook -- it's free -- because we will be posting information about
upcoming Foundation events there.
In addition, please consider joining your Class's Class-specific Group on Facebook, many of them titled
simply "Surrattsville [Year]" (for example, "Surrattsville 1970," "Surrattsville 1971," etc.), as a way to keep
connected with classmates and news on upcoming Class-specific events. For example, the Class of 76
has over 80 members on its Facebook Group, "Surrattsville HS 1976 Alumni".
6. CLASSES OF 83 AND 84 REUNION. The Classes of 83 and 84 will be having a joint reunion in August
2009. On August 7th, there will be golf with tee times starting at 10:00 a.m. at Blue Mash Golf Course in
Laytonsville, MD. On August 8th, from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., there will be a Social at the Marriott Inn
and Conference Center at UMUC in Adelphi, MD. On August 9th, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., there will
be a picnic at Greenbelt National Park in Greenbelt, MD.
The Classes are in search of any teachers or faculty from the years 81 - 84 interested in attending. Also,
they'd like to locate any classmates that still may be missing. Faculty can contact Gary Stallings at
gstallings@yahoo.com. Class of 83 classmates can contact Becky DelVillar Levin at
dbrlevin@comcast.net. Class of 84 classmates can contact Debbie O'Clair MacKenzie at
debbiemackenzie45@ayhoo.com.
7. CLASSES OF 69-74 JOINT REUNION SET. The Classes of 69-74 are holding a multi-Class dinner
dance event, at the Ft. Belvoir Officer's Club, on the Saturday evening of the All Classes/Faculty/Staff
events (June 26, 2010). Tickets are limited, so please contact Leslie St. Clair (70) at
lesliestclair@yahoo.com if you would like to purchase tickets.
(Class of 72 members also should check-in with the 72 ORC, Sandy Gwynn Martin, at
sandy@eastwestlm.net for information.)
8. POSSIBLE 80/81 REUNION. The Classes of 80 and 81 are planning a possible reunion for June 2010.
They need a contact person for the Class of 80. Please contact Teresa Blandford Pepper at
teresa@dlpinc.net to provide contact info.
9. CLASS OF 89 PLANS REUNION. The Class of 89 is planning a reunion. Please contact Debbie Owen
Pell at dpell@comcast.net for information or if you have any contact information for 89 grads or members
of their families.
10. CLASS OF 85 SCHEDULES REUNION. The Class of 1985 has scheduled its 25th Reunion for July
16 and 17, 2010, celebrating with a Mix & Mingle Reception and an All-Day Family Picnic. The Class is still
searching for some classmates, so please send any contact info you have to Mary Beth at
mbklick@aol.com.
11. SURRATTS COOKBOOK. As previously reported, Leslie St. Clair (70) and Diane "Cookie" Boyd (71)
are putting together a Cookbook of Hornets' Favorite Recipes. They're hoping that a number of you will
submit recipes, and they'll break them down by category and have them bound and offer them for sale at
the 2010 All Classes/Faculty/Staff events. All proceeds will go to the Foundation. If you have a recipe
you'd like to share, please send it to Leslie and Cookie at surrattscookbook@yahoo.com.
12. REQUEST TO CLASS OF 71. Your editor, in his capacity of Class of 71 ORC, is asking members of
the Class of 71 to consider joining the Facebook Group for the Class, "Surrattsville 1971," which is found
at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=47813414650&ref=ts. This should be an
invaluable way for us to stay connected during the run-up to our "40th" Reunion on June 26, 2010.
I hope this e-Notice finds you well and looking forward to a great July 4 holiday!
All the best, Henry Smith (71)
In Memoriam
SUE PORTER (63) passed away on June 5, 2009 at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD.