Bill Kennedy - New Division Charter Class (6/99)

Many years have passed, 1966 was a long time ago,
and 1970 seems the same distance.

The Atlantis Hotel, our home at first when ND #1 wasn't finished,
what a grand place on Kennebunk Beach for a bunch of kids to spend
the fall in Maine.

The elevator that we could tease people on, the wonderful beaches and
tide pools to explore, walks to that little store to get a hot dog 
late at night, life was grand!!

And of course, the wonderful people of the New Division.
How did they assemble such a group?

The Atlantis was bulldozed for houses in the early '80s (?).
I went to visit in 1985 and was shocked to see an empty space beside 
the parking lot.. spent some time looking at what was missing from 
our world... then saw the abandoned ND campus, still in decent shape 
at that point, but a shock none the less.

I think some of the "old" vs. "new" division hostility started
when on the first day of school in the fall of '66, at an assembly that ended
with "the old division will stay for an explanation of hazing and then dinner
at the commons, the new division will board the bus for the beach" 
(and the fact that we were exempted from the hazing).

It was fun to answer some fool who said, "shoot airplanes", with an
aloof "New Division",it was like a dispensation from the Pope!

The Peru trip!! WOW, I never had any idea how that would change my life. 
I began to learn Spanish there (and a bit in some classes at the ND).
But it has been a major part of my life since. My son married a girl he met in
Mexico when we were there, I have had a bunch of foster kids, many Hispanic, 
and have been teaching GED for immigrants for years. At work I do training for 
the Mexican division of our company, and advise for all of S. America.. 
and just because the ND sent us there over 30 years ago. Did Art Webster 
and all have any idea??

Perry, Many thanks for the pictures, they brought back dreams...

Many years have passed.....
seems like it happened too fast, but now I'm in touch with some 
great people again! Missed you all! Chatting with Marilyn, Mariah,and Lynn makes 
me feel like a kid again. (so I'll break all the mirrors!!)

I have been many places, and done many things. 

I originally went into Special Education (disturbed kids), got my 
Masters and left that. Then was business manager/comptroller/systems 
administrator for a group of auto dealerships for many years. The business 
was bought out by a fool, went under, and brought me some new freedom!! 
(insert clouds and silver linings here.)

I'm now doing food flavor research for a British company in the NW 
suburbs of Chicago.

My biggie now is my recent purchase of a nice little house, and all the
"fun" of getting all of it to my way.

And the other big one, of course, is finding all the New Division people again !!!