Class Notes: 1956
Barbara Chinn writes: “As Class Secretary, I am proud to report our Class of 1956 Endowment for the Preservation Department for the Library is still helping this vital and important department by our donations. It allows the department to take part in Preservation Week, beginning on April 30 thru May 2, with a table on campus. The department also recently had 15 students from the chemistry class in the Arts and Humanities Academy at Berkeley High School visit. These students got to experience how preservation blends chemistry and craft work to prevent decay of materials. The head of the department and a conservator will soon be able to give another presentation to the students at Berkeley High to complement the chemistry project. We would like to hear from our fellow classmates. Send your information to chinnacres@sbcglobal.net. Thanks!”
Class Secretary Barbara Chin received an activity report today on the Class of 1956 Humanities Preservation Endowment for the Library. She says, “It was terribly disappointing to see only $925.00 was received in gifts during 2023. Our class supports the salary of a conservator in the Preservation Department for the University. We will not be able to continue this valuable contribution unless we give to our endowment. The Library’s Preservation Department is a vital part of the University. Revelations are part and parcel of the work happening every day in the department along with making sure that library collections are not lost to time. Among its most unique tasks has been working with the 2,000 year old papyrus fragments from ancient Egypt. Besides making artifacts from special collections accessible to today’s scholars, the department ensures that current materials will be available to the scholars of the future. Please continue to give. It does have a large impact on the department and University.”
The Class of 1956 celebrated its 65th reunion last October at a luncheon at I-House. We were honored to have Chancellor Carol Christ seated with us and to bestow her with a beautiful lei that all classmates were also wearing. Those classmates were Carolyn Chinn Gan, Benjamin Fong, Robert Hamilton, Jacqueline Oliveri Jackson, Earl Willens, Charles Mack, Peter Van Houten, Barbara Jopp Chinn, Joanne Bjork, and Dick Otter. After lunch, we toured the Preservation Department. This was very special, as our Class established the Class of 1956 Humanities Preservation Endowment for the Library in 1987, which gives the department valuable resources for the Class of 1956 Conservator. Our Class met its goal to help the department purchase much-needed equipment, and this goal was surpassed, reaching more than $34,000 in only five months. Dr. Carlos E. Cortés could not be at the reunion but sent an update of his activities. He is now the part-time co-director of the UC Riverside School of Medicine’s Health Equity, Social Justice, and Anti-Racism curriculum. Last spring, he received UC’s annual Constantine Panunzio Award for the systemwide UC faculty retiree who made the greatest contributions to the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Congratulations to Carlos! Please send your updates. Your classmates like to know what you have been doing.
Class Secretary: Barbara Jopp Chinn, chinnacres@sbcglobal.net
