The Harvard Class of 1960 has held luncheons in the Greater Boston area every year since 1970. Yup! Reunioning -- four or five times many of those years!
Please be aware that (1) we would love to have you join us and (2) I would appreciate your ideas -- e.g. specific venues (), days/times (almost all have been at Noon on a Friday, but we are not restricted to luncheons), "programs", etc. Check "Upcoming Events" at our website, https://h1960.classes.harvard.edu/, for dates/ locations; better still, contact me -- hjmarcy@comcast.net -- to get emailed notices.
I wish that records existed back to the beginning and that I knew more about the history of these luncheons. But I do know that the late Dave Donaldson, our esteemed former Class Secretary, ran with the idea, formulated about the time of our Tenth Reunion, that lots of good -- class leadership, camaraderie, enjoyment -- could come out of organized, but informal opportunities to get together frequently between the more formal quinquennial reunions. Then, over the years, many others, most notably Dan Phillips, have contributed their wisdom and encouragement.
We've been to several of the Harvard houses, private clubs, restaurants, hotels and now, in 2024, an assisted living facility. For many years almost all were held on Fridays; in more recent years, partly due to issues around Friday afternoon traffic and a propensity of some to spend long weekends “away”, the luncheons have been held on Thursdays.
By tradition, usually each attendee is given a minute or two to express whatever is currently of importance to them personally; this occasionally provokes lively discussion. The luncheons during the 1991 recession and immediately following 9/11 were especially poignant. Indeed, in my view, over the years, support for each other, especially in times of personal distress (the illness or loss of a spouse, job loss, business bankruptcy, etc.), has become the essence of these luncheon gatherings.
Since the Fall of 1992, we have convened 145 luncheons attended by 183 different Harvard classmates, some from afar (Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, New Jersey, Chicago, West Virginia, North Carolina). Average attendance during these years has been 27. Annually, from 2002 through 2019 and, again in 2021, we've added a summer luncheon to which partners and (since 2005) Radcliffe '60 classmates (and their partners) have been invited. Attendance at these luncheons has ranged from twenty-five to fifty-six, averaging thirty-nine.
Interestingly, almost thirty years ago, the HAA Classes and Reunions Committee realized that those classes that held between-quinquennial reunion events were having fun and were successful in keeping classmates in contact with one another. Accordingly, the HAA then encouraged each class to appoint a Class Activity Chair which almost every class did do.
The Harvard Class of 1960, especially, is recognized and appreciated by the HAA for its unique, long-standing series of Greater Boston Area luncheons.
Following are Lists all of the luncheons since 1996, with some information about each … and a list all of the attendees since 1992 with some information about each.
GREATER BOSTON AREA LUNCHEONS - HISTORY