Friday, March 18, 2011
Fellow Baby Boomer
New England College, my alma mater, is a Baby Boomer.
In Henniker, New Hampshire, NEC began in 1946. Like me and a lot of Baby Boomers, it had its ups and downs before finding itself. Started as a college for WWII vets, it was primarily an Engineering school. Soon, however, it admitted women and developed an Education curriculum. By the mid-sixties, it seemed to be flourishing, with new dorms, a gym, and a library being built and a broad Liberal Arts curriculum developed.
However, there was turmoil in America in 1973, when you-know-who was president and got into hot water and had to resign. So too, NEC had its own scandal. Its president resigned before the scandal hit. It seems the school was near bankruptcy and he rode off out of town. One day, we (employees of the college) couldn’t cash our paychecks. No bank would honor them.
The school managed to survive, however, and rebuild itself.
The center of town holds a small commercial center and a river runs through it, the Contoocook. The original college building plan was followed, effectively moving the campus to the south side of the Contoocook. A new state highway was built, improving Rte. 202 for better travel from Henniker to the west. A rebirth was underway.
This was at about the same time I that I got my life together. I finished my degree requirements in 1973 after dropping out in 1967, married in 1975, earned a Master’s degree in 1977, started my family in 1978 and bought our first home that year. We got it now. You and me, NEC.
New England College has a beautiful campus and has expanded its facilities. I can count three family members as graduates (brother Don 1962, me 1973 and niece Monica 1999). I am happily retired while NEC continues to educate young men and women, preparing them for their adult lives. Way to go, you Baby Boomer, you.
