I found out from an alumni publication that came yesterday that one of my college classmates, Scudder Parker, is running for governor of Vermont. Scudder is one of the people I respect most from my class. I remember him as a serious student, active with the chapel and social issues (society as a whole, not campus social issues – he was certainly not part of the fraternity, party crowd). I haven’t seen him since graduation. I suspect he disliked the jocks and fraternity crowd that dominated the college atmosphere so much that he’s never been back for a reunion.
Somewhere there’s a photo I took of him and another classmate at the start of a contest to see which was the best route to hitchhike to Smith (Williams was not co-ed in those days), east towards Greenfield and then south, or south towards Pittsfield and then east. I have no idea who ended up getting there first, but both guys returned safely.
When Scudder’s first child was born, he wrote a note that was published in the alumni magazine saying that they had done Lamaze natural childbirth and that he recommended it highly. I think Arlene was pregnant with Charley at that time. I hadn’t been thinking about the natural childbirth part, but after seeing Scudder’s note I read a book about it and got very interested. I owe him big time for having written that.
I’m convinced that Scudder is an honest, intelligent, straightforward guy who wants to run government for the benefit of the citizens, not special interests. Anyone out there from Vermont, vote for him!