August 8, 2008
Vitaley Elbert, our undergraduate staff manager, has just left New Orleans after an exciting visit! He loved seeing (and they loved seeing him) The Treme Brass Band playing at their home base.

June 21, 2008
After the extraordinary performance of The New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra of New Orleans on Saturday of Reunions with the theme: "The Past as Prolougue" (This line is from Shakespeare's "The Tempest", by the way) we thought we might close this page with some good news which aptly demonstrates where New Orleans is today. You heard from some extraordinary people in 40 second snippets during that performance which showed the resiliency of the people, how little you know if you think The New York Times understands it, and the knowledge that you know New Orleans will be better than ever if the people can get jobs and build their own lives by their hard work and determination. We helped by hiring them to perform at Princeton-they loved it and so did you.

Anyway-the GOOD NEWS of the day:
Tomorrow, June 22nd at 3:53 AM the very first Streetcar will leave for the full run of The Saint Charles Streetcar Line-and go all the way to South Carrolton to the end of the line. This is the return of this magnificent part of New Orleans, almost THREE YEARS since Katrina, but here it is. Obviously if this was in Sweden or some place like that, it would have taken three days, but here you see our Federal, State and Local Government in action, as we learned through the Katrina experience, that our system doesn't always work very well. But it is back, so let's enjoy the celebration, and as it says on our Reunion Regalia: "Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler"-Let The Good Times Roll!

October 27, 2007
I've been rather lax in updating this page for various reasons. There is not much news to report that shows improvements in the infrastructure of New Orleans. The city's leadership remains almost non-existent. In the previous newsnote Oliver Thomas was mentioned as a good solid leader who might be able to move things forward. Unfortunately Mr. Thomas has been indicted on bribery charges and has removed himself from that position. There's a good possibility that he may go to jail. He took money long before Hurricane Katrina, when it was commonly done. There are strong memories and power pockets of Huey Long still around. He believed that graft, taking money or bribing people was not a bad thing. In his day, this worked. He did a lot for the state, even though his methods left much to be desired. On the good side, the music is more fantastic than ever , the restaurants are booming, and there are a number of good things happening.

I have just finished working with the International Associations of Chiefs of Police to put on a grand party for their recent Convention, which was held on the street in front of the World War II Museum in New Orleans. The New Orleans Police Department was great in helping us to make this site perfect for the event. The Treme Brass Band performed at the party, really warming up the crowd, and they were followed by the New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra, both of which will be performing at out 50th Reunion next year. There were six (count 'em - six!) Lucky Dog Stands, and Anheuser Busch was a major sponsor.

Over two thousand police chiefs attended, along with members of the FBI and many other major agencies. In all, almost 19,000 were in attendance at the whole convention , and most expressed their intent to schedule a return visit to the city. It was a wonderful evening, and a great way to show off what is good about New Orleans.

I'll work to keep this page more current, and let you know more about the musicians and chefs that will be at our Reunion.

August 31, 2006
The news on New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina after one year is coming from innumerable sources. Some reports are accurate, and some continue to be untrue. One thing that appears to be true is that the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, is failing in his efforts, and the only real leader in New Orleans at this time is Oliver Thomas, the head of the City Council. Unfortunately the City Council, due to charter restrictions, has been rendered somewhat ineffective.

The finest treatise on the state of New Orleans recently appeared in Fortune Magazine. You can access the article on the website: www.cnn.com/fortune/ In many ways, New Orleans is nicer, kinder city than it was before Hurricane Katrina. Crime rates are down, and there is little to no welfare (and welfare fraud). As Oliver Thomas said, "We don't want you back here unless you are willing to work." This seems to be a major reason why many evacuees are choosing not to return to the city.

The bad news: The politics of New Orleans have become overwhelmingly racial. Mayor Nagin comes across as having an extremely racist attitude, (which many account for why he won the election!). He is rarely actually in the city itself. He has shown up for photo-ops with President Bush, and both leaders put aside their differences to slap each other on the back and attend church together, and of course little was accomplished.

The actual progress in the rebuilding of New Orleans is happening slowly, mostly due to the efforts of individuals. One of the outstanding groups have been the Katrina Krewe, volunteers who go out and clean the streets on a regular basis. I wholeheartedly support this effort, and have joined them in their tasks on occasion.

Many New Orleans musicians are doing well all over the country. Some of them have been able to get work because of the reputation of New Orleans in music circles.

Unfortunately, the music in New Orleans itself now seems to be geared to the very young, which in and of itself is not a bad thing, but it misses a large portion of New Orleans citizens. We are pleased that there is a lot of work in New Orleans, but due to policies from Mayor Nagin's office, housing is still a major problem for many people.

Those of you from our Mini Reunion remember meeting Patty Gay of The New Orleans Preservation Resource Center. She reported on many areas that could have been made livable, and had minimal damage, but residents were forced to leave and now do not have the means or desire to return. These homes certainly could be used to give many people a place to live.

Ultimately, New Orleans is a wonderful city, rich in history and culture, and the Class of 1958 will applaud its efforts to rise from Katrina's destruction. In hiring New Orleans musicians and chefs for our 50th Reunion, we will benefit them, and we are the recipients of their awesome talents.

May 12th, 2006
Dear Friends:

Thank you so much for coming to New Orleans and seeing that great city recovering from Katrina. There is much being written now about the actual flooding of New Orleans; and there is a newly published book, "The Great Deluge" by Douglas Brinkley that explains perfectly what happened. You learned a lot about it firsthand when you were there with us. Many of you were shocked at what you saw; you were also happy to meet some of our wonderful friends who all love that great city. It is a very special place.

We received innumnerable compliments about the great restaurants and the fabulous musicians. We received a wonderful letter from the Hotel Monteleone saying how happy they were to have you there. We hope you had a magnificent time.

The theme for our 50th Reunion has been decided - New Orleans Comes to Princeton. You really helped us make that decision by letting us know that it is a very, very special city. The people who will come to Princeton to entertain us and help us dine superbly appreciate how much you loved them.

On behalf of everyone who worked so hard to make this a perfect event, we thank you.

April 22nd, 2006
Here are a few notes, picked totally at random from the many we received, that give a flavor of the feelings all around.

From Lyn and Henry Thomas:
Wow! What a great time! Thanks for all that each of you did to make the mini-reunion so successful. Remarkable that you were able to pull it all together, as if Katrina hadn't happened. We met some great folk, including those not in the class. Lyn and I will want to return to New Orleans for some more great food, music, and fun.

A note from Jay and Mary Jane Epley
We truly enjoyed everything about the Mini, from the gracious Monteleone to the great selection of eateries and delightful (albeit almost spooky in places) guided tours. The attendees weren't all that bad either and you guys were terrific. If this was any preview of #50, we can hardly wait!

From Lane Mason:
You did a really marvelous job of organizing and coordinating the excellent '58 mini-reunion in spite of the efforts of Katrina to derail plans, and I wanted to add my thanks to the well-deserved accolades you have been receiving. Kudos to you and to Gail for all your hard work, and good luck planning for your 50th!!
Best wishes, Layne Mason

From Ginny Kinkead:
What a good time that was, and what a great job D & G did pulling it all together so it went off without a hitch! Great food, music, tour guides, venues, etc., but especially the good company. Having never been to N'Orlans before, I was impressed,(despite 27 people running for mayor) and it was fun to see old friends and meet new ones. I'm just glad we got away before there was a test. Bear is always up for anything 'Princeton', but I'm really looking forward to the next mini as well. Hopefully everything will be on the first floor, and the elevators will work. Thanks again to David and Gail for a wonderful time. Your hard work really paid off! p.s. Jerry's pictures of the ninth ward were amazing. They made me realize once again how fortunate we all are.

From Bill and Esther Jansing:
We had a really great time at our meeting in "N'orlans"... Esther and I appreciated the concern and patience you showed with our disability which made us rather slow (and maybe even in the way, occasionally). Re acquainting with everyone was a joy, and I'm sure that I know many of you better now than I did at PU. Again, thanks to David and Gail for their great effort in making our visit so successful. We look forward to seeing all of you and the rest of the Great Class of '58 atOld Nassau (old words?) in 2008.

April 9th, 2006
Thanks to all of you who came to New Orleans. I think we sent back nearly 50 ambassadors who will help spread the spirit of this city. They found out that everything we have been saying on this site for well over a year is well grounded, and a lot of the reporting that comes out of here really misses the essence of the New Orleans story. The notes and calls we have received were wonderful, and all the effort was worth it if we all became a closer class, and if you all now really "Know what it means to miss New Orleans". Come back soon - David

March 26th, 2006
We will need to slightly adjust some of the timing on April 5th, since our Bus must be back downtown @ 4:00PM, so we'll tell you more about that on Tuesday, April 4th, when we've got real up to date times. We suggest Khakis for use on Tuesday and Wednesday Evenings, so we have uniformity. The white ducks we use at Reunions will be a little impractical in New Orleans, and will probably get pretty soiled as we get around.

March 23rd, 2006
The itinerary for our Mini-Reunion is now posted online for all to see! Click here to read it.

March 11th, 2006
All attendees at the Mini Reunion will receive an e-mail giving the attire for the event. Please be sure to bring your Class jacket, Class tie, and white shirt (possibly 2).

February 17th, 2006
After moving the hotel, changing the Restaurants, finding good musicians who came back to town, the reopening of Tulane, and other assorted changes due to Katrina, we are almost ready to roll. The attire for The Three Dinners necessitates your Class Reunion Jacket, and for Tuesday and Wednesday The Class Tie and a white shirt. Monday evening a knit shirt (You'll get a neat one upon your arrival!) will suffice, and the jacket is up to you. More will come on this, but we wanted you to have a heads up. And by the way, on that topic (heads up) you should visit Meyer The Hatter on St. Charles, right near our hotel, a 110 year old institution in New Orleans. They will have some special Princeton "Stuff" for you to purchase if you are so moved.

February 14th, 2006
Today, as a Valentines present to New Orleans, Tulane University Hospital Trauma Care, Emergency Room and Acute Cardiac Care Center reopened with brand new state of the Art Equipment, a total renovation and far too big a Medical Staff for our present population. Consequently the level of emergency care and the facilities are now extraordinary. We knew about this for some time, but we never announce things here until they occur. We are pleased to get this out to you as it is happening. For those of you coming to New Orleans on April 3rd this should make you VERY reassured.
P.S.-We told you so.

February 12th, 2006
Berit Smith writes:
"There is a 10-part series on Jazz on the NY PBS stations right now. It's the Ken Burns' series, which has been on before but I never saw it and thought it would be useful to see now before our trip. The first show was yesterday, Thurs. 2/9 and I find it very interesting. I don't know if it is on in other parts of the country, but I thought, Dave, you might want to mention it in an e-mail to the other trip participants".
Hi Berit!
Thanks for the lead. While it is interesting, the series sort of collapses after the third segment, in my opinion. Remember that Ken Burns knew nothing about the topic (he is a producer, not a scholar) when he started this. He relied only on people he had heard of (who, incidentally, may have been lovely people) and missed about 80 percent of the story. It is, to be frank, racist in that white musicians and composers are really ignored and they played a major part in all of this. "Jazz" unfortunately has become a racial divide, and when it started it was just the opposite. That's why it was so wonderful back then; it brought together the races-particularly in New Orleans. As you watch this take note of what I've said, and understand that most really knowledgeable aficionados I know didn't like it after the third or fourth segment. You will learn an awful lot about this when we visit the Tulane Jazz Archives on Wednesday!

January 28th, 2006
Below is an article written by someone planning an event just like we are. He came down to New Orleans the other day and wrote something I thought you might enjoy. He gave us permission to show it to you. Even though The Mayor proved, on Martin Luther King Day, that he may be as stupid as The Governor and as incompetent as The Senator probably is (you might have seen Anderson Cooper interview her in an historic moment in Television Broadcasting), there really are some good people here trying to get this all turned around.

January 20th, 2006
All New Orleans attendees were sent an e-mail two days ago regarding changes in our plans. And then today another e-mail went out with a list of all the attendees and the registration instructions for our new hotel, the Hotel Monteleone. This was a necessary change, but all in all is a wonderful thing. This is a beautiful newly renovated hotel and is in a magnificent location. I think everyone will be very pleased with all that we've done. It was a little stressful for a while as we tried to move things around, but it's all working out.

January 13th, 2006
For the past three days I have personally inspected most of the places planned for April 3rd to 5th to make sure they are ready and back to what they were before Katrina. I have personally inspected a number of alternates very carefully to make sure of their ability to handle us perfectly. Most of the places we had on our agenda are really doing just fine, but one or two are still suffering. Therefore early next week a memo will go out to all attendees of some necessary changes, all for the good, that we will be making. We may even put some up on this page so those of you who read this regularly get a heads up, just as you were able to sign up before the regular mailing when we had nearly sold out. I have had great assistance of friends here in New Orleans and Lisa Holland at The Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau who was pretty up to date on who had staff back and who didn't. We are buddies now, and I'm pretty current with what's up and what isn't. You will be pleased with what you read next week, and all will be fine.

By the way, right after I left my meeting with Lisa, the building we were in was cordoned off and a fellow by the name of George Bush came in for a meeting on New Orleans with some people there. I would have been happy to have stayed and put in my two cents, but unfortunately I wasn't asked. Oh well, their loss.

December 23rd, 2005
The Plimsoll Club on the 30th Floor of The World Trade Center at the foot of Canal Street has an outstanding view of New Orleans and The Mississippi River. An elegant luncheon there today presented by The Princeton Alumni Association of New Orleans was a clear indication that New Orleans is on the way back, and many of the people there want to meet you when you come to New Orleans in April. They want you to enjoy their city and are proud that Princetonians are coming on down regardless of some harsh news that is published by certain newspapers accentuating what's wrong instead of what is good and improving daily. Many of the reporters who write this stuff have never been anywhere in the city except their hotel and the French Quarter, and don't have any idea what the other 98 per cent of the city is doing. When you are here you will see that most of what you've read is not only wrong, but one has to wonder where they get this stuff from.

November 6th, 2005
We are most pleased to announce that it's a 100% GO for the "Princeton in New Orleans" Event. We've been to every single location (except for Tulane, which will Reopen January 1st) and everyone involved is very anxious to have the group in April. They eagerly await the Princeton enthusiasm we are going to bring them and all will see an astounding New Orleans spirit that they will show you. The musicians are ready, the restaurateurs are ready, the guides are ready, our hosts are ready, the hotel is ready, and we hope in the next few months the St. Charles streetcar will be up and running. At the present time it is only buses that are running, albeit with many extremely enthusiastic drivers (who want the streetcar back) who welcome you warmly when you see them. You will see an exciting and revitalized New Orleans that is coming back quickly. We suggest that you get your airplane travel set as the prices are very good right now as they start to open up links to New Orleans. Of course, the Pontchartrain Hotel is still holding a few more rooms, but soon the special Princeton deal that we have with them will end; so make your reservations if you have not already done so. And plan on having a wonderful time!

October 24th, 2005
Last Night Joey K's reopened, and it was like a grand celebration. Joey K's is a marvelous neighborhood restaurant where "Everybody Knows Your Name" and it is where our First Dinner is planned for "Princeton Comes To New Orleans" on April 3rd. The first thing the owner said when he saw me was to remind him what the date was, and to get together this week to plan the menu! Sunday Night, October 23rd a "Mini" Version of The New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra (they're not all back yet) gave a concert at The Trinity Church which was absolutely marvelous. Johnny Parker (an outstanding Banjoist and Guitarist) who will be with us at Joey K's on April 3rd, sang"Dream" by Jerome Kern and "Dream a Little Dream of Me" by Gus Kahn, and he was so great he was immediately booked for our 50th in 2008. And when you see and hear him, you'll understand why. And The St. Charles Gym reopened, and it too was like a grand homecoming party. The St. Charles Street Car Line is still a disaster scene, but busses are going along the same Route. When the Streetcar runs again it will be another wonderful celebration. We're almost there with a "Yes" for our April Celebration, but we need to check out a few more spots this week.

October 17th, 2005
Seeing New Orleans in person is the only way to get a real feeling for the catastrophe that has happened there. Some sections are totally gone, some areas look like a war zone, and a few are pretty good except for downed trees and parts of buildings that have blown away. The overwhelming shocker is that the streets are nearly empty, no one is there-it's like a ghost town. It is an unnerving experience to see heavily armed soldiers in personnel carriers going by your home on a regular basis. The FBI is there, US Marshals are clearly in evidence, and the New Orleans Police, with the help of Police from other cities, are on patrol everywhere. And there are Fire Trucks waiting out on the street from other cities, ready to go on a moments notice.

The spirit of the returnees is wonderful, some of course are heartbroken and will probably leave forever, but many will rebuild possibly on safer ground; but they want to help rebuild New Orleans. We went all over the city, saw where the levees had failed and learned from people who were working on them the reasons for the failure and the chances of it happening again. We saw people crying as they returned, but they were happy to have had their families alive.

The New York City Fire Department with plenty of fantastic Engines were all over the city, as were the New York City Police. They were there to repay the debt they felt for the wonderful help that they had in 9/11 from Louisiana, and because they are the consummate professionals. Chicago was there, as were many cities from Illinois with more Equipment. There were Gas and Electric Companies from all over with staff who wanted to come. To see Con Edison trucks on my street was quite an experience. I met 17 volunteers from Yankee Gas in New England on my plane, one of the first in, and their attitude was marvelous.

New Orleans is coming back, the attitude is wonderful, and it is a thrill to see it rebuild itself. I would guess that the "Princeton Comes to New Orleans" on April 3rd will happen, all the signs are positive. I visited The Pontchartrain and they are open and are ready for the Orange and Black Jackets to appear. If you read the article of September 8th, I asked that we be given 60 days (that would be November 8th) to make a final decision, but my best guess is that it will happen. As soon as we are positive, you'll know it here first.

September 26th, 2005

How To Become A Refugee In Five Minutes

I really did not think we would need to evacuate our home in New Orleans because of the forecast of Hurricane Katrina, even though:

News reports said that Katrina was approaching New Orleans as a monster Category 5 storm.
The Mayor had given a mandatory evacuation order of the entire city.
Local Sheriff Harry Lee announced on the radio, “You’d better ‘haul ass’ out of here!” and that really caught my attention.

Gail said, “We have to get out of here. Patty Gay, [a close friend of ours] is sending someone by to pick us up in five minutes.” I hesitated, proving once again that a Princeton education doesn’t always make you the brightest bulb on the tree. I relented, and thank heavens paid attention to Gail and got ready to leave.

We have no car in New Orleans. A wonderful lady, Jule Lang, came by with her vehicle; did not want to drive, so I took the wheel and drove 13 hours north towards Monroe, Louisiana.

At 2 a.m. we were welcomed at the home of the wonderful Heatherly family: Beth, Roy, Sarah, Emma, and John. The children had left the house to stay with friends so there would be enough room for eight of us and the two dogs. This family is one of the most extraordinary I have ever met. Their love for each other, which was extended to us, was evident in the warmth felt throughout that house. There we were, “refugees”, but uninjured and safe. One of our group, Henry Schmidt, a gentleman 95 years old, immediately settled himself into an overstuffed chair, which he claimed as his, and spent the rest of our stay right there. He said to me, “David, when things get rough, and you can’t stand what’s going on [we were constantly watching horrendous sights on TV] take a nap! You’ll see how much better you feel when you wake up.” Who knows, some day I may even be able to follow his advice.

Emma Heatherly is a nursing student, and was called to help out at the local hospital, where many people from New Orleans had shown up. By the way, the town of Monroe took 18 buses, put armed police on each one, and sent them down to New Orleans. Unbelievably, they were turned away at the city limits.

Another positive slant to this horrible situation was that the wonderful people of Monroe, LA opened their homes, churches, public arenas, and hearts to thousands of frightened people, many of whom had lost everything they owned. I know that politics is again beginning to take over, and there is a great deal of blame being put on different individuals and groups. Many of you will remember the famous statement of one Harry S. Truman about where the buck stops. From our vantage point, one question stood out: Where were the troops and a few of the prestigious relief organizations that were notably absent?

Hurricane Katrina is, of course, one of the most catastrophic disasters our country has ever experienced. I remember from one of my Princeton history courses that no one knows the full extent of what really happened in an event until 50 years later. Unfortunately, many of you reading this, and myself as well, may never know the truth about the mismanagement surrounding this event.

A good thing about our experience was that we, the eight émigrés from New Orleans, have become very close to the Heatherlys and communicate regularly with them by e-mail and phone. We are looking forward to having a post-Katrina welcome-back party for them in New Orleans one day.

A number of the speakers scheduled to be part of the New Orleans Mini-Reunion next April were with us on that long trip to Monroe. We really do hope that this event in New Orleans will happen, and we can help celebrate that great city’s rebirth and do what people in New Orleans do best – have a great party. We’ll know soon if that can happen.

September 19th, 2005
The following is a continuation of the note from Mike Kremzar, a long time member of Procter and Gamble:

"So far, all but 6 of the 550 employees have contacted the company and are safe although with various degrees of personal tragedies. Most have lost their homes and many have lost family members. Both the Folgers and Millstone plants had some water and damage but nothing major. They actually have started shipping out of the warehouse. Green coffee stored at the blending facility is dry as is the coffee in silos at the plants. P&G now has 50 employees now at the plant along with 50 contractors and have restored power and phone to all parts of the plant. Also, the first ship to be unloaded at the Port of New Orleans will be Folgers.

"The company has leased 150 house trailers and is moving them onto plant property for employee housing. I am not sure if they expect to have entire families or just the employees while families are in other safe havens. Arrangements have been made to provide meals to all who can return. All employees continue to receive pay as if they were working and all are eligible for an immediate $5,000 no interest loan for immediate cash. Of course, getting the money to the employees is difficult but happening. The relief fund set up by the company will be used to help those who need longer term assistance.

"Although these will be tough times for the employees, having a job and a company to support them must be a comfort."

Mike Kremzar

April 3rd - 6th, 2006. Our space is limited, so reservations will be on a first come, first served basis. We are going to be chartering an RTA streetcar for a special trip down St. Charles Avenue into the French Quarter. Capacity will be a total of 52 people. We look forward to hearing from you as soon as it is possible. You will see a different New Orleans, pretty much as the locals see it, and real New Orleanians will guide you. All arrangements have been made directly, with people we know, so there are no fees or percentages added by tour companies.

The center of the Reunion will be at the Pontchartrain Hotel, a venerable standard in fine old hotels. It is in a perfect central location. A very special rate has been given us at $119 per night. When making your reservation (directly to the hotel at 1-800-777-6193), be sure to mention "The Princeton Group" to get that price.

You should arrange your plane flights as soon as your airline will accept the booking. We strongly suggest that you plan to arrive in the early afternoon on Monday April 3rd, as we will be convening at 5:00 pm for cocktails, followed by a welcoming dinner at Joey K's. This is a very popular neighborhood restaurant. We will have great music and a private (which most people in New Orleans do not even know exists) room.

Tuesday morning we will meet and divide up to go to three suggested locations for breakfast: The Trolley Stop Café (1 block down), the Please-U-Restaurant (3 blocks down) or the famous coffee shop in the Pontchartrain. We will suggest alternate activities for the attendees during the day. We will leave the hotel at 9:30 am for a walking tour of the Garden District led by George Schmidt and Tad Wilson, two lifelong residents of New Orleans who know it like the back of their hands.

The Garden District boasts some beautiful homes and mansions, some of which have been occupied by the same family for well over a century. We will then travel by streetcar (40 cents fare to all with their Medicare Card or a three-day pass for those under 65 is $12.00!) towards the French Quarter where we will recommend different places for lunch: Central Grocery (with Café DuMond across the street), Café Maspero, or a late lunch aboard the Sternwheeler Natchez. The first two cannot accommodate all of us at one time.

All will board the Natchez for the 2:30 pm sailing. This is magnificent way to see New Orleans from the river, a very special event.

We will then return to the hotel to freshen up. Tuesday Evening we have been invited to the Preservation Resource Center, one of the reasons that much of New Orleans looks as magnificent as it still does. We will be met by Director Patricia Gay, who will give us a brief overview of the Center. Cocktails will be served, followed by a wonderful dinner, during which the World famous New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra will entertain us. This is a 17-piece group, many of who met at Tulane, and have been playing together for over 25 years. We are guaranteed a marvelous evening.

Wednesday morning, the same breakfast routine can be followed if you wish, or you may prefer to try one of the other places that we can suggest. The rest of the morning is at your leisure, and we recommend shopping downtown, walks around Audubon Park, touring the Aquarium, or antique browsing on Magazine Street.

We will reconvene at the Pontchartrain at 2:00 pm to board the streetcars and travel to Tulane University, where Bruce Raeburn of the Tulane Jazz Archives will greet us. He will give us an introduction to the history of the music of New Orleans. You will also have the opportunity to meet Bruce's wife Linda Carroll '71, (one of the first females to graduate from Princeton), who is now a world-renowned authority in Venetian dialect and the rich history of Venice, another town that does not change.

From Tulane we will continue our travel by streetcar to the major car barn where the streetcars are dispatched. We will meet across the street at the Carrollton Station Bar and Grill on Willow Street (www.carrolltonstation.com), a great way to get ready for our joyous trip by chartered streetcar down to the French Quarter. George Schmidt, as only he can, will point out sites of interest, right onto Bourbon Street. We will exit our streetcar at the last stop and will be escorted to Broussard’s where you will have a sumptuous dinner and again be treated to the music of some phenomenal New Orleans musicians.

Thursday morning, those who wish to stay in New Orleans will be given the courtesy of the same rate at the Pontchartrain ($119/night) and on through the weekend. The French Quarter festival will be starting and you might enjoy that. We guarantee that when you leave:

We hope that you will join us for what will be an unforgettable time in New Orleans.

Fee for the Mini Reunion will be $545.00 per person. Please remember these reservations are on a first come, first served basis. We will start a waiting list once the spots are filled. Cancellations with refund (less a $75.00 cancellation fee) will be allowed up to January 3, 2006.

Suggested dress: comfortable walking shoes, umbrellas, Princeton Class of 1958 orange and black jackets for evenings, class ties; Reunion Jackets and white shirts are required for dinner Tuesday and Wednesday. Companions should bring appropriate Princeton attire so that all who see us will think this is a giant Halloween party (!) Headgear: choice of the 25th Reunion straw boater, the 1958 baseball cap (Our 40th Reunion; probably the easiest to pack and carry) or the 45th Reunion straw hat.

Please send your registration check, made out to: "Princeton 1958 N.O. Mtg.", with the completed registration form (below) to:

Please join us for this once in a lifetime experience. No matter what you think you know about New Orleans, you will have experiences on this trip that are totally new, and you will meet some of the outstanding residents that make New Orleans the very unique place that it is.

NEW ORLEANS UPDATES

How To Become A Refugee In Five Minutes

Princeton 1958

New Orleans Mini Reunion