THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 29, 2010
President George Perkins opened the meeting with 151 of 487 members.
NEW MEMBER(S): None
GUEST(S): Jack Murray introduced John Mountain; Ed Congleton introduced Bill Hart; and Bill Kirby introduced Merlin Schulze.
MINUTES: Don Hudson read the minutes of January 22, 2010.
MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANCE Chairman, Bob Moylan reported that John Newman is now recovering at Waveny and Don Hunziker is in Norwalk Hospital.
ANNOUNCEMENTS were made: Applications for the Defensive Driving course are at the Couth table. The 2/3 Navy League dinner at Riverside Yacht Club is sold out with a wait list.
The status and plans were reported for various activities and couth trips:
ACTIVITIES: 4F Luncheon - today at Nino's in Vista. Bridge - as usual; had lessons this morning. Amateur Chef's - luncheon on 2/17; risotto and chicken piccata; will hold a second luncheon for new members; 3/18 bratwurst. Photography - meets Wednesday, 2/17, 1:30 at Lapham Community Center Computer Room. Paddle - Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 9-11AM; all welcomed; coffee afterwards. Racquetball - (3-?-?); still recruiting players.
COUTH: Culinary Institute of America, Tuesday, 2/9; fairly full; bus holds 54; departs at 9:30; return by 3:30-4:00. New York Philharmonic rehearsal with luncheon at Josephina's, Wednesday, 3/10, $80/person. April Essex Train Ride cancelled. New York Botanical Gardens, 5/20.
HUMORIST: Jim Schlumpf described how a German-speaking farmer in Texas warned a man not to drink water from a well.
GUEST SPEAKER: Bob Witt introduced Katie Banzhaf, Executive Director of STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way, a not-for-profit organization serving individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities, and providing support services to their families. She noted that 3% of the general population will have developmental disabilities with one in every 110 births likely to have Autism. STAR serves 560 individuals annually, with 45 from New Canaan. Services include Early Intervention, Collaboration with New Canaan Schools and Norwalk Community College, Job Training and Placement, Housing, and Transportation. Literature was provided.
SPEAKER: Vice President Paul Stein introduced long-term New Canaan resident and SMC member Harlan Anderson, who discussed his new autobiography, Learn, Earn and Return: My Life as a Computer Pioneer. He described his academic days at the University of Illinois and his early career at M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory, which led to his co-founding of Digital Equipment Corporation, which at its peak was the second largest computer company in the world.
In 1957, he and his partner, Ken Olsen, developed a business plan, secured venture capital for their start-up company, and within two years, built their first computer, the PDP-1 (51 were sold). The PDP-1 they donated to M.I.T. for student use became the beginning of computer games. Subsequent generations of PDPs created the mini-computer industry. DEC's rapid growth created a lot of stress, which led to a defection and a tragedy, after which Harlan left the company. At its peak, DEC had 140,000 employees, but never made the transition to the microprocessor world. After his presentation, Harlan made himself available for book-signing, the proceeds of which he generously donated to the SMC for upgrading of our audio/video equipment.
Roger Langevin, Assistant Secretary