I have only been back to Hopedale a few times since 1954---finally finished school---and I was so saddened to see that Drapers had closed. Of course that happened to a lot of companies around the country but if it hadn't been for Draper Corp. I could never have completed education that I sought. Anyway, much of the town looked as pretty as ever.
A brief rundown on some of my past. My graduation with the Class of '48 permitted me to go to the Univ. of Mass (Amherst) where I graduated in '54. That then led to graduate studies at Cornell and finished my Master's in 1954. I took an entry level planning position in Woonsocket, then to Fall River where I met Connie Bradshaw. She talked me into taking a position as Planning Director to the Pine Bluff (Arkansas) Planning Commission and she then flew down and we got married on April 21, 1956. Paid off my college loan to Hopedale Foundation, bought our first house, and Ted ('57), Paul ('59) and Jeff ('61) were born.
We then accepted a position with Candeub, Fleissig and Associates (PlanningConsultants) and spent from ''62 to '68 in various communities in Northeastern, PA (Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Clarks Summit and Lewistown). Then returned to Pine Bluff and become Director of a Metropolitan Planning Agency. We were there from ''68 to '74 and our fourth son, Matt (''69) was born. Sort of weird--four boys and all born in Pine Bluff. Anyway, we returned to Pennsylvania in '74 and were there (Port Royal) until 1980 when I accepted a position as Professor in the Community Planning and Urban Studies Department of Alabama A & M University here in Huntsville----been here now a little over 20 years.
All four of the boys, Ted, Paul, Jeff and Matt have married and they are really scattered. Ted, Mary and their two boys (Tim and John) live in Yuba City, CA. Paul and his wife, Bonnie and their children, Ian and Aundrea, live in Cary, NC. Jeff and MariLou and their two sons, Edward and Brian, live in Gresham, OR. Matt and Geni recently married and they are here in Huntsville (occasionally looking after their aging parents). Connie encouraged me to start a small consulting service back in 1987 in anticipation of retirement (1995) and although I don't have that many city clients I have been asked, from time to time, to do some land planning for developers. As a result we have been able to do some traveling to see our offspring and the revenues from my fees have made it possible for us to fly to the West coast at least once a year and then we usually make one or two trips a year to Cary-----stop off in the Smokies at Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge on the way so that it breaks up the trip and we really enjoy the Smokies.
Connie has two sisters and their families living in Swansea, MA, and my brother, Bob, and his wife are up in Manchester, New Hampshire. Bob and Connie's sisters have all suggested that we move back to New England but guess that Connie and I have lived in the South too long to start back into the cold weather, etc. Incidentally, we have been officially labeled as "Damnyankees". They're Yankees that have come south and stayed. Here in Huntsville we have four seasons but usually only a day or two of snow every other year and even then it usually melts within a day or two under the worst conditions.
Have really rambled on here; I guess 'cause I still miss HHS even though it's been 52 years since graduating. Anyway, if you can find a minute or two it would really be great to hear from you!!!! Incidentally, Huntsville has a great Space Museum, historic districts, state park within the city limits, and endless other points of interest in case any of you should want to wander down here.
From an old HHS Alumnus,
Arthur E. "Art" Holmes '48
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