Alumni
1950-1959
Joan Eisner Garb '50
I have been a housewife for over forty years, working as a volunteer on boards and in the Democratic Party of Bucks County for the last ten to twenty years, as a Committee Person, as Chair of my Electoral District which is geographically large and predominately Republican. I've organized and educated my neighbors about local government believing that all politics is local. My enthusiasm for history began at home, but both Ms. Cockroft and Ms. Warren encouraged me. The best courses in European cultural history and British history were exciting. Historiography, as a seminar my senior year with Ms. Warren was exceptional. Her courses propelled me into art history which has made a lasting impression and widened my knowledge of life. My undergraduate thesis is or was the Library: The History of the North American Phalanz, a Utopian community outside Red Bank, N.J. that thrived for a short time in the 1830's. My M.A. thesis was on the American Diplomatic policy toward the mandated territory of Palestine from 1918 to 1948. I gave the 快猫短视频all of my handwritten class notes so future students might see how we took down information in class in the olden days. I worked in publishing houses in New York for ten years, mostly doing publicity, but I had an excellent background in history on which to draw in my work. Further influences might be noted since my eldest daughter, Margaret, is an assistant professor of history at Washington University in St. Louis. All our family uses the past as informing the present as we all read, in our far flung homes, the daily New York Times: it is the historical journal for our day, especially the obituaries and the Op-Ed page with its perspective on the news of the day.
Rhoda Siegelman '50
Southbury,CT. After college I intended to obtain a M.A. in History. However, it was not meant to be. Married shortly after graduation, I became fully involved with the responsibilities of being a wife and mother. I was very fortunate to obtain a position in our local High School. The concept of Departmental Resource Centers had been developed and it turned out to be the perfect fit for my needs. Obviously, my research skills developed at Skidmore were an asset. I remained at Roslyn High School for 23 wonderful years.
Anne Wexler '51
I have always felt that my degree and the courses that I took at Skidmore were the best preparation I could possibly have had for my career in politics. I graduated in 1951, was the beneficiary of two extremely good professors, Miss Cockcroft and Miss Warren as well as superb professors in English literature, art history and anthropology. I think it is especially true for politicians and those who work in politics(meaning you don't have to always think of politics as being a candidate and running for office), including the people who specialize in policy issues or regulatory work, or anything for that matter involved in government and journalism. There is no better background in either field than the study of history. It is that which presents the scope of time and experience and lessons from the past, as well as the people who led and advised governments that give a good politician or journalist the perspective they cannot possibly achieve any other way. There is no better way to understand present and past culture than majoring in history. It is better than studying political science and deeply important for anyone who wants to be involved in public policy. Majoring in history, along with a well rounded liberal arts education is the best preparation for a large variety of public responsibilities. At any rate, that's how I view it. I have never served in elective office but have been involved in politics and government ever since I left Skidmore, including having a senior position in the White House and being the CEO of a public policy, government relations firm for the last 22 years and I have always believed my Skidmore education was the basis for all my subsequent adventures.(Including an honorary degree from Skidmore)
Sally Beekman McKeige '53
I have always been interested in history. That's why I majored in it at Skidmore and at Oberlin for my first 2-1/2 years in college. I always loved reading historical novels, true stories and biographies. And then I discovered archaeology which put the dawn of history way back thousands of years before Egypt and the history that was available when I was in school. I eventually went back to college in 1985 and got a masters degree in anthropology in 1994 from Hunter College. After that was done, along with a few other archaeology buffs here in Florida, we organized an archaeological society in Martin County with members from nearby counties as well. Florida has a