Vol. 19, No. 2 - Winter 2003

Winchell Cottages crew reconnects at Homecoming 2002

In mid-September, Raleigh Kaminsky, alumni relations director, received a call from Elna Bellows (B.S., ’52) asking if the college was planning a 50th reunion gathering during Homecoming weekend. Bellows, of Edina, Minn., said she and three former college roommates, now living in Illinois, Texas, and British Columbia, were coming to campus Oct. 12 for the homecoming breakfast, parade, and annual Women’s Physical Education homecoming breakfast.

Although no formal college reunion was planned, Kaminsky did not want to miss an opportunity to meet these alumnae. So on a beautiful fall afternoon, the four women whose lifelong connection to one another began at the University met Kaminsky at Burton Hall to relive some of their campus memories.

The women—Bellows, Lila Cashion (B.S., ’52), Nancy Duguid (B.S., ’52), and Peggy Walters (B.S., ’53)—had lived together in Winchell Cottages, a student cooperative on University Avenue, and were students in the College of Education pursuing teaching degrees. The women reminisced about memorable professors such as Sunny Hansen and Guy Bond, 50-cent tickets to Minneapolis Symphony concerts at Northrop Auditorium, and audio-visual classes where they learned to make lantern slides. A highlight of the visit was touring Burton Hall and the newly renovated Walter Library where they had spent many hours studying.

After graduation all the women began teaching careers. Bellows taught elementary school and was a counselor; Cashion was an elementary and special education teacher; and Duguid was a physical education teacher. Shortly after graduation, Walters taught for two years at University High School on campus, joining Florence Miller, Lorraine Sundal, and Bill Gardner, among others, who also began their U High stints that year.

The four Winchell Cottagers have kept in touch for 50 years through Christmas cards, occasional visits, and, more recently, via e-mail. All are active retirees enjoying tutoring, lifelong learning, travel, and other fun activities. Among the things they have in common are their affection for the University and their appreciation for the education they received. As Cashion wrote, “It was a wonderful weekend and it was great to see the campus and the buildings made beautiful again. I still can’t believe it has been 50 years…but it has. When I look at our ’52 and ’02 photos, it becomes quite believable!”