Annual Business Meeting
This version has not been certified by the ExeCom nor approved by the members!
9 March 2007
Huddleston Hall
University of New Hampshire
Call to order by President: Cynthia Damon brought the meeting to order at 11:58 AM
Approval of Minutes of 2006 Annual Meeting of CANE as published in the Annual Bulletin and on the website. MOV/SEC/UNAN
Memorials
Maureen Shugrue
Maureen Shugrue, former President and Vice President of CANE, died on July 16, 2006, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Torrington, CT, January 2, 1929, Maureen received her A.B. in Classics from Albertus Magnus College College in New Haven, CT in 1951 and her M.A. in Latin from Fordham University in 1961. She also studied at the University of Michigan and in 1954 received the Cornelia Catlin Coulter Memorial Rome Scholarship for study at the American Academy in Rome.
A life member of CANE, President of the Connecticut section of CANE, member of the Executive Board of the Connecticut Organization of Foreign Language Teachers, President of Delta Kappa Gamma, and active member of committees too numerous to mention, Maureen, in 1990 received the Barlow-Beach Distinguished Service Award which honors those who have “contributed exceptional service to the Classics in New England.”
Maureen was one of the most convivial and collegial members of this association. The annual meeting provided her with an opportunity to celebrate with friends old and new, especially with her own great mentor, Albertus Professor, Josephine P. Bree.
Before retirement, Maureen taught Latin at the secondary level for fifty-three years, forty-nine of them at Torrington High School, her alma mater. She was Chairperson of the Foreign Language Department for ten years. In 1986, she received the Probus Award as teacher of the year and a citation from the General Assembly of the Connecticut Legislature, At her funeral last summer in St. Francis of Assisi Church, where she also served as lector, Father Robert Tucker noted her dedication ande tremendous impact on more than 5000 students during her teaching career.
Permit me to quote, in part, from a letter one of her former students wrote to the local newspaper after learning of her death:
“The year was 1961. A 14-year old impressionable, and somewhat incorrigible, freshman student sat in his first class on his first day at Torrington High School. That class was Ms. Shugrue’s Honors Latin I class. He thought to himself: What am I doing in a Latin class? Who uses or needs Latin any more? Why did my mother make me take this ridiculous, out-of-date language course?
As the school year progressed, the young freshman began to realize what Ms. Shurgrue’s Latin I was truly about. It was not simply learning Latin nouns and verbs. It was being taught the importance of honesty, discipline, dedication, family and friends by a very wise and insightful teacher. It was Ms. Shugrue’s lessons on life.
He concludes his full column letter: “On behalf of all those Torrington High School students who had the good fortune to be taught Latin I by Ms. Shugrue, to her we say, ‘Amo, Amas, Amat…’ We all love you and thank you for teaching us your lessons on life.’ ”
Maureen, of course, did not just teach her lessons on life; she modeled them in the wider Torrington Community. She was a commissioner for Elderly Services of Torrington, a Board member of the Northwestern Connecticut AIDS Project (NCAP), and the American Red Cross.
A member of the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Auxiliary, Maureen often returned to the Center for Cancer Care to visit other cancer patients bringing donuts and coffee after she herself had been discharged to continue with home treatment.
Dear friend, former student and colleague, Maria Cravanzola, recalls that Maureen told a doctor at the center, “It’s a part of my life. I feel as though I want to be here. I want to be with these people. I find solace and comradeship with them.” And that’s what she did.
Maureen is survived by her brother, Daniel, his wife, and two nieces.
Maureen, Requiescas in pace!
Sister Mary Faith Dargan, OP
Report of the Auditors to be published in the Annual Bulletin
Donna Lyons- Curator of Funds. The annual Bulletin has the reports of the four funds. She announced that the proposed budget for the 2006-07 year has a perfect balance.
Thomas Suits reported that on the basis of balance sheets received from the association, the accounts appear to be in order.
Report of the Committee on Scholarships Ed deHoratius noted that more applicants for these scholarships are encouraged. He thanked committee members Joey Meyer and Chris Richards (in his last year on this committee). He also welcomed Barbara Weiden Boyd to the Scholarship Committee.
The Certification Scholarship was presented to Steve Civitello
The CANE Endowment Scholarship was presented to Kat Braden
The Cornelia Catlin Coulter Scholarship was presented to Kathy Corianis
Announcement of Presidential Appointments (Cynthia Damon)
(See handout from last night’s meeting)
CANE Instructional Materials- John McVey
Editor of NECJ- Nina Coppolino
Barlow-Beach Committee- Ray Starr
CSI Steering Committee- Shirley Lowe
Nominating Committee- Sean Smith, Theresa Ramsby, Cynthia Damon
Membership Committee- State Representatives will fill this committee; chaired by the Treasurer- Ruth Breindel
Resolutions Committee- Richard Clairmont and Francis Bliss
Report on the Executive Committee of March 8, 2007, including appointments by the Executive Committee and any business requiring action by the membership.
Cynthia Damon reported the cost of attendance at the Annual meeting has been heavily subsidized by anonymous donors. We hope that by gradually increasing the cost of attendance by $5 or $10 a year, that we will approach the actual costs of running the Annual Meeting.
The new format of CANEns will change from its current paper format to an economical electronic version of the same content. Members requiring a paper format may receive that at no cost. A postcard will be sent to each member alerting him/her that a new version of CANEns is available on the web. This experiment will continue for a year.
Reconfiguration of the Membership Committee- Ruth Breindel encouraged more involvement by members, and to speak with her at the Emporium table.
Nomination of a member to be elected to the Executive Board of ACTFL. CANE will nominate Mark Pearsall, its own delegate to ACTFL.
Format of the selection of the winner of the CANE Writing Contest was considered, and in the fall, the Executive Committee will consider changes so as to remove any possible bias on the parts of readers.
Report on the Committee on Discretionary Funds (John McVey)
Discretionary Grants Committee provided three grants this year to: Ed deHoratius who purchased teaching materials form The Teaching Company. Classical Association of Rhode Island to reinvigorate their Certamen program. Nell Wright, Malden High School received funds to see the Miles Romanis at the Higgins Armory.
Report of the Executive Secretary, including an announcement of the availability and cost of Life Membership “Article II, Section 3: Life membership in the Association may be obtained by the payment of a $500.00 fee.”
Three anticipated changes to the By-Laws which will be published in NECJ in the fall:
Report of the Nominating Committee and election of new officers (John McVey)
John McVey put forth the following:
Roger Travis- President Elect
Mike Girad- Member at Large
Jere Mead- Member at Large
Auditors- Steve Pingree and Thomas Suits
Jaqui Carlon- Classics in Curricula
(Remain delegates for three years)
ACL- Paul Properzio
ACL Alt.- Deb Davies
ACFTL- Mark Pearsall
NCFTL- Madelyn Gonnerman
NCLG- Deb Davies
Moved- That the Secretary cast a single ballot for the slate. Seconded and unanimously approved.
Invitation by Richard Moorton of Connecticut College, New London, CT, to the 2008 Annual Meeting, 12 -15 March 2008.
Old Business
New Business
Adjournment-12:47