The Lehrer Report

Published on November 03, 2006

Nov. 7 is Election Day. Please remember to vote. Some schools that are polling sites hold bake sales that day. Consider making a purchase to share with your workmates.

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One pot of pansies, two hanging petunias and one geranium were still outside and blooming at the end of October. The garden fence has been put away and the dead vegetable stalks composted. While cleaning the garden I found a few onions, small but edible. It was a nice surprise.

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Pamela Howes, the daughter of Merle and Billie Howes, of East Pleasant Street in Amherst, received the Western Massachusetts Writing Project's Pat Hunter Award at the Best Practices in the Teaching of Writing conference. She is a language arts teacher at Michael E. Smith Middle School in South Hadley. The award is given to a person who has contributed substantially to the work of the project and who best exemplifies the values that Pat Hunter, a co-director who died in 1999.

Project site director Bruce Penniman cited her leadership in student writing programs, including student writing workshops, student publications and her long service on the project's executive board. She has also organized and led professional development workshops for other teachers.

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Scott Rauch, the son of Ruth and Harold Rauch, of Red Gate Lane in Amherst, was named president and psychiatrist in chief of McLean Hospital and chairman of Partners Healthcare Psychiatry and Mental Health. He graduated from Amherst Regional High School, Amherst College and the University of Cincinnati Medical School. Rauch, who has been an administrator and psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital for more than 15 years, has broad experience in research, teaching and clinical care.

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Stan Rosenberg of Amherst sent a card from Bhutan, where he was climbing the lower Himalayas for "hiking therapy." Nancy and Carlton Brose, of Amherst, sent a postcard that featured a drawing of their home. They report their granddaughter is in Viterbo, Italy, for a year of language study, and they plan to visit.

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Jayden True was born to Jason and Sarah Kudrikow, of Milford, earlier this month. His Amherst grandparents are Victor Kudrikow and the late Karen Kudrikow.

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The Rev. A Robert Hirschfeld, of the Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst, received a $39,000 National Clergy Renewal Program grant from the Lilly Endowment. He was one of 127 pastors representing 123 congregations nationwide to receive the grant. He and his family have never traveled outside the country so will visit Italy for two weeks. He will also attend an Iowa Summer Writing Festival and an art workshop in Taos, N.M. After that he will set up a studio to paint and write.

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Elizabeth Hait, of Bedford Court in Amherst, was one of 16 staffers who won the Smith College Employee Excellence Award. Hait, who works in student affairs, was recognized for exemplifying the work traits most valued by the college, like teamwork, community and service. Smith College President Carol Christ presented the winners with certificates. A college-wide reception at the Smith College Club followed the presentation. In addition, the winners were chosen by their peers to receive a $1,000 bonus.

—By Phyllis Lehrer