Class of ’55 Connections

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Baruch, several members of the Class of ’55 participated in putting together a memory book. Included in their bios were several accounts of meeting future spouses during their student days.

Among those who made love connections in class were Leonard (’56, MBA ’60) and Florence Kanes (’55) Naturman. According to Florence, “I had four great years at Baruch but nothing as memorable as BA 110, the marketing course required for all, including accounting majors, which I was. Kicking my seat behind me was Lenny Naturman, and the rest is history. We were married on June 19, 1955, four days after graduation, and are now celebrating our 51st anniversary. We have quite a brood—four children and 11 grandchildren.”

Leonard recalls, “It was in the crowded halls that I noticed a beautiful, dark-haired girl who resembled a younger and prettier version of the actress Ann Miller. I didn’t have the nerve to speak to her, and when the next term came and I didn’t see her again, I assumed she had dropped out of school. What a surprise when I entered a classroom in the fall of ’52; there was that same girl, Florence Kanes, sitting in the last row. Although she claims she couldn’t stand me at first, love won out.”

Robert and Sylvia (Siegel) Silberberg are a ’55 couple who met at Baruch. Says Robert, “It was Sept. 22, 1952, the first day of the new school year, and I, a sophomore, was a member of a group dubiously named ‘The Holy Five,’ who were charged with the hazing of entering freshmen, the Class of ’56. Around noon we descended on some freshman girls about to have lunch with the intention of subjecting them to all sorts of pranks and misinformation about the school. A friend introduced me to this very cute gal from the Bronx, Sylvia Siegel, and I was immediately sidetracked from my primary mission of mischief. I asked her out on the spot … We became so inseparable that Sylvia decided to accelerate and finish in three years so that we would graduate together. We married in 1956, had three terrific sons, and now have five grandchildren. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on Mar. 31, 2006, and owe it all to that chance meeting in the 10th floor cafeteria.”

Another ’55 grad who met his better half at Baruch is Henry T. (Hank) Dudek, who met his wife, Olga, in the fall of 1952 at her freshman orientation. They were married in June 1953 and have five children and two grandchildren. Joel M. Young met Naomi Kupsky (’56) at Baruch. They were married in September 1956. Philip and Eileen (Libidinsky) Wechsler are another ’55 couple, and Robert Lebowitz recalls meeting his wife, Renée Beyda, an entering freshman, during his last semester. They were married in December 1956 and live in Merrick, N.Y.