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Friday May 16, 2008

Writer to speak on 50-year journey for the Class of ‘56

Dave Newhouse, a longtime columnist and sportswriter for the Oakland Tribune, will be speaking about his recently published book, “Old Bears,” at the JCC of the East Bay in Berkeley on May 27.

In the book, Newhouse looks into the difficulty of growing older and offers lessons for a younger generation. The talk is part of the JCC’s “Off Page” series.

Newhouse’s book — subtitled “The Class of 1956 Reaches Its Fiftieth Reunion, Reflecting on the Happy Days and the Unhappy Days” — is about his graduating class at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton. It turns out his classmates experienced considerable unhappiness, and tragedy, in their adult years.

Via first-person stories from graduates, the book looks into the difficulty of growing older, such as alcoholism, divorce, blindness, Alzheimer’s and having a child off fighting in a war.

Each chapter is written by one of 28 graduates. Newhouse, who was born Jewish, is one of the 28.

Newhouse said there is virtually no Jewish content in the book, except for a small portion of his chapter, about being sent by the Air Force on a three-year tour overseas, excerpted here:

“Getting away to France’s sugar beet country really matured me, enabling me to finally think for myself, and to make important decisions. Growing up in a Jewish home, I was confirmed, or bar mitzvahed, at 13.

“But I wasn’t exactly the religious type. An Air Force chaplain asked me about attending Jewish services. I didn’t want to be Jewish just because my parents were Jewish any more than I wanted to be a Democrat or drive a Buick for the very same reason. I needed time to decide.

“The chaplain understood my dilemma and he left me alone. You can’t imagine how important he made me feel.’”

Newhouse later said that, because of that experience, he decided not to embrace any one religion, “but I do believe I am a spiritual person.”

Dave Newhouse will be speaking May 27 at 7:30 p.m. about his book “Old Bears” in the “Off Page” series at the JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. The talk is free. Formore information, visit www.jcceastbay.org or call (510) 848-0237.

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