WhatDrawsYouToCambridge

What Draws You To Cambridge? Or What Has Kept You In Cambridge?
Never did I think where will I live when I grow up. I always knew that I would be in Cambridge. I based my profession around something I could do in Cambridge or commute from Cambridge to do. Life in Cambridge really became a reality when I married Poke and we purchased his childhood home on East Main Street. I joke that I married Mr. Cambridge -- he continues to live in the house that he has always lived in and still has the same phone number. He is the fire chief and the assistant Police Chief -- can't get much more hometown than that. Poke is third generation and I am second generation to graduate from C.C.S. -- Our son has some of the same teachers that we did. Almost 15 years out of high school and I am slowly watching my classmates that went to four year colleges and lived in the cities bringing their spouses here, settling down, and raising their families here. I like Cambridge after 11 years of marriage to be able to speak to someone and say "Hi it's Melissa Aiken" and them knowing all about me without explaination. I like knowing that someday when my son is old enough and I send him to Stewart's for milk that if he does wrong between home & Stewarts -- someone will let me know. (I didn't like this factor about growing up in Cambridge) I like referring to the house on 313 and Furnance Lane has the McLenithans and the bakery on Main Street has Kings. I like the familiarity of most of the faces and the closeness of our friends and family. The closest parent lives .5 miles and the furthest 4 miles away. It's nice to know that when you need family -- they will be right there. My son truly knows his grandparents & great-grandparents because I stayed in Cambridge. Melissa Aiken Spiezio Cambridge, NY Class of1993	If you would like to add your thoughts,. Long or short, signed or anonymous CLICK HERE Your comments will not be posted immediately. Please give me at least a day to get them on line Pauline
	Through thick and thin, long time family friends in Cambridge have always pulled thru for me. You just don't get that great feeling anywhere. You especially feel it when you have moved away and "come home" to smiling faces and caring people. Karen Dusha McKean, Class of 1966 Duanesburg, NY
	It is where I consider my family is from and relatives, I do enjoy seeing all the old friends, the first reunion couple of years ago is the only reunion I have ever been to and loved it, Thanks for the invite. Thure Johnson Lakeside, California Former Student
	I was born in NYC but my parents moved us to the area because they didn't want us to grow up in the city. My mother's family was in Shushan and I went through all my school years at CCS. Even going to school in Albany after graduation and then working in Albany, I commuted for a few years from Cambridge. I have kept in touch with many friends from CCS over the years and Cambridge will just always be "home." When my husband and I lived in Connecticut, we looked for a weekend or summer home in the Cambridge area and now when retirement comes, we plan on moving to our home on Hedges. I have good friends in other places where I've lived but my CCS friends are more like family. Besides, there's nothing like the northeastern climate for me, especially the Fall -- and yes, even the winters! What better place to see the four seasons than in one's home town. June Johnson Lawrence Class of 1961 Lakeland, FL
Dave McNeilly here. I became an avid fly fisherman because of the proximity to the Battenkill. I have fished it every year for 31 years and counting. Second after having moved around a lot as a young child (I moved to Cambridge in 1970) all of the people I remember while “growing up” are from CCS (I graduated in 1976 and moved on to college at Syracuse University). Lastly my grandmother lived on South Road from 1972 until her death 7 years ago (she was 94) and my Wife and I later with our daughter would visit her several times a year. Since her death I have not stayed in Cambridge at all, continuing up the road to my mothers’ house in West Rupert VT. I still fish however so as long as the Battenkill still holds a fish or two I will make the trip. Also I still keep in contact with former classmates. Now that the Cambridge hotel is running again I am thinking of a fall foliage trip. I think that would be fun. Great website and thanks for helping me stay in touch. As a Sr. Scientist at Genzyme I spend most of my time looking forward in an effort to help people with some rather serious diseases. This site lets me look back a little to a time in my life that was a little simpler. Dave McNeilly, Class of 1976	At present, we are a world away from the Cambridge I knew and loved some fifty years ago. Unfortunately the distance kept us from making the last reunion. We did weekend near Cambridge with cousins about a year ago. They are also weekenders, living in NYC. We all drove into Cambridge, taking advantage of the farmers market near the hotel. The town itself has changed very little in these years. CCS is much bigger now but many other landmarks remain the same. I'm sure that when my cousins retire, they will make Cambridge their home. I'm also sure that some day we'll be back too. Ed Kyer Class of 19577 Port Saint Lucie, Florida
	I return to Cambridge because my parents still reside there. I would return for reunions if my parents did not live there but other than that my life has moved on and Cambridge is more of a memory than a place I would live again. It was a nice little town to grow up in and I do have many great memories, several wonderful teachers (unfortunately they are no longer with us), Kings Bakery and the wonderful treats, knowing it was safe to ride your bike anywhere in town. Life has changed there and for me so moving back to Cambridge is something that I will never do. Doreen Washburn Corrow Class of 1975 Hartland Vermont
After graduation from CCS, I was gone with a trail of smoke behind me, as I knew I would not rest until I saw the world beyond. And yes, I've sampled a lot. Following Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, I did graduate work at Eastman School of Music in the grimy city of Rochester, then went down to Long Island to teach. Then a year of law school at NYU, married a lawyer who was drafted during Vietnam, lived at Fort Campbell KY where I became the first white teacher in helping desegregate a school in Clarksville TN, then Fort Bragg NC, Charlottesville VA, back to live in Albany, out to Fort Carson CO, on to Seattle WA. Funny how I wound up back here, not right IN Cambridge, but close. When my father was terminally ill in 1979, I came back and lived in the old house on Ave A for a while, then got a job in Bennington and moved over here. Living here does limit what I can accomplish as a performing musician but actually I have reasonably satisfactory opportunities, especially when I make them myself. There always was quite a lot going on in Bennington musically. I think the lack of social opportunity bothers me the most. But what keeps me here is the beauty of the area, the climate and my desire at this point in life to live in a rural area, free of traffic jams and scary anonymity. It is my pleasure to have contact - on this end of life - with the same friends I had growing up. When I drive over to play in the Washington County Band or to attend a CCS Reunion Committee meeting, I am so pleased to feast my eyes on our gorgeous rolling hills and drive up the wider valley south of town. It smells good. It feels good. The gal playing flute next to me was Mom's student in Greenwich 'way back when. One time when I called the bank to get some money when I was back in Seattle visiting, I didn't even have to say who I was. The person who answered recognized my voice, presumably because I had worked as a radio announcer for the Bennington station. People recognize me because I look like Mom and Mick, even if they don't recall the oldest Eddie Kent kid. A lot of that is fading as years progress, but I get a kick out of becoming acquainted with Cambridge folks I never knew, thus continuing the thread. Mary Lee Kent Class of 1958 Bennington, VT
I never knew how beautiful this country was until I moved away!!! Being back here is fantastic - Never did I think I would end up back in this area. After my dad's death 2 years ago, my mom also experienced some health issues and it was difficult managing that from Rhode Island. I was in a perfect position to move here- my daughter just got married and is settled in Rhode Island. Rather than asking my mother to change her whole life, I decided to come "home". White Creek is so bucolic and quiet. I am enjoying my commute to my job in Greenwich - such a view on Rte. 372! The people here are just nicer and the pace is slower. I guess I am really just a "country" girl. It was the best place to grow up - living on Lake Lauderdale was awesome and CCS was a great school. I have so many great memories of school years, proms, sports, music, etc. I guess you just don't appreciate what you have until it is gone! I loved the ocean in RI but give me the hills and mountains here any day! Joyce Bellemare Class of '71	WE LIKE TO RETURN TO CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW RELATIVES AND VERY DEAR FRIENDS TO VISIT. IT IS NOSTALGIC TO ME TO THINK BACK TO THE SIMPLE LIFE WHEN I COULD GO UP INTO THE HOSPITAL WOODS WITH MY FRIENDS AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING INTO TROUBLE. NOW I IMAGINE LIABILITY WOULD PREVENT IT. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO GO MOST ANYPLACE ON MY BIKE WITHOUT MY PARENT WORRYING ABOUT ME. I ALSO DO A LOT WITH GENEALOGY. I HAVE RELATIVES BURIED IN BOTH SAINT PATRICK'S AND WOODLANDS CEMETERIES WHO WERE THERE IN THE 1800's OUR LOTS IN SAINT PATRICK'S WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ONES. IT SEEMS EVERY TIME WE GO BACK WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT MY FAMILY. AFTER MANY YEARS OF LOOKING AT THE LOREN FAMILY GRAVES WE LEARNED THAT THEY WERE FORMERLY FROM KILBERRY, COUNTY MEATH IRELAND. WE VISITED THE CEMETERY THERE BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE STONES. I ALSO ENJOY PEOPLE STILL INTERESTED IN KEEPING UP THE HERITAGE OF CAMBRIDGE BY RESTORING HISTORIC BUILDINGS SUCH AS THE HOTEL, HUBBARD HALL WHERE MY FATHER AND UNCLE BILL AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE SANG IN MINSTREL SHOWS AND ALSO THE TRAIN STATION AND OTHERS. TOM LOREN CLASS OF 1955 MANASSAS, VA.

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