THE OYSTER FOUNDATION

FOURTH BANQUET OF THE OYSTER FOUNDATION
July 20, 2006, Washington, DC

     Ruth Ann Stewart

Ellen Bradley Watson

     George Watson
Martin X. Moleski, SJ
     Dick O'Hagan
Guadalupe "Petie" O'Brien
     Joel Dreyfuss
David Levering Lewis
     Stephen Banker

The fourth meeting of The Oyster Foundation on July 20, 2006, was a low-key affair compared to previous occasions. Twelve members were present at DACOR House in Washington, courtesy of Peter Riddleberger. Joel came from San Francisco, Marty from Buffalo, Veronica from Connecticut, and the Lewises from New York. Because it was the middle of summer and Washington was steaming, we abandoned formal dress. Because several members had indicated a willingness to speak but not to commit their remarks to paper, I thought it would be worthwhile to try it their way. The result was a warm, free-wheeling discussion of whatever was on people’s minds at the moment. I hope that in the future we can do a mix of the two approaches. When I think, for instance, of George Klein’s astonishing piece in Paris, John Meeks’s in St. Michael’s and Marty Moleski’s in Montreal, I believe we have touchstones that make our group memorable to us (in addition to the personal aspects) and to others. I also think of the wonderful contributions of Joe Schildkraut, Ed Marks, Albert Hahn, Joel Dreyfuss and David Levering Lewis, all archived, all suitable for revisiting. The Montreal viola performance by Jethro Marks was in a category by itself, but certainly it was not extemporized.

DACOR House in downtown DC made us comfortable. We occupied an exquisite anteroom for our reception, where we drank champagne and ate shrimp, spanatika and tuna puffs while we held forth. I began by paying tribute to Ed and Joe, our departed members. I even attempted, in my inept English-major way, to explain Joe’s “Catecholamine Hypothesis of Affective Disorders,” his 1965 article that has been cited, according to John Meeks (a psychiatrist and an Oyster member), more than any paper in the history of psychiatry — 750 times to date. It proposed the possibility of alleviating depression by stimulating certain chemicals in the brain. It has in the long run enabled society to regard depression as an illness, not a weakness. John says that based on the research that grew from Joe’s work, and that of several others, 85% of depressed patients now respond positively to pharmaceuticals.

Then Ruth Ann talked about the role of art in urbanization, taken from a talk she had recently delivered in Vienna. Ellen had some words about empty nesting. Tim and George declined to speak. Marty recalled the last days of his father, a psychiatrist, a musician, and the father of eleven children. Peter gave a brief history of DACOR House, of which his father, dean of the U.S. ambassadorial corps, had been president. Dick spoke about the lifespan of his younger brother. Petie recounted her recent bicycle trip through Paris. Joel described the task of rejuvenating a business technology magazine, and staging conferences in the Far East. And David spoke amusingly and eruditely about why he didn’t want to say anything. All were present except for Veronica (Mrs. Joel Dreyfuss), who was caught in traffic somewhere in Maryland.

During the talks, I took photographs. For no discernible reason, the camera blinked on Tim and Peter, and of course Ronnie was not yet there.

At 7:15, we drifted into the dining room where DACOR had set up a rectangular table. Just as we were about to start eating, Veronica arrived with a dazzling smile. (She was only two hours late — Marilyn Monroe once kept me waiting for three and wasn’t as charming.) The meal consisted of chilled asparagus soup (very thick), garden salad with crabmeat and artichokes, rack of lamb and key lime pie. The food was superb and of a quality consistent with our previous banquets. The lamb was accompanied by my Uncle Julie’s 50 year old French Burgundies, and I think the consensus was that they were past their prime but still potable. Peter had provided back-up wines from Virginia, which went down easily.

During the dinner, Ronnie, who was seated at my right, asked me how I’d met the members. When we got to David, I quoted his first wife who’d said many years ago, “My husband and you would have a lot to say to each other.” David, hearing that, chimed in, “And we’ve never stopped.” As for Tim, I said I’d met him when I wrote something critical about him in TV Guide and he called me to discuss it. Tim interrupted to say, “That never happened. It’s not true. You’re making it up.” “When was this?” asked Ronnie. I said, “In the middle ‘70s.” And Tim said, “1978. June. June 29th.”

We dispersed into the muggy night shortly before 10.

Respectfully submitted,
Stephen Banker
President, The Oyster Foundation
HTML version by M.X. Moleski, SJ

COMMENTARY

From David Levering Lewis:
What an impressive assembly! Even Woody Allen might wish to be invited among us. Stephen's Oyster inspiration is an old fashioned idea of social civility whose time may finally have come......

From Dick O’Hagan:
David, How right you are about the Banker initiative; social civility is exactly the term. You might even be right, too, about Woody Allen. I thought Ruth Ann's contribution particularly valuable — witty and pertinent.

From George Klein:
What a great looking bunch!!! I agree with David that Woody Allen would have fit in very well with the group — not in looks perhaps but at least in wit!

From George Watson:
Thanks for the pic and all the work that produced a very congenial occasion.

From Ellen Watson:
I believe our man Banker has successfully re-established the salon — a wonderful achievement. Thank you, Stephen!

From John Meeks on the passing of Joe Schildkraut:
What a wonderful contribution Joe made toward easing the suffering of mankind. We have lost one of the brightest (and nicest) Oyster Foundation members. We shall miss him.