Deceased August 21, 2022
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In Memory
Tick was raised in Mamaroneck, N.Y., the second of five boys. As an undergraduate, he became a member of the Beta fraternity and majored in American studies. Tick was deeply involved in both classroom and campus activities. He spent four years as manager of Coach Lumley’s track team, was head of the Managerial Association, was managing editor of the Olio, and also helped with the Chest Drive and WAMF. After graduation, Tick earned an M.A. from NYU in 1956 and an Ed.D. from Columbia in 1963. He served in the Army, 1956–58.
Tick had a keen eye for education. He greatly appreciated the New Curriculum, especially the American studies course sophomore year. He kept some of those study books, which he later used as a high school American history teacher. Tick remembered the interdepartmental evolution course that included units in all of the sciences. Each unit was a logical extension of the previous unit. In our 50th reunion book, Tick related that Robert Frost walked into Professor Wicher’s course in American literature, went to the front and began to cast a spell of wisdom and magic. Tick was hooked!
This interest in educational subjects led Tick to his lifework: educational administration. He was assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Ramapo (now Suffern) Central School District from 1967 to 1990. He found time to serve as president of the Ramapo Valley Rotary Club, and was a member of the Rockland County Commission for the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution and a trustee of the Rockland County Historical Society. Tick also held leadership roles at several churches.
We always enjoyed Tick’s presence at our class reunions over the years. He died due to diabetes complications on Aug. 21, 2022. Tick is survived by his three children and their families.
Rob Sowersby ’55