Hello class of ’77 (and e-Host Extraordinaire, Michael Hauser).
I returned to LHS two summers ago with my wife. Although I hadn’t been there for decades, I came away feeling grateful. The school and Livingston itself were a fortunate place from which to launch into the world. My thanks go to teachers like Leonore Freedman (History/Social Studies) who helped plant a spark in me.
To recap from the last millennium forward… after leaving LHS I went to Drew University there in Madison, NJ for undergraduate and graduate study. I’m very thankful for that opportunity too. My focus was on international studies, so not surprisingly the Peace Corps soon followed. For three years I lived with and worked for a hilltribe (the Bila’an) in southern Philippines. Their lands were being grabbed and their culture was being erased—so I actually don’t know if they still exist as a distinct people today.
After that came other work abroad, twice with the United Nations and twice with aid agencies. That included refugee work with Afghans, Somalis and Rwandans, and post-conflict work with Bosnians, Palestinians, and Guatemalans. The time spent with Rwandan refugees for the then American Refugee Committee, as Operations Manager in a health camp zone of 40,000 people, was the hardest half year of my life. But after the fact… again, gratitude. In later years I travelled to evaluate USAID programs for the US Congress (yes, we actually used to have a USAID) and helped settle refugees here in the US (yes, we actually used to welcome refugees).
Stateside, I more recently spent a decade working in the Montana Legislature as nonpartisan staff. While that was intriguing in many ways, my best experiences were with the Legislature’s State-Tribal Relations Committee. This had me work with each of the state’s recognized tribes on each of the seven reservations here. The most rewarding task was to help monitor implementation the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program—which came none too soon because elders who spoke fluently were dying out. There has since been a significant renaissance of native language and culture.
Though I love the Rocky Mountains and Montana, I haven’t wanted to leave my former life behind. After living under three dictatorships and also seeing the survivors of armed conflicts, I have a lasting impression of people’s capacity for self-preservation. Outside parties frequently prove unable to influence violent actors or interdict violent events—but civilians themselves refuse to be victims. So, for several years I’ve researched and presented at numerous forums on the issue of supporting civilian self-protection. That means helping brace and build their capacities for (nonviolent) survival before and in the event that they are isolated by violence. Though this might sound logical, it’s actually a hard pitch to make. Still, I won’t give it up.
I am here in the western Montana town of Missoula. I live with my wonderful wife Elizabeth, of whom I’ve never stopped being in awe. She is a 20-year veteran of US Army military intelligence, including a 2-year stint seconded to the White House Situation Room, and is the smartest and most caring person I know. She is also an historian; it’s a fascination for both of us and which leads to intriguing travel. In addition, Elizabeth is a very skilled Foodie, so you can see I’m really suffering here… We each brought two children into our marriage and “blended,” as they say. Two (Aelish and Ennis) are now in college and two (Connor and Wyatt) are in the military. We’re so very proud of them all. Connor and his wife (Adrianne) have wasted no time making us grandparents (4 times over). The southern moniker “Pappy” has been bestowed on me… Try that nickname on yourself and see if it doesn’t make you feel 10 years older. 😊
One other note. Some of you might have known my sister, Valerie Barrs. I wanted to let you know that she died two years ago of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. (That’s ALS and is also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.) She was in the class of ’75 but was exuberant enough on the field with the Lancerettes and in the high school plays that you might have met her. Jason Alexander (Jay Greenspan, our class of ‘77) wrote her a very poignant letter remembering her zest and wistfully recounting those years at LHS. In 2020, Valerie threw out the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners’ First Annual Lou Gehrig Day. Her strength and grace in facing down ALS for five years leaves me inspired but doubtful that I could ever match it.
In parting, I’ll note that a couple years ago I reunited with Drew University friends with whom I shared a semester together in London. It’s been fun, so I invite any of you might remember me from the last millennium to send a message so we can reconnect. I am at casey_barrs@outlook.com
