The Hassinger kids

BA, Psychology, 1973, MSW 1975

Year of Memory: 1961

In late 1960, my family moved to Ann Arbor from Cincinnati. We lived on the east side in what is now called the College Hill neighborhood, within a mile from campus. The big sister, and the oldest of three, I was in charge of looking out for my sister Sara and our 2 year old baby brother Donnie. In our first spring and summer of 1961, new to the neighborhood, we had few friends but my sister and I had our bikes and mine had a big front basket into which Donnie fit snugly. Several times a week, with sandwiches and thermoses in our knapsacks, down the Geddes hill we’d fly on our big tired bikes, headed for our day’s outing to the Natural Science Museum. I felt very proud of my independence that summer and didn’t even mind my duties as sister-in-charge.

I was in awe of the museum’s beautiful building with its marble floors and large staircases. Our visits began with the Great Mastodon and bone-counting contests (how many bones does a Mastodon have?!). Then up the stairs to the amazing dioramas and learning about the eco-systems of woodlands, swamps, lake shores; the many varieties of birds and small mammals, the human body (edited for certain body parts), and native human ecology. I loved those dioramas that opened my curiosity about ancient societies of the grasslands and forests. I remember thinking about the craftspeople who made these wonderful displays and how lucky they were to have jobs like diorama-builders.

Then, back down the stairs we went and out the door to take our turns sitting on the enormous black stone panthers by the front door before we headed to our last and favorite stop–our picnic lunch at the zoo at the back of the building. I marvel now at our affection for that zoo–really a rather sad, smelly place with an odd-lot collection of animals–I think there was a small bear, a raccoon, and was there really a wolverine? (I think so).

No matter how many times we went on that field trip that summer, it remained a magical adventure. We felt very lucky indeed to have this magical place in our own neighborhood. Now, an alum and retired faculty member, I still live in that neighborhood and still go by Ruthven Hall everyday. And everyday, I fondly remember those exhilarating bike rides down the Geddes hill and our afternoons at the natural science museum.