NEWSLETTER Number 40 June 1991

SOCIETY MEMBERS GATHER IN WASHINGTON FOR 13TH ANNUAL REUNION

Retirees again came from near and far to attend the 13th Annual Reunion of The 1818 Society, held on a bright spring evening in the Bank in Washington on May 3.

About 130 members, spouses and companions of choice filled the gallery on the 2nd floor of the E Building for this yearly celebration to meet old friends, exchange news and reminisce about the "good old days."

There was a good sprinkling of people from out of town at the gathering as well as retirees living in the Washington area.

Europe was well represented by Colin and Geor- gina Bruce from Scotland; Maria Gradvohl from France; Stanley and Vicky Hayden from Spain; and Willem Nijhof from the Netherlands.

had expressed appreciation for the mementos and con- veyed his best wishes to every one.

Bilsel Alisbah, Vice-President for Personnel, who with his wife Lori was a special guest at the function, drew the names of the winners of the door prizes, again arranged by Susan Frampton.

Wmers of the prizes, which ranged from the cultural to the gastronomic, were Betsy (Mrs Don) Fowler, Bill Diamond; Marcia (Mrs W~lliam) Gilmartin, Jeanne (Mrs David) Davis; Victor Chang; Mahrnud Burney; Aron Bmhes; S a d (Mrs Jock) Carmichael; Joyce (ME Hugh) Collier, Ray Deely; and Joan (Mrs Off) Hardy.

There were enthusiastic comments about the buffet Invitation to Non-members, pg. 16 menu, arranged by Mary Wolfe, which this year in-

cluded a number of ethnic dishes. The good food and good company were a winning combination.

Hussein and Samia Mustafa from Egypt were also there; as were Rezaul and Sharnsun Khandker, who Photographs of the reunion by Michele Iamacci

winter in Banaladesh and summer in New York. will appear in the next issue of the NEWSLE'ITER in - September.

Other "out of towners" present included Agnes 7 Maher from Maine; Cecil and Joan Thompson from Florida; Rose Reque from Florida; Francis and Jane Van Gigh from Georgia; and Gordon and Virginia Street, who were on their spring migration from Flor- ida to Vermont.

The newest member of the Society at the reunion was Tenley Jones. He had retired from the Bank ear- lier that week.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2 Important business for Society's Annual Meeting

5 Variety is the spice of retirement

6 178 retirees get seed capital from Bank

8 The Baguio earthquake: a retiree's experience

that retiring World Bank President ~ a r b e r Conable and Mrs Conable were unable to come this year be- cause of a prior engagement.

In her welcoming remarks, Shirley Boskey, Presi- dent of the Society, said that she was sorry to note

12 Life after the reorganization

13 In Memoriam

11 Katherine Graham addresses luncheon

Shirley had sent the Conables a Society tie and Proposed long-term care plan unveiled scarf, with a warm invitation to Mr Conable to join Coming events the Society when he retires in September. Mr Conable

SOCIETY'S ANNUAL MEETING Lois is collecting background material for a lobby- SET FOR SEPTEMBER 27

The election of a number of Society officials will be on the agenda for the 13th Annual Meeting of The 18 18 Society, to be held in the Bank in Washington on Friday, September 27.

The current term of office of Shirley Boskey, the Society's President and Chairman of the Board of Di- rectors, and of four of the other six directors - A.J. [Jock] Carrnichael, Enrique Lerdau, Gillian Odam and Gloria Scott - all expire this year. Nominations for these five positions will be presented to the meet- ing for members' consideration.

The meeting will also be provided by Bank staff with status reports on the Staff Retirement Plan, the Medical Insurance Plan and the proposed new Long- term Care Insurance Plan.

The meeting, which will begin at 4 pm, will be fol- lowed by a buffet reception beginning at 6 pm for Society members and their guests. Details of the ar- rangements for the meeting and reception will be sent out nearer the time.

CONGRATULATIONS To Claude Muckenhirn [retired 19831 and Anita

Guillot on their maniage in April in Bargemon, France.

To Peter Andrews [IFC, retired 19851 on winning the "70 and Over" class in the recent Family Day Eight Kilometer Run sponsored by the World Bank and WETA. Peter's time was just over 42 minutes. Proceeds from the event went to charity.

HOTEL DISCOUNTS UPDATE Please note that retirees wishing to obtain dis-

counts at hotels in Washington DC which give re- duced rates to Bank staff must make reservations through the Bank's Travel and Shipping Division.

Details, including a credit card number, should be provided to Ms. AM^ Tanine, tel. [202] 473-0970.

The Bank will not make reservations for retirees at h e tels in other cities in the US or abroad. However, as noted in the last issue of the NEWSLE'ITER, retirees may be able to obtain the preferential Bank rate upon anival at a hotel by presenting their Bank identification card.

US VISA PROBLEMS? Lois Williams of the Staff Association would like

to hear from anyone who has had difficulty getting a US permanent resident visa.

ing effort to get the US to alter or cancel the present "sunset" date of December 31, 1992, by which retir- ees on G-4 visas can apply for special immigrant sta- tus.

NOTE CARDS FOR SALE "Women in Development" note cards are on sale

by the Bank's Volunteer Services [WVS] . A set of eight beautifully printed cards costs only $6.50. The photographs were taken by Mrs Conable and Mrs Pouliquen. The cards may be purchased at the WBVS office in Room I 1 - 172. Mail orders should include a $1.50 handling charge per set.

Proceeds will go to the Margaret McNamara Me- morial Fund, which provides education grants to women from the Third World. The Fund is celebrat- ing its 10th anniversary.

NEW MEMBERS We welcome the following 19 retirees who have

become members of The 1818 Society since the last issue of the NEWSLETTER:

German Ardila; Horace W. Barker; Dorothy M. Bowen; Paul Bowron;

Meriel Cooper; Olivier de Messieres; Saad El- Fishawy ;

Tenley Jones; Evan Melder; Francoise Monceaux;

Dolly Pascual; Michael Payson;

Kyoko Schmidt; Steven Serdahely; Colin Shear- ing; Leonard Steinberg;

Moreen Tollerton; Marius Veraart; Rene Welter.

PLEASE WRITE TO US Please send us news about yourselves and other

Bank retirees with whom you have been in touch. We would like to hear about travels, hobbies, professional activities, relocations, family developments, etc.

Recollections about the Bank, comments on such subjects as medical insurance and pensions, and any opinions or other contributions [eg. anecdotes, ac- counts of unusual experiences, poems, etc.] which you would like to share with other retirees would also be welcome.

The next issue of the NEWSLETTER will be pub- lished in September.

NICEPHORE SOGLO ELECTED PRESIDENT OF BENIN

Nicephore Soglo, an Executive Director of the World Bank from 1979 to 1986, has been elected President of the West African nation of Benin.

The elections were the first free elections in Benin for more than 20 years. Mr Soglo was appointed Prime Minister last year in an interim government to oversee the democratic transition.

RETIREES ASSIST NEW EUROPEAN BANK

A number of Bank retirees have been providing ad- vice and assistance to the new European Bank for Re- construction and Development in London.

They include Serena Han Clarke, coming from Seattle, Washington; Martijn Paijmans, now living in Eichenberg, Austria; and David Knox, whose home is in Oxfordshire, England. All three left the World Bank in 1987-88.

The new bank was established to assist Eastern Europe in making the transition to a market economy.

ASIAN ASSIGNMENT FOR THEUNIS PRINS

Theunis Prins [retired 19871 has taken up an as- signment with Agricultural Development Services in Singapore. "It will keep me busy for the coming three to five years in Myanmar and Indonesia," he says.

Theunis, a Dutch national, has been living in Queensland, Australia.

EVELYN DOMINGO-BARKER HAS NEW POSTING

Peter has done project audits for the Bank in Malawi and Iqlia. He also recently went on an arche- ological cruise in the Mediterranean. "A bit too big for my taste," he says.

Peter, who now lives in England ["out in the coun- try, but not too far from London"], keeps in touch with former Bank colleagues through the UK Chapter of the Society.

EVAN MELDER EXPLORES RETIREMENT OPTIONS

Evan Melder has taken early retirement, though he will continue to work at the Bank for a while. Evan has recently returned from North Korea, where he was on a four-year secondment as Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP.

Evan, who comes from Sri Lanka, is exploring a number of retirement options. He should have no dif- ficulty adjusting to retirement; he organized the Bank's first seminar for retirees in 1983.

MORRIS MILLER WORKING ON SECOND BOOK

Moms Miller [retired 19841 is working on a book for the United Nations. He earlier had a book pub- lished on the Bank, the IMF and the debt crisis whch gained him some notoriety.

Morris, who was a Bank economist before becom- ing an Executive Director, is now an Adjunct Profes- sor on the Faculty of Administration at the University of Ottawa.

GABRIEL BANFI PURSUES

Evelyn Domingo-Barker has been re-assigned FARMING CAREER

from Bangkok, Thailand to Lusaka, Zambia. She is The recent loss of his chick pea crop because of now a Senior Trade Information Adviser with the drought has not dampened the enthusiasm of Gabriel UNCTADIGATT International Trade Centre. Banfi for his post-Bank career as a farmer.

Evelyn, who is from the Philippines, left the Bank Gabriel, who retired from the Controllers Depart- after 10 years' service in 1976. Before her Bangkok ment in 1988, has a 150-acre farm in Central Chile assignment, she was based in Nepal. where he grows mainly fruits and cereals. "I do not

PETER NAYLOR'S 1818 TIE ATTRACTS ATTENTION

make any money but I have a lot of fun," Gabriel says.

In addition to managing his farm, Gabriel spends some time in Santiago where he has an apartment. He -

Peter Naylor [retired 19841 was noticed at a recent also visits the US periodically to see his lawyer son in social event in Washington wearing an 1818 Society Seattle and his second son who is a student at the Uni- tie. He was in town to do some work for the Bank. versity of Virginia.

CHAPTER NEWS

French Chapter New officers have been appointed for the French

Chapter from among the 12 members of the Board of Directors elected at last January's general meeting. Bernard Chadenet, the "founding father" of the Chapter, has been succeeded as Chairman by Gerard Tenaille. Bernard will remain on the Board of Direc- tors in the honorary position of Founding Chairman.

Gerard was on the staff of the Bank from 1977 to 1988; his last assignment was as senior sanitary engi- neer in the Afnca Region. He was active in the French community in Washington.

Gerard will be supported by three Vice-Chairmen: Pierre-Henri Cassou, Patrice Dufour and Peter Chatenay. The other officers are: Treasurer, Francois Lombard; Assistant Treasurer, Nanette Sebert; Secretary, Claude Duval; and Assistant Sec- retary, Berthe Ricque. Three board members, Jean- Jacques Deveaud, Antoine Maffei and Marthe Parent, are directors-at-large.

h his final report to members, Bernard notes that membership of the Chapter has grown [in only two years] to 245, of whom 60 live in nearby countries. At the request of chapter members and organizations wish- ing to make use of experience acquired in the Bank, the next edition of the Chapter's directory will include de- tails of members' voluntary and professional activities.

At the time of writing, a reunion of the Chapter was scheduled to be held in Paris on June 10; the guest speaker was to be Ambassador Stephane Hessel.

German Chapter The next major event for the German Chapter is

the week-end reunion planned for next September 28/29 in Baden-Baden. In view of the success of the

the Southern Cross Chapter. In it she extends a warm invitation to recent retirees now living in Australia and New Zealand to join the chapter. A function is planned in Sydney later this year.

The newsletter reproduces a memorandum by a Ban?. staff member reporting on an unsuccessful at- tempt to get income tax relief from the Australian Government on Bank and similar pensions. "The gist is," the memo states, "that any special treatment we had considered possible for retirees of the UN system was rejected."

Dawn appeals for inputs from members. She also echoes our appeal for news and other contributions for the NEWSLETTER. Margaret Heathers and Dawn are contact points for the Chapter.

The UK Chapter Final arrangements were being made at the time of

writing for the spring meeting of the UnitedKingdom Chapter in York, England, on May 19. About 65-70 people were expected to attend.

We hope to carry a report on the the spring meeting of the UK Chapter as well as the June re- union of the French Chapter in the September issue of the NEWSLETTER.

PROPOSAL TO SET UP PAKISTAN CHAPTER

An effort is under way to try to establish a chapter of The 18 18 Society in Pakistan. The move has been initiated by Mohammed Bashir A. Malik, who hopes to organize a local chapter with the help of other retirees in Pakistan.

Mr Malik, who lives in Lahore, has been in touch with Shirley Boskey about suggestions for organising the proposed chapter.

reunion last October in Ludswigsburg, another big A problem faced by Mr. Malik is that only about turnout is expected. 20 Bank retirees currently reside in Pakistan. Al-

though a large number of Pakistan nationals have Meantime, Dieter Elz reports that he is doing some worked for the Bank over the years, a sizeable propor-

long-range planning for a meeting of the Chapter in his tion of them have stayed in the US after retirement. home town of Berlin in 1992. This will be Dieter's fare- well gathering as founding Chairman of the Chapter. The possibility is being considered of inviting

Bank retirees in neighboring countries, Bank consul- Dieter says that the membership file of the Chapter tants and other people with close associations with

is currently being updated and will be sent out as the Bank to join the Pakistan chapter. We wish Mr. soon as possible. Malik success in his endeavor. Southern Cross Chapter Mr. Malik was with the Bank from 1980 to 1982.

Dawn Anderson in Sydney has recently sent out He was on secondment as team leader of a LJNDP ad- the latest edition [Issue no. 101 of the newsletter of visory group in Egypt.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF RETIREMENT

by David Knox

One great pleasure of working in the Bank is the variety of the work. My wife Babs and I have been finding that variety is even more a pleasure of retire- ment.

We had the good fortune, when we returned to En- gland in 1987, to find a most interesting house in an attractive Oxfordshire village. The house was built in the early 18th century as a barn for threshing and stor- ing grain but converted into a house about ten years ago. What is more, it has a walled garden, with which our predecessors had done little.

So we have been able to indulge one of our pas- sions, designing and planting a garden, which is par- ticularly fascinating when one has as a backdrop a handsome, high brick wall. We are still at it; but the results already give us great pleasure.

Village History

The village was the reason for a very new type of activity for me: organizing with others an exhibition of photographs of village life from the 1870s to the 1940s. For that I wrote a little piece on village history and architecture. That makes my efforts sound very grand; but much of the "history" was oral, talking to those who have lived there all their lives.

Village life has both its charms and its perils, and I fell into one of the traps that await the newcomer - one of those to whom inadvertently I did not talk was irate. I have been living that down ever since.

Babs and I have also managed some travel. We are far, far from being in the same class as the van der Taks; but we have been to such diverse places as Japan and the Canadian Rockies. One of our regrets was the need to postpone an exploration of the old Silk Road in north east Pakistan; but we hope that we will still get there.

I suppose that becoming a consultant is an occupa- tional hazard of retiring. I have managed, however, to keep that sort of activity in check. At first, that was quite easy, largely, I suppose, because no one knew that I existed. More recently, however, I have been less successful and life has become too busy, al- though most interesting.

Seeing Old Friends It was particularly fascinating to help the new Eu-

ropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development sort out its operating policies and to do a report for it on Hungary. I have also particularly enjoyed my work in Washington with the Inter-American Development Bank. That has brought with it the bonus of enabling Babs and me to pay a few visits to Washington and to see lots of old friends.

Despite that and the charms of Budapest, I will clearly have to limit how much consulting I do, partic- ularly since these assignments are beginning to inter- fere with our opera going. That is really serious.

I have found time to do some writing, although not as much as I had hoped. In addition to the snippets on village history, I completed about a year ago a more solid piece on Latin American external debt. That at- tracted some attention, since I expressed views that bankers do not usually state, at least not in public - "heretical" views, as one London newspaper put it.

That has led to some interesting invitations to speak on the subject to groups as diverse as Latin American diplomats, economics seminars, and a con- ference of theologians. I came away from the last feel- ing that, even as a former World Banker, I might be Mephistopheles himself!

Tennis Problems My one regret has been the need to give up tennis.

My eyesight has been getting worse. Tennis balls have long had a bad habit of not always being where they ought to be. But when they started to be some- where else with embarrassing frequency, I just had to accept facts.

But let's end with a pleasure: being invested by the Queen with the insignia of a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. That entitles me to stick the letters CMG after my name. Irreverent wags will tell you that they really stand for "call me god" - perhaps those theologians got it wrong after all!

[David Knox worked for the Bank for 25 years. He was Vice-President for Latin America and the Carib- bean at the time of his retirement.]

BANK HELPS 178 FORMER STAFF START NEW BUSINESSES

SUPPORT FOR LAUNDROMAT, SNAIL FARMING

A total of 178 former staff members who left Consultancies [I07 people];

the Bank due to the 1987 reorganization were pro- * Word Processors/Desk Top Publishers [19 people];

vided with "seed capital" by the Bank to help Stores -Books, Antiques, Music, Cosmetics, Beauty

them to establish businesses ranging from a laun- and Skin Care, Shoe Repair, Laundromat, Travel Agency and

dromat to snail farming. Photocopying [17 people];

The separation arrangements announced by the Bank in May 1987 provided that, "in exceptional cir- cumstances," the Bank would provide seed capital to assist terminated staff members in establishing them- selves in self-employment. The amount of this seed capital was not to exceed the equivalent of three months of a staff member's net pay.

Altogether, 218 former staff members formally re- quested seed capital assistance under the 1987 separa- tion provisions. However, 37 applications were not approved [submission of an acceptable business plan was the principal requirement], and three staff mem- bers withdrew their requests to pursue other employ- ment opportunities.

Diversity of Ventures

Farming Enterprises - Shrimp, Cattle, Snails, Forestry [S people];

Assembly PlantsJFactories - Clothing, Steel, Dress; Accessories [5 people];

* Restaurants [5 people]; Other - Miscellaneous [20 peo-

ple].

Ofice Equipment

Further details about the ventures supported by the Bank have not been released. However, computers, laser printers, fax machines and other equipment for home offices, mainly for consultancy work, appear to have been the principal items financed.

Other, more unusual items included cookery courses in Europe preparatory to starting up catering or restaurant businesses, and equipment for a lawn

A Bank report states that "the types of seed capital mowing business.

ventures approved have been as diverse as the staff The NEWSLETTER would welcome articles members themselves." According to the report, the from members who have started up businesses, predominant types of ventures supported by the Bank with or without Bank assistance, describing their were as follows: experiences.

TOUR OF TUDOR PLACE

by Shirley Boskey

Continuing a happy tradition, the Society's tour of Tudor Place in Washington's Georgetown on April 24 was overbooked [there was a limit of 40 people]. However, an additional "baker's dozen" of places was found on another tour later in the day.

The residence was lived in by succeeding genera- tions of a single family from 1805 to 1953, starting with the builders, Martha Washington's granddaugh- ter and her husband, son of Georgetown's first mayor.

The Society's members who followed docents [one a Bank retiree] through the house, and wandered through gardens laid out in the early 19th century, were perhaps not as eminent as visitors in the estate's early days - Lafayette, Daniel Webster, Robert E.

Lee -and the view that they might have had then of the Potomac, Virginia and the Capitol is now blocked by trees.

But they were able to see acquisitions - furniture, silver, china, paintings, photographs - and changes and additions to the physical structure reflecting tastes, mores and America's history over a period of 150 years.

The weather cooperated and the visit was pro- nounced a great success. Those who did not take part - or who wish to go again - may make individ- ual reservations by calling [202] 965-0400. Tours are conducted at 10 am, 11.30 am, lpm and 2.30pm, Tuesday through Saturday

SCENES FROM RECENT SOCIETY LUNCHEONS

THE BAGUIO EARTHQUAKE: A RETIREE'S "HANDS-ON" EXPERIENCE

REBUILDING AFTER THE DISASTER

by Bill Barker

[Bill Barker served for nearly 12 years with the Bank as a training specialist, retiring in late 1988; he has continued to work as a Bank consultant. Bill and his wife Tessie resettled just outside the resort city of Baguio, in Northern Luzon, the Philippines.]

We had long ago agreed that among our collection drainage and water pipes with them, together with our of dogs Toby, a handsome crossbreed, was the most carefully designed and lovingly nurtured young garden. - ~ - .

intelligent. He proved also to be prescient when at We were saved from disaster, perhaps, by the mas- 4.26 pm on July 16, 1990, he suddenly bolted through

sive footings we had poured, and by commissioning the front gates and vanished into the surrounding pine- an eminent structural engineer friend to design a woods. Tessie, brother-in-law Meniong and I were in

frame of extra-strong reinforced concrete beams and the courtyard watching the final touch put to the columns, all securely tied with rebars. But, whereas house we had spent the previous year building - the frame had held, the fabric of the house, composed hanging the wrought iron garage doors. entirely of concrete blocks, had cracked in countless

Before we had had time to wonder what was up places. with Toby, we had the answer. Earthquake!

Recollections of the next few minutes are kaleido- Immediate Worry scopic. On a bright and tranquil afternoon the sudden- ness and violence of it all brought bewilderment An immediate wony was whether the semi-circu-

rather than fright. That was to come with the after- lar ground floor verandah would hang on. It was stick-

shocks - and they were endless. ing out forlornly in space complete with its concrete footings, having lost all the ground beneath.

Paralysing Noise

The noise was paralysing as the earth heaved, the house shuddered, our stone-wall terraces fell down, trees thrashed about in all directions, and countless rock slides thundered down the mountains around us. It was difficult to decide what to do for the best, so we simply huddled in the roadside ditch - ground movement made it almost impossible to stand upright.

Despite this, with great presence of mind and not a little courage, Meniong rushed into the house and tripped the main power switch. Eyes riveted on our beautiful new retirement home, now shaking vio- lently as if with ague, we could only pray that, when it was over, we would have enough house left to en- courage us to begin again.

Mercifully our prayers were answered. After 54 seconds of 7.7 on the Richter scale that seemed an eternity [Baguio was struck by two quakes, the sec- ond triggered by the first], the earth stilled, our wits slowly returned and, unbelievably, the house re- mained standing on its mountain ledge. We had lost the chimney and most of our stone-wall terraces above and below the house, which carried away the

Another "cliff-hanger" was our 1500 gallon pota- ble water tank perched in its cradle above the house on what was left of the top terrace. The four concrete footings of the cradle were now completely exposed, and every aftershock made the whole contraption wobble alarmingly, with the tank reverberating like a roll of drums. Testimony to the power of the quake, we later discovered that the tank, with its six tons of water, had jumped several inches to the left in its cradle.

Not a soul in Baguio slept indoors that night. We dozed fitfully in camp chairs under the pine trees around a blazing log fire, starting up in involuntary alarm as continuous aftershocks brought more house- size boulders crashing down the surrounding moun- tains - and ominous rumblings from our precarious water tank [now drained]. At some point Toby slunk into the firelight, embarrassment at having deserted the ship written all over his face.

Sense of Values

As a reflection of one's sense of values at such a time, the carnage inside the house we took in our

stride. At least we still had a house. The contents were more easily replaceable. Venturing gingerly in- side the next morning, but ready to bolt through open doors at the slightest tremor, we found chaos. Smashed china, glassware, ornaments, and kitchen containers [and contents] were scattered everywhere. Hardly a painting was on its hook and most book cases were horizontal - knocked flat by the vibrating walls.

Our massive 7 ft x 7 ft pinewood kitchen dresser had been tossed across the breakfast nook, complete with the Royal Doulton dinner service, while beds had slid to the opposite wall. Not one piece of furni- ture was in its original place. On the other hand, al- though every bottle had bounced off the bar shelves, none broke. Not much of a quid pro quo, perhaps, but one should never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Thinking of horses, I recalled the first equestrian lesson of my youth -when you take a fall, get straight back up. So, within 48 hours, despite the con- tinuing aftershocks, we started rebuilding.

First Priority

In this we were magnificently served by our re- doubtable construction foreman, Eddie, a proverbial jack-of-all-trades. He had been with us on earthquake day and, although made homeless himself, he reap- peared on our doorstep two days later complete with a consignment of cement and a gang of masons with their sleeves rolled up. First priority: build reinforced concrete columns to prop up the sagging verandah.

The elements, however, had not yet done with us. A typhoon blew in. Well, it was the typhoon season anyway, so we could not complain about that! But with rain driven by winds packing over 100 miles an hour, our fractured house sprang so many leaks that we ran out of pots and pans to catch the drips - all over our polished hardwood floors, new curtains and hand-crafted furniture.

Our large garage was dry, so we camped in that - with the door wide open. We were fortunate; the plight of the thousands of homeless Baguio families, huddled under makeshift tents and tarpaulins, was pitiful. Meanwhile, as the typhoon receded, the in- domitable Eddie and his trusty men, drenched to the skin, worked on.

We finally sealed all the cracks, repainted inside and out, relaid the lawns and garden, put back the ter- race walls [requiring about 30 truckloads of boul- ders], and glued together our more precious ornaments and memorabilia [a quietly therapeutic ex- ercise], in time for the Christmas visit of my daugh- ters from New York.

Inevitable Question

The best reply to their inevitable question "what was it really like?" came over dinner on the evening of their departure. Between entree and desert we had a belated aftershock that, for a second or two, rattled the dishes on the table. Sally and Kate were round- eyed with astonishment. Imagine that magnified 100 times and lasting 54 seconds, I told them, and you will have the general idea.

All's well that ends well. Although unexpectedly delayed, we are finally enjoying simply living in our retirement home - built and rebuilt in the busiest two years of our lives. Relaxing on the verandah at 6pm, sundowner at elbow, looking across mountains to the spectacular evening performance of the sun set- ting in the South China Sea, the memory of July 16, 1990, is beginning to fade.

Postscript

CONTINUED AFTERSHOCKS Bill Barker has sent us the following postscript to

his article:

"The disquieting news here is that the earthquake still has not finished with us. The government has bought 15 hectares of private land immediately below us and plans to develop it as a resettlement area for homeless earthquake victims. As I write, bulldozers are changing the face of the countryside, demolishing trees, and generally filling us with foreboding. We now awake to bulldozers instead of birdsong. Our well-earned tranquility was somewhat short-lived. Such is life!

Tessie and I are about to depart for Indonesia, Sin- gapore and Malaysia for a few weeks of Bank consul- tancy work. We are looking forward to the break rather more than we anticipated."

BANK'S "FAMILY DOCTOR" problems and related family difficulties as well as a

RECALLS EARLY DAYS loss of their sense of identity, were especially affected.

As he recounts his many Bank experiences - STRESS: AN OLD PROBLEM whether advising on the evacuation of a staff member

taken ill on mission or simply assisting staff and their "The partnership of Drs. Sadin, Talpers, Wil- families deal with everyday life in Washington - Dr. kinson and Millon are in attendance daily for the Sadin sounds like the ultimate family doctor, provid- purpose of carrying out pre-employment, pre- ing help and comfort wherever needed. travel, post-travel and annual medical examina-

tions." - "Bank Notes," December 1970.

"It was always challenging," Dr. Harold Sadin says, recalling his 20-year association with the Bank. "The staff of the Bank are a highly sophisticated and knowledgeable group, with high standards. Everyone seems to have at least one doctor in the family."

For 15 years Dr. Sadin and his partners were re- sponsible for providing medical services in the Bank's Health Room. Although this arrangement has ended, he and Drs. Talpers, Wilkinson and Fidler con- tinue to have a large Bank clientele.

"Lacy Carter was the Bank's ex-officio medical di- rector in those days," Dr. Sadin says. "There goes the Bank's heart," he recalls someone saying when Lacy

"My work with Bank staff," he says, "has been the most enjoyable part of my professional life."

COMING IN SEPTEMBER In the September issue of the NEWSLElTER,

Bernard and Jean Clement will give some advice on house-building in the tropics, based on their own experiences in building houses in Haiti, Brazil and Barbados.

Also, Eldon Senner says that running a country inn in New England is not dissimilar to being a divi- sion chief in the Bank, and Mary Dowding describes traveling on the Orient Express to the Bank's 1955 Annual Meeting in Istanbul.

retired.

He remembers Lacy coming into the Health Room personal ~~~i~~ each day with a list of patients on whom she wanted to check. "The Bank was much smaller and more inti- mate then," he says nostalgically. VACATION EXCHANGE

John Zwolinslu offers to exchange house in West- port, Connecticut, USA or house in Crescent Beach,

Health Hazard British Columbia, Canada for equivalent accommoda- tion in Paris, French or Italian Riviera, Italian Lake

In Dr. Sadin's experience, stress is nothing new at District, Sydney [North Shore], London and/or South the Bank; it has been the main health hazard for staff of England.

.2

ever since he became involved with the Bank in the US house has four bedrooms [sleeps six]. It is on

late 1960s. A large majority of the people who have large wooded property in historic New England town come to see him, he says, were suffering from stress on Long Island Sound, 15 minutes from beaches and of one kind or another. water activities. Westport is centrally located to take

Normally the cause was job-related. It was a case advantage of the many attractions of North East USA. of too much work or travel; or people were simply having difficulty coping with the demands on them. In addition, the "cultural deprivation" of being sepa- rated from their home country has been a big factor among non-American staff and their families.

Tremendous Impact

The reorganization of the Bank in 1987 had a tre- mendous impact on staff, Dr. Sadin says. Some non- US staff, for whom loss of employment caused visa

-

The two-bedroom [sleeps four] Canadian house is on large property, five minute walk to beach. It has lovely garden and magnificent views of mountains, water and lights of Vancouver, which is 35 minute drive. Sailing, year-round golf and skiing available. Unparalleled natural areas of North West Canada and USA are within easy reach.

Anyone interested in exchanging properties with John for a vacation should contact him directly at 105 Cavalry Rd, Westport, Connecticut, tel. [203] 227- 1467.

TV CAMERA IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, WASHINGTON POST CHAIRMAN SAYS

BUT THE PEN IS STILL POWERFUL

In the electronic age, the guns of liberty are cameras and computers, fax machines and photo copiers, Katherine Graham, Chairman of the Washington Post Company, said at an 1818 Society luncheon in the Bank in Washington on March 22.

Mrs Graham's address to Society members came a few days after the announcement that she was stand- ing down as Chief Executive Officer of the Washing- ton Post Company. Mrs Graham, who is 73, has run the company for almost 30 years.

In her speech to the luncheon, Mrs Graham re- flected on the role and future of the news media, and how the practice of journalism is changing "in this tur- bulent era."

First President Mrs Graham began her remarks by referring to the

fact that her father, Eugene Meyer, was the first Presi- dent of the World Bank. This, she said, gave her a spe- cial feeling for the Bank.

Mrs Graham believed that, although her father's short presidency was in some ways a difficult and frustrating experience for him, he did much to ensure the Bank's future success.

"He assembled a first-rate staff," Mrs Graham said. "He helped demonstrate the ability of the Bank to obtain capital. He determined how the Board and the Bank President should relate to each other in order for the Bank to function. And he helped to de- fine the Bank's mission in the world."

Driving Force Without question, Mrs Graham said, technology is

the driving force in journalism to-day. Satellites trans- port news, information and ideas around the world with the speed of light. No one lives in isolation any more. Even Albanians, when they get out, want to know what Madonna is really like.

"Video images surmount national boundaries, gov- ernment censorship, and the barriers of culture and language. They are changing the way that rulers rule, leaders lead, and followers follow or do not follow." This has been seen recently in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Katherine Graham (right) with Shirley Boskey

As one observer wrote last year, Mrs Graham said, television was a window through which East Europe- ans could witness the revolutionary changes taking place around them. It filled them with the courage to confront a police state known for its brutal repression of dissent.

Thanks to satellite technology, people were able to see the Persian Gulf War in a way never before possi- ble. The quality and quantity of TV coverage of the war, Mrs Graham believed, had intensified the need and desire for print journalism. The latter fulfilled three essential roles: correcting errors in TV's "in- stant" news coverage; providing in-depth analysis; and placing events in a broader perspective.

Media Giants The advent of global technologies, Mrs Graham

said, had its counterpart in global media companies. Many people believe that the communications indus- try of the 1990s will be dominated by a small number of vertically integrated media giants.

Mrs. Graham was concerned that the need to make money, and the desire to achieve power and gratify the ego, may take precedence over the goal of produc- ing a quality newspaper that contributes to the public good. The continued vitality of print journalism, she believed, is essential to democracy. It would be a di- saster if journalism was totally electronic.

Life after the Reorganization

PURSUING A LIVELIHOOD AS A PAINTER by Meriel Cooper

From childhood I wanted to be a painter. Although I was sent to Germany to study, my family considered it to be a hopelessly ''unreliable" profession.

On and off over the years I had continued to take classes. Quite by chance, as is often the case with the important events in life, I met a teacher who turned out to be the greatest technician I have ever known and joined her class in 1984. Jane Simanis is one of those rare people who not only possess great skill but can impart the techniques to others.

After the reorganization in 1987, I decided that this was a good time to concentrate on painting. My skill seemed to be improving. To my delight, I found that people actually wanted to buy my work. My first sale, in fact, was to a Bank staff member.

I went to Bermuda and painted every day. On this lovely island there is a potential painting every few hundred yards. A local gallery expressed interest in representing me and I sold work privately.

Facing Reality

Unfortunately, it was soon time to face reality and find a permanent office job. Back in Washington,and with self-esteem at a very low ebb after the trauma of the reorganization, I began to explore the market. I discovered that executive assistants with international experience are in great demand and short supply.

In May 1988 I became Assistant to the Director of the American Association of Museums. The people I met through my work were interesting and creative. Although the work was demanding, I thrived and my self-confidence returned.

There was only one snag: I had very little time to paint. After agonizing for months over leaving the AAM and the special people there, I decided to get a part-time job and try to make painting my livelihood. I felt that it was now or never.

Back To Bermuda Having set this course in motion, I fled to Ber-

muda for a month to paint and completed 14 paint- ings, four of which I sold before leaving the island.

So far my new painting career has been full of sur- prises. During 1990 I sold 19 paintings, completed five commissions, and was selected for a prize by the Curator of the Renwick Gallery.

1991 has begun well for me. I have been selected for a one-artist exhibition in Bethesda during the sum- mer, and I was recently given an award of excellence by one of Washington's most prestigious judges.

There will be an exhibition of Meriel Cooper's paintings at McCrillis Gardens and Gallery, 6910 Greentree Road, Bethesda from June 23 to August 4,1991.

People's reasons for wanting to buy my paintings and commissioning work are exciting -a wedding present; to commemorate the birth of a baby; a 50th birthday present; and sometimes just because they think a work will bring them joy. A client com- mented, "I want to come home to one of your paint- ings every evening."

I am fortunate to have this passion to pursue, and to have friends and clients who support my endeav- ors. Life after the Bank has been truly rewarding.

[Meriel Cooper was with the Bank for 20 years. Her last assignment was with the Energy Department.]

CONTINUING TO WORK IN THE GLOBAL ARENA

by Ann Foltz Retirement gives us the freedom to do many things

we dreamed about, but were restrained by office hours and mission travel from doing.

I joined the Bank in 1974 because I wanted to con- tinue working in an international environment, after a wonderful nine years of experience with the Lutheran World Federation, assigned to work in communica- tions in Ethiopia. I am continuing this international pattern in retirement.

From October 1987 to October 1988 I was based in Stuttgart, Germany, assisting the United Bible Soci- eties in organizing their Council meeting held in Bu- dapest, Hungary in September 1988. About 300 people from 105 countries attended the Budapest meeting. I had spent two weeks in Budapest in 1984 and noted many economic changes during my three extended visits there in 1988.

Much to be Done BANK/IFC ANNUAL REPORTS

I am thankful for the opportunity to use my organi- zational skills to bring together persons responsible for the translation, production and distribution of the Bible in many languages. There is still much to be done to provide a copy of God's Word for those who can read, and for the millions who through literacy programs are just learning to read.

At the end of October 1988 I moved to London to assist the World Association for Christian Communi- cation in organizing their first World Congress on the theme "Communication for Community." This Con- gress was held in Manila, the Philippines in October 1989, with about 450 communicators in attendance from 80 countries.

The Congress brought together people working in all types of communication - television, radio, pub- lishing, films, etc.. We will never know the network- ing that went on as these people from all over the world met for the first time to share what they were doing.

Conscious Decision

I made a conscious decision to return to the US in 1990 to be near family and visit with friends. My wildest adventure during the year was llama trekking in the Marble Mountain Wilderness in northern Cali- fornia. You need to be in good physical condition for the rugged walking and climbing in these high alti- tudes. It was wonderful.

AVAILABLE ON REQUEST The Bank and IFC Annual Reports will be sent

free of charge to retirees who request to be placed on the mailing lists for them.

The Bank report is issued around September 1 each year in English, French, Spanish and Arabic, and sometime later in German, Japanese and Chinese. The IFC report is available around September 1 in En- glish, French and Spanish only.

Retirees wishing to be placed on the mailing list for the Bank report should write to World Bank Publi- cations, Annual Report List, and for the IFC report to IFC Publications, both at 1818 H. Street NW, Wash- ington DC 20433. The desired language version should be specified.

BANK INFORMATION MATERIAL Retirees may obtain a copy of "The World Bank,

Current Questions and Answers," an information booklet issued by the Bank, from the Society's office in Washington.

As announced at the Society's Annual Meeting last September, copies of the booklet have been made available to the Society for use by retirees. The Bank plans to update the booklet periodically.

The booklet covers such subjects as the environ- ment; debt; poverty; lending for population, health, nutrition and education; structural adjustment; en- ergy; and regional issues. - -

I am now busy with several small projects as I con- The booklet should be helpful to retirees who have

tinue to enjoy life in my condominium in Arlington, the occasion or opportunity to speak about the Bank Virginia. to, for example, public affairs groups, community or-

[Ann Foltz worked in the Bank from 1974 to ganizations or students. Several requests for the book- 1987, much of the time in the Personnel Department.] let have already been filled.

----

IN MEMORIAM

We regret that, since the last issue of the Newsletter, we have been informed of the deaths of the follow- ing retirees and spouses of deceased retirees, to whose families we extend our sincere sympathy:

Florence Askew, 40, of Reston, Va, on March 14, 1991. Ms Askew retired in 1990; Ahmed Ali El Darwish, 69, of Giza, Egypt, on February 13, 1991. Mr. El Darwish retired in 1982; Wilma Holness, 75, of Washington DC, on April 11, 1991. Mrs Holness was the wife of Ivan Holness, who

died in 1980; Pauline Newton, 69, of Washington DC, on March 25, 1991. Mrs. Newton retired in 1976; Marion Woolley, 86, of Kailua, Hawaii, on February 14, 1991. Mrs Woolley was the wife of Herbert

Woolley, who died in 1976.

Insurance News

DISCUSSIONS ON PROPOSED LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PLAN

1818 SOCIETY WELCOMES BANK INITIATIVE

Discussions on a proposed new Long-Term Care Insurance Plan have been held by Bank staff with The 1818 Society. A review of the proposal by the Staff Association was in progress at the time of writing.

Subject to the outcome of the staff review, the plan - which would provide insurance coverage for assistance required by chronically ill or disabled peo- ple unable to look after themselves - would be sub- mitted to the Bank's management for approval.

Metropolitan Life has been recommended to be the insurer for the plan after evaluating proposals re- ceived from a number of companies.

Draft Document A draft document outlining the principal features

of the proposed plan was presented to and discussed with members of the Society's Board of Directors and its Insurance Committee in April.

Members raised a number of questions during the discussions. They also noted the need for clarification of some aspects and emphasised the importance of providing staff and retirees with clear and comprehen- sive information about the features and implications of the final proposal.

Subject to these concerns, the Society's Board con- sidered that the proposal merited management ap- proval. Retirees have long been pressing for a Bank-sponsored plan providing assistance with long- term care. Accordingly, the Board welcomed the Bank's initiative and urged that the plan be put into ef- fect in the near future.

Principal features of the proposed plan as outlined in the draft paper were as follows:

Plan participation The proposed plan would be open to retirees and

staff and their spouses, surviving spouses, parents and parents-in-law [but not, it appeared, to adult children, an apparent anomaly to which the Society called at- tention].

Applicants would have to complete a health ques- tionnaire, which would be more extensive for seniors than for staff; they could be disqualified for coverage in light of their responses. Persons with specified

known serious health problems would be automati- cally excluded.

Insurance coverage

Coverage would be provided for nursing home care in a licensed nursing home; for home care such as nursing visits, home health aide and adult day c d ; and for respite care [to relieve family members caring for a sick person at home].

Only costs incurred in the US would be covered, at least initially. The possibility of arranging a scheme with broader geographic coverage would be consid- ered later if the proposed plan was a success.

Levels of benefits

The proposed plan would reimburse covered ser- vices up to specified daily maximum limits. It was en- visaged that two maximum levels of daily benefits would be offered to applicants, with a lifetime maxi- mum for each.

Premiums

Premiums would be based on the level of benefits chosen and on the age of a person at the time of en- rollment; they would rise sharply with entry age. Pre- miums would be paid entirely by the individual; there would be no Bank contribution.

Benefit eligibility

An insured person would be eligible for benefits under the proposed plan when he or she was assessed as having physical and/or mental impairment to the extent that there was considerable dependence upon human assistance for specified activities of daily liv- ing such as bathing, dressing and eating.

Waiting period

The draft paper envisaged that benefits would not be paid until after a "waiting period of a specified number of days during which the insured had paid for covered services [comparable to a "deductible"].

Premium waiver

Premiums would be waived during the payment of benefits for nursing home care. There would be no premium waiver for home care.

Inflation protection To allow for inflation, it would be possible to pur-

chase additional amounts of insurance every two years. Premiums on additional coverage would be based on age at purchase.

GOOD NEWS ON MEDICAL INSURANCE PLAN

Contrary to expectations, the Bank has decided that an increase in retirees' contributions to the Medi- cal Insurance Plan [MIP] is not required at the mo- ment.

The March issue of the NEWSLETTER noted the possibility that high retiree claims on the MIP might necessitate a sharp increase in retiree contributions in May. However, retiree claims have fallen in recent months, while the Bank's contribution to the MIP has been raised from 67% to 75% of costs.

The trend of claims will continue to be watched closely, and an increase in premiums later this year is not ruled out.

Early Retirees Welcome relief seems to be in sight for early retir-

ees - those who retired between age 55 and 62 with 10-15 years' service - who at the moment do not re- ceive any Bank "subsidy" towards the cost of their medical insurance.

It has been proposed that this group of retirees, some of whom have been paying over $500 per month in premiums for family coverage, should in fu- ture be treated like other retirees. Their premiums would therefore be reduced considerably.

A management decision on the proposal was pend- ing at the time of writing. The change would apply to existing as well as future early retirees.

INSURANCE SEMINAR A seminar for retirees on health insurance matters

was held in the Bank in late February with Richard Eddy, Chief of the Bank's Insurance Unit. A large number of retirees attended.

Long-term Care Insurance Mr Eddy provided preliminary information on the

proposed Long-Term Care Insurance Plan. He noted that the only home services covered by the Medical Insurance Plan [MIP] are those provided by a regis-

tered nurse under an active medical treatment pro- , gram. There is no maximum to the MIP's coverage of

hospital or physicians' charges for treatment of "cata- strophic" illnesses.

Medical Insurance Plan

Mr Eddy announced recent changes to the Medical Insurance Plan regarding Bank and retiree contribu- tions; deductible expenses; routine eye examinations; and routine baby care. Details of these changes have been mailed to all retirees.

On routine baby care, Mr Eddy noted that this might be thought to be of little relevance to retir- ees. In fact, 25 babies had been born to retirees in the previous six months.

Mr Eddy invited retirees to contact his office if they have any questions [tel. (202)473-0804].

Pensions and Taxes

ESTATE TAX PROTECTION FOR NON-US SPOUSES

NEW PROVISIONS ISSUED Administrative rules and procedures have been is-

sued governing payments under the Bank's Staff Re- tirement Plan [SRP] to a Qualified Domestic Trust [QDT]. Details of the provisions were recently mailed by the Pension Office to all retirees.

As reported in the last issue of the NEWSLET- TER, the SRP has been amended to permit retirees or their non-US spouses to designate a QDT as recipient of the Plan's surviving spouse pension payments. This change is relevant only for non-US spouses who are now or expect to be faced with an estate tax in the us.

The change in the SRP is part of arrangements made by the Bank to reduce the adverse effects on non-US spouses of recent US estate tax legislation. Passing surviving spouse pension payments through a QDT defers estate tax for the spouses or spreads pay- ments over future years.

The Bank has once again urged persons with non- US spouses to contact an expert in estate planning to determine the best approach to suit their particular cir- cumstances, since individual cases are varied and es- tate tax law is complex.

COMING EVENTS

Washington DC July 13,1991 - Summer outing to Wolf Trap for

a performance by the Bolshoi Opera. Limited to 75 people.

September 27,1991 - 13th Annual Meeting and Reception.

October 15,1991 - Luncheon. Speaker to be an- nounced.

December 3,1991 - Luncheon. Speaker to be an- nounced.

when they retire. However, the lifetime membership fee for the Society is a modest $10 and the benefits, we think, substantially outweigh the cost.

The 1818 Society serves its members by acting as a liaison with the Bank; providing a channel to man- agement through which retirees' concerns may be ex- pressed; keeping retirees informed of proposed actions and policies of the Bank that are of interest to, or will af- fect, them; and facilitating contacts among them.

Society Activities

The Society holds an annual meeting in the fall fol- lowed by a reception, and a reunion dinner in the spring. Other activities are scheduled throughout the

Invitations to the above events will be sent out in year such as luncheons with a distinguished speaker,

due course. Please note that luncheons will in fu- ture be held on 'hestlays instead of Fridays. The visits to places of interest and cultural events. The

dates of these events are announced in the Society's change is at the request of the Bank's Dining room.

Newsletter, which goes to all members three or four Australia times a year.

Information about the Southern Cross Chapter's ac- The Society has also prepared and issued a direc- tivities can be obtained from Dawn Andemn, Unit 27. tory listing names and addresses of all retirees. This 40 Archer Street, Chatswood, NSW 2067 or IWguet directory, and periodic updates, are sent to all retirees, Heather, 73 Ben Boyd Road, Neutral Bay, NSW 2089. including non-members.

France Information about the French Chapter's activities

can be obtained from the Bank's Paris Office, 66 Ave- nue d'lena, Paris 751 16 [tel. (1) 40 69 30 001.

Germany September 28129,1991 - Gathering of the Ger-

man Chapter at the Hotel Sophienpark in Baden- Baden.

Information about the German Chapter's activities can be obtained from Dieter Elz, Limonenstrasse 11, 1 0 0 Berlin 45 [tel. 030/8326132].

United Kingdom Information about the UK Chapter's activities can

be obtained from the Bank's London Office, New Zealand House, London SW1 Y4TE [te1.(71)930-85 111.

INVITATION TO NON-MEMBERS: PLEASE JOIN US

Distribution of the NEWSLETTER is normally confined to members of The 18 18 Society. This issue is being sent to all Bank retirees, with an invitation to non-members to join the Society.

Contrary to some people's impression, Bank staff do not automatically become members of the Society

There are chapters of the Society in Australia, France, Germany and the united Kingdom. These have their own membership qualifications and activities. The Society's Newsletter carries information about them.

A membership application form will be found at the back of the Dkctcny of Retires as of October 3 1, 1989, which you should all have. If you do not, please write to the Society's office in Washington. We look for- ward to welcoming non-members to the Society

THE 1818 SOCIETY Room E 1-045,1818 H St. NW, Washington DC

20433, USA

Telephone: (202)458- 1956

President and Board Chairman: Shirley Boskey

Board Members: A.J. Carmichael, Richard Dosik, Jonas Haralz, E ~ q u e Lerdau, Gillian Odam, Gloria Scott, Douglas Fontein (Honorary Member)

Officers: Vice President, Mary Wolfe; Treasurer, John Bladen; Asst. Treasurer, William Bennett; Secre- tary, Verna Via; Asst. Secretary, Susan Frampton

NEWSLETTER Editor: Richard Clements

Asst. Editor: Hugh Collier