A Family Reunion
Photo by Carl Socolow '77.
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
Leading up to Alumni Weekend, we chatted with father-daughter Dickinsonians Henry Menin ’59 and Jane Menin Bagley ’84, both celebrating milestone class-year reunions this spring, about their Dickinson memories, the similar paths they chose and the personal connections that made all the difference.
Henry came to Dickinson at 16 after rarely venturing outside of his native Philadelphia. His sister, French major Carolyn Menin Hoppe ’56, kept an eye on him, at their parents’ request. Meeting people from across the country and around the world—including a family of Hungarian Revolution refugees he helped tutor—was a maturing and world-expanding experience.
He made lifelong friends in Beta House (and eventually was named president), learned lacrosse and played interfraternity football and softball and plenty of bridge and had a grand old time.
“Forming relationships with administrators as well as the faculty made a tremendous difference in my life,” he said, recalling that when he visited campus decades after his graduation, Dean Ben James ’34 greeted him by name.
Henry went on to Temple Law School and did trial work in Philadelphia, before setting up practice as partner in Menin, Flick & Josel; he also took up sailing, winning local and national championships. He and wife Fredelle had two children, Gregg and Jane, and were pleased when Jane enrolled at Dickinson.
While attending his alma mater, Jane had no intention of following her dad’s professional path; she wanted to be a French teacher, like her Aunt Carolyn. An excellent student who played squash, led an aerobics class and joined Gamma Kappa Beta, she thoroughly enjoyed her two study-abroad experiences in France. She was student teaching senior year when a friend encouraged her to take the LSAT.
“I’d been helping him get ready for his LSAT, and I took law classes in France, so I knew the material,” she said, “and I discovered I had a talent for it.” After talking it over with an advisor, she enrolled at Temple Law, where she met husband Joe Bagley.
After the birth of their first daughter, Jane left her career as a trial attorney for an in-house position at an insurance company with family friendlier hours. Today, she’s senior vice president and chief legal officer.
Coming back to campus for her 35th reunion, Jane was thrilled to share memories and laughs not only with classmates Happy Ritterhoff Barber and Diane Kennedy Sullivan, but also with her family. “Words can’t even begin to describe how meaningful it is to be able to share this reunion weekend with both my parents, who spent so much time together on campus when he was a student,” she said.
“It is a beautiful blend of love, pride, satisfaction and so much more,” Henry added. “Fredelle and I are completely overjoyed.”
Read more from the summer 2019 issue of Dickinson Magazine.
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Published August 15, 2019