Bernard Baruch enjoyed direct contact with students in the school that bore his name. Here with a class in the 1950s.
In response to Seymour (Sy) Passman’s article about bumping into Bernard M. Baruch in the 17 Lex elevator, Richard Lazar (’56) sent BCAM the following anecdote from his student days:
“I was in the class of 1956, and I have a parallel story to Sy Passman’s, because I was also there in 1953. My story would probably be called ‘Bernard Baruch Outside.’
“I remember being really impressed that Bernard Baruch was coming to our school. Clear as a day of sunshine, I remember seeing him and seeing that he was kind of hunched over. I was entering the school [the Field Building at 17 Lexington Avenue], and someone in front of me asked him kindly if he were injured. He said, ‘No, but when you get to be 83, don’t do backflips.’
“I love this story, and I’m delighted to share it with my fellow alumni. The editors are right: When too many years go by, lots of interesting stuff gets lost. I hope my story adds a bit to College lore, and I bet Mr. Passman will appreciate it. He can know that he may have felt bad falling down, yet it took an 83-year-old guy with a bad back to help him up.
“I learned from Bernard Baruch—I stopped doing backflips at 79.”
—Dr. Richard (“Spike”) Lazar (’56)
About the Alumnus Dr. Richard Lazar is the Chairman Emeritus of The Lazar Group, Inc. He is founder and developer of
The New American Leadership System™
Peacemaker and an authority on
organizational leadership,
behavioral economics, and humorology. Read his blog at LazarAchievementPsychology.com. Network Now: Richard would love to hear from fellow Baruchians—especially those from House Plan Lasak—at richard@thelazargroup.com.