Because of the coronavirus outbreak and the current opaqueness of the sudden situation, we at Gunma JALT have decided to postpone our March 1st event ("A Visit to the Past") until we are sure that we can have this event safely and comfortably. We arrived at this decision after discussions between our presenters (Prof. Pennington and Prof. Shibayama), our Chapter President (Heather McCulloch), our Treasurer (Sylvain Bergeron), and our Publicity Chair and planner for this event (Raymond Hoogenboom). We all agreed that while this event is important to us, we should not risk our health and the health of others if we can avoid doing so. We apologize to all of you who have been looking forward to "Visit to the Past". We will re-schedule the event as soon as we know that the situation is safe. Please anticipate our notice of re-scheduling, which hopefully will be soon. In the meantime, everybody please stay healthy and be cautious. We look forward to seeing you all soon. Original Abstract: MORE THAN 30 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE the Gunma JALT kickoff meeting was held in September of 1986. Many of the people who worked so hard to establish this important organization are advancing in years and the current leadership have offered us an opportunity to get together and reminisce. JALT-Gunma is and always has been about people so we would like to welcome as many people to this event as possible. We’d like to spotlight the “old-timers” so we ask those who were active from 1986 to 2000 to please drop by and share one of your fond memories of JALT-Gunma from this time. If you have a favorite photograph, please bring it (If you can digitize it that would be better. If you send it ahead of time that would be even better). Even if you don’t have a photograph, you are welcome to speak for a couple of minutes. (Sorry, we have time limitations.) WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT the event is open to everyone and we encourage you to come out and have some fun with us in traditional JALT-Gunma fashion. MORIJIRO SHIBAYAMA graduated from Tohoku University in 1959. After working at high school, college and university in Kanto area, retired from Maebashi Institute of Technology in 2014. In between, received training at ELEC in Tokyo, studied with Robert Lado at Georgetown University and for M.Ed. at Seattle Pacific University. Involved in the inauguration of Gunma JALT at the suggestion of Wayne Pennington in 1986. WAYNE PENNINGTON graduated from the University of Hawai’i and came to Japan in 1974. Has lived and worked in Ibaraki, Kanagawa, and presently Gunma. Currently teaches at Maebashi Kyoai Gakuen University. Came to Gunma in 1983 at Professor Shibayama’s invitation. Been living on the south slope of Mt. Akagi, enjoying the view (but not the cold wind) every day for the past 25 years.
