AC_1965_Web

43 AN T I OC H CO L L E G E C L A S S O F 19 6 5 5 0 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y B O O K A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z F R A N K L I N FRANKLIN LORETTA [CLEMENT] [BARBER] THEN AND NOW 4 B.A. Philosophy 4 M.S., Mathematics, Boston University FAMI LY 4 Husband, David Franklin 4 Son, Michael Franklin 4 Daughter, Joanne 4 Son, Joe 4 Seven grandchildren ADDRESS 4 9 Preston Rd. Somerville, MA 02143 CONTACT 617 628-1435 lorettaf42@me.com A F T E R A N T I O C H I went to Boston University spending 3 years to get a M.S. and Ph.D.WoT in math. In 1968 I started working at MIT in the Computer Center, later named the Information Processing Center. I stayed there till 1971 when I planned to move to San Francisco with my sister.Well, as it happened, my sister met her future husband while with me in Boston and SF never happened. After living off my savings for as long as possible, I got another job at MIT in the psychology department as a statistical programmer and later a statistician. During this period, I went back to graduate school at MIT in operations research for one year landing up, yet again, with a Ph.D.WoT. Instead of continuing, I dropped out following my then boy- friend, and a few years later, husband (David),doing carpentry,woodwork- ing, and furniture refinishing. In 1982, through a confluence of events we got the message that we should start a business develop- ing into a product an idea that David had been working on for many years.The biggest factor was that the U.S. Government started a program called Small Business Innovation Research, giving grants to small com- panies developing medical products. This, together with the encourage- ment of friends of ours working in a closely-related field at MIT, helped us decide to go for it.With the help of these grants, we developed and marketed a device called a tactile aid which was used by profoundly deaf individuals to feel the sounds rather than hear them. It was helpful for lip-reading and for environmen- tal sounds. After a number of years cochlear implants were perfected to such an extent that the need for tactile aids was greatly reduced.We switched our research to developing a superior FM wireless amplification system for use in schools for which David got and sold a patent. Around 2002, after 20 years of the business,we decided it was time to retire. So, we stopped applying for grants and started winding down our business. Since then I have been spend- ing my time catering to my interests: photography (wild animals—espe- cially meerkats, people, and land- scape) being the primary, gardening, and yoga. Since 2009, I have been traveling to South Africa and have fallen in love with it. Initially, I went to spend time with the meerkats at the Kalahari Meerkat Project. (I am absolutely in love with these little guys). However, I now have friends there and enjoy visit- ing them and touring with them (and David when he travels). (I’ve put photos and videos of my travels as well as lots of miscellaneous stuff on Smugmug at my gallery, http:// www.rocketdog2.com. ) At the KMP with friend standing guard. As a consequence of these trips, I have become involved with an organization called Infinite Family where we mentor young children whose parents had contracted HIV/ AIDS and live in poverty. The mis- sion is to promote self-reliance by augmenting what is taught in the classroom and the home—helping develop confidence and resourceful- ness by teaching them skills in edu-