NAME: David Perry Fouts

NAME: David Perry Fouts

Spouse: Joyce Bitalla Fouts (WCS class of 1960)

82 Grist Mill Lane

Stanfordville, NY 12581 485 868-7032 <>

On the occasion of 50 years having passed since my graduation from Wappingers Central High School (WCS), I offer this brief and I hope not too laborious bio.

I came to WCS in my sophomore year, not a good time to transfer schools and furthermore I was bused in from the Spackenkill area, that area not yet supporting their own high school. My father worked for IBM and we lived in the shadow of the Main Plant, a long way from WCS. In addition, I had a regular paper route after school so that even if I had an interest in after school activities, it was out of the question. Consequently I entered the Class of ‘58 through the side door, but enter it I did.

Sometime in my senior year, I heard in the hallways excited chatter from some of my classmates, none of which I was on a best friend basis with, that they had been accepted into this, that, or another college. I had not even applied. My family history had not included college graduates and the subject had never come up. In a rare career oriented conversation with my father, a hard working, never resting kind of guy, he suggested that since I was good at math and science (I could have argued the point), why not become a lab technician. I said OK and then began to look around and see exactly what a lab technician was.

In an incredible stroke of luck, 1958 was the year that Dutchess Community College was opening its doors. I gathered up the courage to apply and through an even more incredible stroke of luck, passed the amazingly brief entrance exam and was accepted into the Electronics Technician program. It was a struggle, but I managed to be a part of the first graduating class of 1960. In that single year, I graduated Dutchess, enrolled in night classes in Pre-engineering, married my WCS sweetheart Joyce Bitalla, joined IBM, went on our honeymoon, bought my first new car, and announced our first pregnancy all before Christmas. I was 20, she was 18. (What were we thinking?) Those were different times, I tell my children.

Not that happy being a technician in a company full of professional engineers, I soon applied for night classes at Marist College. We settled in Spackenkill, built a new house and I eventually graduated from the Physics program in Marist, was promoted to engineer at IBM, and soon after having our second child, moved “to the country” in Stanfordville so we could have chickens. There were other reasons for the move, but I seem to remember chickens near the top of the list. We have lived in Stanfordville since that time.

Our third child was born in Stanfordville and all three children graduated from Pine Plains High School. Active in the community, I have at one time or another been a Deacon at Church, held elective office, coached little league, and served as president of the Lions Club and the Historical Society. At IBM, I managed to attain the level of Senior Engineering manager. I have authored seven books (none published) and written countless poems (most quite forgettable). We raised beef cattle, pigs, goats, had a horse, and for a brief period a milk cow on our little farm. And, of course we had chickens. We raised our own vegetables and put meat in the freezer. We learned not to name anything you plan to put in the freezer. Two of my children are vegetarians.

While in Dutchess Community College, again quite by accident, I took an art survey course. I loved the oil painting segment of the class. As soon as I was able, I started formal education in art. As it happened, I started a class in Arlington High School at night and the teacher, a lifetime artist named Emil Walters of LaGrange took an interest in my work and encouraged me. The rest is history as they say. Over the years, I studied with many people in NY and CA and after retiring from IBM (39 years) I have become a full time artist. Joyce and I own a gallery (Landmark Gallery) on the shore of the Kennebunk River in Kennebunkport, ME, and have purchased a small cottage in Kennebunk. Our three children have grown, graduated college, married, and two of them are presenting us with our first grandchildren this year. 2008 is setting up to be a very good year indeed, and looking back on the experience over the last fifty years, starting with WCS, it has been and continues to be a very good life.