New York City
Everyone around the New York area is getting pretty excited over a certain coming event. It promises to be a real lulu. Would that we could write about it as if it had already happened, for when these words appear, it will have indeed. And nothing ever seems quite so lopsided as reading about what a swell time you will have when you already had it last Friday evening. Nonetheless, right now our editorial integrity obliges us to talk about this forthcoming Big Affair as just what it is at this point... a forthcoming affair.
Each year there's always one big alumni turnout in the New York area. For a long time now, this one big event in the year for Dartmouth alumni has been the Annual Alumni Dinner, held usually at the Commodore Hotel. Big dinners were served, and the occasion was formalized by a toastmaster, speakers, etc. Many, hereabouts, felt that these dinners were too tight on "reunion time"—one of the main reasons for having such get-togethers.
As a result, things are taking a new turn this year. No stag banquet. Instead ... something entirely fresh and different... a real PARTY ... with dancing ... songs by the Glee Club ... and ... women! The date for this Annual Alumni Turnout (New Style) is March 30.
The man behind this change-of-pace is a man who really knows how to put on a party, Brice Disque Jr. '25. Brice was able to do quite an unusual thing. For the first time in its long history, the rather choosy Seventh Regiment is making its quarters available to a group such as ours. We're in luck, for this is the spot for our traditional Big Green Turnout. Its unusual atmosphere will go hand-in-glove with the unusual nature of the party.
Festivities will get underway at 8:15 P.M. with a short program by the Dartmouth Glee Club. The boys, incidentally, will be appearing that afternoon on the Kate Smith Hour for six minutes at 4:45, NBC-TV. Allan Dingwall '42 made all the arrangements. The program will be carried in 96 cities from coast to coast.
About 10 o'clock, a local Dartmouth favorite, Hugo Pedell will start brewing his happy brand of music, and he'll play straight through without intermissions for three solid hours. Hugo and his 12-piece orchestra are now appearing in the Carnival Room at the Sherry Netherlands. He won over the Dartmouth fraternity last December 28 by creating a wonderfully merry mood for the Club's tea dance (see February ALUMNI MAGAZINE). Everybody was having such a good time, they wouldn't let him stop. It sure looked like tea dances were back to stay.
Tables are going to be arranged cabaretstyle around the floor, and there'll be no formal seating plans. Drinks will be served at the tables and also in the bar. The whole evening will be available for wandering around, joshing with old friends, checking up on receding hair-lines, expanding waist-lines, etc.
At this date, the committee planning this new-version Alumni Turnout is beginning to wonder how many to expect. There are 5,000 alumni in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area. The Armory is plenty big, but it's no Yankee Stadium. (Word has just come in that Chantilly Z. Feep is coming. Looks like this will be no small party.)
Secretary, Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn 383 Madison Ave., New York 17, N.Y.
