The Reunion Week
THIS YEAR a few of the Hanover wags were commenting, "Won't it be nice when June comes and it gets warm,' but even temperatures that sent the thermometer skidding into winter clothing territory didn't begin to chill the spirit of the nine classes that enthusiastically made the pilgrimage to Hanover for reunion week, June 9-15. The oldsters of 1898,1903 and 1908 held their gatherings over commencement. weekend, but reunion week began in earnest the following Monday morning, June 9, with the influx from the classes of 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1918. These classes took part in their numerous festivities and stayed until Wednesday night or Thursday morning as members of the 25-year Class of 1933 began to trickle in. 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1948 arrived in their turn Friday morning and their reunion activities continued on until the various memorial services held Sunday morning in the Bema or Rollins Chapel.
Monday evening started things off for the arriving older classes with numerous cocktail parties followed by buffets or class banquets. The Class of 1914 featured its traditional parade into dinner at the Hanover Inn led by the doughty "Bagpipers of Ben Dhu" (West Lebanon) in their full highland regalia. After dinner President and Mrs. Dickey received the alumni and guests in their home. The new Choate Road dormitories were open for inspection Tuesday morning followed by the Alumni Luncheon at Thayer Hall, featuring as speakers, Ellsworth B. Buck '14, presiding vice president of the General Association of Alumni; Sidney C. Hayward '26, secretary of the Association; and President Dickey. There were more social activities that evening and the Dartmouth Players topped things off with an outstanding performance of Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker" in Webster Hall.
All was quiet on the campus Wednesday, but the arrival of 1933 Thursday afternoon heralded the coming of the later classes. Following a reception and buffet given by the College for the 25-year class, a special 1933 Hanover Holiday session on the Baker lawn featured Professor Allen R. Foley '20 speaking on "Dartmouth College During the Past Quarter Century." Friday brought in 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1948 with a flurry of cocktail parties and buffet dinners in the tents. 1933 had the usual 25-year junior tent for the youngsters and for the first time the 20-year classes combined to set up a junior tent on their side of the campus. President and Mrs. Dickey received the classes at their home that evening and at ten o'clock many of the more sprightly reuners attended the alumni dance in College Hall where the Barbary Coast was holding forth. The new dormitories were again opened for inspection Saturday morning and the traditional class pictures were taken on the Green.
One of the highpoints of the week's more formal programs was the special panel discussion held Saturday morning in Baker Library's 1903 Room entitled "Admission to College Now and in the Future." An overflow audience listened to a discussion of many of the problems facing parents of children approaching col- lege age with today's highly competitive and tightening admission standards. Presided over by Donald C. McKinlay '37, former chairman of the National Enrollment Committee, the panel included Edward T. Chamberlain '36, director of admissions; Prof. Bancroft H. Brown, Committee on Admissions; Louis V. Wilcox '23, chairman of the National Enrollment Committee; and Elliot B. Noyes '32, assistant director of freshman sports.
The 105th meeting of the General Association of Alumni was held Saturday immediately following luncheon in the gymnasium. The speakers included Justin A. Stanley '33, president of the Association; Mr, Hayward '26; Guy P. Wallick '21, president of the Dartmouth Alumni Council; and President Dickey. Later in the day many alumni and their families journeyed down to the banks of the Connecticut to watch the varsity and freshman crews race against M.I.T. Class dinners took charge of things Saturday evening and the Dartmouth Players performed again in Webster Hall to a large and receptive audience. 1948 had an early, and 1933 a later memorial service in Rollins Chapel Sunday morning, while 1937, 1938, and 1939 combined their services in the Bema.
The Hanover Holiday sessions, June 9-15, were marked by uniformly high attendance and interest, and featured as speakers: H. Wentworth Eldredge '31, Professor of Sociology; Amos N. Blandin Jr. '1B, Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court; Roy P. Forster, Professor of Zoology; George M. DimitrofF, Professor of Astronomy; Richard B. McCornack '41, Professor of History; Robert E. Huke '48, Assistant Professor of Geography; Allen R. Foley '20, Professor of History; and two regular panel discussions led by Kenneth M. Spang '33, of the Foreign Bondholders Protective Council, Inc., and John F. Meek '33, Vice President and Treasurer of the College.
The Alumni Council arrived Wednesday and stayed through Friday, carrying on its agenda many important general sessions and committee meetings.
Hanover returned to its soporific summer normalcy Monday morning as the last stragglers o£ the reuning classes left town and the traditional big tents and bleachers on the campus began to come down to be packed away for another year. The rickety old pianos that appear mysteriously in the tents every year disappeared just as mysteriously, a little more out of tune and carrying more beer stains and another coat of memories and good cheer. The reuners have gone, but revived friendships and .freshened memories of college years have gone along with them.
