1951's Tenth Reunion
'51 struck a gusher with its first keg on Friday afternoon in the class tent near the Sphinx, and this proved symbolic of the good fortune to prevail throughout the weekend. Three sunny days, two cool evenings (for those who weren't able to stay longer), attendance by some 225 classmates and wives, gourmet meals, a modern jazz combo and a classic piano, plenty of time to relax and instant beer made our tenth titanic! Thanks were indeed in order to the planning, production and prayer of Bob Leavitt, Jack Gannon, Ralph Watkins, Hank Sanders, Don Morse and the rest of the reunion committee who made the event.
Official quarters (for brushing teeth, if not for sleep) were the Ripley, Woodward, Smith dormitory group. The overflow went into Topliff. Some single rooms assigned to recently married couples presented an impasse, but as one of our wits pointed out, "Love will find a way." And it was a great central location for our program.
Among early arrivals in an assortment of suburban automobiles were Shorty and Lyona Allison, Jim and Elaine Bovaird, Al and Joan Brout, Bob and Mitzi Byall, Harry and Maribel Johnson, Don and Suzanne Rider and Ben and Terry Sykes. Their treks represented not only commuting from Boston, but the overnight haul from Cleveland or Chicago. Ted and Anne Glaser had come days earlier with trailer and camped out.
By the time of the alumni reception and buffet dinner around Alumni Gym, the smart set (Tom and Betsy Brown, Joe and Donna Welch, Dave Hall and brother Harry '50 and Gloria Hall) had already changed their ensembles twice.
The pack returned from dinner, a reception in President Dickey's garden, or the informal dance in College Hall. By now the tent that Jack Skewes and his Buildings and Grounds crew raised was packed. Green weatherized soft hats had been issued to the men. The ladies wore white and green crew hats. A few senior blazers not yet devoured by moths and several senior canes not broken by child beating appeared. And we played it safe on several occasions by glancing at large identification buttons before screaming "Hello, Hank!" to Bob and Judy Larigan.
An undergraduate, Terry Holland '62, proved to be an octopus serving beer from the tap, and lubricated chatting began: Howie and "Mat" Allen had motored in from Portland, Me., on sabbatical from the shoe business; Suds and Marcia Bissell brought news of a new job in Boston's financial community; Jim and Joan Culberson, expecting in September, were fortifying against the chill Hanover evening air not similar to the climate of Greensboro, N. C.; Bob Hustelc told of the trials of coaching high school basketball teams; Jack Jacobey regretted not inviting some comely research coed from Harvard Medical School when he couldn't find a nurse in Hanover; Dave Krivitsky provided a Fabulastic discussion in women's wear; and Joe Spound and spouse described the new house they've built in hometown Leominster, Mass.
Suddenly the lights went out. In a mass huddle, we premiered movies of the fifth reunion, and the irrepressible Al Karcher helped John Clayton call plays in some film moments of final '51 games. John was not able to attend reunion, but Karcher reached him by means of the loudspeaker system.
The combo's lively music on Friday night was not supposed to lull the group to sleep. Dave Wiggins was assigned the upright piano and this task at 4 a.m. when the weaker 200 class members decided to turn in. Not until 7:30 Saturday morning did we truly realize that music and the legal profession bred such hardy men as Dave and Russ Dilks. The Philadelphia lawyer said his all-night survival was aided by an assortment of "Jewish, Episcopalian and Catholic jokes."
Saturday activities were officially started by Rabbi Bill Leffler who conducted the memorial service. Bill turned our thoughts to Ulrich Adami, Bruce Carson, Chuck Collins, Jack Hodgson, John Lounsberry, Jack McQuade and Ted Weis, and then guided us back to our own lives.
Gary Mansur ran a half-hour business meeting. Secretary's and treasurer's reports were heartily approved. Jim Robinson gave his class agent's report on the Alumni Fund in progress. The class voted to adopt the memorial book program which Ed Lathem and Pete Henderson instituted — a tribute both to the men who had the idea and to the men whose memory will be kept in Baker Library. Then nominating committee chairman Jim Balderston rose to announce the results of elections which were conducted the day before. Chairman, Herb Knight; Secretary, Russ Dilks; Treasurer, Tom Porter; Newsletter Editor, Al Karcher; Members at large: Pete Henderson, Hank Sanders, Dave Krivitsky, Bob Bowler, Dave Saxton, Dave Hilton, Dick Rogers, Loye Miller and Frank Smallwood. Congratulations, gentlemen! '51 has a working team!
Saturday afternoon was spent idyllically (?), shopping, telling jokes, consuming box lunches provided with instant beer at the tent. A guided tour of new College facilities was provided. The Hinman cabin of D.O.C. was reserved for '51 use and visited by frontier classmates and black flies. And one group tripped under a waterfall, resulting in a fast but only temporary visit to Dick's House.
The only "full dress" affair of the weekend was the cocktail party (held on the Psi U lawn) and banquet on Saturday evening in the new adjoining wing of Thayer Hall. The Hanover Inn staff served our cocktails; several thoughtful undergraduate Psi U brothers still in Hanover offered further refreshment in their rooms. Dean and Mrs. Karl Hill of Tuck School, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Zeller of the Glee Club, and Mr. and Mrs. DeOrmond McLaughry were faculty guests for the affair. "Tuss" gathered with his "boys" - Suds Bissell, Bob Dore, Ted Eberle,Bob McCraney, Dave McDonough, Dick Mc-Farland, Parke Sickler and Craig Murphy to advise on football prospects.
A great dinner of roast beef followed. Master of Ceremonies Karcher followed dinner. Introductions were extremely formal, until President Dickey slipped into the hall unnoticed - but Al fitted him into the speak- ing program! Among classmates, Al introduced all the bachelors ("These men were the Phi Betes, the athletic greats, the campus leaders of our time"), singled out members who had traveled the greatest distance (Bob and Mary Tomfohrde had come from California and Bob Hirschman returned from Germany), and passed cut achievement awards to former officers (handsomely lettered scrolls which Dick Pugh has always prepared).
"The Dartmouth Student - 1961" was the theme for two speakers that evening. Rev. Fred Berthold '45, Dean of the Tucker Foundation, spoke meaningfully of the students' academic and moral achievements. Frank Smallwood, now assistant professor of government, turned to the less formal reporting of students' fertile imagination and won the plaudits of everyone, including wife Anne.
Some of us took in the Dartmouth Players' production of "The Pajama Game" in Webster Hall after the banquet. But everyone eventually gravitated to the class tent. Jay Wolf, who did not review the musical, offered Fred and Roo Brown theatrical contracts for their singing talents. The CarlGlassbergs, Al Moris, and Jack Weingartens were planning a return to the tennis courts. Chet and Nina Cotter discussed the new Dartmouth architecture they had seen that day and reported on the whereabouts of former roommate Paul Wenger, now practicing law in Los Angeles. Joanna Dutton pulled Dick's hat down over his eyes in the style of a Gloucester fisherman.
Group singing started in earnest. A dance hall chorus line formed as the rhythm of Wiggins' piano began again. Karcher, in possession of the microphone, called for "the attention of the tent" and started rehearsals on his speech.
Sunday morning brought sanity back and that '51 institution, brunch in the tent. The Hanover Inn staff served scrambled eggs, lamb chops, baked potatoes, corn muffins, juice and coffee to all. Moon Sutton went back for seconds. Dean of the Faculty Arthur Jensen and Mrs. Jensen were our guests for brunch. Karcher reappeared in a polo player's ensemble.
We began to bid goodbyes to the Bellesheims, Boissys, Booths, Caldwells, Coles, Dunns, Ellises, Funks, Geilichs, Goulburns, Hurowitzes, Irelands, Johnstons, Jorgensens, Landaus, Miners, Orths, Paleys, Palmers, Persons, Ranneys - and realized that we really hadn't said hello or talked to everyone. The bulletin board in the tent, formerly decked with pictures and schedules and telegrams of regret from the Leslies and Renners, now read "See you in '65!"
RETIRING CLASS CHAIRMAN
