1951's 15th
Hanover, 2 p.m., Sunday, June 20. The green and white striped tent in front of Middle Mass now stands empty and quiet. The "Fabulous Fifteenth" is over. Except for a few of us stragglers and our classmates resident in Hanover, the 200 members (92 men, 78 wives and dates, and a not exactly determined number of small fry) of the '51 family are on their way home, a little bit weary but well refueled with the Dartmouth spirit.
Judge Jim Rogers not only came from the farthest West (Minneapolis) but also was the first to arrive, on Wednesday afternoon, no less. Others from the Mid-West included the Friedlanders from St. Paul, retiring Class Chairman Herb Knight from Milwaukee, the Brookses, Flacks, Hendersons, Hiltons, and Hopkinses from Chicago, Ted Eberle from Cincinnati, the Lindquists and Micheners from Cleveland, and the McCarthys from Dayton.
Friday morning began cloudy, then the rains came. But about 3, as the influx of classmates increased from a trickle to a steady stream, the sun broke through. From the South they came, the Bergers from Miami, the Loehrs from Fort Lauderdale, the Roger Johnsons from Atlanta, the Jim Robinsons from Chattanooga, the Isbeys from Asheville, the Suttons from Winston-Salem, and Paul Simel from Greensboro.
Friendships were renewed over beer in the tent, then it was down to the Leverone Field House, seen by most for the first time, for a reception and buffet dinner for all reuning classes. Coats and ties were the order of the evening for visiting in President Dickey's garden. Then there was a choice of dancing in the tent or Alumni Hall, a wonderful Warner Bentley production of "Wonderful Town," or just plain visiting, including with other reuning classes, 1940, 1949, 1950, and 1955.
Reunion Chairman Jack Gannon couldn't stay. He had to go back to Scotia, N. Y., to take wife Terry and their firstborn, John Carroll, home from the hospital. Young John weighed in at 6 lbs., 5 oz., on June 13. Things continued under the capable supervision of Reunion Treasurer Carl Glassberg and Hanover resident Charlie Breed, who tried without success to cajole his classmates into moving his furniture into his new house.
They came in droves from the greater New York metropolitan area, including northern New Jersey: the Bellesheims, Bixbys, Blocks, Brouts, Duttons, Terry Fogarty,Jim Frederickses, Fryers, Gamblings, DickHulbert, Hunts, Jacobsons, Krehbiels, DaveKrivitsky, Langs, Langworthys, "Sandy"McDonalds, McKibbens, Murphys, Nachmans, Howie Phillipses, Aaron Rausen,Rutsteins, Timmermans, "Tommy" Tompson, Weisenfelds, Jay Wolf, and Woodses.
Saturday morning's class business meeting began with an invocation by Rev. Ed Winsor in memory of our deceased classmates. Bill Goulburn suggested that hair pieces, rather than hats, be procured for the next Reunion. After the usual reports, Nominating Chairman Dick Rogers gave the results of our mail election. Hardworking Head Agent Charlie Hood gives up that job to become Class President. Russ Dilks continues as Secretary; while Fred Brown, who could not be present, takes over as Treasurer.
Others elected to the Executive Committee who were at Reunion were, from the East, Dwight Allison, Jack Gannon, JohnHatch, Al Karcher, Hank Sanders, PaulStaley; from the Mid-West, Herb Knight,Art Worden; from the South, Dick Barnes,Jim Culberson. Newly elected members who could not be present were, from the East, Jim Balderston; from the Mid-West, JimBovaird, Frank Bruch, Dick McFarland; from the West, John Boardman, Jim Danaher, Bob Fullerton, Jack Weingarten.
Following a coffee break, the group moved into the Spaulding Auditorium in Hopkins Center to hear a faculty panel on "Fifteen Years of Change." Leonard Rieser '44, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, presided. The disagreements among the panelists, Professors Chan of Chinese, Kemeny of mathematics, and Morton of history, made clear that Dartmouth was still much the same and yet very different. Like a river, unless you change the water, a dry stream bed results.
Then it was out to a redeveloped Storrs Pond for a box lunch picnic. Jim Mitchell couldn't make it because of Marine Corps Air Reserve duty but flew over in a jet and wiggled his wings. You wouldn't recognize Storrs with a beach for the pond, swimming pool, and picnic groves. Many went swimming before heading back for something which should appear officially on our next Reunion program as the Class Nap.
During the course of the weekend, many classmates and their families took the opportunity to tour Hopkins Center and the many other new facilities. The more energetic played tennis or golf. The Bernhards and Masons were here from Washington, D. C., the LeClairs from Pittsburgh, the Sam Robertses and Bob Robinsons from Philadelphia, and the Boissys and Jorgensens from upstate New York.
Those with children deposited them at their own tent for more of their own program before heading out to the D.O.C. House for cocktails and dinner on the lawn next to Occom Pond. Emcee Dick Pugh introduced retired History Professor Al Foley, who regaled us with Vermontiana, with particular reference to his experiences as a freshman legislator.
It was announced that, with a last spurt of effort, we should meet our Alumni Fund goal of $20,000 and win our Green Derby competition. 1951 total Class giving now stands at $253,000. A plunge, fully clothed, into Occom Pond netted Al Karcher not only $5 from Al Mori but also (temporarily) a six-foot high penguin, which Jack Skewes rooted out of the College storeroom.
Then there was a choice of the musical comedy, dancing at our tent, or visiting other tents. Several distinguished, but by then uninhibited, '51's were seen dancing the Watusi, frug, etc., to the strains of a rockand-roll band at the 1955 tent.
The Boston area delegation included the Aliens, Berwicks, "Suds" Bissell, Coxes,Dave Halls, Hills, Irelands, Miners, Morses,Nahigians, Jim Robinsons, Sicklers, JerryUnderwood, and Welches. From elsewhere in New England came the Choukases and Smallwoods from Vermont, the Biddies and Hodgdons from New Hampshire, and BobHustek and Paul Orth from Connecticut.
Breakfast ran from nine till noon Sunday at our tent. Temporarily fortified with only orange juice, the new Class Executive Committee met at ten. It was voted to raise the Class dues to $7, the same as adjacent classes, in view of the increased cost of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. Woody Klein's volunteering to take over the Class Newsletter was accepted in absentia.
At last the Executive Committee members were able to rejoin their wives and classmates for the solid part of breakfast. The conversational groups gradually grew fewer and smaller as cars and station wagons were loaded and most began the long, or not so long, drive home.
The campus is quiet now as I sit on the front porch of Middle Mass trying to put these words down on paper, but more often gazing across at Dartmouth Hall on a warm, sunny, thoroughly delightful Sunday afternoon. Reunion has been fun, and I'm eternally grateful that some eighteen years ago my instincts told me that Dartmouth should be my college.
Part of 1951's reunion gang of 200-plus in the Garden Court of Hopkins Center.
CLASS SECRETARY
