1961's 5th
The 250 stalwarts who spent reunion weekend in Hanover will, I am sure, affirm the wisdom of spacing such activity out so that it only occurs once every five years. If anybody, no matter how well trained and how durable, tried to endure a bash like that every year... Dartmouth wouldn't have any alumni over 40, and they'd have to throw the bodies out of the 25th reunion tent with the beer kegs. It took the average '6l 20.6 seconds to register, drop off his wife, and draw his first beer. Within 5 minutes, 14 seconds he had shaken 147 hands (kissed 3), tripped over 8 tent pegs, given a brief resume of his activities over the past five years 147 times, consumed 12 beers, eaten 107 potato chips (or portions thereof) and wished he had a photographic memory on 45 separate occasions.
Some significant highlights... Bob El-more fell (or was pushed) into Occum Pond while trying to retrieve the olive from his martini; Bill Hutton couldn't get anyone to play baseball with him; Dave Armstrong refused to sing; Red Facher introduced himself as "Fletcher" and nobody found that hard to believe. Walt Schlieman and John Schlachtenbaufen couldn't get their names to fit on their name tags; nobody recognized Denny Denniston with his long hair; Scotty Locker looked like Marlon Brando, Ray Welch rode a motorcycle like Marlon Brando, Frank Mali ad y talked like Marlon Brando. Rog McArt was late most everywhere; Terry 'Rogers was early (but to the wrong event); George Ramming for. got to duck under the tent flap 6 times (now possesses 6 "smart lumps" on his dome) Terry O'Neil claimed his voice had dropped an octave (it hasn't); Ford Daley brought his kids; Hartley Webster knew everybody's name; Jim Richards faked the whole name thing by calling everybody "Slugger," "Tiger" and "Pal" (some of the wives found that uncouth). Al Rozycki moved through the crowds around the beer with his head down and his beer tucked firmly under his arm; Ken DeHaven tackled Al 4 times, but Charlie Chapman (official referee) called each one back for roughing the drinker. Jake Haertl brought his hockey stick, JohnZabriski gave it to Dick Welty thinking it was a microphone; Welty and Gil Low sang into it for 20 minutes before realizing that the stick wasn't plugged in. Bob Naegle drove everybody around in his car; Bob Moore was doing a fine job of walking back to his room until Ron Wybranowski stepped on his hand. Don O'Neill encouraged everyone to wear their green berets, nobody did, although Ross Sandler hid extra beers under his; Joe Zinn thought this was a green mushroom and ate it (spilling the beer) which Larry Cantley stepped in, then blamed Pat Walsh for making a mess. Bob Shearer stood on three tables claiming he was an astronaut; Oscar Arslanian said he was the only official astronaut around and pushed the table over spilling Shearer into the chip dip; Rog Baumberger broke 6 potato chips trying to rescue Shearer, Bob Hoagland was running back to get his swimming suit for another rescue attempt when the tent collapsed. And if you think that was wild ycu should have been there Saturday!
To those of you whose names have been used in vain in the above dramatization, most sincere apologies... it wasn't like that at all... of course not... no indeed... mature pillars of the community... harumph, harumph.
It was truly an outstanding reunion and all who were there were much inspired. The '61's who organized the event did everything perfectly - there was always plenty of food, always band playing, never any problems with the local citizenry and while Tanzi thought we'd only need 12 kegs of beer we wound up draining 25 which is some kind of sth-year reunion record. But then that's to be expected from what is now more than ever Dartmouth's most lively class. The Newsletter will recount further details and a full list of all who attended. Until you receive it rest assured that the 250 '61's who were present showed everybody how a class ought to reunite! When our 10th reunion rolls around make every effort to be there; it is a tremendous experience even if you're not gung ho.... There so many interesting and fun loving guys in our class that when a couple hundred of them get together it's bound to be the best time in five years. One more reason, if you need any further persuasion... for some strange reason all of our class seemed to be blessed with exceedingly attractive wives and even if you don't like beer, bands, or banter it's sure fun to watch the ladies running around in their summer finery (that's assuming your exceedingly attractive wife doesn't mind your staring). Keep your cool.
CLASS SECRETARY
