1927
The last time I sat down at a typewriter to' peck out these notes was on the afternoon of June 13, 1962, in an office in Crosby Hall, in Hanover. Our thirty-fifth reunion had just concluded and it was my last task in a ten-year tenure as your secretary to get the story of this great event down on paper for the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, and for posterity. Now, almost five years later, I find myself pinch-hitting for Rog, who is blissfully traveling through Europe and Africa, on an extended vacation, a well-earned reward for forty years of service with the IBM Corporation.
The passage of these five years also brings us close to our Fortieth - close enough by now that you should be making definite plans to be there. If the dates are not already marked large and clear on your calendar, put them there now - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 12, 13, and 14. Ken Murray and his committee have developed great plans for the finest reunion we have ever had, and you have received a copy of the program; however, in case you don't read your mail, here are the highlights:
Dormitory location the three buildings in Fayerweather Row, all of which have re- cently been modernized to include private toilets, baths (?) and other modern conven- iences. This is the only group of dormitories large enough to accommodate the large number which we expect, and provides an ideal spot from the standpoint of location of our tent, privacy, meeting places, and comparative comfort.
The dormitories will be available beginning on Monday morning, but for those planning to arrive on Sunday, the committee has planned a cocktail party and supper Sunday evening, and is making arrangements in motels for Sunday night.
Monday's program begins with breakfast in the tent, with the balance of the morning free for individual activities. We will have a clambake at Storr's Pond at noon, with class movies following. The evening program includes cocktails at the Top of the Hop, with dinner for all alumni at Leverone Field House. Beer will be flowing at the tent through all of this, and on into the evening for all who want to stay up till the wee hours.
Tuesday will begin again with breakfast in the tent, and will proceed into what I am sure will be the highlight of the reunion for all of us. We will gather for luncheon in the Bema, then hold a memorial service for those who have left our ranks since our last reunion. The next event will be the one which I believe has fired the enthusiasm of all of us to a greater extent than anything that we have done since we became alumni of Dartmouth - the dedication of the Pine Tree, which we are giving to the College, to replace the ancient symbol of Dartmouth, which has been living in legend only since 1895. You have all read Bob Stevens' account of how this concept was born, nurured, and grew to fruition. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have been at the fall reunion in October heard of the way this grand idea was born and grew in a little more detail than could possibly be conveyed in a letter, and we were as enthusiastic as were those who had given it birth. The tree is now in place, growing, and on its way to symbolize for another few hundred years the true spirit of Dartmouth. It will be our privilege to dedicate it to this purpose at our Pine Tree Fortieth. As a fitting climax to this most significant day in the history of the Class of 1927, we will hold our Class Dinner, preceded by cocktails, in Alumni Hall of the Hopkins Center.
On Wednesday we will, as usual, breakfast in our tent, then move on to the very important class meeting. While our wives and families have always been more than welcome at class meetings, Mike Choukas thought that they might possibly find them a bit boring, so has arranged a special ladies' program at this time. The final programmed event of the weekend will be the presentation of the award in the Grandfathers' contest, though many will linger to talk about old times far into the afternoon, or at least as long as the beer holds out.
As always with 1927 reunions, the all too short time in Hanover will be nicely balanced between conviviality and serious business: the memories which we take away will nourish us through another five years, until our 45th. Ken Murray told me on the phone a few days ago that it looks as though we will break all records for attendance. If you aren't there, you will have only yourself to blame.
A letter from our wandering secretary arrived just as I was writing these notes, mailed from Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, East Africa. Perhaps the editor will relax his rules enough to allow a fairly extensive quotation. "Yesterday we chased a rhino, I driving a Peugeot hell for leather through bush - guide saying 'Go-Go' and pointing - headed him off but bush too high for good pictures, so off and got some of a lion, 20, 10, 6 feet away from the car - big male, snarled at us as we woke him up. Drove from Amboselli Park in Kenya (Africa's dust bowl) with lots of animals. Hard trip to this crater— 12 miles long, 3000 feet deep, 8000 feet above sea level-ready to start down in Land Rover - supposedly 25,000 animals in crater. We can see herds from here, fantastic country. Don't believe agents - you can drive your own car (a professional driver can't make the roads any better). Some are good, some unbelievably bad. You don't need anyone riding shotgun - animals just react to autos as something containing other animals. We enjoyed Uganda more than Tanzania. Seeing animals by boat in Queen" Elizabeth Park and Murdiesen (?) Park is much the best way. Will leave Monday for Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Nile trip to Egyptian tombs. Trust all going well with 40th plans." It sounds as though Rog and Marion are having a great time, and I'm sure that we can hear more about it when we get together in Hanover.
That's about it until next month.
1927 Class ReunionJune 12-June 14, 1967
Secretary, Orchard Hill Rd. Westport, Conn. 06880
Treasurer, Box 298, Baltimore, Md. 21203
Bequest Chairman,
