Reunions Draw Record Attendance

No other week in the college year is quite like Reunion Week.

Tents sprout mushroom-like on the lawns. An enormous green dragon smiles benignly from the treetops. Group identification hats that would send today's undergraduates to the ramparts are worn proudly and happily. Music and laughter fill the night air from Balch Hill to Norwich village with intensity and duration that all 24 fraternities swinging together couldn't match.

And the alumni office staff is all hustle and smiles for ten days. This was especially so this June because the total attendance figure of 3,161 for all thirteen reuning classes was a record. The total attendance figure includes wives and hordes of children as well as returning alumni of the College.

The record for the grand total was aided considerably by the crowd drawn by the 25th-year reunion class, 1942, which set a record of its own in total attendance. The Class of 1942's 791 figure surpassed by 89 persons the old mark for total attendance at any reunion set by the Class of 1938 in 1963.

Reunion Week began with the classes of 1902 (65th), 1907 (60th), and 1912 (55th) joining together with the 50-year reunion class, 1917, to celebrate their anniversary occasions on the weekend that Dartmouth's newest alumni class, 1967, joined the ranks. Although quieter than the reunions to follow, the gatherings over Commencement weekend were every bit as congenial and overflowing in Dartmouth fellowship.

Four classes from the Twenties roared into town on Monday, June 12: 1921, 1922, and 1923 to celebrate the 45th, and 1927 the 40th. In addition to the opportunity to enjoy the Dartmouth Players' productions of "Cox and Box" and "Thomas and Sally," which were presented a number of times during Reunion Week at the Hopkins Center, the men of the twenties had some very special occasions of their own making. One was the Tuesday evening Class Hums.

The Class Hums, a Dartmouth tradition lost but obviously not forgotten, began with each class singing its Dartmouth songs on the four sides of the green: 1921 was at the Senior Fence, 1922 was on the steps of Webster Hall, 1923 was before Dartmouth Hall, and 1927 was at the Hopkins Center corner. All four classes then came together at the center of the campus to sing "Where Oh Where Are the Pea Green Freshmen" and "Men of Dartmouth."

Earlier in the day the classes of the twenties had sponsored two "Dartmouth Today" discussions. The first, moderated by Wilbur W. Bullen '22, featured Dean of the College Thaddeus Seymour and Dean of Thayer School Myron Tribus as speakers. The second of the discussions entitled "Whither Dartmouth?" was moderated by former Ambassador Ellis O. Briggs '21 with Provost Leonard M. Rieser '44 and Associate Professor of Government (and Chairman of the Bi-centennial Planning Committee) Frank Smallwood '51 as principal speakers and a question-and-answer period with three members of the Board of Trustees—John C. Woodhouse '21, John L. Sullivan '21, and John D. Dodd '22. It was estimated that there were some 600 alumni, wives, and others in Spaulding Auditorium for the latter discussion.

On Thursday afternoon, June 15, the eleven dormitories given over to the Class of 1942 began to fill with the record- breaking crowd, and by 5:30 p.m. when the College played host to the 25th-year class at a reception and dinner Tuck Mall was jammed. After dinner some of the '42's headed for the Hopkins Center Theater and others back to the tents where the Dartmouth Five provided the music. The opening celebration, it is reported, went far into the night, but the class was up bright and early the next day for breakfast at the tent, the class picture, and a '42-sponsored panel discussion on "The American City: Triumph or Disaster?"

The moderator for the panel was an interloper, Professor Smallwood, but the panelists were all from the class: Edward F. McLaughlin Jr., counsel, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, Boston; Wilmer C. Dutton, chairman, Maryland- National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Washington, D.C.; David Sargent, president, United Business Service Co., Boston; and Jerry Tallmer, New York newspaper and magazine writer. Professor Harold L. Bond, also '42, directed the special program.

Class of '42 members who are also alumni of the Tuck, Thayer, and Medical Schools, and others participated in Associated School Luncheons on Friday noon, listening to Tuck's Acting Dean John Hennessey, Medical School Dean Carleton B. Chapman, and Thayer's Associate Dean Jacob P. Frankel. The rest of the class headed for an outing with clams, lobsters, swimming, and games at Storrs Pond.

By evening alumni and families from the Classes of 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1957 had arrived to join with the 25th reunioners at the College's alumni reception and dinner at Leverone Field House and in the informal visiting in President Dickey's garden. Later evening activities on Friday included another Players' production, an Alumni Dance for all classes in Hopkins Center, the swinging Ice House Five Plus Two at the '42 tent, and open tents for visiting and entertainment from one end of the campus to the other.

After class breakfasts on Saturday morning, so many alumni and wives took in Edward T. Chamberlain's talk on "Dartmouth Admissions" that Filene Auditorium offered standing room only to late arrivals. The confrontation with the director of admissions was sponsored by 1942. The other classes offered a "Dartmouth Today" discussion later in the, morning with Dean Seymour, Thayer's Associate Dean Frankel, and Associate Professor of Mathematics Donald L. Kreider participating on a panel moderated by J. Michael McGean '49, Secretary of the College.

Saturday afternoon, one of Hanover's hottest, was a fitting time for class picnics and outings, mostly at Storrs Pond. '42, however, went indoors for an instructional session on computers at the Kiewit Center.

Class cocktail parties and class dinners were the order for the final night of Reunion Week. The Class of 1942 banquet held in Alumni Hall was highlighted by President Dickey's talk, the announcement that the class has set a record $1,280,000 level in 25 years of support for the College, and the presentation of the new Class of 1942 Bowl, given by the Class of 1942, to the Class of 1942. The bowl will be awarded in subsequent years only to those classes surpassing '42's record in total reunion attendance.

Admissions director Chamberlain was the featured speaker at '47's banquet at the Lake Morey Inn, and football coach Bob Blackman held forth in Thayer Hall for the Class of 1957. 1946 journeyed out into the Etna highlands for its dinner at Ashley House, and 1948 had the choice surroundings at the Dartmouth Outing Clubhouse for its special program. After dinner it was time for the theater and more dancing: 1942 took over Alumni Hall for a ball; 1946 took over the Ice House Five Plus Two; 1948 had the Dartmouth Five; and 1957, demonstrating its firm place in an affluent age, swung to the rhythms of Dow Jones and the Averages. 1948 also presented a midnight session with the "Dartmouth Injun aires."

Sunday morning was a time for brunches, class memorial services, and farewell conversations.

The Class of 1894 Cup for the class with the highest percentage of graduates returning was won by 1912 with 55 percent. The Class of 1942 won the Class of 1930 Cup for the largest number of alumni returning - 226 men. Runners-up for the ten-day period were 1917 with 51 percent and 1957 with 142 men.

Reunion Totals Class TotalClass % of Grads Members Count 1902 50% 13 24 1907 44% 23 65 1912 55% 47 122 1917 51% 91 193 1921 48% 98 176 1922 41% 89 171 1923 31% 97 178 1927 36% 119 229 1942 45% 226 791* 1946 14% 105 370 1947 16% 97 394 1948 15% 56 162 1957 22% 142 286 Totals 1,203 3,1611 * A new Dartmouth record for total attendance at any reunion. Old record was 702 established by the Class of 1938 in 1963. † A new record for total attendance during the 10-day reunion period. Old record was 3,082 set in 1964.

A special and very colorful event of Reunion Week was 1927's dedication of the"New Pine" given to the College and located near the Old Stump. Class secretaryRog Bury, dressed as Eleazar, and Doane Arnold, portraying an Indian student,are shown watching as classmates smash peace pipes on a new granite marker.