1967
Thousands of 1967 graduates from colleges all over the country had the responsibilities of adulthood thrust upon them last month when the Selective Service System ended all deferments to graduate students outside the medical and allied fields.
For many, educational goals will be put aside and life routines radically altered as a result of the changing priorities of the federal government. Also, young men will be forced to make up their minds about world affairs rather than continue in the seclusion and detachment Hanover in particular and the academic community in general have so long afforded us.
One member of our class took what he felt to be the only justifiable action in light of morality and his conscience. MichaelMickelson refused induction in Boston last February. He faces a maximum penalty of a $10,000 and five years in prison.
But he did what he thought was right after assessing the available information. We all owe it to ourselves to catch up on those back issues of the newspaper and evaluate what's happening at home and abroad. For very soon, many of us will have to choose.
What effect will ending graduate deferments have on the universities? The President of Harvard has said that next year the graduate student population will be drawn from "the lame, the halt, the blind and the female." At the College, the Tuck and Thayer Schools anticipate second year enrolment to be 20-30% below normal.
In addition, the federal government has almost halved the number of NASA graduate fellowships and National Defense Act loans.
The decreasing availability of federal money and qualified graduate students bodes ill for all graduate schools and in particular Dartmouth's "great leap forward." Many of the College's graduate programs are academic new-borns and will be put to the test in the coming year.
One thing is still the same though, and that is that'67's are busy.
A marriage is in the offing for Dwight MacKerron and Sally Worthen (Colby Jr. '67, B.U. '69). Dwight is teaching school in Newton, Mass., as part of his master's degree requirement at the Breadloaf School of Middlebury College. Sally is working for her B.S. in Special Education (speech and hearing).
Also hoping to join the summer rush to the altar are Andrew Ives and Jean Griffiths (U. Maine '67). Presently, Andrew is stationed at the U.S. Army base in Fort Campbell, Ky., while Jean works toward her master's at the University of Denver.
Dave Lowenstein and Elizabeth Reitman (Mills College of Education '68) plan to take the vows in June. Until then, Dave will continue his studies at Columbia Business.
From Ft. Dix, N. J., comes word that Pvt. Mike Eramo has received an incentive promotion based on high scores he attained in range firing, physical combat, military bearing, and leadership potential tests.
Pvt. Pete Rosser has completed reconnaissance training, with emphasis on the operation of Army Jeeps, at Ft. Knox, Ky.
Among the many letters I've received recently was a very nice note from Bob and Susie Ruxin. They write that after their marriage last June in Hanover, they headed back to Cleveland where Bob entered Western Reserve Medical School and was promptly assigned his first patient!
Another summer '67 marriage that has just come to my attention was that of Dave Levitt to the former Barbara Simms. The Levitts are living around Cambridge, Mass., while Dave works on degree requirements for his law degree from Harvard.
Ensign Gary Schwandt writes to say that he and his wife Cherry are stationed at the Virginia Beach, Va., Navy installation where Gary is a computer programmer. He expects to begin night school soon at a George Washington U. extension session. Gary concludes that "it looks like we'll spend the next three years here bringing up Gary Jr. and looking forward to civilian life."
After his June '67 marriage to the former Melodee Penner (U. Colorado), Bruce Munroe entered the United Air Lines University of the Air at Stapleton International Airport in Denver. Graduation for Bruce was last January and he's now flying Boeing Ill's out of Newark Airport throughout the Eastern and Southern U.S.
Burt Franzman is in the process of transferring out of the University of Bridgeport's psychology program after having reeled off a string of "A's."
Still another '67 at Stanford is Bruce Pacht. He has an NDEA in French but writes of warm women and beautiful weather. Bruce says that he's spent a few evenings over some wine reminiscing with Jim Flynn (at Stanford Law) about their travels in Europe.
Recently, Phil White took time out from his studies at the University of Maryland's Medical School to write a very thoughtful letter on the perennial topic of co-education. He gave his vote to the co-ordinate girls' school format.
Bob Fox is in NYC doing graduate work in genetics at the NYU School of Medicine.
By now, all of you must have received Jim Paull's "call to arms." He struck the nail on the head when he said that participation is the important factor right now for the Class of 1967 part of the Alumni Fund Drive. The dollar figure of our class's contribution will increase in time, a "show of hands" is what is important currently.
This show of support will be much easier to obtain if the number of class agents is large. So let's pitch in and get this very important task done.
Secretary, Room 703 435 E. 30th St. New York, N. Y. 10016
Class Agent, Lyme Road, Hanover, N. H. 03755
