1938

4 Thus far the only fringe benefit of being Class Secretary is being obliged to return to Hanover at least twice a year. This fall, Paul Urion, in his great wisdom, designated October 11, the weekend of the Penn game, for a Hanover get-together of the class officers and executive committee. He couldn't have picked a better date for the foliage was at its grandest. The upper valley tourist crush was at a peak too and your scribe, after a panicky two-hour search, settled for a room in a ski lodge at Killington Basin on Friday night.

Saturday morning was clear and cold. The sun was creeping down the side of the mountain as I finished scraping ice off the windshield and headed the VW down into the valley. Ten minutes out I ran into a wall of mist which persisted all the way into Hanover. I found my way to Wilson Museum and the "Bird Room" where the meeting was scheduled and presently the owls and the loons and I were joined by CharlieHitchcock who had flown up from Boston and Bob Deery who had driven from Carthage, N. Y. Paul Urion arrived as the Babylonian was greeting the Carthaginian. "Dawk" and Morgan Marshall arrived after spending the night at the Inn. Some had experienced trouble finding the Museum but others had visited once as freshmen. For an hour or so we bulled informally about stepping up participation in class activities and scheduling more get-togethers before football games and we kicked around such important issues as President Dickey's replacement, co-eds on campus, student activism since the siege of Parkhurst and the discontinuance of R.O.T.C. Gil Tanis was reported as having said that the campus atmosphere seemed calmer than usual and that the fellows who had carried him out of Parkhurst probably realized that they had started something that was more than they could handle. The Class of 1938 is just one small voice among many but any strong convictions that are communicated to me as secretary will be considered along with others and passed along to a member of the Alumni Council which is, after all, an advisory body.

Following the meeting we repaired to the Tanis home where a scheduled back lawn party was in full progress. Gil and Fran and helpers had set out tables and grills and they somehow arranged for the sun to break through the morning mist at exactly noon. Already there and enjoying the Hanover holiday we found Alex Jones who had come up with friends from Connecticut, Jack Dutz, Bill Lyle, Gus Southworth, and Art King. Most had their charming wives. Dawk's son "Chip," a sophomore, dropped in with a pretty date to meet his father's odd friends. Dawk told of his crossing on the new "Queen Elizabeth" but Alex Jones stole the show with an account of the engineering problems involved in developing, for the ladies' beachwear trade, a creation consisting of three plastic flowers. The game warning sounded.

I was late getting to the game and had no reserved seat. Having a thing about standing in line I bought a 40-yard line ticket from a bearded undergraduate hawker for a one dollar mark-up. When I handed over the cash I suggested he take the dollar profit and get a haircut whereupon he made a suggestion of his own. The stadium looked different and I realized the old wooden bleachers had been replaced with permanent seating sections. Some of the cheerleaders looked different too. At first I couldn't put my finger on it then I realized they were girls. It was a boy however who did the bit in the topless Indian costume to the considerable disappointment of the older grads.

Two weeks later, with wife this time, I found myself at the Harvard Stadium joining the pre-game picnic. The Boston catering group of Hitchcock, Marshall, Randlett, etc., had set up tables and grills on the rugby field under a proud 1938 banner and a goodly group was there including Ray Ammarell, Ed White, Gil Tanis, Bill Lyle, Bob Foley, Bob Forgan, John Hall, Jack Lutz, Bob Griffin, John Emerson, and John Karr. Seen later in the class section at the game were Bob Deery, Bob Hallock, Paul Ossen, Dan Bell, Roger Buffington, and Irv Stronach. Most had wives along and many brought their teen-age children. While I was leaving the stadium area I glimpsed BudLynch and family near the field house. Bud has a sophomore son, Buddy, who played tackle for most of the final period. Buddy goes 6' 2" and 230 pounds and has two more years to play.

To be sure these games and picnics are largely fun but I think that those who have involved themselves are finding a deeper and more meaningful satisfaction. We are discovering what a great bunch of guys we never really got to know as undergraduates. It is a pleasant surprise to find out that the common experience of depression years, war time, career development and starting and raising a family has shaped us pretty much in the same mold. Call it the Dartmouth fellowship.

Your officers and executive committee will do their best to bring more classmates into this growing circle. Please give it a try. Attend the next scheduled get-together. Drop me a note containing any news in which the rest of us might be interested.

Col. Arnold Alexander '39 assumed command of Ft. George Meade, Md., in July.He had been designated Chief of Staff,Headquarters at Ft. Meade in 1967 andsince 1968 had served as Deputy PostCommander.

Secretary, 64 Cormack Court Babylon, N. Y. 11702

Treasurer, 365 Henry St., Brooklyn, N. Y. 11201