1968

Though the mail is not pouring in by any means, a few interesting letters managed to arrive this month. Don't forget, postage rates soon rise. Bill Adler, now in his second year at NYU Law School, and his wife Joan, a speech therapist in the Yonkers public schools, are looking forward eagerly to June when they can get as far from New York City as possible. They hope to get at least as far as Boston, anyway. Bill was kind enough to send me clippings about Bob Montgomery. Bob is the subject of an interview in The New York Post where he tells what it is like to be 24 and to have written a play that a lot of people are excited about. The Post says, "A Yale Drama student has written an extraordinary play 'Subject to Fits,' which he terms not an adaptation of but 'a response to' one of the masterpieces of literature, Dostoevsky's 'The Idiot.' " The article goes on to say the play is "brilliant" and "complete with excellent, hard-hitting songs, music included, by Montgomery." Also mentioned was Bob's experience at Dartmouth: "I went there for a lot of sort of bad reasons. I was recruited to play football—l was an end—and then found it to be a good school." He never did play football at Dartmouth but did put in a freshman year in basketball, then got sidetracked into dramatics, usually singing in Gilbert and Sullivan things. Junior year he wrote a play for the Robert Frost play contest. Upon graduation he married Nancy Sheridan of Spring Lake, N. J., and went on to Yale for an MFA in playwritirig. He met Nancy through his Jesuit brother who was first to fall in love with her in Mobile, Ala. Bob and Nancy are awaiting their first child, due sometime in June. "We'd both like to raise the baby equally," says Bob. "I'm around the house a lot."

Another clipping from The New York Times called Bob's play "a mad, mad play that is a joy to encounter. It is a cerebral play of dazzling intellectuality, manic wit and calm literacy. It is a young man's play, bubbling with talent, almost arrogant with the joy it takes in hearing itself speak. It is an intricate play that is poised perilously on its own cleverness, its literary conceits, and elegant stagecraft, but it balances and works." Those comments were from Clive Barnes. Newsweek, Women's Wear Daily, and others have praised Bob's creation as well. All that is left for our first classmate to join the ranks of Dartmouth's theatre greats is to wish him our best and give him a sincere "congratulations" for this success and many more. Way to go, Gummer.

(For more about Bob see pages 12-13 of this issue.)

Bill Ferrier writes hello to all classmates. This year finds him doing alternative service as a conscientious objector to the armed forces. Bill is working with disabled persons in Oakland, Calif. He has been active for the past year in a folk dancing group in Hayward. He does most of the publicity and the group dances and gives exhibitions at various schools to adults interested in folklore. Bill has not been able to continue his postgraduate studies because of the draft, but he hopes to continue writing his column in the Cal State Newspaper and audit a course from his favorite professor in political science.

Currently having finished his law finals, Dirk deRoos and wife Joyce Christenson (Colby '66) have taken the family and traveled around the country for awhile. Dirk graduated in January from Indiana Law School where he was on the Law Review and was a member of the National Moot Court Competition, held in Chicago last November. Dirk goes into the Army in June as a 2nd Lieutenant, Artillery, Forward Observer. After his two years of duty the deRooses hope to settle in Seattle, Wash.

Another interesting note started out by saying "Bambinos are Beautiful." It seemed harmless enough, so I opened it. There I discovered a note from Dennis and CindyDonahue which announced the birth of Brendan Patrick last January, weighing in at six pounds, nine ounces. Dennis says he has grown ever fonder of Dartmouth since graduating, and envies those of us who still live here. Congratulations from us all, Dennis.

I also heard from Steve Carley recently. He is in Asmara, Ethiopia, working for the Army as an Arab linguist. Steve points out that working for means being in! He and wife Suzy have been enjoying their stay in Africa immensely, and they have been touring all over the area. Anyone who can possibly pass by is invited to stop in. I can imagine that it would be a treat to get together and reminisce as far away as that. Helping the Carleys to enjoy their stay in Asmara is Tequabo lasu '66, whom many may remember as a soccer star. The Dartmouth Club of Asmara has been meeting for two nights a week for some time now, "though round the girdled earth," etc. Let me know if any friends take up the invitation, Steve.

Pete Hofman, still with the Peace Corps in Peru, has asked me to announce that the Reunion Chairman for the Class is none other than John McNamara. This is an important decision and I am sure all of you will join with me in wishing John good luck and assurance for our full cooperation for a big job ahead. As you know, we will be reuning June 17-19, 1972, along with the classes of '66 and '67. John will be contacting classmates soon for help and committee work. I know we will all do everything we can to help.

Bits and pieces: In late December DaveLoring assumed the new job of Weapons Officer on the "USS Uhlmann" (DD-687), home-ported in Tacoma, Wash., with some fifty men under him. Eric Hatch is engaged to Nancy Mack of Litchfield, Conn. Sam Saunders hopes to get his Master's in Architecture in June. He became engaged to Noreen Ross last January. Skip Waterhouse never writes.

With that, yours truly signs off. I am currently trying to gather enough high school students for a return trip to that villa in France for six weeks where I spent an unforgettable summer in 1969. Anyone knowing of any students interested should write to me directly. It is a great opportunity.

Secretary, Apt. 4, 3 Currier Place Hanover, N. H. 03755

Class Agent, Bldg. 13, Apt. 114, 10 S 710 Lilac Lane Rosewood Ter., Hinsdale, Ill. 60521