1938's 35th
"Records are made to be broken"... and the amazing, truly amazing. Class of 1938 has broken a lot of them at and with its 35th.
Item: 97 classmates attended with a total of 185 registered in all.
Item: Spurred by the fact that it is our Reunion year, and by the monumental efforts of Class Agent Bob Hallock, Reunion Giving Chairman Dawk Dawkins, and their host of helpers, '38 set a goal for itself of $215,000 for its participation in this year's alumni fund campaign, and, as this is written, it looks as if we'll make it, or very darn nearly, with over $200,000 accounted for, "and counting."
The June class notes, written in early May, said that 1938's 35th was going to be great; these notes, written one week after the event, confirm, or are trying to confirm, that it was.
Initial and primary kudos must most deservedly go to Reunion Chairman Carl vonPechmann and all the members of his hardworking and well-organized committee. It takes a lot of thought and a lot of planning and a heck of a lot of hard work to make everything happen as scheduled, and the many of us who merely participated and enjoyed can only offer a heartfelt thank-you.
Monday afternoon Registration sort of merged and blended into 5 p.m. 1938 CocktailParty, and it was all a pleasure. After 35-plus years, some fortunate classmates are blessed with instant recall. Others were grateful for the name-tags but 35 years is a pretty long time, and people do look different.
Thayer Hall did us proud for all our meals - cafeteria dinner Monday night and breakfasts, and more formal class dinner Tuesday, and all of them very palatable. Incidentally, a couple of events bore the guide-line, "Dress informal)." For your secretary, basically a boy from the country I guess, the sartorial splendor of many of his classmates and their wives was some im- pressive.
After a very pleasant visit to President and Mrs. Kemeny's most attractive garden many of us attended a concert of the Dartmouth Glee Club, 1974 model. Many who didn't go Monday night went Tuesday, and some who went Monday returned again. It was well worth it. Glee Club Director Paul Zeller has done a tremendous job in converting an all-male group to a mixed chorus. The small male aggregation, now known as The Dartmouth Aires, was tuneful and entertaining, and their feminine counterparts, The Distractions, were a joy to the eyes and the ears of their mid-50's audience. A person would have to be a pretty implacable misogynist not to endorse this facet of coeducation at Dartmouth.
Later in the evening a number of Glee Club members visited our tent and led us in song. Eleazar was suggested, and one of the cute girls (they were all cute) said she didn't think they were supposed to sing it.... At the 1938 Reunion Tent they sure as heck were... and they did... and we did... and it was a pleasure.
Tuesday morning President Kemeny offered thoughtful and thought-provoking ideas on the implications of a "solid-state" rather than an ever-expanding national college-age population, and on the problems inherent in tenure.
Then we had our class business meeting. With our Storrs Pond picnic and auction imminent, a lot of things were dealt with very briskly and efficiently by President Paul Urion and the Baron, wearing two hats, Reunion Chairman and Nominating Committee member In the latter capacity Carl offered a slate headed by Squee Ellis for class president for a term of the next four years, until our 40th., and the slate was unanimously approved. Other new and continuing class officers and executive committee members will be announced in October's class notes. Congratulations and all best wished to Squee.
After some discussion it was voted to have our 1974 fall reunion Princeton game weekend, October 11-13. Like last fall, a pre-game gathering at Gil and Fran Tanis' in Hanover and a post-game party at Bob and Claire Reeie's at Quechee are planned. Make your plans now to attend.
The Auction was great, because Whitey Mays was great; and so were all who contributed merchandise and goods and services; and so were those who bought them; and so were the several very active helpers who spent a busy afternoon delivering goods to successful bidders and taking in money and making change. If you were there, you won't soon forget it all. If you weren't able to attend, you missed a lot of hilarity and mirth (and beer and sunshine). Receipts, which it was believed would amount to several thousand dollars, further swelled the class' contribution to the Alumni Fund.
Following cocktails on the College Hall porch, we had our own class dinner at Thayer. Retiring Class President Paul Urion gave a particularly fine talk and received a well-deserved standing ovation for five years of fine service. President Kemeny appeared and spoke briefly. He thanked the Class for its gift to the Third Century Fund, that had been designated for the renovation of Dartmouth Hall Room 304. which dedication took place at Class Officers Weekend in May, and acknowledged with deep gratitude our class' outstanding contribution to the 1974 Alumni Fund drive.
Featured speaker was Carroll Brewster. Dean of the College. He spoke movingly and with deep sincerity of the values which he believes four years at Dartmouth should instill.
Rollins Chapel was full Wednesday morning for the traditional Memorial Service of the combined reuning classes of 1938-39-40 for our classmates and friends who are no longer with
us. The list is a saddeningly long one. Bob Harvey offered the always-comforting biblical words of faith and reassurance for our class.
CLASS SECRETARY
