1932

You were well represented by the '32 contingent that marched, nicely aligned in the acoustical sense, between the Lebanon High School band and the Mink Brook Six, in Hanover's Dartmouth Night torchlight parade. The Class of '79 had masterfully erected what was to prove to be Hanover's all-time great bonfire, 100 railroad ties high; the resultant conflagration was magnificent both as an engineering structure and a spectacle. The next day it rained with fair force and steadiness, so that the Penn game was the wettest we had sat through in many a season. But for all that the gathering of the '32 clan for a communal picnic in the Lutheran Church parish house hard by the stadium (where, we may mention in passing concern for your continuing education, Ben Drew introduced us to the novel beneficences of bourbon and fresh-pressed apple cider), the game itself, and the dinner that night were fine affairs. Close to 60 gathered for dinner - a record number for this seasonal occasion. We believe the full roster is being published under other auspices, but will mention there was special pleasure for all in having with us those who, had come a far piece - John and Betty Davidson,Win Smoyer, and Carl and Phyllis Ward from California (the latter two transcontinenting in their new motor home), Herb and Evelyn Pike from Ohio, Whip and Adelaide Walser from Florida, and Bob Goodell from London.

Dick Olmsted, the College's director of planning, gave us an interesting after-dinner exposure to the tasks and challenges of responsibility for the College physical plant, present and future. He illumined his talk with some breath-taking comparisons of Our Day with Today, viz: plant area up from 904,000 to 2,000,000 square feet, valuation from $6.7 million to $90 million; undergraduate enrollment up from 2,300 to 4,390, total students on campus at one time up from 2,430 to 3,840; undergraduate faculty doubled, 150 to 300; tuition up from $400 to $3,900, board up from $305 to $1,076, average room charge from $200 to $700. Total tuition, board, and room charges (from $905 to $5,684) have increased at an annual average rate of 4.4%.

This reminds us of our gross forgetfulness over the summer (despite a helpful reminder from Howie Sargeant) of intent to cite, for those who may not have caught it, President Kemeny's tribute to Dick in the president's fascinating "The First Five Years Report": "In reviewing the achievements of the past few years, the exceptional quality of the buildings, as well as the very tight control of costs, there is one individual who deserves special recognition and praise. Richard W. Olmsted '32 served as business manager of the College for many years with great loyalty and devotion. As a trained engineer he brought special skill to the design and completion of a vast number of facilities on this campus. He continues to serve the College as director of planning, and it is clear that future generations of faculty and students at Dartmouth College will long be in his debt."

Your 45th Reunion Committee met in Hanover the morning of the Penn game. In an ambience of keen thinking and sparkling wordplay under chairman Ben Drew's hard-driving gavel, the group came to a series of clear-eyed, creative decisions that are bound to redound to the joie de vivre of those of us who choose to Be There June 14-16 (plus one if you wish).

In that regard tidings of good intentions continue to flow in. Add to those definitely planning to be at Reunion: the Milt Alperts, HalChinlunds, Whit and Dorothy Daniels, Ed Dearborns, Sam and Helen Englander, Al and BertsGerould, Bill and Jerry Gratton, George Hahn,Morry and Libby Hubbard, Charlie Meyerses,Jim Millers, Ed and (hopefully) Margie Marks. In the positive-thinking "hope-to-make-it" category are the Jim Ballous, George Blaesis,Hank Barbers, Bill Bennetts, Joe Bennetts,Graham Butlers (from Oregon), Dick Clarkes,Amby and Mary Frances Cram (from Oregon), Chip and Sally Cronin, Tom Curtises, TomDublins, Bill Gerstleys, Charles Jenkinses, DickMerrills. And Ned Disque postcards: "Just don't know."

We are grateful to Bo Wentworth for obtaining from the Chicago Sun-Times, with permission to reprint, the accompanying action photo of John Sheldon, Onyx, and other friends. In October Bo was co-chairman, with Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin Bailar, of National Postal Forum IX. He writes: "The participants included not only postal people from all over the country, but representatives from user firms, many of whom spend many millions of dollars every year on postage alone. I soon realized that our own [The Continental Corporation] $8,000,000 per annum expenditure in that category was relatively modest compared to some giants of industry ... Until one attends one of the numerous panel discussion sessions at a forum such as this, one has no idea of the thousands of technical questions which are raised as to the daily functioning of the Postal Service and how much money can be saved - or lost - depending on various ways in which the postal service is carried out."

We're well past the 800 words to which they unreasonably restrict the great Class of '32 in these columns so all those good notes from you, for which thanks, must wait til! next month.

Merry Holidays and Happy 1976!

Secretary, Orchard Hill Road Westport, Conn. 06880

Treasurer, 6517 N. Atwahl Dr., Glendale, Wis. 53209