1945

The winter slump in '45 news is with us again but even this is largely cancelled out by a most interesting letter from Ed Bundy. Thanks to its excellent mixture of the past and present, the letter is good enough to stand on its own merits as a column in this the year of our 30th. But, let Ed tell it:

"Having just mailed my annual check to the Alumni Fund, I find myself reflecting what all things Dartmouth' have meant to me past and present. I have always had that indescribable feeling about our college shared by all alumni. Perhaps it could best be summed up as sentiment, loyalty and pride. In recent years this has been greatly enhanced by having son Scott in the class of '76. It is too bad that all alumni can't experience the fantastic thrill of having a son at Dartmouth. I've spent many wonderful weekends in Hanover the past few years and I think I feel closer to Dartmouth now than I did 30 years ago. The Hanover scene has really not changed very much except for the addition of a multitude of lovely Dartmouth ladies (at least outwardly).

"Daughter Darcie, Smith '73, is finishing her Ph.D. studies at Cambridge in England and plans to enter the Woodrow Wilson School of International Relations at Princeton next fall. I have been engaged in full time emergency medicine for the past six years at the Meriden (Conn.) Hospital. About a year ago I inherited the job as director of the department, with six full-time physicians and 35,000 department visits per year. This type of practice affords me a great deal more free time than private solo practice.

"I've not been on any exotic hunting trips since my last hunt in Africa in '68. I've not lost the bug, but safari hunting and hunting in Alaska and Canada has become ridiculously expensive in recent years. I'm no longer actively engaged in booking safari clients to Africa, altho I still answer an occasional enquiry. Guess I was a fisherman long before I started hunting and now spend my free time prowling the waters off Block Island. I've been doing a lot of sportfishing for sharks and participating in a tagging program for the Oceanography institute at the U. of R.I. I don't know of any other form of fishing that affords the thrill of sportfishing and the added element of minimal danger in handling these fish. Guess it must be the hunter in me. It was always more fun to stalk a grizzly or lion than something that couldn't bite back.

"Strangely during my visits to Hanover, even on football weekends, I never run across a familiar face altho I do see an occasional '45 beanie or numeral sweater. Quite often I browse thru the excellent 45/70 publication and am astounded how difficult it is to recognize anyone. Oh the effects of the inexorable passage of time. Missed the 25th but plan to be in Hanover this June."

There has been an interesting exchange of letters recently between your executive committee and Pete Habein. Pete initiated this correspondence with the following note: "After reading recent alumni reports of President Kemeny's budget projections, I wish to make a modest proposal to the Class of '45. My proposal, far more modest than that of Jonathan Swift, is that the reunion committee cancel plans for the festivities in June. Alumni who planned to attend could better demonstrate their loyalty to the College by donating to the '75 Alumni Fund the money they would have spent on transportation, lodging, food, and drink. In addition to helping the College, this would demonstrate our dedication to conservation of energy. If there is any good to be reaped from our current economic constriction and fuel shortage, it may result from our collectively wearing the hair shirt for a while and limiting our self indulgence. I challenge the Class of '45 to demonstrate its loyalty to the College and its dedication to the preservation of our economic and social systems by not celebrating the 30th Reunion this year."

The consensus among the executive committee was that the 30th should still take place in view of the facts that the midweek reunion will probably be attended by not more than 100150 classmates and wives, that the reunion expenditures are insignificant in comparison with any other gathering for a professional or business meeting and that, most importantly. there is no substitute for reunion fellowship for those '45s who are drawn back to Hanover to relive pleasant memories and cement '45 friendships both old and new. Pete's point re the Alumni Fund and Dartmouth education is well taken tho and his challenge is passed on to the Class: to those who feel that the reunion is unnecessary compared to College support, here is your chance to increase your support of the College by saving on reunion expenses.

REMEMBER THE 30TH!!

See you in Hanover in June - or if you acceptPete's challenge, send the extra to the AlumniFund.

Secretary, 13 Delano Park Cape Elizabeth, Me. 04107

Treasurer, 420 Lexington Ave. New York, N.Y. 10017