1950
Last autumn all signs pointed to a bitter cold winter. Fortunately, the signs proved to be wrong. The snows were bountiful; the skiing, especially in contrast to the last few years, superb' yet the temperatures were generally just cold enough, not bitter. But now that March an Easter, the usual harbinger of spring, have passed winter persists. Blizzards range from colorado to Maine; gale force winds sweep the Atlantic coastal states; frosts reach into Georgia; and New England ski areas rejoice with a new three-foot cover. Chances are good that my daughter Sioboan's roommate will win her bet that there will be snow on the green in mid-April.
In a discussion with a group of today's undergraduates recently, it was sad to learn that they have no idea what duckboards are. The campus has been "engineered" to preclude their need The schlump season, however, remains. Most parents of freshmen can only barely appreciate the following comment in Dean Manuel's letter to us at the end of winter term: "One of the minor triumphs of Dartmouth's unique year around calendar is that it manages to eliminate from the academic year one-half of the month of March. Let's face it, nine years out of ten March is, in New England, awful."
Our good fortune, therefore, is that Reunion is in June, when, except for one year in 25, the season is outstanding. The poor year was in 1970 (a fact stated blithely now with substantiation to follow either way during the second weekend in June by my resorting to the laws of probability). From your vantage point the countdown has dwindled to days and your bags should already be partially packed. To paraphrase a comment offered by several reunion planners: Nev Chamberlain's "Touch of Class" is bound to set a new standard of excellence and relevance for all future reunions (not just for 1950, but for every class).
And who is coming? Since the list of more than 200 is too long, a few samples from early registrants may be indicative. Nink and AnnHoy are coming from Delaware. The Ohio contingent lists Jim and Serene Farmer and Daveand Arlene Vogel. Hailing from Missouri will be Rod and Natalie Larrabee. Californians already count the Jack Gilchrists (2), Fritz Jewetts (4),Bill Strengs (2), and Gene Carvers (2). Ken andEllen Clark have registered from Tennessee. A recent letter from Bob Lindell says he is planning to come from Brussels.
There is one more classmate who has written his plans. His determination is the warmest and the most encouraging (perhaps the gutsiest). It reflects not class spirit so much as the spirit of the Class. If you are still undecided, his words may sway you. You might recall our noting that Ed Gulick was seriously injured in an accident in lage January. His recent letter reports, "... I have no feeling or control of anything from the waist down. But there have been enough slight signs of improvement so that I hope to be able to walk into the '50 tent for a beer in June." There is a challenge.
Charlie Abbe is now vice president-marketing at the First Financial Group of N.H., Inc., the bank holding company whose principal subsidiary is The Manchester Bank. Charlie is also a director of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Chamber's Breakfast Forum series. He serves as chairman of I.Bedford's Dollars for Scholars chapter, is a member of the Manchester Bicentennial Committee, and chairman of the Bedford Board of Adjustment.
Jerry (Girard T.) Smith has been named general manager of ICI America Inc., formerly Atlas Chemical Industries, of Wilmington, Del. Jerry had been associated with GE and Cresap, McCormick, and Paget before joining Atlas in the early '60s. Prior to his latest assignment he had been director of operations planning and services with responsibility for marketing, distribution, production services, and special venture planning. As gm Jerry may be able to delegate several of those jobs.
In a long letter to Ed Gulick, his old Sigma Nu brother, Bud MacDonald brought us all up to date. He and Dolly have four boys. Bud practices law in Marin County, just north of San Francisco and across the Golden Gate, with the firm of Nelson, Boyd, MacD, and Tarrant. He saw John DeGraff on a visit home to Albany. Pat Dolan and Gene Ulrich have visited him in the West on several occasions. And recently, Larry Batty settled in a mile or so away. Whenever he returns east, Bud heads for his old summer place in North Hero on Lake Champlain. Bud's most interesting aside was, ". . . after 20 some years in the West I am just about ready to go back east [Larry went from east to west], although New England rather than New York is the only attraction for me." Dolly remains to be heard.
Tidbits here and there: Bob Funkhouser, recent vp and LA regional manager for BBD&O, has been appointed director of advertising for Carnation Co. Tom Johnson is not lost but is with Aramco (whatever its status) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Tom will, unfortunately, not be in Hanover on 12-15 June. Moving to Houston is Dick Ledyard, who will be manager of the Beaumont branch of Graybar Electric. Dick's son George '74 is engaged to another '74 magnacum laude. Tom Sheridan has just become president of the central division of the Great A&P Tea Co. He will be located in King of Prussia, Pa. Tom's son Ed will be captain of Princeton's 1975 grid team.
Gene Hotchkiss, president of Lake Forest College, presided at a panel discussion on "Collective Bargaining and the Student Interest" during the annual meeting of the Assoc. of American Colleges. Steve Kandel wrote a recent episode of TV's Manhunter. The Chase Manhattan Overseas Corp. moved BobLindell from Milano to Bruxelles to take over as vp and multinational marketing exec. Western International Hotels features Hallmark's DonHall as a man with "... a style all his own." Next month: another chat with TV's Mister(Fred) Rogers. The NH art association is sponsoring an exhibit of Frank Moulton's paintings. Frank and Elnor Barker are stationed at Atsugi, Japan, where he is the commanding officer of the Naval Air Facility. Frank reluctantly reports that he will almost certainly miss the 25th. Warren and Barb Cox intend to be there. The manager of new market development for Lasky Co., NJ's finest commercial printer, is Dave Grinnell.
It's my last chance to convince you to join us next month. Do come.
And, even if you cannot come, please remember how important your gift is this year. The Class wants to give the College an outstanding vote of confidence and support in return for the benefits we have garnered over the last 25 years.
In the wings there is an appointment with the IRS and its immutable deadline. The lawn must wait; and the trout; and the courts. But there is time enough after Form 1040.
Then there is June and the fulfillment of our promise. See you then.
Walter Z. Newman '48 (l) was Dartmouth'sdelegate at inauguration of theReverend Charles Sherrer, president ofKings College in Wilkes, Barre, shown taking the Dartmouth Scroll.
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