1950's 25th

First, it was a party, a super party. Second, it was a trip down memory lane, a conscious invocation of the past, an unassuming exhibition of nostalgia for all that was and is Dartmouth for the Class of 1950.

Third, it was a happy melange of organizers and workers, of activity and reflection, of events and relaxation, of time, place, and people.

Simply, it was our 25th Reunion, the culmination of almost two years of planning (and hours of worry and anxiety). It was the all too few precious moments stolen from busy schedules and pressing alternative demands upon our time, the interlude anticipated monthly in this column and in myriad mailings from Hanover. It was four days in June celebrating 25 years since our graduation, a time when most of us are close to the pinnacle of our achievements and when our strengths still exceed our weaknesses.

Finally, it was the midpoint in our journey from those exuberant days of 1950 to the hopefully halcyon days of 2000.

The impossible challenge now is to capture the essence of that interlude in 1,000 words or less. There is no way. There is none except to note a highlight or two.

A super party depends upon untold details and lots of work. Almost every hour has a plan and every plan a contingency in case of rain. The plans take hours of fitting and refitting like the pieces of a puzzle. Every item must be negotiated with Dave Orr '57, who has seen the mistakes and triumphs of successive reunions over a number of years. Files fill with notes and letters. As the date approaches, telephone calls become more numerous. Then, with everything set, the final apprehension takes over: concern about the forgotten, the missing; worry that the panoply of events actually dovetails; and anxiety about the weather. The backdrop for the class banquet was a huge banner with "Dartmouth 1950's 25th Annual Touch of Class." It was all possible because our reunion chairman dedicated himself to its success. NevChamberlain was an added touch of class.

Then there were the workers. Ed Tuck, reunion treasurer, drafted his entire family and any pliant volunteers for duty throughout the weekend. Ed finally sat down on Sunday noon to relax a moment.

Early Thursday morning found Len and SueMatless hard at work transforming the bare framework of a tent into a festive setting with soft lights and greenery. His crew included our undergraduate help and Dottie McCulloch.

Len failed in one respect. Wednesday was a perfect June day in the North Country. Thursday dawned dismal, and the rains started by 10. As classmates arrived for registration, it poured unremittingly. Our worst fears had become reality. But it did not matter, partially because of all the work Len had done to take care of such a contingency. Mostly, however, the fact was that the rain, except for slight inconveniences here and there, hardly intruded.

One of the hits of the day was the 25 YearBook. For that labor of love, kudos to editor JoeMedlicott. The book was published by RockyStinehour's Stinehour Press, a superb accomplishment.

The source of other favors, pens with D-50 for the men, totebags for the women, and sundry T-shirts, was Dick Echikson. All of the tennis courts on campus were appropriated by DickZiesing, who coordinated an inordinate demand for playing time. Charlie Gardner's publicity preceded the event, but his logo appeared everywhere in Hanover during the weekend. Activities for the kids were masterminded by JillHarned and directed by Coach Jake Crouthamel'60 and an intrepid magician. VallyChamberlain planned the special activities for women. And an endless series of calls to regional coordinators, whose task was to urge classmates to attend, was monitored by BobMcIlwain with assistance from Dick Dale.

And the food! Who ever even heard of a lobster and clambake on the banks of the Connecticut at the Ledyard Bridge? Or a German-style picnic in the Bema? Leave it to Joel Leavitt, who arranged all the details. Those special events added charm and increased conviviality. Picnickers lingered for hours reliving old friendships and establishing new ones in settings as lovely as one could imagine. Some wives on their first visit to Dartmouth could not help but marvel, particularly at the Bema as a reluctant sun finally filtered shadows among the trees.

Music surrounded us at every turning, arranged by Tom Ruggles. An oom-pah band was just right for the Bema. Dixieland reigned in the tent. Jay Wilcox, Lee Sarokin, and DickMcSorley joined in. And Tony Ambrose took his familiar place up front with a still mellow trombone.

One event wrapped it all up, the real trip back. John Dwyer organized "Great Issues: Then and Now". His panelists: Joe Medlicott,Dick Hollands, Mary Kilmarx, who eloquently championed the role of women in today's society, and Dan Featherston. The moderator: John Sloan Dickey '29, President Emeritus, who stole the show reflecting upon his initial rationale for a course integrating four years in the liberating arts, restating the original and still persisting great issues, and responding to the challenges posed by both the panelists and the audience.

There were moments of levity as Buzz Burrill ad libbed commentary to movies from our undergraduate years.

There were moments for reflection as JimBirney, protesting the task of intruding with reality at the height of a party, recalled our departed classmates and touched upon our own mortality.

There were moments of pride as MikeMcGean '49 awarded the Class all the awards available to reunion classes: the Class of 1894 Cup for a 32 per cent return of classmates; the Class of 1930 Cup for the highest absolute number, 193 and still counting. There was a special award for key officers: green shovels with '50 on one side, 25 on the other, to commemorate our tree planting program.

There were moments of excitement as BobKilmarx urged us to greater heights in reunion giving with a commanding speech to match the 5 in 50 with enough zeros to attain a $500,000 gift. Then there was the decisive moment at the class banquet when Bob presented President John Kemeny with 1950's gift to the College. During the afternoon and early evening Bob, JackHarned, and their agents had achieved the goal.

There were moments of honor in being addressed on successive evenings at the Alumni Dinner and the Class Banquet by Presidents Dickey and Kemeny, respectively. There was a touching moment when John Dickey declared his fondness for 1950, his first four-year class, and barely choked through his closing words of appreciation.

And there were moments of nostalgia as the Aires were led by Bill Embree in DartmouthUndying as scenes of the College in all its seasons and moods were flashed on a screen overhead.

In the background there was another leader, Sandy McCulloch, who pulled the strings to put the pieces together. At the class meeting the new officers chosen to lead us until 1981 were JackHarned, President; Ed Tuck, Treasurer; JoelLeavitt, Head Agent; and Nev Chamberlain, Bequest Chairman. Joe Medlicott and I remain at our old stands.

The 25th is a time to pay homage to the College while younger classes, the community, and the College pay homage to the Class. The tribute was outstanding.

Final report: patterns of thinning or balding hair were established by our fifth. There are few changes except for more luxuriant growths and persistent signs of grey. Paunches were rampant by our tenth. Some are more fully developed, but most are gone. By our 15th our children were an abiding concern. Now they join the party. At our 20th we were sedentary. With tennis and golf and mountain climbing our athletic activity now predominates. We are active, eager, and fit. The class is ready to take on the next 25 years.

Now, on to greater achievements.

(Note: this fall's mini-reunion takes place in Woodstock on 10-12 October. See you at the Penn game).

College Secretary Mike McGean '49 alleges that he has a "good" new Reunion joke andreactions at the 1950 class banquet would seem to indicate that he has.

CLASS SECRETARY