1948
Another so-called lazy May is upon us here in Western Pennsylvania, and this weather reminds that the marvelous spring season of life in Hanover must be once again in existence there. One imagines that Softball is being played by the Senior Fence, that the statuesque old elms around the green are now loaded with leaves, that the glowing whiteness of Dartmouth Row in the late afternoon sun appears even more brilliant, that life on the campus has moved outdoors with a noticeable increase of tempo and energy. One also supposes that many other things we '48s knew in the spring still exist. A few examples might be the anticipation of that weekend trip to Tuckerman's for the adventure of corn snow skiing in the sun, to Skidmore or Smith for the laughs which that kind of adventure produced, to the White or Wild Ammonoosuc for white water canoeing, to other colleges/universities for various official or unofficial athletic or other events. Green Key was a big event as were those delightful fraternity hums in the evening in front of Dartmouth Hall when the spectators took advantage of the informality and good feeling to sit or He back on the lawn below in appreciating the efforts of the competing groups. As students in Hanover we '48s enjoyed the life of a Dartmouth man in the springtime of our days on campus. One fondly hopes that the factors which made the Dartmouth life in the Mays of our experience so first class still continue today in the time of our descendants.
In the last edition of these notes a number of '48 residents of the state of Pennsylvania were mentioned. To this number has just been added Dick Greene. Dick, like the writer, is a New Englander. Unlike yours truly, however, Dick stayed in New England after leaving Hanover, living and working in Boston most of the time where he became a financial analyst of note, developing a number of original techniques for measuring and predicting corporate financial viability. Dick and family have now moved to Pittsburgh where he has accepted a position with Allegheny Ludlum. Glad to have you with us, Dick, here in the country of Braddock, Fort Duquesne, and Bushy Run.
Had the pleasure this past month of spending an evening in Chicago with my old roommate, lan Macartney. Mac hasn't changed much over the years, still has his great sense of humor and ability fully to express his point of view with the fewest possible words. An injury has cut down his control over his ankles to some extent, but he found he was able to get back on skis this past winter at Copper Mountain in Colorado by leaning his shins into the high tops of a new type plastic ski boot. Was able to give his old buddy Jim Vanderbeek '47 a run for his money on the slopes after first experiencing a few falls in getting the new technique to work. Mac and Carla live in the Chicago suburb of Hindsdale, and their eldest son Hal graduated with the Class of 1975 at Hanover this past June. Mac travels a great deal to odd corners of the earth (oil almost never seems to be found near civilized areas) as a foreign exploration manager with Amoco International Oil Co. He is still a highly enthusiastic supporter of the Dartmouth we knew as undergraduates, but is concerned - along with a number of other '48s - as to certain present and possible future directions of the College on the Hill.
A May bulletin from the University of Washington in Seattle points out that "among 75 new members elected to the National Academy of Sciences for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research" is "top quantitative sociologist Dr. Hubert M.Blalock Jr., Professor of Sociology". The bulletin adds that, "Election to the National Academy's membership is considered to be one of the highest honors that can be accorded an American scientist or engineer." Congratulations for your continuing work and achievement, Hubert!
It is a disappointment to report the appalling performance of '48 to date in the 1976 edition of the Alumni Fund drive, this in spite of the dedicated work of '48 Chief Agent Bob Munson and his associates. As of May 6 only 64 or 15 per cent of 1948's scoring base of 427 members had sent contributions to Hanover. This was nine less than last year's poor performance at the same date. In amount we were only $6,246 on May 6 of our 1976 quota of $25 thousand, some $4,537 less than our support at this time last year. We have not been a class particularly noted over the years for carrying our share of the Alumni Fund burden, but these figures seem absurd. They inevitably lead to the question. "Why?" If you, as a '48 alumnus, have a definite why in mind which has led you to reduce or eliminate your financial support to the Fund, a why having something to do with the College, your classmates and your College would like to know. You may feel you owe it to them (and to yourself) to express that why in writing. If so, why not drop a line to your President, John VanRaalte, in Pleasantville, N.Y., or to Bob Munson or myself at the addresses shown above. If there seems to be some sort of concensus, the word can be carried to Hanover. If, on the other hand, the why is not explained by any particular reason or cause having to do with the College, we '48s ought to be able to pull up our sox and get on with the job of bearing our fair share of the burden of seeing to it that Dartmouth can continue to give today's youth (and our country) the benefits of a fine Dartmouth education and experience. This is a sort of put up or don't shut up challenge. How about it?
Secretary, Gulf Trading & Transportation Co. Gulf Building Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219
Class Agent, 5 Hemlock Hill, Westport, Conn. 06880
