1951's 25th

Shades of Eliza Doolittle and "My Fair Lady"; WE DID IT! The ugly duckling first post-World War II overwhelmingly civilian Dartmouth Class of 1951 came up with a truly FABULOUS 25th. The show put on by Reunion Chairman and new Class President "Buck" Scott and his dedicated committee, with ample support from their better halves, will be a hard act to follow.

FABULOUS TURNOUT: The show's limited engagement played to packed houses: the largest number of classmates - 214 - and total attendance (men, women, and children) - 653 - at any Dartmouth reunion in nine years! A huge flag with our reunion logo, "The Spirit of '51 Is Coming Back," told the story with the word "Coming" crossed out.

We were enticed by the most imaginative promotional materials - "51 reasons for coming back" - probably ever seen by any reunion class anywhere, the brainchild of new Class Secretary Hank Nachman, with an assist from Mike Iovenko. Dick Barnes had regional "whips" drumming up attendance. Then there was our "Spirit of 51: Dartmouth 1951-1976," a massive labor of love edited by Woody Klein which we all received in advance. In terms of content, layout, general attractiveness, and readability, it has to be the best 25-year book ever.

Our green and white striped Class tent was on the north side of Tuck Mall between Tuck- Thayer and the "Gold Coast," where we were quartered. The tent out of which junior activities operated virtually around the clock was on the south side. In charge of physical facilities, DickEllis (Conn.) also arranged perfect sunny June Hanover weather. The only shower occurred while we were inside eating dinner Saturday evening.

At the tent, Sam Roberts and Dick Mason were on hand to register arrivals and to issue badges, caps for the men, and T-shirts with our Reunion logo for the juniors. Al Brout, finance, kept an eagle eye to make sure everyone paid for what was the greatest buy since the old saloon free lunch.

Really long distance travelers included DickHalloran from Tokyo, John Hoskins from Upper Volta, Bill Brooks from Brussels, and Bob Hirschman from London. Lloyd Gaston came from British Columbia; Marr Mullen and Rog Shannon, from the state of Washington; and, from California, 17 classmates — TomBarnett, Pete Bogardus, Ear! Brabb, HermChristensen, Pete Dallman, Jim Danaher,George Goldthorpe, Dave (K.) Hall, MikeHeyman, Pierce McKee, Bill Monahan, WesNutten, Bill Rugg, Don (W.) Smith, Len Smith,Mace Weare, and Jim Wylie.

FABULOUS PROGRAM: Thursday's program included cocktails and a buffet dinner in Thayer with the College as host, followed by music and dancing with "Red" Balaban and Cats. Friday morning, a continuing education program set up by the Hugh Johnstons and LoyeMiller took over. Frank Smallwood moderated a four-person faculty panel, including one from the distaff side, on "Youth and the Middle Years: The Twenty-Fifth Viewed as a Rite of Passage," a fascinating trip into sociology, literature, anthropology, and psychiatry.

FABULOUS FOOD: Then it was down the hill to the Ledyard Canoe Club for a broiled lobster lunch with corn-on-the-cob and all the fixings on the banks of the Connecticut, the first of several special spreads arranged by FredRanney. After lunch, a two-day tennis tournament, one of several adult athletic activities arranged by Paul Staley, began. Several returned for continuing discussion with the morning's faculty panel. Still others did whatever they wanted.

They came from between the Mississippi and the Rockies: Champ Smith and JackWeingarten (with daughter under one year in back-carry) from Texas; Bob Rutstein from Utah; Bob Hackstaff from Colorado; BobClosser from Kansas: Pete Stamata from Iowa; and, from Minnesota, Tom Arnold, Wally Bush,Dave Leslie, Guido Rahr, Bill Roberts, and JimRogers.

1 don't know whether Fred Ranney was afraid we wouldn't get enough to eat at the Friday dinner for all reuning classes in the new Thompson Arena, but he had enough cheese and wine, both of many varieties, spread out in the tent before dinner to feed an army. There was plenty to keep people nibbling after dinner while they listened and danced to Charlie Breed's Mink Brook Six. The Hugh Johnstons' film, "Mystery of the Mayas," drew many viewers first.

Saturday morning there were breakfast meetings of graduate school alumni, talks by College officers, and more tennis and golf. Then came a picnic lunch in the Bema, where we graduated, with music by Balaban and Cats. Dick Pugh, who worked with Dave Saxton on adult program, introduced a very special guest. Ex-President John Dickey provided probably the highlight of the weekend with what I would describe as a moving reminiscence with a future about the purpose of Dartmouth.

They came from the South: "Whitey" Hand from Mississippi; Doug Johnston and JimRobinson from Tennessee: Bill Leffler from Kentucky; Jim Culberson, Ed Isbey, Paul Simel,Don (B.) Smith, and Jack Sutton from North Carolina; John Per-Lee from Georgia; and Hugh Aronson, Ady Berger, Bob Koski, JoeMcDonald, Jack Pace, and Bill Renner from Florida.

Saturday evening, we returned to Thompson Arena for cocktails and our Class banquet. Retiring President Howard Phillips presided while we heard from President John Kemeny, the Dartmouth Aires and Distractions, and several others.

Nominating committee chairman DaveHilton announced the new Class leadership. The officers are "Buck" Scott, president; HankNachman, secretary; Carl Glassberg, treasurer; and myself in the new post of vice president. Executive committee members-at-large elected (an additional nine will be appointed by the presirdent with the advice and consent of the elected members) are Howie Allen, Pete Bogardus,Charlie Breed, Al Brout, Dick Dutton, BobHackstaff, Pete Henderson, Ned Hoeppner, AlLoehr, Dick McFarland, Loye Miller, WesNutten, Dick Pugh, Hank Sanders, Jack Sutton,Merle Thorpe, and Jack Weingarten. After the banquet, there was more Dixieland and dancing with Balaban and Cats.

They came from the Mid-West: Dave Emerson and Will Wolfe from Michigan; Gil Mueller and Dave Wiggins from Wisconsin; and from Illinois, Reed Badgely, Jim Bovaird, Ted Davidson, Dave Doud, Tom Flack, Bill Funk, PeteHenderson, Dave Hilton, Ned Hoeppner, DaveKing, Jeff O'Connell, Earl Reynolds, and WillRowe.

Sunday morning, fortified with Bloody Marys and a substantial brunch, we headed home, not only to the states and foreign countries mentioned, but to Virginia and Ohio and states north and east. There isn't space to list classmates present from those states not already mentioned for a special purpose, nor to take sufficient note of the distaff side or of the juniors, who ranged up to college graduates.

We headed home happy, self-satisfied that we had made the right decision to come back, disappointed for friends who missed the fellowship and fun. We left with the knowledge that both the College and the Class are alive and well and the premonition that the next 25 years can be even better for both.

CLASS SECRETARY