1944

One of the nice things about working for Dartmouth (rooty-toot for the Institute) is the number of handsome, well-preserved 55-year old '44s who come through Hanover, with their scrumptious wives and spotless kids alongside, and we honestly do enjoy having them pop in.

Let's start with last June's Commencement (even though we didn't get to see all hands). Proud, happy parents, and their graduating seniors were, from left to right: John and PatBaker, daughter Maura; Jean and Buzz Bensinger, daughter Peggy; Tom and Ardis Close, daughter Ellen; Ann and Bob Conroy, daughter Kim '76; Barbara and Joe Dammann, son Jonathan; Tommy Donnelly, daughter Barbara; Dick and Lois Howe, son Dave '76; Paul andAlice Jones, sons David and Cameron (Cameron receiving his B.E. from Thayer); Dickand Cynthia Sholl, son Bob; and Bob and CecileWiley, daughter Suzanne.

In graduate-student seats, getting their M.B.A.s from Tuck, were Merilyn and MelFriberg's Nancy and Shirley and Don Weir's Don Jr. '70

Then, chips from parental blocks: Barbara Donnelly and Bob Sholl were Senior Fellows; Barbara, Bob, and Phil Puchner's Chris '75 were Phi Beta Kappa; Barbara and Chris were summa cum laude. Bob Sholl was magna cum laude. Jon Dammann, Dave Jones, and Suzanne Wiley were cum laude.

Chris Puchner won the John Ebers Prize, awarded to the most deserving geology student; and Kim Conroy won the Salvador Allende Gossens Memorial Prize awarded to the student "who has distinguished himself in the study of Latin America or Inter-American relations and has pursued humanitarian goals as a member of the College community."

Reunions began a few days after Commencement and a bunch of old Barbary Coasters did a many-splendored thing: they had a reunion of their own and held forth nightly and mightily in the '42 tent. So mightily, according to NormSimpson and Rudy Whitten, the two '44 representatives, that "They wouldn't let us stop until four in the morning. Among the greatest evenings of our lives."

Our men and women at this summer's Alumni College were Doris and Dick Wilson (psychiatry in Wellesley, Mass.) and Dave Judson (wrist watches in N.Y. City). They were here for two weeks trying, at this late stage, to learn about birds and bees; the theme was "Men & Women: What's the Difference?"

Other summer pass-throughs: Joe andDorothy MacFarland, in town for a cardiac checkup. Joe had a heart attack last spring and was taking things easy at the family summer digs on Lake Sunapee. He is winding up his real estate and building affairs in Brazil and looking for a comfy location in the USA.

Chuck Foster bought us a brew and we chatted and pretzeled on the Inn terrace. He has left his ski lodge in Stowe and hopes to get into Vermont TV.

Bob Gilchrist, senior trust officer with Cleveland Trust, stopped in with son John for a college look-see: other son Tom is a junior at Bates in Maine.

Der Professor, Karl Sorg, who teaches law at Lewis University College of Law in Glen Ellyn, Ill., also came by for a friendly hello. He liked as how it was kind of nice seeing these eastern hills again, with clear skies and clean air.

Norma and Dale Sisson had a rather special reason to gas up and head north from Stamford, Conn. Namely, the wedding of son Rufus '76 to Judy Graham of Hanover. And where else but in Rollins Chapel? Rufus is with American Can and he and Judy are living in Indianapolis.

Clem and Greg Rabassa shot by, visiting Greg's mother on the Lyme Road and busy as ever with translations, publications, et al. Still more honors for Greg: he won the P.E.N. Translation Prize in 1977 and has been named a judge on this year's National Book Awards committee. Greg couldn't believe his eyes a few years back when he found Vic and Pat Morgan living right next door to his mother's winter home in Sarasota. The Morgans, according to Greg, are leading a very active, stimulating, and gracious retirement existence in Sarasota.

Carl and Ruth Koenig sauntered across my sill while on a Hanover visit to see daughter Anita, who is here for a couple of months as part of a four-year physical therapy course. The Koenigs moved from Pennsylvania to Lynchburg in July, still with Limitorque Valve Controls after 18 years. Carl says he's looking forward to hitting those Virginia trout streams.

Almost in Hanover, but not quite, was X Larrabee. He was visiting and vacationing at a sister's summer place in Maine and planning to return south via Hanover to show the campus to child, number seven, daughter Jean. But a call from the boss at Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina brought him straight home. But he hopes to get back north soon...

Dan and Arline Donovan and Swampy andBlanche Marsh were nice enough to squiggle over from their Quechee, Vt., summer condo and house, respectively, and we did some jawing and sipping. Hap and Mary Bush got even closer than that when they paid rent, even, for a week's sojourn in my home-made, Cornish Flat log cabin.

Then, Dick and Proc Ostberg lured me down out of the hills and down to the sea for a day of sailing and sun at their place in Ipswich, Mass. Lovely.

Finally, on a sad note, our deepest sympathies to the wives and families of Mark Batchelder, who died February 16, 1977 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Art Saul who died in his sleep August 10. Obituaries to follow.

That's it. Blessings.

309 Crosby Hall Hanover, N.H. 03755