1923

Our annual interim class meeting was held this year at three in the afternoon of the day preceding the Cornell game. Twenty-three of us were there. Ike Phillips will fill you in completely on the agenda, but just briefly, the following subjects were covered.

Chet Bixby very eloquently and completely discussed the progress of our funding associa- tion. By now you have all had an initial mailing from him, Truman Metzel, and Pete Jones, out- lining the approach to this special project. In an- ticipation of our 55th reunion, it is designed to promote gifts and life income trusts through the Bequest Program, which will perpetuate our an- nual giving to the Alumni Fund. The Associa- tion, which was formed last October, already in- cludes 49 members of the Class. Some of you. no doubt, are not yet quite certain of the many favorable and optional possibilities of this program. If you still have any questions, do write Truman, Chet, or Pete, or Frank Logan ’52 at Crosby Hall, Hanover, N.H. 03755. Frank is coordinating the program for the Class,

Babe Miner read his usual fine treasurer’s report, which you have already seen in Ike’s latest “Skiddoo.”

Our 55th reunion plans for June 9-11, 1978, are already well under way. Ike says they will follow closely those of our 50th, with the excep- tion that no special 1923 post-reunion is planned. It was agreed that this is unnecessary since the College now programs a post-reunion get-together for all plus-50th classes.

Bud Freeman reports that the voting returns are in for 1923’s class scholarship award. It was a dead heat between Susan Kelley and Gordon Landis, so it was decided to split the award equally between these two fine students. Pete Jones closed the meeting by asking for a few moments of silent prayer for the 85 men of 1923 who have left us since our 50th reunion.

If you will forgive the observation, I must say that the subject matter of previous Alumni College programs has often seemed academic, mind-stretching, even prosaic. This admittedly from a non-participant. There must have been a few others who shared these views, because the 1977 program took on a vastly more titillating subject “Men and Women: What’s the Difference?”

The October issue of the Alumni Magazine includes two observations on this year’s program titled “Just the Facts Ma’am” by Dan Nelson and “And the Lacks, Sir” by Shelby Grantham. I do not in anyway consider either point of view a rebuttal of the other. They are both excellent writing, and each tells it as each reacted to what each saw and heard. Personally, I am a bit biased in favor of Shelby’s version which may possibly surprise and shock a few of you. In any event, both of these reports can only convince some of you doubters that not only the academic College but also Alumni College has taken a long step into the real world of human relations.

Congratulations to Babe and Florence Miner. Their son Rich was promoted to secretary of Middlebury College last July. Rich and his lovely wife Bobbie, a University of Michigan graduate, have a baby daughter born June 21, 1977. Babe’s and Florence’s daughter Ginny’s son is captain of the Longmeadow High School soccer team and her other son is a defensive back on the same high school’s football team. Many thanks to Charlie Bishop for three re-

cent letters. First, he reminds me that Andrew W. Comstock, who is listed under the death notices on page 86 of the October issue as 1923 was actually a member of the Class of 1913. Charlie also remarks approvingly that the College name is printed in Dartmouth green on the October cover.

I am also indebted to Charlie for a great deal of data on the outstanding career of Ray Barker, including the very touching eulogy at Ray’s memorial service by the Rev. Dr. Henry W. Andersen of the Fairmont Presbyterian Church.

Charlie goes on to say that he and Catherine will again spend the three worst months of the northern winter in Green Valley, Ariz. says the sun and the whirlpool baths are the best arthritis treatment anywhere.

Last June too late for a timely report in this column Joe Millar wrote me of the very serious automobile accident suffered by Tomand Ruth Burch. Tom’s good letter of mid- October brings the cheerful news that all is now well. It reads in part:

“One of the privileges of retirement is procrastination. I fear I take too much advan- tage of it, but after 50 years of meeting adver- tising deadlines, airline schedules, etc., I hope I’m entitled.

“It’s good to hear from and about old friends and classmates. Your letter was a warm addi- tion to other news. And it was a reminder that we’re still a sturdy band of old Dartmouth boys. After meeting a girl member of the Class of ’Bl, I needed that!

“Ruth and I have really settled in here and enjoy doing nothing most of the time. She has reminded me that we’ve moved some 30 times over the years six of them transcontinentals so we’re going to stay put now, come whatever. We have a fair patch with trees and fruit and flowers and vegetables that keep us busy. We’re half a mile from the beach one way and from fine farms the other. The local airport is ten minutes away, with a twenty-minute ride to Kennedy and a forty-five-minute one to Washington, so making the few necessary journeys is easy.

“Fortunately, we are both recovered from our highway crash. My ribs still complain a little but the knee and ankle are mended, and I have no restraints we did the Smithsonians from end to end again last weekend in Washington.”

My apologies to Ralph and Lois Emerson. The photo of their 50th wedding anniversary party was not sharp enough for reproduction in the Alumni Magazine. Congratulations, anyway, to you both. I wish your classmates could have seen that picture.

This issue will probably reach you just before the Christmas and New Year holidays. For you and yours, may they be happy and healthy days and may there be many more to come.

Box 2 Francestown, N.H. 03043