1932

1932’s Mini-Reunion Special

On the college green, ready for the torch, was a beautiful bonfire built of old railroad ties pyramided to a height of at least 60 feet. Hundreds of undergraduates were lining up on the marching route of the many returning classes. In anticipation, the Dartmouth band was preparing to play for the Dartmouth Night torchlight parade. Our Class, represented by approximately 20 people, rendezvoused on Lebanon Street behind the Class of ’31. Right behind us a group of stalwart men dressed as slaves carried a 20-foot litter made of two long wooden beams, on which was mounted a lavishly decorated chair. Carried on this royal throne was a beautiful young woman dressed as the Queen of Sheba. This was the float for the Bektash Shrine and their colorful band, which brought up the rear behind the litter. As the march started, someone in the class (I think it was Art Allen) gave one of our big 1932 green banners to the Queen of Sheba, who agreeably 'displayed it to the thousands of spectators lining up on the parade route. The music of the Dart- I mouth Band and the Bektash Shriners started the adrenelin in our old veins. It was like drink- ing a batch of martinis! We couldn’t resist. Several of us with ’32 caps got in with the slaves and put our shoulders to the litter. The watchers cheered and encouraged us old codgers to march on with our splendid display. From that time on the evening was for the Class of 1932!

So that we would be even more prominently shown, we did not stop at the fence in front of the speakers stand in front of Dartmouth Hall but paraded our Queen of Sheba and the 1932 banner in the enclosed section! Was this a repetition of 1932’s Old Timer’s Day 45 years ago? It really seemed that way. No it was Dartmouth Night, October 21, 1977, and the beginning of our mini-reunion.

And a splendid, joyful mini-reunion was had, with 76 people attending our banquet at the Holiday Inn in White River Junction. Unfor- tunately, Howdie and Dottle Pierpont, who regularly organize this event, could not attend because of an important wedding, and Mary andLeon Warner canceled out at the last minute because of an injury Mary received falling from a horse.

Our prez John Zimmerman, ably aided by his wife Alice and my “Sweet Adeline,” ran things smoothly and efficiently. In attendance and staying at the Inn were the Barbers, Cardozos, Larry Collinses, Corbetts, Brownie Dickenson, Englanders, Gardners, Geroulds, Hokansons, Ed Lewis, Marcus, Ed Marks, Larry Milgroom, Modarellis, Reinhardts, Robertses, Ed Smiths, Thibaults, Marjorie Walker, Wentworths, Max Wolff, John Zimmermans, and A 1 Zingeler. Over from Hanover came the Art Allens, Autens, Buckleys, Burchs, Drews, Greydon Freemans, Gilberts, Liesons, Nitschelms, Fran- cis and Sunny Savage, Carl Ward, Walsers, and Whitehairs.

After the dinner there was a discussion of class affairs, followed by an interesting talk by Sever Peters, director of athletics at Dartmouth. A great evening.

Before the campus bonfire Sam Englander had tipped me off that Gordon Lane was the an- nual sponsor for making up the one-meter-high freshman class numerals which grace the top of the pyramid as well as the smaller numerals of different classes leading up on alternate ties to the top. To check out this scoop, we went to the pyramid, and sure enough, there was Gordon admiring his work of art. Believe it or not, the class numerals started with 1900 at the bottom, and 32 feet higher there was, outstanding in a larger size and in a different color, the Class of 1932!

Also, as we waited to start the parade, a young and beautiful woman student came to our group. “Is this the Class of 1932?” she asked. “Does anyone remember my father PeterOstafin?” We assured Elisa Ann, of the Class of ’7B, that we certainly remembered her father and that we looked forward to his answering a recent letter we sent him. This was certainly a pleasant surprise, and we hope other sons and daughters of 1932 will visit with us in future reunions.

Our tailgate lunch in Hanover prior to the Cornell game was a scrumptuous affair. Addie and I arrived with a cup of chili in a foam cup and some scotch whiskey and ended up drinking French champagne and munching on pate defois gras and smoked salmon with LarryMilgroom and his charming friend Dr. Rita Shane. The champagne helped loosen our tongues and a sparkling conversation was held in French among us, Rita, Larry, the Wentworths, and Ben Drew.

Space limits additional remarks on our mini- reunion, but we did see Gildo Cappio and MyronIsaacs at the Yale game, Bill Bennett at the Har- vard debacle, and the John Euclid Fishes and Bill Britten in Hanover.

Our mini-reunions get better and better each year, and we hope for an even bigger attendance in 1978. Merry Christmas to all.

Your obedient servant, ‘4J$ '

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