1940

Chips from some of us weathered old '40 "blocks" are clearly made of mighty sturdy stuff.

Examples: Ted Lewitt's eldest son, Peter '78, who is one of four Ledyard Canoe Club kayaker-scholars just now (mid-April) beginning a 1,888-mile kayak voyage down the length of the Rio Grande, from its source in the Alpine meadows of the San Juan mountains of southeast Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, to the challenge of "doing" the entire waterway, rapids and all, they will be studying evidence of the impact of that "river of destiny" on the four cultures which have been nourished by it through the ages of man - pre-historic Indians, including Pueblos who live there to this day; Spaniards, who settled the valley a generation before the Pilgrims stepped ashore at Plymouth; Mexicans; and Anglo-Americans. No stranger to adventure, photographer Peter, as freshman, led an expedition up the Muldrow route on Mt. McKinley.

And in a gentler but still challenging role, another photographer, George Sheldon's son John '74, is working to fill the shoes of retired Dartmouth photographer Adrian Bouchard. Although not holding that title, he's been assigned by a local Hanover photography firm to provide Dartmouth with its photographic coverage - a big job he's doing well. Before returning to the Hanover scene, he spent a year climbing and roving in Europe after graduation. Lest it seem that the venturesome spirit is confined to '40 progeny, it may be remembered that John's dad was on the expedition that climbed K-2 in 1939. Now, after an army career, capped by a stint as editor and consultant on European marketing matters, George has retired to his farm in Jarrettsville, Md., and is concentrating on the intricacies of fly-fishing and rhythms of gardening.

Motivated by his own sense of history, MoodyDole, a fifth-generation member of the family which for 150 years operated the Erastus Dole Mills in Compton, N.H., is turning adversity into opportunity. Established by his great-great-grand-uncle, Gen. Moses Cook of the New Hampshire militia, the historic woolen mill along side of Mad River Gorge stopped producing textiles in 1965 and last year lost its last replacement tenants to modern malls.

Unwilling to see the property, with its classic old mill lines, fall to the wrecking ball, Moody has gathered together like-minded associates and the finances to restore the old red mill as a special kind of shopping and crafts center similar to Boston's Faneuil Hall project, but featuring even wood-burning stoves in some shops. But no supermarkets! The restoration is expected to be completed in time for a grand opening in August of this year. The location, for any 40's who want to shop in the charm of yesteryear and say hello to Moody, is Route 49 about a mile from Interstate 93. And, if it's snack time, the new complex will include a restaurant, "The Coffee Connection." "We will want people to come here to stay for a full day," says the irrepressible Moody. "There will be food on the premises, heat when it's cold and a cool river when it's hot."

From that Dartmouth and '40 stronghold that is Cleveland comes word from Keith Benson that early retirement in 1971 as president and chief executive officer of the iron ore house of Pickands Mather & Co., just didn't set well. So, after returning to the practice of law for a couple of years, he responded to the call to industry action and is back in harness as executive vice president of administration and finance of Oglebay Norton Co., while serving as director of several other companies. It seems to be agreeing with him, as he reports just having returned from a two-week vacation in Antigua at The Mill Reef Club.

Meanwhile, from Minneapolis, comes the news that Dick Gray has been elected president and chief exec of the Investors Group. Dick, also chairman and president of Zero-Max Industries, Inc. (diversified Minneapolis manufacturers), will be responsible in his new post for leadership of a group with assets of more than $6 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. The group comprises 10 mutual funds managed by Investors Diversified Services, Inc., of Minneapolis.

And Scotty Rogers has returned to the lakeside city as president of The Medusa Corporation, producer of cement, aggregates, brick, and other construction materials. He made the move after the firm he formerly headed, the American Chain & Cable Co., in Bridgeport, Conn., lost a bicentennial battle to a raiding British firm armed with pounds, instead of muskets. Scotty reports that he and Loomie moved to Cleveland in "the worst blizzard of this lousy winter," but, ever the optimist, he predicts "we shall have a home by Easter - as soon as Loomie gets through renovating."

And from Boston comes a wry self-portrait of our class treasurer, Stet Whitcher, with a gentle humor worth repeating: "As for myself," he reports after accounting for several business matters, "life in the big city is fairly well-ordered and prosaic. Still a bachelor and will probably die one. Ever since leaving Dartmouth, I always seem to have been around money, other people's, that is, with none of it rubbing off on me." In addition to serving as class treasurer and reunion treasurer, he is manager of the commercial loan department at the First National Bank of Boston.

Secretary, 4 Parkhurst Hall Hanover, N.H. 03755

Treasurer, Apt. 5-C, 6 Whittier Place Boston, Mass. 02114