1952

It's all over! By the time you read this our 25th will be a moment in history and I think it is safe to assume it will have been a glorious moment in the life cycle of the Class of 1952. This is my last report to the Class as secretary and I only wish it would be possible to summarize the events of our reunion. However, since I started this assignment with the results of our 20th, it is only fitting that our next secretary have the pleasure of telling you about our 25th.

Ironically, this is the easiest report I have ever made. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of PeteMcSpadden, Dick Watt, Conrad Carstens and Ken Roman, the combined editors and publishers of our yearbook, Miles To Go, all I need to do is refer you to that esteemed book and you really have all the class news. I think we all owe these men an everlasting debt of gratitude for the excellent work they have done on our behalf.

Since this is my last effort for this publication a lot of thoughts about friends in the Class have been crossing my mind. On a recent trip to the West Coast I began to jot down some memories that made me realize how lucky we are to be part of this great family of Dartmouth. Corny, true, but sincere nevertheless. For example, I was fortunate, as most of us were to have roommates that have been friends to this day. In my case they were good people like Ross Daniels,Lee Cliff and Jack Flitner. And then there were those close friends that might as well have been roommates . . . men like Ernie Stephens, GilEllenberger, Tom Garrity, "Rufe" Barto, the Cory twins, Kerm Ingham, Pete Zischke, and Jack Hoeven. Memories come back - like the '34 Chev we all bought and drove until it died in front of the Hanover Inn one night; the trips to Saratoga; Hoeven's wedding in Great Falls, Mont.; Thanksgivings in Lynn, Mass., with the Stephens and in Pawling with the Daniels; Christmas in Cleveland with the Elienbergers; visits to the old Eddie Condons and Nicks in the village and many more.

The unexpected pleasures of running into classmates like Chev Haskell in Amsterdam, Charlie Blakemore in Cincinnati, Al Fiertz in Chicago, Lee Coulter in Japan, Dick Bressler in New York, or Jim Gardner in San Francisco remind us of the close ties of the Class. I remember a very enjoyable evening from New York to San Francisco with Denny Brown when he was still with Merrill, Lynch. Tried like hell to get some money from him for the Alumni Fund that night. Don't think I succeeded.

And then there are the off-beat recollections of classmates. Everyone remembers Al Reich and Vince Jones as true class leaders. I remember Al as one of the champion spitball throwers of the 1912 Room in Baker. He could hit a sleeping classmate from across the room every time. And everyone has stories about Vince. My favorites are our whirlwind trip (71 hours) from Hanover to L.A. in December of '49 and the Dartmouth Rugby team extravaganza in San Francisco in '61. Vince led both charges and they were experiences of a lifetime. He is truly one of life's unforgetable characters.

The memories of activities over four years in Hanover could go on and on for all of us. Interestingly, some of our best friends come about after leaving school and I guess this proves the lasting effect of the Dartmouth experience. For example, since leaving school it has been my good fortune to associate in business either as a competitor or fellow employee with people like Bob Herr, Cal Palitz,Ken Heusinkveld, Lou Zehner, DickMcDonough and Ceb Benisch to single out a few. And I have had the opportunity to get to know classmates like Nels Ehinger, Dick Brown,Bill Condit, Steve Mandel, John Bartlett, DonMacLeod and Bob Holmes because at one time or another we have all been neighbors.

One of the best privileges of being active in class alumni affairs has been the chance to get to know other members of the Class and make some lasting friendships. In my case some of the people it has been my good fortune to work with include John Rosenwald, Cy Gsell, Jack Boyle,Bill Breed, Steve Parkhurst, Marcel Durot, WillRooke, Jim Toffey, Charlie Curtis and FrankLogan. They have been, like so many others, the kind of classmates that have made our group noteworthy.

Finally, there are those friends you remember for "off the wall" reasons that come back at odd moments. Things like learning to play reddog in North Mass with Al Gschwind and Sam Willis, or making friends with people like Bob Griswold during our freshman camping trip . . . wandering over the Vermont countryside on a fall Sunday with John Aborn and a car full of others . . . fireworks on the fourth of July at Brud Leiter's house in Kansas City . . . my first bad experience with the grape at a party in Essex, Ct., with Tom Ford at a Yale game weekend ... enjoying the good life of Western Springs, Hinsdale and Oak Park with Tom Bainbridge,Tom Schanck and Dave Swain . . . violent arguments over the '48 election in Commons with Jim Fowler . . . the list could go on for each of us as we think back over twenty-nine years.

My apologies for the personal recollections. There are many other friends not mentioned and I'm sure each member of the Class could do an even better job of remembering the good times. The point is really just to say thanks for all the good times. Let's hope there are even better times ahead.

Secretary, 40 Hamilton Lane Darien, Conn. 06820

Head Agent, 609 North 2nd St. St. Joseph, Mo. 64502