1946

While quaffing a beer with a group of classmates after watching Dartmouth lose the Brown football game, I overheard one of them comment, "When is the admissions department going to start accepting some really good football talent?" A year ago I, like most everyone, would have readily concurred with that observation, but through my role on the Alumni Council I see a different picture. The problem by and large does not really lie with that much maligned group in McNutt Hall. For instance, last year almost one out of three prime football applicants were accepted, which is almost twice as good as the over-all rate. The big problem was that less than half of that group decided to come to Dartmouth which is way below the average rate with a very significant number going to other Ivy League competitors. So in large measure the ball ends up right back in our lap. Those would-be alumni football team supporters are not doing a good enough job of selling the College, so there! I guess I bring this up because I suspect we may be headed for a few bleak years on the gridiron and I am certain the new coaching staff will welcome all the help they can get. Also, if you are really interested, I suggest you join the sponsors' group, organized by Larry Leavvit '26, which is a rifle approach to solving this problem.

Crossed paths with a few members of the Class over Brown weekend. Don and MargaretFurber were tip from Boston. Ralph and SallyFifield from nearby New London, N.H., had Jim and Margaret Wycoff in tow from Geneva, N.Y. The Wycoffs were also visiting son Steve '7B and youngest son Andy at UVM. I also understand Lou and Nancy Van Orden were up from Providence. We didn't head south to N.Y.C. for the Columbia game but had a brief by-line from our roving reporter Dave Weld. "Ran into Marty Marino, M.D., in his usual suave attire of matching ensemble - also saw Chip Coleman, Gene Bokor and running mate Joe Scandore. They all looked healthy and were plotting the next return to the hill. Kind of a quiet game, rather small crowd (5500) so at least we did not have to eat lunch, in the car on some grease rack near Baker Field."

In the better-late-than-never department, I learned that last spring George Swick was made chairman and chief executive officer of George B. Buck Consulting Actuaries, Inc. of New York. The company is one of the leading actuarial firms in the U.S. dealing with employee benefit plans. George and his wife Lois live in Upper Saddle River, N.J. Also received word that Dr. Mel Johnson of Shreveport, La., represented Dartmouth at the inauguration of Donald Arthur Webb as president of Centenary College of Louisiana on December 1 in Shreveport.

I learned another pleasant piece of news that Charles Duncan was recently elected director of Eastman Kodak in Rochester, N.Y. I had a nice visit with Charlie in Hanover during Alumni Council weekend and learned, not to my surprise, that this is just another of a long list of boards and commissions calling for his talents. I found out, too, that he has joined the flying fraternity, holding a commercial license with instrument rating. When he is not doing a million other things, he is a professor of constitutional law and business organizations at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Closing with a happy note. I am delighted to report Reg and Nancy Pierce recently cracked the grandparents barrier. Daughter Polly produced a nine-pound-plus baby boy, Korry, or Ivan the Terrible according to Grandpop.

Just having our first foot of snow - see you in the spring - I hope.

3 North Balch St. Hanover, N.H. 03755