1950
February persists, stealing days and leaving its wintery imprint. March still waits to assert itself and unleash its howling winds.
The winter of '77 had a good press for bitter cold. Few remember that February turned tame as a pussy cat, grew warm, melted snows even in Buffalo, and prepared the way for a long and early spring.
Not this year. No thaw has lightened the Northeast's mantle of snow, which lies still and deep, each day just tempting the brightening sun. It could be worse. The fabled blizzard of '88 hit in mid-March.
The name sounded like a contradiction in terms. But Dartmouth Night in New York was gala, and something like the hill winds reverberated through the grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria. The purpose: To kick off the Campaign for Dartmouth. SandyMcCulloch, chairman of the campaign, touched upon the raison d'être for the evening raisin' money - and announced that $34-million (or 20 percent of the five-year objective) was already in the coffers. In a atmosphere pervaded by former President Hopkins, we heard a warm, touching talk by President Kemeny and a resounding one, a challenge, by President Emeritus Dickey. They all follow in the tradition of another noted fund-raiser, Eleazar Wheelock.
The guests included a number of classmates, although my expectations had hoped for more. When the Classes of '77 and '78 were cheered for having the greatest attendance. ChuckGardner commented, "Wait until they hear what they are here for !" Dick Echikson had no topper. Frank and Ruth Gilroy reported on their frosh twins in Hanover, while Ted Remsen filled in some details on his daughter's exploits on the athletic field-. An evening with Pete and LoisNottage was one of the highlights for Paul andFran Canada, just back from a 25th anniversary trip to Hawaii. My carefully picked spot was next to one of my favorite ladies: VallyChamberlain.
Before the main event, during the time reserved for spirits and conviviality, we had a chance to chat with Dottie McCulloch and BobKilmarx, another one of 1950's trustees. EricMiller was caught in a musical-chair charade. And in the distance we spotted Bill Wallace, Jimand Pegge Strickler, and Bill and Joyce Miller. Music by Paul Zeller, an honorary '50, brought a breathless silence with the fading strains of "Dartmouth Undying" synchronized to a kaleidoscope of evocative campus scenes. Even if the locale offered less than one in the North Country,..the evening was delightful.
St. Joe Minerals Corporation has announced the election of Jack Harned (actually, their news release was much more formal, as they all are) to the position of vice president. In this capacity Jack will assume responsibility for all matters relating to corporate planning, budgeting, development, and long-term financing. He had formerly been president of Bedford Advisors, a New York-based financial consulting firm that had had a long relationship with St. Joe Minerals. Prior to founding Bedford Advisors, Jack had been a senior veep and a director of Glore Forgan, Wm. R. Staats, Inc., a major investment-banking firm. Our class president lives with Jill and their four children in Katonah, N.Y., where he is a member of the Bedford Conservation Board.
The new chairman of the New England regional board of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith is Bill Sapers, who resides in Brookline, Mass. Late last autumn he returned from Israel after leading the 1977 "This Year in Jerusalem Mission," a function of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston. A recognized leader of the CJP, Bill was chairman of its 1976 leadership gifts committee (a talent that could be tapped by the chairman of the Campaign for Dartmouth). Since serving in the army during the Korean War, Bill has been active in the insurance field for over 25 years (that number keeps reoccurring) and has won numerous awards in that industry.
Tidbits here and there: After spending a month at the Dartmouth Institute last summer, Bill and Shirl Doe hated to return home after the finest experience of their lifetimes. (My editor has just checked the directory to see if Bill is anything more than a figment of my imagination or an inspired alternative to an empty mail pouch.) Don Hall — the one from Pennsylvania, who keeps referring to himself as "the other one" — reports that his twin daughters were gobbled up by the U.S. Navy, one for communications and one for intelligence, after their graduation from Penn State. Anyone with a shipping problem in or out of Maine might look up Ed Gulick's firm, Interstate Dispatch, Inc., out of Portland. Hank Meijer underscores the fact that there is a Minot and that N.D. stands for a state, not a school with the same initials. The cast of Gemini includes one of Jim Birney's sons. If you had told John Dunlap five years ago that he would be living in N.J., he and Bobbie would have wondered what you were smoking; now he is full of praises for Basking Ridge in the far hills. The subject was "Ecology and Politics: Why Compromise Is Not Enough," when George Woodwell spoke at Bennington recently. Roger Simmons has reappeared: in the "Letters to ... " pages of the December ALUMNIMAGAZINE. Rod Stinehour lectured at Fairleigh Dickinson University on "The History, Philosophy, and Work of the Stinehour Press."
April, and a time for questions. An answer, up front: A meaningful gift is no less than 100 bills. Yes,, for a few that amount is significant; for most, today, a token.
April, a time not to walk in New England and fields as the frost converts to mud; a time not to expect the fullness of spring but the slow unfolding, the reawakening; a time to sense the burgeoning green tint, to see the young lambs.
April, and the last snow is going, except in the ravines under the pines. April, and the sun is not far behind the mists and the rains. It is time to polish the clubs, to string the racquets. A new season is here. Cheers.
510 Hillcrest Rd. Ridgewood, N.J. 07450
