1975
The most difficult task in writing the class notes each month is thinking of a clever way to begin the column. While I was still living in Boston I could always write about my friends and humble servants, the cockroaches in Apartment A. Then I was transferred to Hartford, so the cockroach theme was no longer viable. Instead of cockroaches, I described the specific month in which the column was published. After awhile 1 got bored with that approach and haven't had a catchy or clever opening ever since. This month, however, I came up with a brilliant idea to commence a column which is already routinely expected to be brilliant because of its incredibly accurate reporting (just ask Dan Dwyer - or is it Matt Dwyer?) Anyway, now that I've gotten your interest without writing anything witty or intelligent, on with the news.
Steve Gray and his wife Eliza have been in Hartford since June 1975. Steve was employed by the Hartford National, Bank at that time, and in 1977 he joined the Aetna Life and Casualty bond investment department. He is a few weeks shy of obtaining his M.B.A.
In his note to me, Steve reported that PeterCastle is "living in a small hacienda on the Connecticut Riviera (Essex) ... and is working for Leigh Petroleum. No doubt he will be an energy czar someday."
Ron Gatzke writes, "After graduating from Denver University's Graduate School of International Studies (Whew!) with a master's degree, I packed my bags and set out for Omaha to begin making my fortune. So now I am a cost research analyst for the Union Pacific Railroad Company.
"In October 1977 I also got married to the former director of student affairs at the grad school. A Holy Oly graduate from St. Olaf College in Minnesota, my wife Patti has had littie trouble finding a new position in Omaha. Attending the wedding in Denver was GeoffCarlson. Prior to hibernating through our first long, cold winter in Nebraska, we honeymooned in balmy San Diego. Unfortunately, too much California weather made me ill (smog?), causing me to call in sick my first day back. They didn't believe that one!"
Mike Cornelius, a second-term legislator and House Democratic whip in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, is engaged to Patti Blanchette. The interesting thing about this particular engagement is that Patti Blanchette is also known as Representative Blanchette. She, too, is a second-term member of the New Hampshire House and serves on the health and welfare committee, the select committee on occupational licensing, and the Democratic policy committee. The wedding is believed to be the first between two members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Sympathizing with my plight as solicitor of news, Mark McAleenan sent me a long letter and a copy of his HPF newsletter containing information on his fraternity brothers. I shall pass the newsletter on to Rob Rees Jones for inclusion in the class newsletter. Space will not permit me to do justice to all the information contained therein.
As for Mark himself, after three years at the University of Michigan Law School he has decided to change climates and is moving to Houston to join the law firm of Foreman, Dyess, Prewett, Rosenberg, and Henderson. He will be doing trial work, which requires his successful efforts in the Texas bar exam.
Mark's wife Shelley will be an intern at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston in internal medicine. According to Mark, Shelley concurred in the need for a change in climate, as she has just completed four years at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Those of you who might have read the January-February cocktail edition of the class notes will recall that Bill Carney (the one with the lightbulb) is working for Ford Motor Company as a financial analyst. I recently heard, from an unimpeachable source, that Bill is engaged to Debbie Martin (Mount Holyoke). Debbie was an exchange student at Dartmouth and has received (or will shortly receive) her master's in special education at Columbia.
The word from Chicago is that RichardVaradian is working at the Northern Trust on the foreign exchange desk of the international department. Rich is going to London in June and "hasn't found a woman rich enough to support him, but is still looking."
Also at the Northern Trust is Rick Waddell. Rick was recently appointed as an officer in international cash management with the title of financial services officer. He will be heavily involved in marketing the bank's services to U.S. companies with multinational subsidiaries and divisions. Rick's wife, Cate (Marlette), is still with Price Waterhouse and has just completed the busy tax season. For a while, 14- and 15-hour days were .commonplace. Even though Rick complained to her boss because Cate had no time to prepare dinner, it worked out rather well. Rick needed to lose quite a bit of weight.
As you all should know by now, this year's Alumni Fund has taken on greater significance than ever before. You have been, and will be, inundated with mail from Hanover concerning the 1978 Alumni Fund and Campaign for Dartmouth, and while it is not necessarily my place m this publication to solicit contributions, I feel strongly enough about this drive to make mention of it. Dartmouth as an institution is strong because of many factors, not the least of which is the support it receives from its alumni. We should not be irritated because the College appears to be constantly asking us for money, particularly in the early stages of our careers when few of us have enough money to buy groceries, let alone make contributions. How many of us, though, after what most would consider to be four very special years, are where we are because of Dartmouth? I would be willing to bet that many '75s have greatly benefitted by a Dartmouth education in the pursuit of advanced degrees or meaningful careers. I hope that all '75s will increase their contributions this year and in future years. When you think about it, Dartmouth is a worthwhile cause.
Enough preaching. See you next month.
11 Soby Drive West Hartford, Conn. 06107
