1945

Fall mini-reunion report, Harvard Weekend, 1980: Friday - sunny and cool; Saturday -

warm, windy, and wet; Sunday sunny and cool. That Hanover weather did it again! But '4ss are a hardy bunch and turned out in force - and stuck it out - as the football team overpowered Harvard to make a successful season regardless of the outcome of other games.

'45 also turned out in force Friday evening for Dartmouth Night. This event has expanded from the brief pep rally of years ago to a highly colorful affair. The parade included four marching bands and alumni of almost every class of the 20th century. Some of the "older" classes turned out in antique autos and fire •engines; but '45s proved to be definitely ambulatory and reasonably spry. Over 30 members and wives rallied behind Ted Smith as he held the 1945 sign high. We were not quite the largest group but should qualify for second or third place. As the parade was impressive, so were the spectators, both in numbers and in enthusiasm. Particularly impressive was the genuine enthusiasm shown by groups of undergraduates along the line of marfch as they heartily cheered the alumni classes passing by. This bodes well for the future of the Dartmouth spirit.

The mini-reunion was attended by roughly 65, and 25 members of the executive committee rolled out of bed early Saturday morning for the breakfast-business meeting. Steve Hull and Bob Paulson received plaudits, not only for putting on such a successful 35th, but also for coming in within budget. Our finances are in good shape, and an additional allocation was made to the so-called "Book Award." It is anticipated that the name of this fund will be changed to 1945 Memorial Fund. Awards from this fund are made to needy undergraduates for the purchase of books and for other necessities. President John Leggat appointed Joe Michael to chair a committee to study the possible founding of an endowment fund.

From Laconia, John Hoffman writes that he is in the laundry and cleaning business in the "beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire" (I'll second that!), that he has three grandchildren, and that he "wouldn't change places with anyone!"

The class extends its sympathy to Carlton "Bud" Ellms, whose wife Marilyn passed away in August. Bud is living with his son and family in Watertown, N.Y.

John Osborne, our own Dartmouth Class Treasurer of the Year, is not only a whizz with the dollars and cents (and with his feet on the dance floor), but also serves as our resident statistician. As such he supplies us with informative and useful information, to wit: Our total class-count has slipped in the last five years from 696 in 1975 to the present 642.. This figure includes 451 graduates and 191 non-graduates. Our dues-paying membership reads as follows: 323 graduates, 78 non-graduates, and six widows.

Are you one of the over 200 non-dues-payers?

Give it some thought. Those few dollars can help us make the class of 1945, tho nearly decimated by World War 11, one of the memorable classes in the history of Dartmouth.

P.O. Box 39 Atkinson, N.H. 03811