1944

Okay, let's duff and doff: off your duffs and doff your hats - right into the Hanover ring. For our 35th reunion in June. The dates are June 9, 10, and 11, and never mind that it's weekdays. If you're your own boss, just say the boss is out; if you've got a boss, just tell him you're going out.

Seems perfectly simple to me.

Then, the Hanover planners have come up with an "extra" for some of us former military types. Because this is the last time until the year A.D. 3,000 that '44, '45, and '46 will hold reunions together, the mountain troops and fly boys in those classes are asked to come a night early, namely on Sunday the th, for a special get-together. So, if you were in the 10th Mountain Division or any one of the Dartmouth Navy Air Corps or Army Air Corps units, vacate the sack early on Sunday and head for Hanover.

The old professor, Ric Bradley, has temporarily given up Colorado Coors for Cayuga's waters. He's on sabbatical from Colorado College and spending a term at Cornell. He wrote: "I'm taking a re-tread in physics to relearn that which I've forgotten and to learn some of the new things I have never known. I'll be returning to teaching at Colorado after a sixyear stint as dean. The dean's job was interesting and challenging - and even exciting at times - but I'm looking forward to getting back to the classroom again." Ric scooted over from Cornell to Dartmouth in early January and dropped in to see Big Green vice president Rod Morgan and June. Rod was lying on the chaise longue eating chocolates while recovering from back surgery. One of those pesky pinched nerve kind of things.

A newspaper clip out of Johnstown, N.Y., informed that Dick Lesser was named Fulton County social services commissioner last November. His appointment was effective December 1 for a five-year period. Dick has 25 years experience in human resources management, consulting, and program development and administration. He was in real estate from 1975 until his welfare department appointment.

From Dayton, Ohio, came word and picture to the effect that Bill Craig, our wizardous class treasurer, has been elected to the board of directors and will be vice chairman of the board of L.M. Berry and Company - Yellow Pages to you and me. He will be responsible for the company's involvement with the rapidly-growing international telephone directory operation, as well as the departments of intercompany services, public affairs, and internal auditing.

Speaking of telephones, we spoke into one and got through to a couple of troops. One was Nick Spaeth in Jackson, Mich. Nick has been with Jackson's City Bank and Trust Company for 28 years and became president in 1978. He and wife Roxana relax weekends on their 40 acres, "taking it easy and playing at gardening," according to Nick. They're still paying tuition for two kids in college, one at Western Michigan and one at Central Michigan.

Also talked to Jack Downs, down in Middletown, N.J. He's the vice president for planning for the Continental Insurance Companies in downtown New York City, meaning that he's a daily commuter. Jack and Nuvia have two sons, 16 and 12, in high school and scouting. Scouting has been Jack's life-long avocation, and he is still a member of the Greater New York City scouting council.

There was a nice, long feature on Jack Snobble in the Carbondale, Colo., newspaper, describing him as being as close to an "old timer" as there was in those parts. He first skied Aspen in 1937, he married Barbara there in 1947, and he's lived in Carbondale for the past 25 years. The Snobbles taught and worked at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, a prep school in Carbondale, for 15 years; they have been doing more of the same at Colorado Mountain College, in nearby Glenwood Springs, since 1969.

Jack noted what may have been a historic first: out of the chaotic war and post-war years in Hanover came three '44 ski captains Mo Distin, Jack Snobble, and Phil Puchner.

Jumping from then till now, from skiing to Olympics: Mo Distin, a life-long resident of the Saranac/Lake Placid area, was right in the middle of the recent winter activities there. And another jock, Joe Vancisin, manager of the U.S. basketball team for the summer Olympics, is still waiting in the locker room, wondering if he and his boys will get to Moscow.

That's it. Blessings.

Dartmouth alumni who served during World War II in the 10th Infantry or in special Dartmouth squadrons in the Army or Navy will have a chance to get together this June and share memories. For the last time this year, under the Dartmouth Reunion Plan, the classes of '40, '44, '45, and '46 will hold reunions at the same time. A "Reunion Within a Reunion" for veterans of these units will precede by a day the regular class reunions. A mailing with details of the get-together has been sent out. Anyone interested who did not receive a mailing may contact the Dartmouth Reunion Office, 16 North Park Street, Hanover, N.H. 03755.

311 McNutt Hall Hanover, N.H. 03755