1949

Congratulations to Dick Hanselman, who hit the top of the charts in April when he was appointed president and chief operating officer of Genesco Inc. Dick had been with Beatrice Foods Company of Chicago since 1970, serving in such capacities as president of the Samsonite division, as senior vice president for Beatrice's manufacturing divisions, and, most recently, as executive vice president. A Wall Street Journal report quoted an industry observer who described Hanselman's management style as even-tempered. "He takes a studied approach to things. I don't think he'd fly off half-cocked and attempt some sort of radical surgery." Dick, will be moving to Nashville shortly.

The Wall Street Journal also provided news of Dave Van Tassel in the "Leisure and the Arts" section. It seems that Dave recognized that everyone was studying old people except the humanists. So he forthwith obtained a three-year, $170,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and sparked a variety of research by humanities scholars across the country. Much of this work is taking place at Case Western Reserve University, where Dave chairs the History Department. Here, the teachers of some introductory humanities courses are experimenting with a new wrinkle old age. Dave thinks humanities courses provide the best approach because they deal with the experience of life. The eight faculty members involved in the program weren't called on to devise whole new courses. Rather, they were to introduce aging into stan- dard overviews of humanities subjects.

I had a welcome note from Tom Swartz, who reported that he and Bob Pridham are still knocking out Thomas infants playwear "very cutesy stuff known in trade jargon as 'grandma bait.' " He asked all present and soon-to-be grandparents among us to maintain our support, as the ships from the Far East aren't sinking as they used to. Tom also men- tioned that he fell off his roof last November and broke his right wrist in four places. While hospitalized, he was visited by Dr. Gene Kelly, who was checking on one of his patients who had broken a thumb in five places. So much for the aging process.

AI Wagner, Gordon Thomas, and myself, with wives, represented the class at this year's class officers meeting. Al attended an English class on Friday and, while sharing a book of poetry with Bill, a member of the class of 'BO, discovered that Bill was the son of Phil Goodspeed, one of a growing number of '49er parents with children at Dartmouth.

The weekend was particularly exciting for Barbara and me because our daughter Amy 'BO was co-director and a participant in the woodsmen's competition, an event which dominated the center of campus. If you've never had a daughter who gets her kicks from speed chopping I can only say, "It's different at Dartmouth!" Erstwhile chubber Sam Smith, a member of the first woodsmen's team of 1947, was the head faculty judge for this year's com- petition. Sam has recently moved out of the ad- missions office and has assumed new duties as associate director of the Alumni Fund.

The 1980 graduation will be history when you read these notes, and for many of us it will mark a full revolution, as offspring replace parents in the commencement procession.

Have a safe summer. Vail.

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