1965
FIFTEENTH REUNION
"Her spell on them remains..."
As you read this column, summer heat and the lure of vacation fun will have dimmed somewhat the memory of a super gathering of '65s after their quinquennial trek back to the source of all things great and green.
In company with friends old and new from '64 and '66, '65ers joined in in near record numbers June 13-15, 1980, to observe and celebrate reunion rituals which seem to be progressively more worthwhile and more fun each five years. Eighty-six classmates accompanied by 159 spouses, friends, and assorted offspring enjoyed perfect weather and well-organized activities on the freshly-sodded Hanover plain.
About 60 per cent of the classmates present came from the Northeast, with the rest split about equally among the South, Midwest, and West. Brad Dewey and Carl Amon vied for distance honors, returning to "Mecca" from Geneva and Brussels respectively, Brad gaining the edge by about 300 miles.
The three-class reunion organizers are to be commended for fashioning a veritable smorgasbord of offerings from which to choose. Reunion Chairman Rick Mahoney and BobMurphy represented '65 most capably, earning sincere thanks and a round of snaps for both quality and quantity of programs. Great work, guys and I'll bet your families (and your secretaries) are glad it's over!
Most people arrived on Friday as registration began in earnest. Classmates and their families, collected reunion T-shirts (is there significance in the fact that large sizes were over-subscribed?), badges, and tickets, and found that with some help from VISA and Mastercharge the weekend was a reality. Decisions had to be made about a gourmet cooking course, horseback riding, a reunion row, and an end-of-reunion 6.2 or 2-mile run complete with medical release forms! More families appeared than at the tenth and so there was greater interest in the Junior Olympics and even in the babysitting service! Some people spoke to the computer in "BASIC" while others attended the Glee Club and Players' reunion offerings.
While everyone had favorite parts of the weekend, the consensus favored three events. The panel/seminar "The Dragons of Eden" was well-done and extremely well-received, providing much food for thought regarding attitudes and roles then (1965) and now.
The picnic/country fair provided a good chance for low-key, interclass socializing in an open-air setting. The happiest of all seemed to be the kids who waited excitedly to get dunked when someone hit the bullseye with a softball a great way to keep cool on a hot day.
And third, the event most guaranteed to rekindle memories of "our" Dartmouth was the film, "The New England of Robert Frost," produced and superbly narrated by DewittJones. Dewitt spent several years researching and photographing the people, the moods, and the land important to Frost, and he has distilled the essence beautifully. The film alone was memorable; Dewitt's narrative personalized it. If this is picked up by PBS, I hope we know in time to provide advance notice. Future reunion planners would do well to try to get Dewitt to repeat his performance.
Goodbye to the Kemenys was one of the other activities, which also included merry- making, sing-a-longs, and dancing in the tents, the gym, and the Hop. Bands tried to recreate the 60's, but the music was too loud (or are we just getting older?). We used to twist the night away without a thought now we think twisting would be a great way to lose weight, or at least to counter the keg and hamburgers provided at the tents.
All in all, the reunion was great! As hot-air balloon rides on the green provided a high for the kids, so the reunion provided a high for those adults who attended. Plan now for June 1985!
At the class business meeting early (!) Saturday, reports indicated that the class was solvent, the reunion fund gift was building impressively, the reunion was unsuccessful (judging by the number of people who were not at the meeting), and the officers had been able to find successors. The outgoing officers: president, Steve Waterhouse; secretary, Dick Avery; treasurer, Jim Scott; newsletter editor, Bob McConnaughey; head agent, Bill Oberlink, and their committee deserve thanks, conbratulations, and a round of snaps for keeping the class active for the,past five years. Key among their accomplishments was recognition by the College as Class of the Year in 1977. Link and his predecessor Jock Hosmer have done a super job of keeping us in the thick of the annual Green Derby races, this year's effort by Link being a high point. The final results just announced indicate a class record of $134,325 from 391 classmates (51 per cent), 108 per cent of our reunion objective, and ahead of the 15th- year efforts of 1964 and 1966. "Punch" Lochridge, reunion gift chairman, and his crew gave a big boost to this year's fund and deserve thanks also for convincing many classmates they could give more than they thought they could!
New officers include: Punch Lochridge, president; Bob Blake, secretary; Dennis Purnell, treasurer; Jack Heidbrink, newsletter editor; and Bill Webster, head agent. Larry Duffy continues as coordinator for the Campaign. Proposed goals for the next five years include increased fund and dues participation, an increased level of communication among classmates, appropriate class projects, a fall reunion in Hanover, and possible regional gatherings.
The first dues notice is on the way: $16 covers the cost of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE and provides seed money for class activities. Help by paying now. Also, a newsletter is out with details of a mini-reunion at Pierce's Lodge during the weekend of September 27. Be on the lookout for it or call Punch for details at 617/722-7800.
Next month's column reverts to class news and, since I'm new at this, I'll need your help to fill our 1,000 words. Send me information about yourself or classmates, share your reunion reactions, ideas, suggestions (29 Whittier Road, Wellesley Hills, Mass. 02181; B: 617/253-8243; H: 617/237-5545). I guarantee you'll see your name in print.
Hope your summer was happy and productive. Cheers!
MIT, Room 10-122 Cambridge, Mass. 02139
