1934
I'll have to get used to the lead time between the writing and the publishing of these notes. Last month I had the temerity to begin by referring to our undefeated football team, and then we promptly lost the next three games. So I'll refrain from making glowing comments about the beautiful color of the leaves right now they'll be raked and stashed in the compost pile by the time you read this. Instead I'll start with a reference to David McLaughlin '54 and some comments he made at the Hopkins Center to alumni before the Princeton game.
Our prexy discussed the state of the College as well as his own transition from the business world to a college campus - which he said had been referred to as a "repotting" process. He reported he finds Dartmouth healthy in body and soul but with difficulties to work through in preserving the ingredients of excellence which we have. He noted three general areas which must be worked on: (1) maintaining academic strength while only 50 per cent of the faculty has tenure, the small turnover of just ten per cent expected in the next decade presents problems; (2) providing scholarship funds 55 per cent of students receive aid now, with 57 per cent of this coming from general funds and 18 per cent from federal funds, which are due for cutback; and (3) developing character, conscience, and a sense of the college community among the students in short, encouraging a healthier system for growth through extracurricular activity.
Art and Ruth Moebius came for the fall reunion from their Aurora, Ohio, home (via the Cape). Art spoke of his activity as head of the Aurora Historical Society. He invites fellow historical society maestro Jim Walter of Port Colborne, Canada, to skate over Lake Erie this winter and compare notes. . . . George Stangle made it to Hanover from Hartford, where he is still active as general agent for Manhattan Life when he's not replacing divots at the Avon Golf Club. . . . Perry and Marjorie Woodbury may have journeyed farthest, Perry being retired now in Vero Beach, Fla., after executive work for Vick Chemical, R.C.A., Diamond National Corporation in New York, and Rand McNally before tapering off as a lecturer at Washington College.
John and Fran Lyle came over from their May-to-October hideout in Melvin Village, N.H., but by now you would find thehi on North Weymouth Road in Southern Pines,jN.C., where John's trying to soft-pedal his long and illustrious medical career so he can concentrate on his golf. One who hasn't had to find new southern roots because he's one of the few '34s who came to Hanover from the deep south is SusieSulzbacher. He is still "working at insurance and associated good causes" in Jacksonville and is happy to have completed his term in local government. He reports that he and Hazel are enjoying life immensely, especially their children and grandchildren.
The class newsletter reported the heart-warming ceremonies centering on the retirement of Robert Newman after 35 years as librarian of the Berkshire Athenaeum, the public library of Pittsfield, Mass., but I can't resist another round of applause. It's obvious from reading the accolades of 20 speakers extolling him as the incarnation of the true librarian that Bob had established an unusual rapport with the whole business, educational, and civic community. One of Bob's pet projects was the library's room devoted to Herman Melville, who was a Pittsfield resident when he wrote that American classic, Moby Dick. Accompanying this column is a photograph of Bob accepting an original oil painting by Gil Wilson, a noted illustrator of Moby Dick, of the great white whale breeching.
Another dividend from Marty Dwyer's prodding was Sidney Carter's report that he retired in June 1978 from Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons and was honored by the creation of a professorship in his name. So now, while someone occupies a Sidney Carter chair at Columbia, the real Sidney Carter is working at Blythdale Children's Hospital in Valhalla, N.Y., as chief of the Department of Neurology. He has been given a few concessions such as two months for the Cape in the summer, a month for Florida in the winter, and a month for teaching at Columbia a good schedule to keep the blood circulating.
Another of our academics, Herman Chase, reports enthusiastically about life since he's retired from professional and administrative duties at Brown. He is one of those whom every community likes to have retire, since he says "yes" to serving as a town selectman, to teaching science and algebra at a prep school, to being a trustee or a committee member for Common Cause, to helping the Boy Scouts, to serving on the planning board, etc. And he still has time for sailing and cross-country skiing!
I'm sure that long before you open this page, Bob Thompson and Bill Scherman will have reminded you that it might be good timing to send in your 1982 Alumni Fund gift before December 31 if the higher tax rate for '81 gives you motivation for early action this time around. Same argument of course would apply in connection with the Campaign for Dartmouth.
P.S. Don't miss the photo on the previous page of one of 1934's more recent benefactions to the College!
Robert G. Newman '34 (holding painting) was honored by more than 300 well-wisherslast summer upon his retirement as librarian of the Berkshire Athenaeum, the publiclibrary of Pittsfield, Mass. At a garden party given by Lawrence K. Miller (to Newman'sright), editor of the Berkshire Eagle, Newman was presented with an original oil paintingof Moby Dick; the presentation was made by Harvard Professor Emeritus Henry A.Murray (holding microphone) on behalf of the national Melville Society, of which bothMurray and Newman are past presidents. Another presentation made at the affair was thatof a Dartmouth pennant by fellow Pittsfield resident, Richard S. Jackson '39.
The class of 1934 identified itself with the new generation (and gender) of Dartmouthathletes recently by providing funds to raise a new scoreboard on the lacrosse field.
140 North Broadway, #FI2 Irvington, N.Y. 10533
