1958

The Rhodes Scholar of our class, Jack Stromberg is now assistant general counsel of the Bechtel Company in San Francisco. Jack has about 30 lawyers reporting to him and is responsible for the legal aspects of construction work for his company, the largest construction company in the United States. His former boss recently left to become secretary of defense. Jack and Elizabeth's daughter is a freshman at Dartmouth. She is intelligent and a handsome young woman. When I was in San Francisco in February, the Strombergs were skiing at Squaw Valley. Jack's work has taken him twice to Peking. The Strombergs live in Mill Valley, Calif., where the latch is out for visiting '58s. Elizabeth, a native of Bergen, Norway, who Jack met in Europe while he was "studying," takes a trip home quite often, perhaps to refresh the tranquility that is such an appealing part of her unique personality. Jack was a partner in a large San Francisco law firm, where he began his legal career after graduating from Stanford Law School. Jack remains the rugged outdoorsman, not unlike the young man who headed the Dartmouth Ski Patrol some years ago.

The class of 1958 welcomes a new member. Chick Onodura was studying at Dartmouth as a special student when we were there. This Tokyo native has joined our class as an adopted member because the College no longer recognizes special students as alumni. Chick is a loyal son of Dartmouth and currently is vice president of Mitsui Trading Company in New York City. Those of us who sailed the Caribbean with the Navy remember seeing white vessels of great length with rising suns painted on the side and the words "Mitsui" in green letters above the rising sun. For those not familiar with Japanese trading companies, Mitsui Trading Company is one of the largest corporations in the world. We are delighted to have Chick as a member of our class.

Joel Portugal, about to depart for Tokyo on business (where he hoped to take three days vacation in Kyoto and Hong Kong), reported that his son Gary '83 has recently completed a semester in Salamanca, Spain, and was; planning to spend spring vacation in Cuba as part of a Dartmouth program there.

When you get a little frantic, consider our philanthropic friend Pete Williamson. Dr. Williamson is a full-time member of the Yale Medical School faculty where he is involved in resident teaching, epilepsy surgery, and epilepsy research. The good doctor and his gentle, refined wife have a daughter in the class of '81 at Dartmouth, a daughter who is a sophomore at Colorado College, a daughter who is a sophomore at St. Lawrence University, and a son who is entering Dartmouth next fall. In his spare time, Pete has recently been to Svenborg, Denmark, where they are restoring a Baltic ketch, doubtless for duty on the North Sea. Pete has found time somehow to work for.and give generously to the Alumni Fund. He also is active on the development committee for the Dartmouth Medical School. We recall the delightful antique cars that Pete brought to the last reunion. Through all of this, Pete always appears so relaxed that he looks like he is going to fall asleep. Somehow, the rest of us have to learn to combine intense activity and apparent relaxation, as he has.

As we enter another Alumni Fund campaign under Walt Vail's leadership, we might consider the record of the classes of 1960 and 1955. With comparable numbers of classmates, 1960 had a participation record of 83.6 per cent and 1955 obtained participation from 71.5 per cent. While the class of '58 set a 20th reunion class record of $314,974, beating all Dartmouth and other Ivy League records, our participation last year was extremely disappointing. The fault lies not with the leadership but with those of us who are regional agents and class agents. The campaign lives or dies at our level. When we sell real estate, teach our class, try our lawsuit, or lead our company, each of us does everything possible to succeed. Let's each vow to do the same when we solicit our friends for the Alumni Fund campaign this year.

Tom Andrews was recently elected senior vice president of institutional services for the Trust Department of Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis. Tom joined the bank in 1978 as vice president with responsibility for all trust department planning. It is rumored that Tom and other Minneapolis bankers inspect trust property in Tucson in February and March each year.

According to my records, Eric Kunzel is not a member of our class. However, I wish he was. The Houston Chronicle carried a report that Eric, who is conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, pulled a coup in a new record album. On one side, Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench recites "Casey at the Bat" and on the other side pitcher Tom Seaver narrates "Peter and the Wolf." Bench's part of the record is punctuated by calls for beer and popcorn from vendors in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. Whether Eric is a member of '57 or '58 (College records say he is a '57), he will always be best remembered as the glorious accompanist for the Dartmouth Glee Club when he was studying at Hanover and living boisterously in South Mass. Among his accomplishments since then are positions as summer conductor for the Boston Pops and regular appearances at the Ravinia Festival in the Chicago area directing the Chicago Symphony.

Thanks to Paul Enger, Jr. '59 for the Houston Chronicle article.

Charley Dickinson confirms that as of July 1, 1980, he has been back at the University of Charleston as research professor of theology and philosophy.

One of our wonderful wives, Cindy Wilder, writes that her husband Dan Wilder is in the long range planning department at I.8.M. corporate headquarters in White Plains, N.Y. Unfortunately, he was laid low by a disk problem last summer and was bedridden but is now going strong. They occasionally see Dave Morgan, a Dartmouth '58 who graduated with the class of '59. The Wilders have a daughter at Union College and a son at Hiram College in Ohio. As all did, they loved the last reunion and are looking forward to the next one.

Hardworking treasurer John Otis reports that Jake Jacobus is still winning golf championships at their club in New Jersey but his son is rapidly overtaking him. Bruce Gemberling has lowered his handicap to a six. Otis omits mention of his handicap but does report that he has been promoted to assistant division head at the Bank of New York. John recently spent three weeks in London and the continent on a combined business and pleasure trip. The Otis family has one son attending the University of New Hampshire as a junior and another son ready to go to college next September.

According to a recent report, in 1940, 45 of every 100 American homes lacked plumbing facilities. By 1974, only three of every 100 homes was without plumbing. The recent Dartmouth ALUMNI MAGAZINE article on Native American Charles Eastman, class of 1887, mentioned the Indians' belief in the value of silence. We all know the divorce rate has skyrocketed since 1940. Does anyone see a connection?

Suite 2271, 20 N. Wacker Dr. Chicago, Ill. 60606