1970

TENTH REUNION

It was a very satisfying reunion this past June. I could say great or fantastic equally as well, but I think that the word "satisfying" probably conveys a deeper sense of what took place. Imagine being separated from good friends for ten years college friends, and not the kind of acquaintances one makes later in life and calls friends. Then imagine one's college friends assembled at one time and in one place once again.

It was satisfying just seeing such friends. It was even better renewing such friendships somehow being able to pick up just where one had left off. That was the climate of the reunion. It was most of all satisfying being with agemates, all of whom could tell the same tales of changes in their lives - job and family satisfactions and frustrations.

No one could have been mistaken for a 22year-old. It was reassuring to know that all of us are in the same boat so far as this aging, maturing, and developing process is concerned. You only really become convinced when you have several hundred contemporaries come together and discuss their experiences and feelings.

What really took everyone's breath away, I think, was the absence of pretention from the reunion. Dress was informal, people did what they pleased, and success stories were not inflicted on others. This sort of diversity, individuality, concern for others, and frustration with stratified and bureaucratic structures was refreshingly still evident.

A number of very special people made this all possible. Skip Sturman was an able reunion chairman. Peter Bryant was responsible for the planning of an excellent panel discussion on "Living the American Dream in Our Time." John Lewis put in much time before, during, and after the reunion handling the financial end of things. Don Blacom handled publicity. GaryBrooks took on the responsibility of making the food and beverage arrangements.

The weekend was made all the more interesting by the showing of the film Return ofthe Secaucus Seven in whose making Dartmouth alumni had a significant role. Dave Arndt and his wife Maggie Cousineau-Arndt were available for questions after the film and over the course of the weekend. Discussing honest film-making with Dave and Maggie was a real treat.

Music was provided by the Dartmouth Five. They appeared to play effortlessly, as if they had not been separated for ten years. Little imagination is needed to know how much dedication and commitment was required to achieve this. Also, each of the members gave up a significant amount of time during the reunion to play for those in attendance.

Pete Geary, our class president, and GaryBrooks, his successor, seemed to be continuously seeing to the organization and success of the reunion. Wally Ford was our representative on the panel discussion and Paul Gambaccini acted as M.C. of the class dinner. John Lugar offered a "Wide-Wide-World Re-entry Party" out on Lake Mascoma on the final day of the reunion.

In the months ahead, I will share with you news garnered from the reunion notebook I passed around. Those who did attend should know that I did not run around taking notes on my conversations, so calls or news in writing would be appreciated. Those who did not attend are also invited to write in so that their news, too, may be shared with others.

The class of '7O had a sporting time at a well-attended tenth reunion.

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