1953

If there's been a better year for skiing, we don't remember when it was. If any area has had a better season, it's not on record. From VolneyRichmond's Snoqualmie Pass to Tony Chambers's Highlands in North Carolina; from DaveHalloran's Mammoth Mountain to Dave Salter's Mont Tremblant it has been fabulous. We brought in the New Year at Killington in good powder and bright sunshine. If there's a better way to enjoy, I don't know what it is.

Back in the late, late fall, President Dave McLaughlin '54 was on the hustings. In Chicago, he spoke just before Thanksgiving. Among those present were Bob Lambert, Dick Loewenthal, Smiley Schoder, and Ted Spiegel. As you may remember, we have a '53 Attendance Cup for the class with the greatest attendance. This year it was won by the class of '79 and accepted by Bob Lambert's son Lance. A week later in New York, the crowd included '53s Dave Berry, Dick Cahn, Al Collins, Burt Dorsett, Dick Greene, Dick Kochman, Ron Lazar, Paul Paganucci, Dave Siegal, and Don Smith. It was a great affair, complete with dancing.

The "Flame of Truth Award" is given annually by the Fund for Higher Education to a captain of industry who has been active in charitable and community causes. This year the award was presented at a gala dinner attended by over 800 people at the New York Hilton. Bill Beutel served as master of ceremonies. Dave McLaughlin '54 and Paul Paganucci sat at the speaker's table. Bob Callender and Fran L'Esperance were in the crowd. The fund's representatives noted that over $450,000 had been raised through the dinner, with the proceeds going to the Dartmouth Institute for Better Health and to an endowed medical research fund in Israel. And this year's recipient was Phil Beekman.

Put Blodgett sent me a clipping from the Valley News. Bob Michael, who grew up in Hanover, has been elected president of the Airport Operators Council International. Bob is director of aviation for Denver's Stapleton International Airport. The council represents 185 airports on five continents. Interests of the council range from technical aviation matters to the airport needs of nations along the Pacific Basin. Member airports enplane more than 75 per cent of the world's air passengers and 92 per cent of U.S. traffic.

John Hurley has been appointed associate director in the data processing department at the Travelers Insurance Company in Hartford. He's been with them since 1962. John has three children and lives in Newington, Conn.

The New York Times wrote a sterling review of First Nationwide, which is the rechristened name of the Florida, New York, and California savings associations brought together by TonyFrank. The merger has received a lot of publicity beause it represents the forefront of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation's thinking. Mergers are seen as a quick method of getting them off the hook for losses and thrift units that have exhausted their net worth. Tony was able to take on the two ailing units in part because his Citizens Savings has been one of the

country's most profitable savings institutions in recent years. They have aimed for middle income consumers who are not dependent on the sale of an existing home to qualify. Further, most of their mortgage loan portfolio has been shifted to variable rate controls. When Tony first joined Citizens in 1971, its assets were $400 million. Today they are over $3 billion. Combined assets of First Nationwide are in excess of $7 billion.

Andy Sigler, chairman of Champion International, was appointed by President Reagan to the Task Force on Private Sector Initiative to seek ways to help take up the slack left by the deep cuts he has made in federal spending.

At the rate the year is rolling by, it may not be too crazy to look ahead to our 30th reunion, which is scheduled for June 11-14, 1984. You know darn well that planning is already under way. More details will be released shortly.

Members of the class of '54 passing the half-century mark in coming months will be keepinggood company - with Babar the Elephant.The venerable and beloved pachyderm of children's literature is also currently celebrating his50th birthday.

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