1936

It won't be long until our 45th reunion on June 14—17. If you haven't already done so, it is still not too late to sign up. Just drop a line to John Sullivan at 50 Sunset Rock Road, Andover, Mass. 01810, advising that you will be present and how many others will be accompanying you. Enclose your check drawn payable to "Dartmouth 1936 Reunion." The reunion fee has been set at $230 a couple or $l20 for a single. However, a deposit of $4O a person will hold a spot for you. Reunion will feature a special program entitled "The Arms Race and You," presented in conjunction with 1937 and 1938. The program will be moderated by Professor Charles Wood. In addition to the regular reunion activities, such as the class banquet, picnic outing, steak feed, class tent, etc., Pete Fitzherbert advises that a number of special gatherings are planned. These include the three-class get-together of former Cabin and Trail members, and the same for Tri-Kaps. Another is the Monday luncheon of Phi Psi brothers and spouses. So don't miss out on all the fun. Make your plans to be there.

Yours truly was recently inducted into the Lions Club of Old Greenwich, being sponsored by Jackson Smith. At my investiture, however, I was presented by Bob Button, as Jack was in Moscow in charge of a group of U.S. divers. An account of the trip, and an earlier one, furnished by Jack in his inimitable style, follows.

"This was my seventh trip into the Soviet Union, mostly to accompany U.S.A. diving teams participating in international meets or dual diving meets with the U.S.S.R. My first trip was in 1973 when, with wife Yumi, we competed for the first time in the annual U.S.S.R. 'Spring Swallow' international. On that occasion, Yumi was the 'chaperone' of the U.S.A. team. The Soviets, however, had misinterpreted the word chaperone to read 'champion,' and it took some fast and persuasive talking on our part to convince them that Yumi had no intention of diving from the ten-meter platform, even though there was a very impressive elevator ready to take her up to the 32-foot, ten-inch level. That was when detente was in flower. U.S.A. teams competed in the U.S.S.R. international almost every year up until 1980, when the Carter administration decided that an athlete boycott might convince the Soviets to withdraw from their Afghanistan invasion. This year was the first since 1979 for U.S.A. divers in Moscow. Although our governments continue to growl at each other through the press, our athletes get along remarkably well.

"In general, it appears that the Soviets are no better off than the Western countries, and indeed may be feeling the pinch of food and technological shortages. We will know more about their divers (who are quite good) when we meet them at the XIII U.S.A. International at Fort Lauderdale on May 7-9, and again this summer at the Fina World Aquatic Games in Ecuador.

"There is much more I could say about my trip to the U.S.S.R., but perhaps it can be summed up best by a synopsis of my words from the dais at the Moscow meet banquet. In substance, I said that the American team was pleased to participate in the 24th Annual U.S.S.R. International; that we believed we adequately represented the West, but we hoped that sometime there would not have to be an East and a West, but just divers! Although everybody applauded nicely, I am not so idealistic or naive as to believe that such a dream is feasible in our lifetime or even a few years later."

After serving for ten months, Jim Conkling resigned on March 22 as director of the Voice of America. The resignation was voluntary, arising from the frustrations Jim encountered in his efforts to reorganize the Voice. As Jim put it, "I realized that I had been in the private sector too many years to be able to understand the different ways of government workings," adding that "there was no pressure on me to resign."

A note of sadness: John Sawyer of Darien, Conn., a lifelong devotee of Dartmouth, died on March 16 after a long illness. At a memorial service for John, classmates present included Jim Stephens, John Wiesman, Phyllis England, and Jack Smith. John is survived by his wife Nancy and daughters Peggy Vick, Sarah O'Mahony, and Nancy Farrington. And on March 5, Art Atkinson died at the home of his daughter, Lynda Kidd, in Boca Raton, Fla. In addition to Lynda, Art is survived by his wife, Mary Louise, and two other daughters, Leila Lewis and Laura Larrabee. The deepest sympathy of the class is extended to both families.

Remember, a meaningful 45th reunion gift by you is essential to meet our goal.

2 Center Road Old Greenwich, Conn. 06870