1961

Greetings from Hanover.

As I write this, I'm not in Hanover yet. But I will be spending the fall term in Hanover as part of the sabbatical program of the CharlotteObserver. I'll be at the address above and I expect to be hosting post-game receptions for classmates after each home game. Please stop by. Also, if you are in Hanover at times other than home games, please give me a call.

Our Class of 1961 Fellowship Program, under the chairmanship of Charlie Buffon, has scored again. This year's program "will be devoted to drama and the performing arts, writes Charlie.

The headliners: David Birney and Arthur Bloom. David, who last year had a leading role on TV's "St. Elsewhere," has now taken the lead role of Salieri in the Broadway play Amadeus. Art, who got his Ph.D. from Yale in 1966, has been professor of theater at Loyola University of Chicago since 1977, after joining the faculty there in 1972. He was department chairman from 1972 to 1980 and since then has been head of the acting/directing faculty.

"Our class is fortunate to have outstanding contributors to that field," writes Charlie. "David and his wife, Meredith Baxter Birney, have also contributed their talents and energy to past programs at Dartmouth and are well known to the College drama department and the greater Hanover arts community."

Charlie also notes that Art "has been very active both in the academic and production sides of theater. He has served as president of the Illinois Theater Association.

"It is our hope that by having David and Art together, we will be able to provide students with some insight into the production and performance as well as academic side of life in the theater. We also hope that David's wife Meredith will be able to accompany him to Hanover. I am sure Meredith (who is an adopted member of the Dartmouth class of 1982) would have much to contribute to the present Dartmouth students."

The two '61s will work with Professor Jim Steffensen of the drama department. "He has indicated his enthusiasm for our selections and that he will take the lead in making specific arrangements." I'll keep you posted.

Alumni Fund: We hit our target of 72 percent participation, a fantastic job under the leadership of Ron Boss, with Oscar Arslanian heading up participation, Frank Stephens heading matching gifts, Art Kelton heading fraternities, Alan Orschel non-fraternity class members, and Tom Goodridge the doctors. Art got a fraternity competition going, with the Phi Delts getting to 94 percent participation. We raised $117,948.

Career notes: Ken Walker writes, "As of January, I started a whole new career as an account executive with E. F. Hutton in New York City." Silence.

"It's been a tremendous learning experience. A switch from building materials to financial services in mid-career really gets the old juices flowing. Any '61s seeking a broker who listens. ..."

Ken also says he saw Gerry Kaminsky- the letter was dated June 2 – "hobbling on crutches after doing in his Achilles tendon on the tennis court." I hope you're back to running, Gerry, because it's obviously safer than tennis.

John Hancock, a 16-year veteran of Jordan Marsh Company, will become vice president and general manager for the company's readyto-wear line, according to a report in the BostonHerald.

Bill Green has been named vice president, marketing and sales, of Morse Cutting Tools division of New Bedford, MA, a part of Gulf and Western Industries Inc.

By the time you read this, Denny Denniston will no longer work for the National Bank of North America because the bank is changing its name to National Westminster Bank USA.

Roger Baumberger has joined Ladenburg, Thalmann and Company as managing director, corporate finance, after previous positions at Marine Midland Bank, the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, and the aforementioned National Bank of North America. Ladenburg, Thalmann is an investment banking firm, and Roger will have responsibilities for public offerings and private placements of stocks and bonds.

John Zabriskie has recently been promoted to the post of president of Merck Frosst Canada Inc., headquartered in Montreal. The firm is the Canadian pharmaceutical marketing and manufacturing division of Merck and Company. John had been senior director of management engineering for Merck, Sharp and Dohme, the prescription drug division, and he's been with various Merck companies since 1965.

Finally this month, I'd like to quote from a recent column by Al Rozycki. Many of you who were back for reunion are aware of his deep involvement in Physicians for Social Responsibility. In a recent valley nens op-ed column, he discussed what to tell children about the threat of nuclear war. He cited studies showing that "even young children know about and fear the danger of nuclear disaster. . . . Children are effectively being taught to think of organized killing as a natural, even noble, part of the human experience.

"Even if we succeed temporarily in 'protecting' the school-age child, it's only a matter of time until some terrifying image, some deadly bit of information, leaps out from the television, the news headlines, or the mouth of a playmate. And when that happens, children need a safe place and a sharing atmosphere in which to express their fears. Children who keep things in and adopt the self-numbing practices of grownups often become emotionally insensitive in other areas of life.

"Our children also need reassurance that adults are trying to resolve the problems created by the nuclear arms race and they can even be involved in our efforts. . . . We can share with our children our struggles with difficult questions such as prejudice, violence, racism, nationalism, the way we see our enemies . . . questions not susceptible to easy or 'right' answers."

Al said that by working with others, both children and adults, the fellowship "may provide a crucial bulwark against feelings of despair, hopelessness and helplessness."

19 East Wheelock Street Hanover, NH 03755