1930

The first item out of the mail bag this month is a beautiful postcard showing many multicolored gondolas in a regatta on Venice's Grand Canal, mailed some weeks back by Dick Butterfield. He wrote, "I am just winding up another two-week stay in this beautiful city, working on one of my favorite projects. This on top of a week in London pursuing my Christopher Wren project." Dick returned in time for the 1930 Seminar Room dedication in Hanover at reunion.

We happened to spend mornings in Hanover for several weeks this summer and frankly were caught up in the spirit of the place all over again. The sprinklers, running every morning on the campus Green, made the grass just the lushest I have ever seen. Everywhere there was fast-moving activity, and the size of the operation compared with our days stunned me. A multitude of vehicles, trucks, bulldozers, cherry pickers, and backhoes, all with the College seal on them, was everywhere. This is no longer a small college, but rather has all the markings of a complex corporation and think of the added problems to be faced by the administration. The one thing which made me feel at home was the same old steam whistle on the heating plant signaling noon.

On the other hand, one morning as we came onto the campus from West Wheelock, Gwennie exclaimed, "There's an elephant!" And, sure enough, one was tethered on the green grass one of several animals of the Big Apple Circus, direct from New York with a Dartmouth ringmaster. The circus, set apart with heavy steel railings, took up a major portion of the campus and business was good!

In reply to our plea for news last spring, Newc Eldredge '50 sent along the picture reproduced nearby of himself and Bob Hooker attending a Tenth Mountain Division Association Ski Reunion at Winter Park. Newc writes, "Although Bob and I did not know each other during our Tenth Mountain days in Colorado or in combat in Italy, we did become friends after, when he managed the Moosilauke Ravine and I was back at Dartmouth completing college. Bob at 78 is still a magnificent and beautiful skier."

You may remember that at our 50th GillyGilbert was totally deaf, the result of an accident in 1977. This summer he has become the first in this country to begin testing a new hearing device developed in Australia. Under the tutelage of five men from the company, he has been taking several three to four hour training sessions a week. The equipment includes a cochlear implant behind the ear; a computer programmed speech processor; and two microphones. He writes, "It is a joy to hear voices again, even, though I understand not every word." We all wish you well, Gilly.

Harry Casler acknowledges a couple of letters and bemoans the inefficiency of intercontinental communication, but urges us arid all other '30 people to visit him and and closes with the greeting "Slainte."

If you keep address books up to date, here are entries relating to some of those wonderful widows:

Mrs. Franklin H. Middleton, 5452 BeauJolais Lane, Ft. Myers, FL 33907; Mrs. Ewing I. Burns, c/o Treem/Den, 10200 East Harvard #1332, Denver, CO 80231; Mrs. Joseph V.Neale, 149 Lighthouse Drive, Manahawkin, NJ 08050; and Mrs. Roger W. Clark, P.O. Box 218, Ojai, CA 93023.

And, still on addresses, Charlie Rauch reports that for the 55th reunion Charlie Widmayer will be issuing a completely new add ress book, to assist you in locating your buddies so you can call or write them.

Finally, it seems appropriate to report that this is the final column of class notes I shall be writing. Bowing to too many tasks, it just seems best that I step down as class secretary particularly since my successor, Bob Marr, will bring to the job great ability, fresh vigor, a new outlook, and certainly an unsurpassed dedication to both the College and the class. Best wishes to you, Bob!

Bob Hooker '30, right, and Newc Eldredge'50, left, both former members of the TenthMountain Division, got together recently at areunion of the World War II ski troop. Moreon the gathering is in the 1930 class notescolumn.

Maple Grove Road Walpole, NH 03608