1929

Names make news, true. But the news we get is often from classmates who don't want the intrusion of publicity. And often to name one would be to neglect others.

By now many of us are living on the spiritual capital we've gathered through the years. Several are fighting with more courage than medicine the frustrating, humbling experience of strokes. John Dickey still fights his in Dick's House, while Chris is a shining example of our wives who bear the sometimes heavier strains.

Most of us expect to leave the gals to learn to live without the partners with whom they were almost totally joined. Dan Luten has now lost Lois. How many more of us are suffering this shock? For each of those increasingly frequent obits there's usually a '29 gal who takes that lonely trip with a bravery we thought little about in more careless years.

Two of us have told recently about living with partners who are no longer themselves. Both were urged to leave the problem to an institution and save themselves. Both loyal guys shake their heads with pity for their advisors and say, "They just don't understand."

If this seems too depressing, hold on. We're talking about beautiful courage, real love, and perhaps "the granite of New Hampshire in our muscles and our brains." None of these classmates has told his story with moaning complaint, but with dignity and faith that accepts life as it comes. There's a wealth of spirit, faith, and acceptance in '29ers that we knew less about in earlier years.

One of us tells of a terror-filled bout with alcohol and his recent rescue through Alcoholics Anonymous. A.A. doesn't seek publicity, but they should be well known as one thing that works, and without being super-religious but through love in its finest sense. Did you know that A.A. was started by a Dartmouth alumnus?

Dan Marx answered a year-old bid for news and gives me hope for some others. The Marxes were happily awaiting a visit from Tux and Pete Small (Frank and Lillian, if you must). Dan says, "We're battening down the hatches in preparation for the welcome our five (at last count) grandchildren will provide that jolly old man in the red suit." Did he mean Tux?

Marie and Morgan Baker's picture and Christmas note show them looking better and sends their high hopes for the new year for all of us. It seems to me the happiest of us are deeply concerned for our classmates, our college, and our country. We who have lived so much must speak out lest all we've learned be wasted.

These times are so sloppy I put out my copy With hardly a fear of rejection. There's now no restraint if I want to say ain't, But I mustn't describe your complexion. New rules are replacing the ones we're effacing. My forehead again wears a frown, For I'm under attack if I don't call you black When you're really a beautiful brown!

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