1948

These notes are written in early April, a little over two months from June 13—16, when '48 will be holding its 35th reunion on the Hanover Plain. Thirty-five years! A whole lot of water - and ice - under Ledyard Bridge. Many a gorgeous sunrise above the Balch HillVelvet Rocks rim east of town. Many a parade of sleepy-eyed, shivering students groping to early class through a winter storm. As of this writing the number of '48s who will be on hand for the 35th is not much under 100. As you read this you can still be among them if you can successfully fight the inertia that may be keeping you from the good time that will be experienced by those who wend their way to Hanover. Your presence is wanted. If a phone call can help you decide, why not call Reunion Chairman Warren Daniell at 617/742-1357 at work or 617/369-5645 at home in Boston. Warren and his committee are putting in much effort to be sure that we enjoy a fun-filled, memory-laden return to the scene of our undergrad days so many years ago. (Warren, in fact, is giving up competing in his sixth Boston Marathon this month in view of the work resting on his shoulders involving reunion.) Be with us if you possibly can. I believe you will depart with the feeling that indeed one can recapture the happy days of the past.

If he attends reunion, one of those who will have the farthest to come will be Ron Spiers, the United States ambassador to Pakistan. Ron has been a member of Uncle Sam's official family in many overseas areas since he completed graduate school at Princeton. He has tended to specialize in functions where international politics and the military intertwine. Of course, in Pakistan he is in an extremely sensitive post, with the Soviets in Afghanistan as immediate neighbors. Do the hills of Pakistan remind you of your native Green Mountains, Ron?

A '48 for whom Hanover is just up the road a piece is Don Hansen of Needham, Mass. Wife Marion reports that Don's small optics research firm in Boston is still holding its own in spite of the recession, but that both parents were greatly disappointed when their younger son was not permitted to follow the path trod by Dad and older son Michael at Dartmouth. Our sympathies to Don and all other loyal alumni who have experienced the same sadness. Our own Bill Malone is one of these.

Hanover, watch out for Ted Thornton! At 1948'S 30th in 1978, our risk-prone Ted took a dive into Blood Brook near Meriden, only to have his head cracked open and his ear almost torn off by a hidden boulder. To make sure he misses any hidden risks this time, Ted says he's planning to dive off Bartlett Tower into a damp sponge!

Concerning our 35th, it occurs to me that many a '48 reunion-goer and family this summer will take the opportunity to tour some of the gorgeous hill, mountain, and lake country of New Hampshire before or after June 13-16 As a native highly fond of the state, I'm repeating here some of the information we gave five years ago, in the hope it may be useful.

On a clear day I'd stop at the old farm as Mount Cube House on Route 25A east of Orfordville and take a good look over the wide valley to the north into distant Mt. Moosilauke. The Appalachian Trail crosses the road here. As an alternate I'd go east on 25 through Oliverian Notch to sparsely settled Glencliff for a closer look at Moosilauke.

I'd drive completely around Mt. Washing ton and the Presidential Range, traversing beautiful Pinkham Notch and spectacular Crawford Notch. And, if time and weather permitted, mitted, I'd take the old cog railway up Washington. I'd see lovely Franconia Notch and Nathaniel Hawthorne's awesome great stone face, with Cannon on one side of the road and the ridge formed by Mts. Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty. Haystack, and Flume on the other. Here I might also ride the aerial tramway. Proceeding to North Woodstock, I'd turn east onto the Kancamagus Highway and split the wild Pemigewasset Wilderness all the way to the Conway of teacher Gordie Mann. Somehow, too, I'd see both isolated Dixville Notch far to the north on Route 26, and also the extensive stands of white birch on Route 2 east of Gorham. Further, I wouldn't miss the oft-pictured Mt. Chocorua above its lake on 16 south of Conway, and I would certainly explore the rustic Ossipee/Tamworth/Sandwich area north of Lakes Winnipesaukee and Squam (the latter the locale of On Golden Pond).

There are plenty of places to stay overnight, and the scenery is truly magnificent. (I may be prejudiced due to my fondness and nostalgia for the area. Admittedly, bad weather can take the fun out of such a trip, but hope this information will be useful to some of you.)

Enjoy the spring, make sure you give reunion every consideration, and give the boys of Ken Young every chance you can. All for now.

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