1934

Last month the column ended with a promise to touch a few more reunion bases. Our Saturday evening was a rousing, fun highpoint, orchestrated by maestro Bill Scherman. The Aires sang for us and then Jeff what the view is like from "over the hill." Next a slide show of headlines from The Dartmouth during 1930-34, engineered long distance during the spring by Ed Brown and Gail Raphael, brought back many memories. Gail's shrewd comments punctuated the visual show.

At conclusion, Gail presented a plaque aptly inscribed with these 34 words: "To Bill Scherman, Dartmouth '34, for outstanding service to both his college and his class. With special thanks for over 2,500 pages of class news over 50 years. From his grateful class mates of 1934." As Gail pointed out, Bill not only knows every classmate by name, but knows what most of them have done as careers, and knows their wives and children. Bill got the ovation he so thoroughly deserves.

For the times between events there were visits to Silsby Hall where Harry and KayWallace had set up a room with all the memorabilia we had brought back and to the Treasure Room at Baker Library where ElmerFulton had arranged an impressive array of publications by '34 authors. I counted at least 27 authors of books covering the world, from science and history to art and business. More about the authors later. Some, like Lex Paradis and Dave Hawes, are still writing. Lex works as editor of a small publishing firm by day and writes books at night. Dave taught in the department of speech and theater at Indiana University for 25 years until 1980, all the while writing, directing, and acting in plays. Currently he's involved with publish- ing a book on humor.

And always available was the '34 tent in front of Middle Mass with refreshments, renewal of old ties, and, happily, Jack Gilbert, tickling the ivories in his exuberant fashion. Our reunion concluded with an outdoor feast at the Outing Club. It was indeed a reunion to remember. Again we thank you, Bill Wilson, our chairman, for pulling it all together.

Doctors are making the '34 news headlines. The New Hampshire Medical Society has presented Dr. Walter B. Crandell with the Dr. Josiah Bartlett Award, its most prestigious award, for personal achievement as a contributor to the science of medicine. (Dr. Bart-lett, when governor of New Hampshire, initiated the Society in 1791). The citation notes: "For more than 30 years, Doctor Crandell has been responsible for the training of Dartmouth Medical School students in surgical subjects . . . has repeatedly shared his creative talent and medical knowledge with his colleagues as chief of surgical service at the Veterans Administration Hospital in White River Junction and as professor of surgery at Dartmouth. He has carried on independent research in the field of acid-base balance, renal functions, and postoperative surgical care, and is a recognized authority on parenteral fluid therapy and acid-base balance."

From the University of Rochester comes word that Dr. George L. Engel has been appointed professor emeritus after 38 years on the Medical Center faculty. He is widely recognized as a founder of psychosomatic medicine and a leader in its development. He introduced into the medical school curriculum the broad education of students in the psychosocial aspects of illness and the care of patients. In addition his contributions have bridged a number of other disciplines. A year ago, the university established the George L. Engel Chair in Psychosocial Medicine.

As promised, each month I'll try to summarize an item from the 1934 questionnaire. The total number of retirees (50 percent) and mostly retired (15 percent) versus active (24 percent) and partly active (11 percent) did not change materially when the 50 replies since reunion were added.

Out of 234 replies, 56 are still active: the lawyers (14) and the doctors (nine) were clearly out in front; in short they account for 40 percent of our active number. Education, communications, retailing, and manufacturing claimed three members (about five percent of the active) each. Life insurance, general insurance, wholesale business, real estate, and investments had two classmates each. Then we have an active dentist, an actor (guess who!), a writer, a musician, an executive recruiter, a numismatist, someone in construction, a corporate administrator, a leasing operator, and a scientific researcher. No doubt other variations will be found from those whose replies are still forthcoming.

In case you thought reunions occur just once every five years, I had a reminder this summer that a reunion occurs whenever two '34s get together. There I was having dinner in a hotel dining room in faraway Lillehammer, Norway, when a tap on the shoulder and the comment "these Dartmouth '34s sure get around" revealed Art Willis. He and Barbara were on a Scandinavian bus tour going west while my tour was headed east.

Happy reunion at the games this fall or wherever.

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