1961

When a major story appears in The New York Times, it attracts attention. Dick Beattie was the subject of just such a story in August, and it attracted just such attention. I received several copies of the piece, including one from Carl Rugen, secretary of 1933, and one from Dick himself.

The subject is child abuse, one of 1984's hottest topics, and Dick was picked by Mayor Ed Koch of New York to review the "structure and function" of the city's Human Resources Administration, which had been heavily criticized in recent weeks, especially on charges that the agency "hampered an investigation into charges of sexual attacks on children in city-financed day care centers," according to the Times report.

The report quoted Koch as saying that Dick's investigation would "include the question of reorganizing the huge agency and making some of its divisions independent."

That sounds like a big job, and probably would be for almost anyone in the country except Dick Beattie. You'll recall that he served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under the Carter administration and that he had the job of setting up the Department of Education when it became a separate cabinet level department, leaving HHS behind. I'd dare to venture that setting up a cabinet department is indeed a bigger job.

Nonetheless, this one sounds challenging, and Koch didn't wait for Beattie to return to his New York office from vacation. Rather, Deputy Mayor Stanley Brezenoff tracked him down in Europe. According to the Times, Brezenoff said, "I reached him as he was about to go hiking in the Alps. He's willing to do it. He'll be back in about a week."

Asked why he had appointed Dick, Koch said, "I know him." The mayor also cited Beattie's career as a distinguished lawyer. Dick is a partner in the New York firm of Simpson, Thacher, and Bartlett.

Dick's characteristic reaction: "Thought I would let you know I am still keeping my hand in the public sector.... The mayor is keeping me involved a little more than I should be."

And, in addition to the August 11 news story, he sent along an April 27 press release, also from Koch, announcing Dick's appointment as chairman of an 11-member commission to study the "rapidly growing special education programs in the city's schools." That commission has a year-end deadline.

We wrote last month of Harry Ames's campaign for the Vermont state senate. Now comes a report that Harry has been skydiving. According to a note to Henry Eberhardt, "I called to borrow a D '61 banner to tie to my leg as I jumped out of an airplane at 3K feet a couple of weeks ago."

I wonder which is more risky politics or jumping out of airplanes.

Bob Elmore was back on campus to teach four classes in a new computer management course organized by John Kemeny. He's still in Calgary, Alberta, working for Arthur Andersen.

Hank Gerfen is going to the wolves. He announced his retirement in July as chairman of the Bloom Agency, successor firm to Mathieu, Gerfen, and Bresner, the Madison Avenue advertising firm he cofounded in 1973. He's moving to Manitowish Waters, Wise., where he'll be involving himself in archeology and in reestablishing the wolf population in the upper Midwest. He'll continue to do some consulting on marketing strategies. Among his best-known successes are the introductions of Perrier mineral water, Moosehead beer, Malcom Hereford's cows, and Foster's lager.

Lance Stoker, who lives in Phoenix, has switched his specialty from osteopathic medicine to psychiatry, joining several class psychiatrists, according to Henry Eberhardt, who talked to Lance during the June telethon.

Tim Knox, headmaster of Fountain Valley School in Colorado, has been elected president of the Association of Colorado Independent Schools, the reviewing and accrediting body for independent schools in Colorado.

You all need to be aware of the new deadlines for publishing news in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. The class notes for the October issue had to be in Hanover by August 15, these class notes by September 15, etc. That means that I must hear from you by about the fifth of each month. It's part of an effort by the editors to meet a deadline of mid-month publication, rather than drifting often into the next month before you actually have the magazine in your hands. The editors, in turn, are under some pressure from yours truly and other editorial board members to deliver the magazine to everyone during the month shown on the cover. I hope it works.

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