1936
March, 'tis said, enters like a lion and exits a lovely, fleecy, docile lamb. The eastern seaboard section of the country currently is experiencing difficulty in determining just what a docile lamb is. Fortunately, by the time this column reaches its fans, all thoughts will have switched to spring flowers and how soon we may harvest the snow peas. The horror show of Route 128 will be replaced by a parade of boat trailers heading out to the Cape or other vacation hideaways.
Before we switch from pinstripes to Bermuda shorts, we must pause for a most important class and College detail I refer to the opening paragraph of Frank Kappler's March "Tithe" with his remarks about Norb Hofman and his team of Alumni Fund class agents. After some 48 years of hearing the spring call, all '36ers (and others) should react like Pavlov's dogs or the Capistrano swallows and rush to their checkbooks. But lest all other messages fail, the Alumni Fund chairman, Joel Portugal '58, has asked that all class secretaries include in their May columns a lastminute reminder that 1984 is destined to be another first for the Dartmouth Alumni Fund - in dollars raised and in participation. The goals cannot be met without the full and enthusiastic participation of the class of 1936.
I thank you. Norb Hofman thanks you. And, above all, the College on the Hill thanks you.
Incidentally, once again referring to the notes of our Brazilian representative, DickDorrance, as reported by F.K.K., I note with deep financial hurt that his new "parts and labor" came in for less than $300.
Al Gibney pauses in his challenging pursuit of putting together plans for the bestever-anywhere 50th to report that he and Eloise have truly enjoyed their annual visit to the South and to Indian River Plantation. After a suitable period of golfing and hoisting, they turned their interests to beaching, only to find that a "Yale or Princeton or Harvard craft" had cleaned its bilges close in along the coast and had scattered oil up and down the beaches of Hutchinson Island. On the bright side, however, the mess has discouraged the spawning and propagation of Portuguese men-of-war.
On her flying trip to the southland, our ladies' activities chairman, Phyl England, writes in glowing terms of the warmth and hospitality of the '36ers and wives in the area - she stopped off at Hilton Head to visit with Nadine Morton - whose horoscope had warned her of a phone call and possible visit. Then down in Punto Gordo, which is fast becoming the winter headquarters for the eastern portion of the class of 1936, she stayed with Rose and Harry Coronis, boated on the gulf with Clay and Helen Mellor (before they took off for New Zealand), and cheered while Bob Fernald chaired the February meeting of the Dartmouth Club of Southwest Florida at which astronaut Joe Allen held a record number of members and guests spellbound with his talk and pictures. Also attending this meeting were John and JaneBowker and Brint Schorer, who has apparently recovered substantially from the circulatory problems that pained him last year. Bill Wyman is in and out of the area, but I think he missed this show. Among the other old faithfuls who put in appearances at Punto Gordo were Frank and Marge Curtis and Rayand Jerri Builter (and probably others too shy to mention it).
So as to make this column more than a chronology of the past, Phyl England wants to include some official news: the annual '36 Lobster Reunion will be held August 4 at the spacious England grounds at Locke Neck in Rye, N.H. Mark that date prominently on your social calendars and await further news with regard to routes and local housing from our social chairman, Barry Sullivan, and/or others.
We received an interesting clipping from The Chronicle of Higher Education with a letter to the editor from Louis T. Benezet, who is active with the Research Group for Human Development and Educational Policy at the State University of New York in Stony Brook, N.Y. In discussing college presidents' roles in shaping curriculum, he points out how in the early stages of such changes presidents give "leadership by adding outer consideration, assessing feasibility of the program in the local setting, and determining what elements of the college constituencies should be consulted." And with presidents keeping abreast of what is going on and being advocates for academic programs, their leadership can encourage college communities to make new plans worthy and can arouse interest among the outer public for students to enroll.
"There is evidence that presidents as well as faculty are more alert than they were in recent decades to the needs for liberal education to reflect continuing social change. Such movement is needed, the better to insure that students will realize lasting gains from their increasing outlay for a college degree."
How fortunate we are to have President McLaughlin and his team to set the course for Dartmouth.
P.O. Box 837 Mashpee, MA 02649
