1922

Dartmouth's 213 th commencement on June 10, 1984, will differ markedly from our class graduation, Dartmouth's 151 st, on June 20, 1922. The class of 1984 will have about 950 graduates. We had 222 in 1922, and 35 additional graduates one or more years later brought our total to 257. So, 1984 will begin "life in the real world" more than four times larger than 1922.

The class of '84 will graduate more than 90 percent of its total enrollment. In those agitated years after World War I, '22 graduated 51 percent of its total roster of 500 classmates.

The class of '22 had 18 Phi Betes (and three Rhodes Scholars), while 'B4, taking into account the questionable accuracy of an octogenarian's guesstimates, will have about 90 Phi Betes. Twenty-two had 43 honor students summa, magna, or cum laude; 'B4 will have more than 200 similar honor students. We oldsters repudiate claims that the evolution of intellectual genes has accelerated all that rapidly in the past 62 years, but we acclaim the apparent advancement and liberalism in "state of the art" pedagogy.

After graduation, 39 percent of our class went to graduate school. This autumn about 50 percent of '84 will enter graduate school and an additional 40 percent will do so within three or four years.

And so, '22 congratulates '84 and welcomes them into the Dartmouth alumni fellowship. We earnestly hope that throughout their lives the members of 'B4 will surpass '22 in all significant accomplishments and especially in one that we hold most dear: loyalty to Dartmouth.

Only eight years before we closed our undergraduate textbooks, the Dartmouth Alumni Fund had its first kickoff. Now, in 1984, the fund is celebrating its 70th anniversary. A tome could be written about the importance of this fund, but a few words really say it all: Without the Alumni Fund, Dartmouth could not be Dartmouth as we knew it and as it is today. The fund sustains the excellence and the democratic tradition of Dartmouth. It is the single most important source of unrestricted funds for the College. Under the continuing and appreciated chairmanship of Spenny Smith, last year the 1922 family of classmates, widows, relatives, and friends contributed $44,986. This year the class goal is $45,000, but because some strongly supportive classmates have departed during the past year, '22 will need somewhat larger contributions from any who can and will. Most importantly, however, regardless of the amount, please ,be sure to contribute and keep Dartmouth number one among all American colleges and universities in the percent-participation index. That is one of the things that measures Dartmouth loyalty and makes our College really different.

The overall goal of the Alumni Fund in this 70th anniversary year is $10.3 million and 70 percent participation. In this effort, the role of the older classes is obvious.

As usual, some attractive publicity has been prepared. Of special interest to Twoters is a folder showing small pictures of each of the 15 living former fund chairmen. Twenty- two is represented by our John D. Dodd, Dartmouth Trustee Emeritus and chairman of the fund in the early sixties. Jack, in 1962, was the first fund chairman to surpass $1 million. That year the fund reached $1,216,000 and the picture of Jack taken at that time could still serve as a passport photo.

Members of 1922 and preceding classes are cordially invited to meet for luncheon before the Penn game in Hanover on Saturday, Sep- tember 22. The luncheon will be in the Tavern Room at the Hanover Inn, and the gathering will begin at 11:00 a.m. The price will be $10 and there will be a cash bar. Reservations are necessary, so before September 19 please give your name and the names of any companions who will be accompanying you to Len Morrissey, 11 Brockway Road, Hanover, NH 03755; telephone 603/643-4262. Last year, 64 people attended the luncheon. Let's make it more for September 22, 1984.

Have a good day every day all summer long.

11 Brock way Road Hanover, NH 03755