1934

50TH REUNION

There will never be another reunion like it! At least not for those of us in '34 who were there. It took a heap of planning that began soon after our 45th reunion ended, under direction of Bill Wilson, reunion chairman. The rewarding turnout was 167 classmates and 156 wives, widows, and grandchildren.

Headquarters for the class was Middle Mass, referred to by students as the Hyatt Regency. For those who checked in early there was a choice of luncheon meetings at Tuck School or at Dartmouth Medical School. At 3:00 p.m. George Orwell got his answer. In a seminar moderated by Professor Frank Smallwood '51, first Orvil Dryfoos Professor of Public Affairs, four panelists spoke on the subject "1984. What Did We Do Right?" Each hit the bull's-eye spelling out what has happened in the past 50 years.

Alan Hewitt led off with the arts, describing how museums have proliferated and how symphonies, literature, art, and especially ballet have developed greatly. He concluded that people seem to have lost their fear of the arts. Don Allen covered our social institutions. He pointed out that with major help from the media in preparing us there has been a significant drop in stereotyping and isolation in the educational systems, military service, economic areas, sports, performing arts, and news media, and as a result the openness of our society has been enhanced.

Harlan Banks spoke on the great changes resulting from our many technological developments and said our world now needs to spend less time on commencement of new things and more time on conclusion of those started. Moe Frankel ticked off a dozen areas of change in education, including the growth of knowledge requirements, curriculum changes, education research, and a more positive federal and state role.

A reception at Thayer Hall was followed by our opening night class dinner with president Sam Carson giving everyone a warm welcome. (Yes, it was more than 80 degrees outside.) Many then went over to Prexy's garden to pay respects and after that to an excellent Glee Club concert at Spaulding.

On Saturday morning we were all in Rollins Chapel for services in memory of the 231 classmates who are no longer with us. The Reverend Fred Berthold Jr. '45 provided the invocation and Henry Werner expressed our warm remembrance of the lives they had led. The memorial service program listed all names and the dates, as does our class directory.

A class photo was taken on the steps of Webster before the official class meeting at 105 Dartmouth. With Sam Carson presiding, the officers gave their reports. Treasurer Ed Brown brought down the house with his droll recital of dry (but very positive) figures that proved the class had stayed not only alive but solvent. Bequest chairman Art Leonard reported on 1934's excellent accumulation of life income trusts and bequest intentions during the past year. As secretary, I was then called on to provide some facts on what the class of '34 is like. Thanks to the fast cooperation of the class in sending back the questionnaire (close to 50 percent came in before reunion), I could report that 25 percent of you are still fully active, 10 percent partly active, 15 percent mostly retired, and 50 percent fully retired from the payroll. Also, an astounding 91 percent of you were basically satisfied with the career choices you had made. Future columns and newsletters will summarize data from all questionnaires received.

Proposed officers for '34 were named by nominating committee chairman Tom Beers, and after a prolonged (one minute) consideration, it was voted the new team would have Moe Frankel, president; Jack Tobin, vice president; plus Ed Brown, Bill Scherman, Bob Thompson, Art Leonard, and Bill Daniells continuing in their present jobs. Bob Engelman becomes our '34 member of the Alumni Council. I stay on as secretary (sorry folks, no one else stepped forward).

At the official alumni luncheon given by the College in honor of the 50-year class, Mike McGean '49, secretary of the alumni, presented Laurence True Herman with an Alumni Award. Laurie was cited for his many contributions to the media world, as advertising director and publisher of news in Illinois, Michigan, and Florida, while building up a reputation as "Mr. Dartmouth" everywhere he has lived. He has been a standout worker for '34 and uniquely helpful to the College in raising funds for improving the athletic plant and encouraging top scholarathletes to apply.

President Carson then introduced Lucia Jackson, '84 class president, and told her of our special gift of $1,934 to the newly-minted class, which would be held in trust by the College until 2034. It should provide a whopping gift, like $275,000 even at 10 percent compound interest, to help the class of 'B4 finance its 50th reunion.

Now came the big moment we had been holding our collective breath for. Stan Smoyer, reunion giving chairman, announced the class of 1934 had stormed beyond the record for 50-year classes of $684,000 and kept climbing until the astounding peak of $1,001,934 was attained! The hard work of Stan and his special gifts crew, added to the yeoman efforts of head agent Bob Thompson and the class agents, paid off. A giant check for that amount was presented to President McLaughlin. (More on how this was achieved will have to come from Bill Scherman in the newsletter.) Appropriately then, Cliff Jordan '45, who is retiring after 30 years of spearheading the Alumni Fund, was made an adopted member of '34. He remarked that the total Alumni Fund 30 years ago was $250,000 less than our class gift this year.

The 50-year speaker at the alumni luncheon was Stan Smoyer, whose contributions to the College and the class have been legion as past '34 president, Alumni Council member, fund-raiser, Princeton game host, and donor of the Smoyer Lounge. Instead of a formal address, Stan elected to give us a fascinating review, comparing the Dartmouth of 50 years ago with the Dartmouth of today.

President McLaughlin expressed the College's deep gratitude for our generous gift and the evidence this gives that the Dartmouth spirit is still glowing after 50 years. He spoke of the great relevance of liberal arts today and the need to combine liberal learning with a liberal conscience. By our lives, we in '34 have made a statement to the classes that follow.

Our final day brought misty eyes, as we walked through the assembled commencement crowd to hands clapping on all sides. It was a beautiful setting, and we walked to seats under the shady elms. We had the extra thrill of seeing our classmate Harlan Banks, noted professor of geology at Cornell, receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree, one of five honorary degrees presented by Dartmouth. We had made it! We were there! We were the honored 50-year class!

Next month we'll cover the Saturday evening fun, the memorabilia room, the collection of books by '34s, and our Sunday farewells.

It was a wonderful reunion.

Things really heated up in Hanover with the arrival of 167 classmates along with their 156 guests to celebrate the 50th reunion of "the good class" the class of 1934. Right, the class set a new 50-year gift record with the presentation of a check in the amount of $1,001,934. Pictured, left to right, are President of the College David McLaughlin; head agent Bob Thompson; reunion-giving chairman Stan Smoyer; and new class president Moe Frankel. Continuing clockwise: classmates, friends, and family enjoyed conversation at various formal receptions in Thayer Hall or at the Top of the Hop and informal conclaves, such as the one pictured in the class tent; the higher-than-average temperatures didn't stop '34s from lining up for a picnic lunch, gathering in front of Dartmouth Hall, or strolling across the Green. Some of the reuners found that the best way to beat the heat was to hastily consume a rapidly-melting ice cream cone or, best of all, to relax at the Dartmouth Outing Club House, cooled by the breezes off Occom Pond.

Laurence T. Herman '34 was presented with the Dartmouth Alumni Award at his class's reunion in June. His newspaper career has carried him through three states, in positions including retail advertising manager of The Chicago Daily News, advertising director of The Detroit News, advertising director of The St. Petersburg Times and Independent, and vice president for sales and marketing of the Times Publishing Company. He has been on the boards of many organizations, including the Waxed Paper Merchandising Council and the Michigan Career Institute, and has served many civic and charitable organizations, such as the Red Cross and the American Cancer Society. Considerable time and energy devoted to the College has earned him the title "Mr. Dartmouth": his offices have included Alumni Fund agent, club liaison officer, class executive committee member, and member of the Dartmouth Alumni Council from 1979 to 1982. His father, Earl Herman, was class of 1904, and his son, Laurence Jr., is class of '62.

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