1955

30TH REUNION

The 30th reunion of our class was one of another in a long series of wonderful events that happened on the Hanover Plain. Bob Bagdasarian, as chairman of the reunion committee, proved that once again, if you are a Dartmouth graduate and a New York lawyer, you can accomplish anything in fine style. "Bags" mentioned on the last day having brought all of us fine food, wonderful weather, and a never-ending supply of various beverages that the reunion chairman needs flexibility (translated as "stay loose"). The final breakfast was held in the tent on Tuck Drive and was catered by the Hanover Inn. There was a whole crew of servers, and the eggs, bacon, potatoes, and all the fixings were held in burnished copper chafing dishes food for a crowd. Bags had ordered food for 90 and they were prepared for 160. Seconds were offered.

Harry Ambrose, outgoing class president, organized the class in good order. Bob Comer was treasurer, nicely organized and undoubtedly ready to make a complete report. Norm Fine handled the publicity, a natural for an engineer with his own business and a computerized word processor, and one who also writes the class newsletter. It's that liberal education again. The morning seminar was handled by Norm's wife Joan with John French, another New York lawyer; Bob Leopold, who retired as captain from the U.S. Navy and is now first officer on a cruise ship operating out of the West Coast; Woody Goss's wife Nancy and Paul Mannes' wife Karen offered their interpretation of "our choices" and it did seem like 50 percent of the class was doing something new, be it either their careers or their wives. The whole attitude was one of openness for the observation that we had all gone through the crisis of the forties and that mid-life was here but no threat. The 1955 seminar was led by Leon Martel, who after many years with the Hudson Institute, is now a "futurist" and on the lecture trail. He organized a discussion of George Orwell's book 1984 by four of our classmates from disparate careers: Bill Lenderking, who came up from Washington where he is with USIA on loan with the State Department in the Southeast Asia section; Paul Mannes, a federal bankruptcy judge in Maryland (noted that he was a lawyer and if Congress didn't get their act together, he would once again be a lawyer); Joe Mathewson, our new class president, who has just formed his own law firm in Chicago; and Jere Daniell, class and College historian, who, as many of you undoubtedly have read, is now the Class of 1925 Professor of History. The presentations were excellent, particularly as we had the opportunity to hear of the careers of our classmates. It was Jere who was less enraptured by the analysis of 1984, suggesting it was a poor love story with a lot of predictions that didn't come true, the brainchild of a publisher who reversed its original date of publication, 1948, and called the book 1984, thereby achieving 36 years of built-in publicity. It was a discussion of a book that most of us had read once but hadn't read recently. Jere was also our class dinner speaker, recounting his latest interest, "Popular Images of the Yankee," or what the press thinks of New England towns. (Al Foley, stand by for your successor. Humor can be educational.) Jere even admitted to not only a love for fishing but a love for fishing only with worms and nightcrawlers. He says he never touches a fly.

Our memorial services were conducted by the Reverends Roy Nyren and Joe Herring, with Pete Sarty singing "The Lord's Prayer." (We are a class of wonderfully diverse talent.) Pete operates his ski shop at Killington, an establishment he has had since the mountain first opened.

Dick and Kit Mount arranged for the swimming tournament. Harry Ambrose took care of the run, which was won by Pete Buhler Jr., followed by Barry Ruben's wife Babs, followed by Joe Herring and Dick Mount. Pete Branch, a pilot for American Airlines, flying DC-lOs, organized the tennis tournament which was won by Dick and Kit Mount, with Harry and Margie Ambrose coming in second. Doug Melville organized the golf. Phil Riley, a general surgeon, came closest to the pin, and Ed Jones and wife Natalie won the husband and wife competition. Pete Dromeshauser and Bags' son Bruce also scored low net.

Pete and Betty Buhler obviously had to have been pleased by seeing their newlygraduated daughter Brenda, both a business manager and a publisher of The Dartmouth, serve as head worker for our class reunion. Among other things, Brenda was responsible for running with outstanding efficiency the bar setup during the reunion. (Aaaah, an additional value of that liberal arts education.) Allen Root's daughter Joan also worked for the class reunion. A "well done" to Harry Ambrose, outgoing class president, who was elected to serve a three-year term as our class representative on the Alumni Council. Joe Mathewson will replace the "Brose." Mike Gorton is the class vp, a new position. Norm Fine will continue as newsletter editor, and John French will continue as bequest chairman. Jim Nelson will succeed Frank Chase as head class agent. Ralph Sauter will continue as treasurer. And a "well done" to Web Wilde, whom I will succeed as class secretary. (All of a sudden I am beginning to pay attention to how this whole job has been done.)

1800 Valley Road Newtown Square, PA 19073