1974

10TH REUNION

The record-breaking class of 1974 has done it again! Not only did we manage to hold our tenth reunion on a truly beautiful weekend, but we managed to smash a good number of tenth-reunion records at the same time. Attendance was magnificent, as more than 240 classmates returned to Hanover, breaking a long-standing record. While no figures are kept on the subject, it is also probable that we broke the record for good times and renewed friendships. A "74 ROAR" for classmates Doug Lind and John Fisher, who served as reunion chairman and reunion attendance chairman, respectively, as well as for the rest of the reunion committee. Truly, it was a job well done!

The reunion started to get into gear on Thursday night, June 14, with a number of classmates checking into reunion headquarters at Mid Mass Hall. Informal gatherings were the rule of the evening.

Friday brought many more classmates into Hanover as reunion activities really got underway. For those who didn't get enough outdoor activity at the class tent, buses were available to go to the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge. A climb up the mountain (even for someone as out of shape as I) provided an excellent opportunity to talk with old friends, many of whom passed me on the way up. Among the '74s encountered on the mountain were Bill Perell, who is still living in San Francisco where he runs his own business; Dick Cates, who manages a dairy farm in Saudi Arabia; and Pete Blodgett. Pete spends his time writing political commentary these days.

Friday evening the reunion was in full swing, as classmates from all parts of the country and the world checked in. The class marched to Thompson Arena for dinner with the other reunion classes. Among the highlights of the evening was a performance by the Alumni Glee Club, under the direction of Steve Bolster '73. The performance of the group was very spirited and, without even taking into account the ten years since its last performance, was really good. Among the '74s participating were Greg Pulis and Steve Severson. The dinner, catered by the Dartmouth Dining Association, a.k.a. "Ma Thayer," brought back many memories of undergraduate days.

Friday evening proved that the '74 tent was the place to be, as we went on tap to a mixture of old and new rock (attracting most of our class and many stray '73s and '75s as well). Partying continued well into the night and into the early hours of Saturday. Our classmates were also to be found, on occasion, in the tents of '73 and '75, located near North Fayerweather and Butterfield, respectively. These other tents were far quieter and less active than ours.

For the early risers of the class, and especially those with small children, breakfast at the newly-renovated Thayer Hall was a very thoughtful and appreciated event. Despite the hard partying of the previous evening, or perhaps because of it, many '74s took time to relax over coffee and other Saturday a.m. favorites. Again, some people headed off to Moosilauke for the day, while others took time to explore the campus for the first time in years.

Reunions are also the time for the election of a new class executive committee and new officers. On Saturday morning, the class executive committee met and elected the following officers to serve over the next five years: Steve Dietz, class president; John Fisher, secretary; Steve Severson, Alumni Council representative; Rick Ranger, newsletter editor; Bruce "Willie" Williamson, treasurer; and Gerry Bowe, mini-reunion chairman. I will serve as head agent (guard your checkbooks well), with Larry Malinconico assisting as participation chairman.

At this point it is appropriate to give a big and especially loud "74 ROAR" to outgoing class officers Chris Gates, Steve Dietz, Tom Guidi, and Gerry Bowe! Their efforts have been vital in harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of this great class and leading it to a string of record-breaking performances.

Back to the reunion! Saturday afternoon featured a barbecue picnic at Storrs Pond for the three tenth-reunion classes this time we were on the beach side of the lake, for those who remember the fifth reunion. The weather was delightful, and Mike Canick '75 performed his magic show to the delight of young and old alike!

After the picnic, Bob Bluestein gave several screenings of his film In Search Of... The Dartmouth Animal, filmed entirely at our fifth reunion and featuring many classmates in the various roles. My personal favorite John Barbor as a frenetic used-car salesman.

The crowning event of the reunion was the '74 dinner at the Bema. In that beautiful outdoor setting, the class had a marvelous buffet dinner (well above Thayer's usual standard) followed by an interesting and entertaining talk by Professor Noel Perrin. Also, head agent Steve Dietz, reunion-giving chairman Chris Gates, and I (in my capacity as participation chairman) used this occasion to present President McLaughlin with a check for $107,400, representing our record-breaking tenth-reunion Alumni Fund contribution (We have since learned that final figures are even higher the class topped $109,000 with 560 donors).

Saturday night activities were capped off by a band at Tri-Kap, just across the Row from the newly-opened Rockefeller Center (do other New Yorkers find it difficult to deal with the concept of Rockefeller Center in Hanover, instead of in midtown N.Y.C.?). Again, many classmates partied through the early hours of Sunday.

My own custom at reunions is to rise early on Sunday (say, at 6:00 a.m.) and take a walk around the campus. I am attempting in part to recapture something of my undergraduate days, in part, to capture new memories. The campus is strangely quiet at that hour in a sense, it is mine alone. I do see the occasional jogger and one or two late-night partygoers (were they classmates returning to the dorm for their first rest of the weekend?), but the campus on a clear Sunday morning is. a different place in many ways from what many people picture when the name "Dartmouth" is mentioned. I found it an excellent time to reflect on my five years of writing this column, with the constant contact with classmates as they have begun to establish families and careers. It has not all been fun, as life is not all fun, but on the whole, writing about the class has been an enjoyable experience. I feel that over the past five years, I have come to know many classmates better, if only as a voice on the other end of the phone; I hope that I have come to understand myself a bit better, also. Thanks for the opportunity!

Reunion closed with a Sunday brunch at the DOC House on Occom Pond. Again, beautiful weather was the rule (we must be doing something right!) as we visited, exchanged addresses, and departed for home. I can hope only that all who came had as good a time as I had, and that all those who couldn't be there will be able to return for our 15th!

BILL CATER '74

The class of 1974 set a new record for the most alumni at a tenth reunion, with 243 classmates attending. Dancing to both golden oldies and the latest hits was a favored weekend activity.

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