1941

Connection. Continuity. Commitment. How about that for three big "C's" - and College, as in Dartmouth, for a fourth one? It must work that way for many of us, else how to explain pace-setting Alumni Fund participation year in and year out. I've been thinking about this a little bit of late, and it does seem to make sense. After all, for example, what other connection do I have, institutionally, that dates back as far as 1937? None. And in all of the following years, perhaps not a single one has failed to afford some kind of contact with Dartmouth: a campus visit; communication from the class or the College; alumni association activities; and rubbing shoulders with her "loyal sons" (and now her daughters, too).

Like everything else in the world, Dartmouth has experienced a lot of change in the past six decades. Not all of the change has been to everybody's liking, nor could it have been realistically. I'd personally prefer to see alumni get steamed up about the threat of nuclear winter rather than the Indian symbol, but Dartmouth is fair game for criticism in an effort to influence change. Whatever the change and the criticism, however, I do regret to see anyone cutting out of the picture. More significant than any and all change, in my opinion, is the perception I hold that Dartmouth does continue to exemplify the liberating arts. Without exposure to such arts, I fear for the quality of societal leadership.

Among other things, I believe, class reunions are a celebration of what Dartmouth stands for. Mid-August mail included the Summer issue of the AlumniMagazine, covering Commencement and reunions, and on the same day I received Dan Provost's letter about getting together at Quechee Inn, November 1-3, and the "Dope" from Don Hagen. Dan's letterhead gives us the new class executive committee; no need for me to do that, as advertised in my September notes. I notice also that Bob Tepper is chairing the minis, and Don identifies Stacy Hill as head agent. (In the mag, by the way, in case you missed it, take a look at Bob Frondorf's provocative letter to the editor about the dilemma posed by apartheid in South Africa.)

As chair of our reunion program, I had the pleasure of hearing from a bunch of you a while ago, both those later to be seen in Hanover and others who didn't make the scene. Among the latter, Werner Saenger wrote from Switzerland that his future plans are to keep his wife working, a full-time job in itself; JohnCurran figured to be in Ireland when he might have been reuning, and Ed McMillan also was sidetracked in Europe at the same time; and Dick Paul has worldwide travel on his agenda. Closer to home, Harvey Dworken is doing some bits for Brittanica; Hank Maxwell intends to "strike a happy balance between volunteer/service activities and selfish hobby indulgence"; Dick Knight is involved in community action programs; and AlanStern centered his life on Literacy teers after taking early retirement. SlipRainie plans to retire "in the next year or so," but Larry Norton, who has 35 years of pulp and paper under his belt, is going to carry on "as long as I can continue to produce for the company." Bob Griffeth, who reported having seen Reg Nelson in Wisconsin last fall, has cut down on accounting to maybe 80 percent, and another letter disclosed that Win Watson is "convinced that for this final quarter, I can do what I wanted to do when I graduated from Dartmouth." George Herman signed off by saying, "See you in '90," but he'd better make that '91 or be prepared to peer at some strange faces.

At reunion his senior cane was put to good use by George Brand when he brought along a broken foot. (See Al VanWie's letter in the "Dope" for another cane story.) On a brighter note, BertFrench was heard to recount the delights of life in the North Country, and someone must have told Bill Steel because he has built a retirement home in New Hampshire. Tennis winners included Clint Reynolds and Barbara Seabury, wife of Ray, and handling the logistics were Bob and Hap Koenig.

Back at the ranch, a long letter from AlAdams who, together with Effie, is making a study of the praying mantis to determine why the female, at the end of copulation, bites the head off the male. More from Al's letter next month. Until then, Peace and Joy.

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