1927

This being our first composition in 1985, we want to express our warm and heartfelt appreciation to the many classmates who sent greetings over the recent holidays. We wish that we could reply to each one individually.

Our travel editor has only one item to report this month. When they wrote last October, Jack and Mary Draper had just returned from four days in London, two days on the Orient Express to Venice, and a cruise on the good ship Debrovnik to Crete, Rhodes, and Athens, where Jack attended some neurological meetings. Then they took a sevenday sail on a 40-foot sailboat to Turkey, where they feasted with relish on octopus.

Traveling a lesser distance was Dick Fox. He went only across town in Sarasota, Fla., after he decided that it was about time to move out of a house that he had to maintain himself into a condo where he could tell his wife Peg to "let George do it" every time that a difficult chore came up. His new address is 7231 Wood Creek Drive, Sarasota, FL 33581.

Several classmates have written interesting notes about their reactions to becoming octogenarians. Out in Denver, Colo., GlenHannaford just relaxed and celebrated by polishing off a bottle of schnapps after a quiet dinner at home. Pat Partridge, in Hadley, Mass., commented, "Since I have reached that milestone, the world doesn't seem a bit different except maybe a little bit worse in some respects. But let's not worry about it." And Vic Duplin, in Lynchburg, Va., assured us that he still enjoys good health, a wonderful wife, the beautiful Glenacre Farm, a fine garden, some healthy Angus cattle, and many pleasant memories of his years at Dartmouth.

Bill Elliott recently told us that he thoroughly enjoys his life in the retirement complex named Carleton Village in Bedford, Mass., where he has occupied a town house for several years and has made many friends. He has finally retired from the post-retirement, part-time work that he did for the Harvard museums and is now, like many of us, going through the stage of visiting children and attending the weddings of grandchildren.

Houston Gray made our life happier when he wrote from Hilton Head Island, S.C., that after being handicapped by health problems for several years, he is now back on his feet and doing minor chores around the house. Unfortunately, though, he has had to give up golf-

Last October, Paul O'Connell presided, as president, at the Three Score and Ten Club's fall outing in Seabrook, near Charleston, S.C.

Norm Swift, now back in Montrose, Va., had a good summer in 1984 when he was up in Maine, as usual, and visited Stu Ensinger and Chuck Brewster. When he wrote in November, Norm had just had a lens implant, which he described as "a piece of cake," and was anticipating another one in December. He was planning to go west in March to visit relatives.

Seth Besse, 1927's new head class agent, is busy in New Bedford, Mass., lining up assistants for the 1985 Alumni Fund campaign and is looking forward to generous increases in the contributions of many classmates to help offset our rapid decrease in numbers.

We regret to report the death of James Burnett on July 7, 1984, which just came to our attention, and also those of Edmund R. Johnson on December 2, and Nicholas N. Voorhis and Harry N. Benson, both on December 11, 1984. Those of us who knew Bud Wesselmann are also saddened to learn of the death of his wife, Dottie, last November. Dottie was a frequent attender at reunions and greatly loved by all.

11 Rolling Lane Wayland, MA 01778