1947
Mid-January, the gateway to spring! We'll be reading this in March when maple sugarin' season will be in full swing. This has not been a very cold winter, here in New Hampshire, so we'll expect a long, sweet run of sap. This year we may have some grandchildren helping (?) us-what a joy.
We journeyed to Hanover last Saturday to see McGill and Dartmouth play hockey. We allowed extra time, so we toured friends through Hopkins Center and around campus. Perhaps some of you readers would enjoy a verbal walk-through. To start with, a huge square base, three-feet by four-feet high, was holding down the center of campus and being filled with snow by wastebaskets and shovels. The snow statue for Carnival, still three weeks off, was underway. It was 3:00 p.m., and in fading daylight, chubbers were chubbing; wonder what will rise from that icy base?
Hopkins Center a beehive of activity. The front theater had a reading in progress; the rear theater was hopping with a balletlike dance practicing for an evening show. Past the newly-decorated cafeteria, we noted several workshops; The main activity was in the carpenter shop, where students, faculty, and townies were working on projects: a waterbed frame, a chest of drawers, an intricate guitar. A very well-equipped shop. Next a modeling shop, then a brazing or welding shop for small articles possibly jewelry but they were closed and the curtains partly drawn. Upstairs, two art galleries, one showing 17th-and 18th-century works, the other with etchings of seascapes and landscapes. At the exit, display windows held lifelike models clothed in period or antique dress, with historical description printed for all to see.
On the street, the new Hood building was taking shape, rising between the old museum and the Hop.
Our tour continued down Fraternity Row, around Occom Pond, with its skaters, and the sparkling DOC House, ready to serve another evening meal. Returning, we passed Dick's House, a hospital greatly enlarged, went past the computer building, and the psych/math building, done in blue tile. We remember Dean Neidlinger's house once stood there. We were pleased with our tour and doubly pleased with the hockey game, which Dartmouth won 5-4 by aggressive skating and good passing.
Now for some news. George Bingham clipped and sent us six pages from Food Distribution Magazine. George runs his own ad spot sales business for TV and radio and spotted the article on Boston's latest gourmet supermarket. The picture looked like A1 Bildner, but closer reading revealed that it was James Bildner '75, with his hand into an antique cash register, beaming over his new creation a restaurant and supermarket, just opened on December 17, 1984. Jajnes is 30 and after Dartmouth and law school decided to go back to his roots and create his dream. He grew up in a supermarket parking lot, helping his dad, and it appears he now has a world beater of a business plan. Congratulations, A1 and Joan; I hope this means another fruit basket at our next class auction.
Another success story unfolds. Here, again, both George Bingham and Ed Grady sent a clipping, telling us Roland M. Routhier has been named president of Texaco, U.S. "Rocky" started with Texaco in 1949, about as far back as we go. He served in Rome and Brussels and recently as head of the Canadian affiliate, before becoming president of Texaco U.S. A remarkable achievement for a man of his young years.
Jim Osborne and Betty Lou spent early January at Sanibel Island, Fla., resting up. Jim says he's all geared for the 1985 Alumni Fund drive, so watch for his word. May I take this paragraph to mention "matching gifts." Industry contributed $1.5 million to Dartmouth by matching our gifts. For those of us in matching companies, we need to do two things to make it work:1) give and 2) tell your company. It means a great deal to the College, so here's a great way to help.
For the planning of plans, keep these dates in mind: October 4 and 5, 1985, Norwich Inn a tradition. Holy Cross football, colored leaves, and good '47 fun. You must confirm your room at the Norwich Inn before May 1, so make.this plan now. More in a newsletter. Also, November 9, 1985, Columbia football and a full-sized mini-reunion. Norm Fink has already made key reservations at Columbia, and our class VP, Don Evans, will draw up plans and promotion. Make these plans for sure.
That's the news; write soon.
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