1961

It was a snowy night in New York on February 5 when your class executive committee and class Alumni Fund leadership gathered for dinner. The wind was whipping around the tall buildings, making walking difficult. The snow was rapidly getting deep. And cabs were even scarcer than usual, making freezing walks a necessity.

Inside, though, it was a different story, as 1961 fellowship turned an angry night into a friendly one. Oscar Arslanian had flown in from the West Coast, Alan Orshel from Chicago, and I from Charlotte. President DavePrewitt took the Metroliner from Philly. RickFoster came in from Albany, and head agent Ron Boss, Bob Mclndoe, and Ralph Barton, all from Rhode Island. And Alumni Fund director (and executive committee member) Henry Eberhardt traveled from Hanover to join three executive committee members who live in the New York metropolitan area: GerryKaminsky, Larry Levy, and treasurer VicRich.

We were there to talk about long-range plans for the next one and a half years leading to our 25th reunion, June 12-15, 1986. (Mark those dates on your calendar now, and block them out on your appointment books.) And we talked about events that will occur before then this year's Alumni Fund campaign and next fall's important mini-reunion, November 1-3, 1985.

Some key points:

We concurred with tentative decision last October to add a class vice president, effective at next reunion. The class VP would not, however, be automatically in line to be president. And Gerry Kaminsky, who chairs the Alumni Council committee on class organization, pointed out that the VP would likely not be a college officer as are president, secretary, treasurer, head agent, newsletter editors, and others. The executive committee essentially said, "So be it," because we need someone to run the class when the president is tied up with other unavoidable duties.

Dave is looking for a chair for the nominating committee, a job he last held. Gerry pointed out that it's not too early to start now on our next slate.

Ron Boss volunteered to become reunion giving chair, and the executive committee promptly concurred. We're in the market for a new head agent. Prewitt and Boss have their eyes on a candidate. More next month.

We'll have a second edition of the Class of 1961 Directory that you all should have received last year, the committee decided. Please, take a minute now to look at your entry in your copy of the directory. It should show your name, address, and phone number (home or office your choice), your nickname, and your wife's name. Please send me any changes at the address at the head of this column by May 20. I'll send those changes to Hanover and order up the new book. That way, you'll be able to communicate with your friends in making arrangements for side trips around reunion, etc.

Ron's 1985 Alumni Fund goal, in his last campaign as head agent, is to again reach the 500 donor level, so we can repeat our 80 percent participation last year. Actually, we'd like to do better. And since our goal is higher than last year, it would be helpful for folks who can to increase their gifts. But our key goal is participation.

As of February 5, we were leading the Green Derby with $82,000, compared to $60,000 at the same point last year. But we were running somewhat behind last year in participation with only 160 instead of 191. We think the answer is that we had reached more of you by this time last year. Our goal is $145,000.

Our fall mini-reunion will be November 13, Yale weekend and Dartmouth Night Weekend. Headquarters again will be the Sheraton North Country Inn. This is our opportunity to be a centerpiece in the parade I keep writing about, since the 25th reunion class gets to ride a fire truck (a la Gamma Delt). That will be our sole on-campus mini-reunion this fall, so make plans to be there if at all possible.

We're still looking for someone to head up the committee to edit our reunion book. This is an Aegis-like book that traditionally is put out by 25th reunion classes. There's space in there for people to recount essentially what they've done (or haven't done) over a quarter century. There's also room for lots of pictures.

Class dues payments are lagging, according to treasurer Vic Rich. Those dues pay our class subscription to this magazine for each of you, for our 1961 Fellows program, for our newsletters, for our directories, and for other class activities but not for trips to New York on snowy nights in February.

Paul Heimer and his wife, Delphine, were busy this fall managing President Reagan's re-election campaign in Lancaster County, Pa. The highlight was a visit by the President to Millersville State College.

Charles Chapman "became president and chief operating officer of Del Monte Corporation on February 1, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Del Monte is the food and beverage subsidiary of R.J. Reynolds. Chuck had been group vice president and director of Cheesebrough-Pond's, a health, beauty care, food, and consumer products company. Says The Wall Street Journal: "The new Del Monte president, who has a strong marketing background, will be responsible for its dry grocery products, frozen and specialty and international grocery products divisions, as well as its research and development and marketing services functions." Del Monte is based in San Francisco, so presumably that means a transcontinental move for the Chapmans from Greenwich, Conn. So now you know who to call if the Del Monte quality slips.

We're in our active years of service to Dartmouth. Dozens of classmates are involved in leadership roles for Dartmouth, as the latest directory of Dartmouth College Alumni Officers attests.

Some are the same folks who have been class leaders the past few years or were leaders back in our undergraduate days. For instance, Alan Rozycki is president elect of the Dartmouth Medical School Alumni Council. Once again, a number of us are club officers: Presidents include Pete Stuart (Southeastern Connecticut), Bill Blue (Louisville), DaveCook (Grand Rapids), Mark Grady (Heart of America —*- Kansas City), Tom Allen (St. Louis).

Secretaries are: Ray Blanchard (Seacoast Region, N.H.), Lauren Mason (Monmouth County, N.J.), Steve Kirschner (Utica).

Treasurers include Phil Oehler (Orange County), Bob Mclndoe (Rhode Island), Heap (Central Virginia).

Liaison officers: John Damon (Cape Cod), Vic Rich (Westchester County), Bob Conn (Charlotte).

In addition, Mike Murphy heads up the scholarship fund in Orlando.

Rich, Murphy, Kaminsky, and Noel Kuhrt are on the Alumni Council. Active in the enrollment network are John Henry, area enrollment director, and Damon, Rich, Blue and Bob Rentto, district enrollment directors.

All that means is that for a number of '61s, Dartmouth means hours of work each month away from the Big Green atmosphere of club meetings and from the conviviality of reunions. But they show they care.

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