1940

Well, here's your new secretary great legs but no typing all ready to go to work in an effort to follow well in the footsteps of Dick and Zel Goulder and other former secretaries. It turns out that one of the nice things about this job is that you get to write to and hear from (HINT)-all those classmates you never got to know very well and/or haven't seen for a couple of years.

This column is being written in the afterglow of a very fine 45th reunion. It may not have been a record setter for attendance, but it certainly was for good friends and good feelings. By now you will have seen the reunion coverage in the "Indian Drum" as well as in the Summer issue of this publication, so I shan't dwell too much on the fun-and-games department. However, there are a few things worth repeating. Our new class officers are: president, Jack Little; vice president, John Moore; treasurer, StetWhitcher (continuing); secretary, yours truly; newsletter editor, Bob Austin (continuing); head class agent, Ted Miller (continuing); bequest chairman, GordonWentworth (continuing); Alumni Council representative, Bob MacMillen. Three cheers for the whole bunch and especially for those who are continuing for another tour of duty.

Statistics from Stet show that there are 447 of us still around of the 639 who ma- triculated. That 447 does not include ten classmates who can't be located and 15 who have asked to be left alone.

Our class project, lighting Baker Tower, is completed and the $5,000 turned over to President McLaughlin. The income from the $5,000 will cover the cost of the lighting each year. By the time you read this, our memorial book fund will have reached $10,600. As you know, a book is given to Baker in the memory of each departed classmate. In our meeting, the class voted to increase the per-book amount from $30 to $35, to keep up with the cost of good books. So you see, we really need those class dues. Thanks to Stet's good work, though, the dues can stay at their present level.

At the conclusion of the class meeting there was a special round of applause for: Tom George each classmate attending reunion received a numbered print of his "Mount Washington"; Cliff Holmes a bottle of his maple syrup went to each classmate attending; and Anita Cutter (George Cutter's widow) for allowing the class to have place mats made of the famous Cutter map of Hanover. Two were given to each classmate attending.

Everyone takes away different impressions of reunion, beyond the friends and fellowship. I have a strong memory of the memorial service in Rollins. Almost every classmate who came to reunion also came to the memorial for a brief but moving remembrance. (I also found that I still choke up a little at the singing of "Dartmouth Undying.") I was vastly impressed by the quality of the undergrads whom I met, saw, talked with, and listened to. There are some very real people coming out of the College these days.

This was the first time I have heard President McLaughlin speak. He spoke to the assembled reunion classes, giving a combined status report and update on the College its long- and shortcomings and then fielded questions for half an hour or so. Like Walter Cronkite, I never comment on sitting presidents, but the report combined with the Q & A certainly gave me a much better picture of the many different things that are on the Dartmouth agenda.

Our final day, during the brunch at DOC, was highlighted by a moose swimming across Occom Pond and sauntering across the road and out of sight. Reunion chairman Jack McDonald thought of everything! Lee and I then spent a couple of days in Hartland Four Corners with Ben and Gene Bacon and Bob and DidiGensel, after which Ben and Gene headed north and west on a "land cruise."

The tradition of greeting a new class secretary with an empty news barrel is continuing, as you can probably tell. However, the signs are promising: witness a nice note from Pat Timothy (Brig. Gen. James S.). He reports that he is now fully retired, which gives time for Janet and him to enjoy the tennis, fishing, etc. His new address is 1465 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Apt. 104, Longboat Key, FL 33548. Pat stays in touch with Bob and VickyClark and mentions Joe and Pat Adams. OK, now you good people grab those pens, typewriters, and word processors!

P.O. Box 336 Old Lyme, CT 06371