Dingwall of Dartmouth

It takes some doing to ruffle the feathers of H. Allan Dingwall Jr. '42. A campus presence for 19 years, Allan Dingwall is known for his sunny disposition. And always thoughtful about details, he makes minute arrangements for an out-of-town meeting with the same care he gives to daily folding an impeccable square of white linen in his breast pocket.

One of the few ways to upset Dingwall's equanimity is to call him "Herbie" - he's never quite forgiven his parents for naming him Herbert Allan Jr. Call him Allan, though, and his devotion knows no bounds.

His Dartmouth ties began with his father, Jib Dingwall (even he wasn't called Herbert), a member of the class of 1916. Though there'll be no end to the Hanover connections, one phase of the relationship came to a close in June, when Dingwall retired from the College. He came to work at Dart- mouth in 1966 as executive director of the Dartmouth Arts Council, moving over to the other side of campus in 1971 as associate director of the Alumni Fund. That's half his working life, an irony for a born-and-raised New Yorker whose idea of the outdoors is an air conditioner.

Even though he wasn't a Chubber, Dingwall thrived at Dartmouth as an undergraduate. Officially, his major was English, but unofficially it was music. He was president of the Glee Club, though as its accompanist he describes himself as "the only member of the Glee Club who never sang." He was also president of the Prokofieff Society, music director of the radio station, and a willing piano player upon any pretext. His fraternity brothers at Deke and his colleagues at Casque and Gauntlet were among the beneficiaries of his verve at the keyboard.

His parents sent him to Juilliard for a couple of summers to see if they had another young Paderewski on their hands. "They didn't," says Dingwall modestly, though music has remained an important element in his life. He worked for Fred Waring for several months between graduation and four years of Navy service.

Early in 1946, Dingwall had a chance dinner with a friend of a friend of a neighbor's friend. He was offered a job and a few days later was off and running on a 19-year advertising career. For 11 years he was a radio-TV producer for Ted Bates, Inc., producing commercials for such shows as "Can You Top This?," "Howdy Doody," and "Kay Kyser." In 1957, he moved to General Foods as director of broadcast programming, where his assignments included work on "I Love Lucy," "The Danny Thomas Show," "Andy Griffith," "Jack Benny," "Zane Grey," and "Gomer Pyle."

"It was great fun," says Dingwall, "working with such people and getting to know them. But it was also hectic and didn't do much for our home life." So in 1965, Allan and his wife, Nancy, packed up their two girls and the piano and moved to Hanover, where old friend Warner Bentley hired Dingwall as executive secretary of the newly-formed Dartmouth Arts Council. "We needed someone with talent and energy to promote programs at Hopkins Center," says Bentley. "I knew Allan well when he was an undergraduate, and I was delighted to have him back as a colleague."

The Arts Council, chaired by Trustee Frank Harrington '24, thrived during the following years. And Dingwall thrived as its busy steward, coming to count Harrington among his close friends. One of the highlights of those years was a Jack Benny benefit in 1967. The comedian/violinist donated his services for a Spaulding Auditorium concert that netted $12,000. Another high point was a 1970 Dartmouth art show staged at New York's prominent Knoedler Gallery. "The Knoedler show didn't make any money," says Dingwall, "but good old jock-image Dartmouth got wide publicity as a place where the arts count." He also looks back with pride on his instrumental role in the founding of the Friends of Hopkins Center.

In 1971, the Arts Council was dissolved in favor of a Board of Overseers, and Dingwall moved over to the Alumni Fund. As an associate director of the Fund, he has helped move it from a $2.5-million effort in 1971 to a $l2-million goal in 1985. "It has been a happy association," he says. "Working with class head agents, all of whom are volunteers, has been both challenging and rewarding."

Henry Eberhardt '61, current Fund director, is boundless in his praise of Dingwall. "He has that wonderful knack of working easily with people of all ages, giving to and getting the most out of everyone. He enjoys people. He has fun with them and they with him." Peter Smith, director of the Hop from 1969 to 1981, concurs. "Allan gave a lift to all of our days, with his humor, charm, and wonderful optimism. I will always cherish him as one of those relatively rare persons who is without guile. He was straight and unswerving in everything he ever did."

Dingwall has loved his job and Hanover. "Nancy and I have had a wonderful time here," he says, "because of both the environment and the people. This has been home for us and our girls and we have all thrived."

So much so that retirement plans include going no farther than the bounds of the Upper Valley. Nancy, who has been a Hitchcock Hospital volunteer for 20 years, will continue that satisfying work, and Allan plans to divide his time between volunteering at the Hop/Hood and at the hospital.

Fritz Hier retired a year ago as director ofpublic programs at the College. His retirement plans include a trip to the foot of Mt.Everest.