1938

We came from California and from Wisconsin. From Florida, Illinois, and Maine. From North Carolina, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York. We came in assorted shapes and sizes, from short to tall, spare to rotund. Some of us had hair (mostly gray), some had vestiges of hair, some had none. But we were all of the same outstanding vintage: the class of 1938. And a total of 41 of us assembled in Hanover on September 26-28 for our 1986 mini-reunion.

In addition to the record-breaking number of classmates, 39 wives and guests were also on hand, and it was especially gratifying that three widows of departed classmates chose to be with us this time, Elizabeth Hennessey, Phyllis Hill, and Ellie von Pechmann. All in all, a total of 83 people attended.

Since the Alumni Magazine, understandably, warns against including long rosters of names in class notes, I'll forego a list of all 41 classmates present and hope that Dan Marshall will include them in the Pace Setter. It is noteworthy, however, that 12 classmates showed up at a minireunion this year for the first time: HarrisBrown, Pres Downer, Herb Harries, EliotHerrick, Parker Holden, Bob MacGregor,Ed Meservey, AI Pettoruto, Bob Pollack,Nick Stronach, Paul Thorpe, and RayTroutner. Two of these, Harris Brown and Bob MacGregor, were back at a reunion for the first time since 1938. Bob Pollock had the honor of having come the farthest (from San Francisco), and the two Florida attendees, Art King and BobFoley, were runners-up.

And what a time we had! Our tour director, Dick Francis, outdid himself. It began Friday evening with a poolside cocktail party at the Sheraton in West Leb., followed by the class dinner, a talk by Professor Jere Daniell on the state of the College, and a zinger of a rendition of all the golden oldies of our time by Art King, 1938's own Lionel Hampton, on the vibraharp, accompanied on the piano by his wife, Monica. A very talented pair indeed! The evening ended with a loud Wah-Hoo-Wah and a ragged effort at singing "Men of Dartmouth."

Up betimes on Saturday to attend a class meeting, during which Dick Francis told us of plans for next year's mini (which will occur on the weekend of the Yale game and Dartmouth Night), and Bob Reeve and Bob Manegold filled us in on the upcoming 50th-reunion fund\drive of which much more later, I'm sufe. Thence to the DOC House for a BYOB prelude and a fine lunch, after which onto the bus again and to Memorial Field for the football game or at least what passed for one. Then back to the Sheraton for a short respite before an evening at the Woodstock Inn. The Inn served up a remarkably fine meal hats off to that chef! after which we danced up a storm to strains of the big band sound of years past until as late as my goodness! 10:00 p.m. On Sunday it was to each his own thing and the time for farewells.

You'll note I've included no details about the football game. About that, I think, the less said the better.

A note from Bruce Lemmon on another '3B reunion. Bruce and his wife, Dotty, joined up with Bill and Gerie Fasolo and Jim and Helen Cooney on a late summer trip to France sponsored by Dartmouth's Alumni College Abroad. In addition to the lectures on the French Renaissance by Professors Nancy Vickers and David Lagomarsino, Bruce writes, they also enjoyed "fine sights and scenery and great company, six nights on the Rhone River after three in Paris (a few days before the bombs started), and then three in Cannes." Bruce reports that Jim is still practicing law in Des Moines, but that Bill has forsaken the law for the less strenuous life of retirement in Carefree, Ariz. Five years into his own retirement, Bruce concludes, he is enjoying life "even more than I did practicing medicine still in Springfield, Mo."

FIFTY-YEARS-AGO-THIS-MONTH DEPARTMENT

October 31, 1936: the Yale Bowl, where anything could happen, and usually did. The infamous "Yale Jinx" had been broken the year before, of course. Question: could we repeat in 1936? Answer: yes but just barely. On Monday, November 2, the Dartmouth reported: "Dartmouth DownsElis 11-7, as Yale Fails in Hectic Last PeriodAerial Bombardment." But it wasn't easy. In "an all-time low for gridiron decisions," according to Whitey Fuller, Dartmouth received a defensive pass-interference penalty which gave Yale the ball on our oneyard line with 30 seconds left in the game. The defense held; the game ended with the score 11-7. But it was a close thing. Nevertheless, Whitey concluded, "Best reports from those who were in Hanover reveal that Saturday evening was spent in building and enjoying a bonfire while the bells of Rollins Chapel boomed their approval."

Two days later the Dartmouth reported news of another order: "Roosevelt WaveSwamps Landon, Democratic LandslideSweeps Nation." Unsurprisingly, Hanover bucked the trend by going Republican, 835 to 673. But on a notable local issue, Hanover voted decisively in favor of legalizing the sale of liquor within the town: 615 for, 206 against.

What ever came of that vote, I wonder. Do any of you recall booze being sold in Hanover after November, 1936? I don't. Recollections on the subject are invited. In fact, correspondence on any subject is invited. Come on, you '38s, up and at 'em! Obviously, the news is sparse. Tell me about yourselves.

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