1940

Dear Class:

Welcome back from wherever you have been! It's comin' on for turkey time and very few of you have turned in your assignments ... so let's have some news!

Stet Whitcher reports on the annual Alumni College: "Attendees were Garand Eleanor Ashley, Joe Burnett, Rudyand Barb Horky, Lois Moody and me. I did run into A 1 and Mary Gutman and Bob and Lili Graham and Crosbie andBob MacMillen. The theme this year The Machine in the Garden was timely and challenging. Whether your garden is the Eden of long ago or the elusive Paradise of the future, the thrust of science and technology into these areas affects everyone. The program was headed by Bill Cook (English dept.). He will be running the show next year and if you would like a little mental stimulation in an ideal setting with no exams, I urge you to re serve two weeks early in August next year." Thank you Stet, and also for the p.s., in which you say that you have held the class dues at $l5 for another year.

Stet sent along a note from Jim McElroy, ]who was in the USA for six weeks earlier this year. Jim reports that he is pensioned, but not retired more active than ever, with no time for golf but looking forward to the ski season. I like his cable address: Jimmy Lausanne.

Ann (Porter) and Bob Berger had a happy summer in Harbor Springs, Mich., reports Ann, adding that all the Porter family was there. They hope to be in Hanover for the fall mini-reunion. (This is written and mailed September 13).

Hugh Schwarz mailed in greetings from Maitland, Fla. No special news, he says.

And, just in time for you birthday sufferers, a note from Bob Breech, which says, in part: "When I turned 50 I made a unilateral decision to begin subtracting a year rather than adding. As a result, I have just turned 32!! Psychologically it's a winner physically, I am kidding no one!" Bob adds that he and his wife travel and play more now than the 'old days' allowed. That includes an 18 handicap!

The Wall Street Journal took note of Harvard's 350 th with an editorial entitled "The Veritas About Harvard." It is obviously far too long to be quoted here, but I found its contents pertinent to many of the questions raised about Dartmouth in recent months. The Journal's point was that Harvard is out of date and out of step with the rest of the country. A few of these quotes may give you the flavor: "In the academic world of today, the undoubted road to tenure begins with a full tank of genteel liberalism, a viewpoint broad enough to accept intolerance of conservatives." "Professors of the Marxist/Anarchist movement known as Critical Legal Studies are teaching that the law is merely a tool for the rich and should be toppled forthwith. Professor Paul Bator left Harvard for the University of Chicago because 'serious and productive non-left scholars do not want to be at an institution devoted to guerilla warfare.' " If the academic community is only now starting to reflect trends a decade old in the rest of society, perhaps this is as it should be .... Harvard and its successor Colleges even enjoy the academic freedom to be out of step with their time." In the absence of other news, I thought the foregoing would be of general interest. The Journal feels that correction is starting. May it be so.

Not to be outdone by Pres Joyes (October column), Jim Scott unlimbered his word processor as follows: "At this stage of the game, we sure as hell stop counting (birthdays). I attended my high school class's 50th and was pleasantly surprised at the mellowing process. I agree that we should remember the great times we all had in Hanover and not let the sour feeling against the administration and Trustees tarnish them. I retired from Coopers & Lybrand 10 years ago and went into the brokering of the sales of businesses. Have closed my downtown office, but am still active on a selective basis. Son Jim 111 is a partner with C & L, Beth is in Upland, Calif., Jeff is in computers in Shrewsbury, Mass., and Debbie is in Buffalo, married and working for her Ph.D. in French Lit. (7 grandchildren so far Ed). We moved to a townhouse type home last September ('8S) and enjoy it very much. Turn the key in the door and don't worry. Have rented a condo in La Costa, Calif., for the month in early spring 'B7. . . . There must be some '4os out there. Best regards to all, Jim." Good note to end the column with, on, or however you have it. Except that, hey, seriously how about some input from out there?

P. O. Box 336 Old Lyme, CT 06371