1945

The Ides of March are rapidly approaching as I write, which means that the notes you read in May are due. Having endured one of the coldest weekends of the winter climaxed by a few inches of snow, it is hard to contemplate crocuses, daffodils, robins, and green grass, but we look forward to them, moreso each year.

Bob Hacker is now a classmate who does not have to anticipate spring. He sold his Oldsmobile-Cadillac agency in Moline, III., and spends the winter until May in Naples, Fla., living at the Bear's Paw Country Club. His comment to John Osborn as he paid two years' dues was "lots of golf." Obviously he is another contender for the Johnny Brooks Golf Trophy, the next time weather permits it to be contested.

Another classmate who deservedly has received much New England publicity on his retirement is Charlie Holt, hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire for 18 years and prior to that at Colby College, Melrose (Mass.) High

School, and Cranbrook School in Michigan. Although his final year has been rough win-wise, he ranks seventh on the all-time college list of 411 wins. With Jack Riley '44, the recently retired West Point coach, they have almost 1,000 wins. Both played in the forties, the golden days of Dartmouth hockey. This was back when sports were for fun - not money - and all colleges played by the same rules. Charlie was named national coach of the year three times, and seven of his players are currently in the National Hockey League (several others have played there), and six of his former players are college coaches. On a national level, Sports Illustrated. praised him with a column in the March 17 issue. Congratulations on a brilliant career, and we hope Nancy, a Hanover native, will persuade him to join us for more mini-reunions now that hockey will not monopolize the fall.

In the academic world, Richard Welch is the Charles A. Dana Professor of History at Lafayette College. A letter from his brother, Joe Welch '51, included the program of his talk to a Lafayette Alumni Club in February. Among other information it mentions that Richard has an M.A. and a Ph.D. from Harvard as well as his three-time receipt of an award from Lafayette for "superior teaching and scholarly contribution." He is a specialist in the history of United States foreign policy. Coincidentally I also received a college release discussing his latest book, "Response to Revolution, the United Statesand the Cuban Revolution." It is exciting to know about classmates' success and recognition in different fields, particularly when contacts in college in most cases were so brief. If any of you know of similar achievements, let us know.

When you read this, Vic Smith and his agents will be hard at work, hoping to repeat the 1985 success of the class of 1945 in the Alumni Fund. Obviously they need help from all of us, and on behalf of Vic and the classmates who are working with him, please make your contribution now. Vic volunteered to take this position for a second five years and deserves our early help to minimize the difficulty of the job. Although you may have some strong feelings about recent events on campus, please remember that these are temporary, that the College will come out stronger, and that it needs your support. Particularly frustrating to all head agents are the LYBUNTs (last year but not this). If you gave in 1985, help out now. And if you were not a 1985 contributor, give now for 1986. Thank you for your help.

It is hard to realize that almost a year has passed since our fantastic 40th and that because of reunion schedules another five years will pass before the 45th. However, in the interim there will be all the mini-reunions planned by Bob Paulson, so pay attention to the announcements. And from all of us in 1945 to the class of 1946, best wishes for a 40th reunion as happy as ours.

No more news but please build up the file for the rest of this year and next fall's notes.

Before these were finished The BostonGlobe had an article on another contest in the upcoming trustee election featuring conservatives versus incumbents. Among the quotations were some very thoughtful comments from Ned Newdick. More on this next time. Happy Spring!

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