1944

Stop presses. In case you missed it on the evening news, the classy class of 1944 was named Dartmouth's Class of the Year at the May 2-3 Class Officers Weekend in Hanover.

Although it. happened in May, it was an august honor and the culmination of long, inspired leadership by our two most recent presidents, Ben Jones, our present perfect president, and Ezz Hale, our past perfect president. They have worked year after year on behalf of class and College, and year after year we were runners-up in the Class of the Year competition. This year we were runners up-up-and-away.

While we're on the subject, how do we keep' up with the Joneses? Ben and Betty, that is. Ben Jones is chairman of Monarch Capital Corporation (insurance and finance) in Springfield, Mass., where he is also chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and president of the Private Industry Council. The Joneses have a summer place on Shelter Island, L.I., and Ben has been Mr. Everything there in local government, politics, the Yacht Club, Ferry Commission, you-name-it. And just to keep the blood-sugar running, both Ben and Betty completed the arduous Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course last year, and they are on ambulance or emergency call at any time.

Finally, and speaking of running, all Ben did in April was run the Boston Marathon, the whole doggone, falutin' 26 miles, 385 yards of it. "It was the thrill of a lifetime," he said. "The spirit of the race and the support of the crowds were beyond description."

History Quiz: Has any other '44 ever run in and finished the Boston Marathon? We had a strong turnout for the abovementioned Class Officers Weekend: BenJones, president, and Betty; Dick Mayberry, vice president; Bill Craig, treasurer, and Liz; Fritz Hier, secretary, and Anne; Win Martin, newsletter editor, and Cappie; Rod Morgan, mini-reunion chairman, and June; and Ezz Hale, special observer.

Also on hand for various gatherings and social hours were Dave and PattiEckels, Jim and Lu Browning, Bob andAnn McLaughry, Karl and Betty Musser, and Don and Maryann Pfeifle. A highlight was a cocktail party hosted by the gracious Craigs at their house in Etna. George and Helen Bruce couldn't make it for canapes, but they did get to Hanover for several days after the weekend.

Good thinking at the Dartmouth Boston dinner in May. The College invited all of its Rhodes Scholars, and 16 were there with their thinking caps on, including our Bill Turpin and his wife, Nancy. Leading the applause were Jack and Priscilla Haffenreffer and the Pfeifles.

Leading the way in the June Commencement ceremonies were three '44 progeny: Joe and Dorothy MacFarland's son, Joe '85; Jim and Joetta McClintock's daughter, Liz '86; and George and NancyTroxell's son, Todd, who graduated from medical school. We're not quite sure what Joe's next step is, but Liz is off for a year of fortune-seeking in London, and Todd will be interning in Salt Lake City.

Sig and Ruth Sporleder's daughter, Gretchen '85, is also listed in the Commencement program, but she finished up last fall. She is currently at the university in Hamilton, New Zealand, on a Rotary scholarship in geography. Sig is mellowing down some, according to wife Ruth. He has leased his ranch in Walsenburg, Colo., and is concentrating on his feedstore business, but with an eye on retirement. The last of the Sporleder's five children is in college; there are two grandchildren and a third imminent.

As far as we know, we have only one more '44 legacy to bestow a diploma on Anne Eldridge '87, daughter of Christina and the late Carl Eldridge.

Future-History Quiz: Do we have any other late-bloomer '44s with kids at Dartmouth or headed that way?

A March meeting of the Washington, D. C., Dartmouth Club had a lot of '44 muscle in it. On hand were athletic-greats Don Burnham, Al Barrett, and Rog Antaya.

A card from Bill Davies informs: "I came out of the retirement with the YMCA and went to work full-time as vice president of communications for American Leprosy Missions. With a cure for leprosy now in hand, it's great to be with a group working to relieve the suffering of 12 million people."

Kudos and Hurrahs: Dr. Bill Trier was elected president of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the oldest plastic surgery society in the world, at the association's annual meeting on May 5 in Washington, D. C. Bill moved last year from North Carolina to Seattle to become head of plastic surgery at the University of Washington's School of Medicine.

We close on a sad note. Hap Bush died May 6 after a long struggle with cancer. Attending his service in Westfield, Mass., were Ben Jones, Bill Craig, Don Pfeifle, Jack Haffenreffer, Bill Orr, Charlie Spallino, and Fritz Hier. That's it. Blessings.

The class of '44 was honored as Class of the Year for a class 25 or more years out. Presentat Class Officers Weekend to accept the award were, left to right, Fritz Hier, Ben Jones,Dave Eckels, Richard Mayberry, Bill Craig, Bill Hale, and Winsloiv Martin.

The class of 1944 was honored this year with the Class of the Year Award for a class 25 or more years out. It has estab- lished many fund-raising records, coordi- nated an array of beneficial class projects for the College, and "continued a stan- dard of class communications that re- mains a model for all classes, young or old." The citation stated that while the World War II years were not ideal for fos- tering class unity or college allegiance, 1944 has been able to do so as alumni.

Fritz Hier '44 was named Class Secre- tary of the Year. He retired two years ago as Dartmouth's director of public pro- grams. His background in journalism and information dissemination has stood him in good stead through 17 years of col- umns filled with "colorful adjectives and metaphors," and "facts, fun, and foolish- ness."

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