1970

P.O. Box 3934 Modesto, CA 05352-3934

Although it's Labor Day as I write and the skies hereabout are filled with smoke from forest fires raging nearby in the Sierras, I assume that 1987 will manage somehow to reach a close by the time you read this set of notes. We end the year with some good news about several of our classmates ... to be followed by some—dare I say itvery exciting news about Modesto (and environs).

D. Rodman Thomas and the First Vermont Bank seem to get along well together. Since joining the bank in 1980, Rod has earned several promotions, most recently to vice president, senior trust officer. This means he will be responsible for the administration, management, and marketing of trust services statewide. Rod went on from Dartmouth to receive a master's in education from the University of Vermont and also graduated from the new Vermont Law School. Rod, his wife Patricia, and their two daughters will be moving from Bennington to Brattleboro as a result of this promotion. Stop by while heading up to Hanover next trip—your assets probably couldn't be safer anywhere than in rock solid Vermont.

Moving on down to New Hampshire, we've learned that John A. Plummer has been named program director of the intensive treatment unit at Portsmouth Pavillion. The newly opened unit provides a shortterm, highly structured treatment experience for voluntary and involuntary adult patients experiencing an acute emotional crisis. John received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and had served as director of psychological services at Metropolitan State Hospital in Waltham, Mass., prior to his new position. He will continue to hold an academic appointment as instructor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. John, his wife, and two children have relocated to Exeter.

Moving closer to Modesto, Philip D.Robertson has been appointed assistant controller-revenue accounting in charge of St. Louis accounting operations for Union Pacific Railroad. In this capacity he will direct a staff of 525 who are concerned with revenue accounting, intermodal, and car accounting. Phil only joined Union Pacific in 1986, prior to which time he held similar financial management positions with Clark Equipment, Atlantic Richfield, and Dupont Glore Forgan. His career in finance many have received a small boost beyond his Dartmouth education by virtue of a master's degree from Stanford. Good luck, Phil.

Many of you are no doubt wondering what you can do with the second week of your visit in Modesto. Well, why not take in the festive atmosphere of our suburbs? In the town of Tracy you can have a blast at the Dry Bean Festival, featuring "Classical Gas" as its theme song. Or head on over to the Westley Pigs Foot Festival and put those hog hollering skills you learned at Dartmouth to good use. Perhaps you'd prefer to tour Patterson, "The Apricot Capital of the World," where you can sample only dried or canned apricots at their festival which is held just before the harvest. And you'd be silly to pass up a chance to experience a bit of the Old West in Oakdale, the only self-styled "Cowboy Capital of the World," which celebrates its heritage by shutting down Main Street every year for a wine and cheese party.

And so folks, the message should be clear: allow at least as much time for your trip to Modesto as you would for that Grand Tour of Europe. The sharper among you out there will realize that the real message is as ever: write your class secretary in 1988 or be condemned to yet more of this nonsense.

The best to each of you in the year ahead.