1937

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886. The inscription on a tablet in the pedestal of the statue, written by Emma Lazarus, reads in part: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." On September 17, 55 years after the class of 1937 matriculated at Dartmouth, Fran Fenn, president of our class, presented three benches to the Hood Museum of Art. Fran said in making the presentation to Timothy Rub, assistant director of the Hood, that the benches are presented "To Dartmouth, with devotion, from the class of 1937." Now the tired, the poor, the students, the alumni, the visitors to Hanover are using our benches to rest and to reflect on the beautiful campus.

"Ernest Martin Who" was the title of the excellent talk Lem Bowen gave to us at our Friday night dinner at mini-reunion. Lem said it is interesting to examine the parallel between Mr. Hopkins's concern for diversity in the 1920s with that of the College in the 1970s and 1980s. People were concerned that "Academic standards were being jettisoned, and all of American higher education would suffer if admission requirements were eased. President Hopkins's answer was that "Passing examinations was no real test of an applicant's ability to do college work." In 1922 there was grumbling about the "overemphasis on scholastic standards," which, it was claimed, was "scaring good athletes away from Dartmouth. One irate alumnus claimed the College was becoming 'a bunch of Phi Beta Kappa sissies with no red corpuscles in their bodies.' "

A regular attender at the mini-reunions is Ernie Roos. He and Janet planned to attend, but on July 22 he fell off his bicycle and broke his left thigh bone. Hope you are on the mend and we'll see you next year. The 1989 mini-reunion will be September 15-16 with Princeton being our opponent on the gridiron. An added feature will be a '37 golf tournament at the Eastman course on Friday, September 15. John Johannessen, Dave Taylor, Jud Smith, and CarlErdman are early entries. How about joining us, Martha Bosworth? Send your entries and handicaps to the class secretary. .

Frank Kwett is recuperating at home after a period in the University Hospital in Cleveland for a broken arm and radiation treatment. Met Rip Ripsom at an Allentown, Pa., alumni luncheon. He was looking forward to a 439 Troop Carrier, 94 Squadron, reunion at Virginia Beach on October 13-19. Rip was a glider pilot and carried troops into Normandy, Nijmegen, and for the Rhine crossing. He adds that Eric Rafter was a glider pilot in the 91st Squadron.

Frank Robin dedicated the following poem he wrote to Rog Allen.

Mini-Reunion Autumn again, together again reliving in two brief days Scholastic years, fraternal years that shaped for life our ways. White Towers, piercing the clouded blue below the green, green everywhere with memories buried here and there. Grateful survivors of a class Now clinging to our shrinking sphere We mourn for those who can't be here.

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