1965

Donald Hart read the stories of three classmates in our September Class Notes and admired the courage each was showing in the face of change. Don says the experiences of Ted Veazey, Bob Komives, and Don Miller were motivation for a letter describing the diverse paths his own life has taken since leaving the College. His words, amplified with information learned in a subsequent conversation, are as follows:

"After graduation, I spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in an exceedingly rural and isolated area of Brazil. Following completion of my service, I returned to the United States to work toward a doctoral degree in French and English literature. I received my diploma from the University of Rochester in 1971 and taught at that school for a brief period. I then spent the next year and a half working in construction in the state of New York.

"Inspired by a dream of farming in a remote, untamed area, I returned to Brazil and acquired land in an undeveloped part of the central backlands. The entire area had to be cleared by hand, but I was eventually able to make a living by raising corn, cassava, rice, beans, coffee, and oranges and running a small cattle operation.

"In 1982, I returned to the United States with the goal of finding professional employment in the international development area. I was very near to being penniless and found myself, out of necessity, working for a year as a framing carpenter and construction foreman in the Washington, D.C., area. I eventually accepted an offer to work as an associate Peace Corps director in West Africa. I was based in Niamey, capital of the Republic of Niger, and was responsible for planning and negotiating projects with host governments. Following completion of my 30-month contract, I consulted for the U.S. government and for private organizations engaged in rural development and agriculture in Africa and the Caribbean.

"Gradually the longing to settle and to work in some area of private enterprise led me, through a tortuous path, to a completely different direction in my life. Frustrated in my efforts to find a position in the international department of a corporation, I decided to venture into business for myself. Having always had an interest in mechanical things, I was attracted to the auto aftermarket and looked for a way to get started quickly. After studying several opportunities, I purchased the rights to a Maaco Auto Painting & Bodyworks franchise, and have recently opened a large shop in Baltimore. Only the specter of a further deteriorating economy is preventing me from setting up a similar business in Brazil.

"Obviously many other things have happened along the way: three beautiful children (all trilingual), a wretched divorce after 18 years of companionship, belts in the martial arts, drugs and protests, many successes, many failures. The latest good fortune in my life is that I am about to become married to Margaret Hulsar, a graduate of Cornell. I enjoy hearing from my old friends at Dartmouth and would certainly invite anyone in our class to paint his car at my shop."

Thank you very much, Don, for sharing the unusual scenario of your life. Your experiences and ability to survive have meaning and challenge for each of us.

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