1977

P.O. Box 861 Norwich, VT 05055

It's Winter Carnival time. The ice monolith grows more imposing on the Green, silent about its ultimate shape. Students hoist loads 30 feet high, bearing the snow gods' gifts of the past two storms, several feet of cold, dry powder. Of course, January Thaw visited between storms, inviting Utrow skating on slushy Occom Pond, among other pursuits. But now, the dry cold stuff lies on a "firm" (euphemism for boiler plate) base; and, where compressed, sounds like styrofoam underfoot.

Mid-term exams command some students' attention; a very few look to leaving during the hubbub, say to a DOC cabin in the College Grant; others plan for visits from out-of-town friends, and the BoDeans' concert at the Hop.

The BoDeans? Aside from the growing string of columns behind ours, nothing make one feel older than the empty spot in memory assigned to Music, Rock Groups, Contemporary.

Cathy Cook Holmstrom provides the major bit of news this month, writing from Alexandria, Va. "Garry and I had a second little boy this past October. Charlie, otherwise known as Charles Hammond or Possum, has joined his two-year-old brother Anders in keeping me on the run; I'm getting pretty good at kicking the football to Anders and may try out for a slot with the Raiders." (A long way from DC! Did she perchance means the Redskins?) "Later this year, we'll be packing the kids in the car and driving back out to San Diego where Garry will take command of the USS Chandler. While Garry is playing captain, the boys and I will attend the rodeo and ride the elephants at the zoo."

Jon Bagger, buried in group theory this spring semester at Harvard's High Energy Physics Lab, took time from preparing lectures at midnight to send some electronic mail. He and Debbie Dunham—from, of all places, Cambridge, Mass.—are engaged to be married this spring. As usual with these events, time and place are under negotiation with relatives, and at press time indeterminate. Debbie is a practitioner of physical therapy—not to be confused with physics theory! A1 sent an electronic reply, advising Jon to dispense with this marriage idea if he wanted to get any real research done; we're pretty certain that message didn't get through the network.

Electronic mail helps keep in touch with others, too. Rika Pierson Clement is bubbling happily along toward child #2 with husband Bill '79, looking forward to maternity leave from her development job with Stanford's libraries. We have a visit to the Bay area in April, and will hope to find in the younger child a mellower version of their eldest, effusive daughter Lauren.

With Carol away in Texas waving the Dartmouth flag at Prairie View A&M, A1 took the children to see the fireworks on the Green the Thursday before Carnival. A modern "tradition," well worth keeping; sorry our class didn't think of it. Neil Donnenfeld '83 (brother of Eric) did think of it, though; A1 ran into Neil and fiancee Liz Stone afterwards.

Some of you will recall the Mark Lebowitz Memorial Prize in the Performing Arts, which was endowed through very generous contributions during our 10th Reunion. The prize endowment is roughly $11,000 at present, a great testimony to Mark's stature in the performing arts and among his peers at the College. Those who have questions or still wish to contribute can contact Al (address above), or Melanie Norten in the College's development office. The first prize will be awarded to a graduating senior this spring.

Probably forgetting some piece of news, but it'll keep another month. Happy equinox.