1949

Very quickly I am learning about deadlines as your new class secretary as I sit in our reunion dorm, Zimmerman, trying to develop the first column.

Future issues of DAM will carry the gleanings from those in attendance at our 40th Reunion, but for now this will report on the event itself.

The first day began with beautiful, warm, sunny conditions as we gathered in the tent for our first reception. After dinner we were treated to an impressive Glee Club concert, which closed with a call for past members of the club to help sing the Alma Mater. Our class was well represented Spud Parsons, Bob Barnaby, Ort Hicks, Ed Clogston, and John Stearns to name just a few.

Next day at the class meeting all in attendance applauded the work of the outgoing officers, Tom Swartz, president; Quent Kopp, secretary; Ritchie Hunt, treasurer; Burt Proom, head agent; JeffFarnum and Skip Unger, newsletter editors; Vail Haak, Alumni Council representative; and Bob Rooke, bequest chairman. Tom's final remarks were a plea to help the institution through positive actions rather than showing displeasure by withholding the so needed financial assistance.

Bert Rodman, chairman of the nominating committee then presented the new slate of officers for consideration. Vail Haak, president, "BB" Crawford, secretary, and Bob Muenzberg, treasurer, were duly elected for the next five years.

Vail spoke to the class and endorsed Tom's plea for proaction on matters of concern to the class. He announced the establishment of a new communications committee consisting of your secretary, Johnny Adler, Bob Nutt, Tom Swartz,Ray Truncellito, and Jack Tull. The group will deal with items that concern classmates about the College and then respond through the newsletter.

The first mil day was wet, so most activities such as a picnic arid dinner in the Bema moved indoors to the (Ed) Leede Arena. Fortunately for the golf and tennis tournaments the sun came back on the second day, when another highlight was a two-anda-half hour seminar on Great Issues in Russia, China, and the Middle East—especially topical choices. And how familiar the location 105 Dartmouth Hall—where on almost any given Tuesdayjohn Sloan Dickey would ask one of us to develop a question or answer one of his.

On Wednesday Bishop Ed MacBurney officiated at a moving memorial service for our departed classmates. The day ended with a class dinner at which our adopted classmate Thad Seymour, president of Rollins College, spoke of the very funny experiences he had as Dartmouth's dean. He closed with the statement that unless we were 19 again we probably couldn't understand the current student or the campus atmosphere. Then Jack Tull presented this year's Gold Pickaxe Award to Tom Swartz for his many efforts in behalf of the class and the College. And finally, special thanks were given to reunion chairman BudHughes and his assistants, PunchyThomas and John Stearns. It is absolutely amazing, as we advance in age, how the common bonds of class, life experiences, children, retirement life styles, and, yes, grandchildren, make a gathering such as this create a desire for the next reunion to occur even sooner.

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