1936

With some 11 of the class officers and members of the executive committee present at the Florida affair, we could have held our spring meeting in Venice or Punta Gorda, but instead we just questioned the loyalty to Dartmouth that would extract us from the Southeast Garden of Eden to attend the C.O.W. so early in a chilly Hanover that was then registering zero-degree mornings.

But the questioning soon ceased as some 70 class of '36 affiliates rolled into the vast Babcock Ranch in Punta Gorda to enjoy Fred "Babo" Babcock's generous hospitality at one of his now famous barbecues. From Wisconsin Steve and Emily Stotzer stretched their vacation time while JimTracy from Grosse Pointe, Mich., stepped up his annual southern visit to take in the doings. It was good to see Von Oehrnig from Lookout Mountain, Tenn., who hadn't been able to make our class gatherings for quite a time. Vic and BarbaraKiarsis took time out from visiting their daughter in Stuart and along with Bill andBarbara Lee and Terry and Helen Staples helped swell the East Coast contingency. Bill and Mim Macurda and George andMarion Tillinghast deserted their favorite winter haven in Sea Island, Ga., to be house guests of the busy Al and Jane Gibney in Venice the night before the big bash.

The Babcock Ranch, one of the largest in Florida, has received numerous accolades for its many achievements—cattle raising, including a strain of beefalos, an alligator farm, a puma and panther preserve where the cats run wild and the humans stay in the cage—and many citations for its successful program of reforestation. Now, to promote public awareness of our sensitive ecological problems, the Ranch runs tours into the hinterland and Everglades in large mobile, oversized dune buggies. This trip was one of the highlights of the day for 48 lucky folk. Of course, the wild boar barbecue was the topper. (Don't feel unhappy for the boaronce trapped in a pen, he is fed corn and sweet potatoes for a month—then dies happily to provide a feast for the class of '36.)

Many thanks to you, Babo; you made our day! And we can all understand why, as soon as we all left, you and your good wife, Marnie, had to take off to Brazil for a few quiet weeks on the Amazon.

The list of those attending is too long for this column (see Tithe) but we did miss seeing Milt and Marge Johnston who had conflicting obligations in North and South Carolina before returning to New London to plant snow peas. Also, Clay and HelenMellor were busy taking care of some overseas commitments but he'll be back by the time you receive this column and well into the 1990 Alumni Fund crusade. If you would like to make him feel good, as well as the College and yourself, it's not too late to send in your check for your annual contribution.

And be mindful, it's only a little over 12 months to '36+55 = 1991 Reunion, June 10-12 at Hanover.

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