1954

All classmates planning to be in Hanover for Dartmouth Night Weekend, October 12-13 are hereby put on notice: the best dining value in the Upper Valley will be the Saturday evening class buffet dinner party at the Norwich farmhouse of the gracious and irrespressible Steve and Carol Mullins. Plan on attending this spectacular event drinks, dinner, and square dancing just $20 per person.

I am sure that many of you noticed the picture of John Cunningham on the front page of The New York Times Weekend section on June IS. John is shown with Stockard Charming and James McDaniel, fellow actors with whom he is starring in the Broadway hit Six Degrees of Separation. We are delighted that John is receiving the critical acclaim he so richly deserves.

The Hopkins Bulletin, in its June issue, published John Steel's departing statement to the Trustees upon leaving the board after ten years of service to the College. John has been unwavering in his dedication to the principles and Dartmouth traditions to which he continues to be committeed. His statement covers a lot of ground under the categories of past mistakes, current problems, and a major dilemma the future. Many of his positions are provocative, but all are well reasoned. This column is not the place to debate College policies, but I would urge those of you who are interested to obtain a copy.

Early in June I wrote directly to 17 classmates in an effort to elicit news for this column. At this writing, July 10, I have received responses from only two. Don Belcher and Mead Metcalf. Thanks, Don and Mead. The rest of you guys, please write—you know who you are.

Don writes, "I recently returned from a two-week trip to Laos where another physician and I estimated the number of warrelated amputees and made recommendations to U.S. Agency for International Development and World Concern, a Christian organization helping with physical rehabilitation in Laos. I had not been aware of the 'silent war' on Laos during Vietnam. U.S. planes dropped an estimated six to seven million cluster bombs on Laos, not only the narrow strip of the Ho Chi Minh trail on its eastern border, but over much of the northern third, as a kind of deterrent policy. Many of the surviving amputees are in their 30s and 40s. But many bombs released large numbers of bombettes small antipersonnel mines. These are still exploding and injuring farmers or children in rural areas. Due to 25 years of political and economic isolation, the level of surgical and rehabilitation care in Laos is low. The U.S. government is planning a short-term project to support training and some equipment replacement. It is a late but welcome response to an unfortunate chapter in the Vietnam War."

Mead reports that he and his wife, Linda, married in 1986, "have just returned from a marvelous trip through France by car, enjoying chateaux in the countryside for the most part, but a week in Paris brought back memories and great nostalgia. We even took the Simplon Orient Express train from Paris to Venice, soaking up the 1920s atmosphere while appropriately decked out in my tux and Linda's sequined dress. My business is intense in winter and summer, but affords nice lengthy vacations in the spring and fall when we close the Crystal Palace and roam the world." The Crystal Palace has thrived for 32 years in Aspen, Colo., and continues to do new shows each season with topical satire, such as skits about Zsa Zsa Gabor and The Donald and Maria Maples. The waiters and waitresses are the entertainers while Mead continues to play the piano and does some encores at the end. "That's my life, and Aspen has been good to me. Come out to Colorado some time and say hello." All classmates are welcome.

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