1934

After all the farewell gatherings with friends who couldn't believe I was ready to retire after just 57 years working in Manhattan for Home Life, it has been a real challenge to pack up and get ready for the move to Hanover.

It prompts me to look back on what it was like when we were first in Hanover. You'll remember our Freshman year, eating at the Commons—but could you recall that Bill Gay,Jack Mahan, Junie Kneisel, Jack Wholey,George Goss, Jack Tobin, Bill Calllhan, and Chuck Cotsworth were in the Commons Orchestra which accompanied the super service?

You'll also remember that winter sports were special for us. Every fraternity had a snow sculpture, and we had a queen sitting on an ice throne at Winter Carnival. Our class used the first ski rope-tow anywhere (at Woodstock) and enjoyed ski jumping, speed and figure skating, and thrilled to the display our gold medalist Jack Shea made in the 1932 Olympics. Otto Schniebs came on board as director of Winter Sports and helped set the direction for New England skiing. And we got used to the cold: 1933-34 was second coldest winter on record!

At graduation, Dave Hedges, one of my early apartment mates in N.Y.G., gave the Address of Welcome to family, friends and running alumni. Bill Knibbs gave the Address to the College, asking if we really gained the serious knowledge we had come for, and reminding us that we leave the buildings and campus, but the real Dartmouth lies deep within. Carl Hess gave the Class Day Address, entitled "Alexin Wonderland." GeorgeCogswell was our Sachem Orator, and Al Kahn rendered his class poem.

Marty Dwyer gave a moving Address to the Old Pine. Then, at our Commencement, John Spiegel spoke on Education and Social Reform; Stan Silverman gave the Address to our Fathers; and Emerson Day spoke about the Cult of Indifference. Afterwards, most of us went to any job we could find, but some, like Sam McCray, decided that it was time to climb still higher. He made it the next winter to the top of Japan's Mt. Fujiyama.

Now I'll be ready next time to share what it's like to be back in Hanover.

Richard F. Gruen, Kendal at Hanover, 80 Lyme Road, Apt. 341, Hanover, NH 03755