1981

The theme of this month's magazine is "nostalgia." Keeping with this spirit, I talked with several of you about your memories of Dartmouth. Many of us have memories that are personal, and therefore difficult to explain to others—songs that evoke a time and place, or "random" things that only a few friends understand (Bourges LSA, Fall 1978 in my case). We also remember things about Dartmouth that have made it a special place for us. Hot bourbon and cider, football, rallies, the bonfires, and a new class of 'shmen made fall a symbol of many of these memories. Personally, winter was my favorite. For four swimming seasons, my hair froze on my way from practice to the dorm!

Dartmouth was clearly the team to beat in football and ice hockey. Before Dave Slula started his coaching career and Jeff Kemp ducked to the NFL, they could really play! James Grubbs redefined cheer leading with a cheer we can remember but certainly couldn't reproduce here! Of more dubious distinction, we were ridiculed freshmen year when we failed to produce a legible 81 on the field.

We crammed into Davis to watch the hockey team win. Dave Edelson remembers the entire campus shutting down to watch the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeat the Russians. Ah, the good old days of the Cold War.

We experienced the final years of the Kemeny era. Who could forget his familiar address, "Men and vimen of Dahtmuth."

When we arrived on campus, the Indian cheer resounded; when we left, "Big Green" was the norm. Of course, one of our burning issues was "What the hell is Thel?" A controversial '81 legacy is The Dartmouth Review, founded by Greg Fossedal, among others.

Sororities emerged, starting with Sigma Kappa and then Kappa Kappa Gamma. We certainly started a trend—there are now eight. For the first time, we had a "snow day." Professors couldn't make it to classes, we went "skitching," and, as Chuck Nordhoff recalls, the snow was completely plowed by noon. We also had a snow less Winter Carnival, and snow-making machines were brought in to make the snow sculpture!

Collis Center was completed and became the upscale place to gather and eat.

Many luminaries came to Hanover while we were in residence. Among them were General Westmoreland, Harrison Salisbury, Margaret Mead, Meredith Baxter-Birney, and Meryl Streep, who was awarded an honorary degree. Carlos Fuentes was one of the Montgomery Fellows. Paul Becker remembers a joint concert with Pat Metheny from his Barbary Coast days.

Equal access was adopted; in 1981, Dartmouth had more women as a percentage of the entering class than any other Ivy.

I look back and think how long ago all this was. Then I think, has it only been 10 years?

Karen Mckeel Calby, 14 Woodland Drive, Darien, CT 06820