1960

June 9 was a dazzling day in Hanover, perfect for a graduation. If I've counted right, 12 sons and daughters of classmates bounced into the wide, wide world that day, and you'll be pleased to hear that overwhelmingly they say they loved the place and got a great education. In Hanover (including a reception at Al Stowe's house) or on the phone afterward, I managed to catch up with nine dads and grads. They were split on the merits and propriety of this year's controversial valedictory address by Shamir Merali '9l, a math major from Kenya. Last year's speaker criticized Dartmouth for being hostile to gays. This year's declared the United States the moral equal of Saddam Hussein and slammed the College for being too easy academically, for failing to encourage intellectual curiosity, and for fostering "political correctness."

Within Albie Stark's family you got the whole range of opinions on the speech. Albie thought it too negative for the occasion. His wife, Ellen, said it took courage for Merali to give the speech, while Rachel Stark '91 thought that, having done little at Dartmouth but work for grades, Merali was wrong to criticize others for not seeking knowledge for its own sake. Rachel is following her dad into law. Albie, after 26 years of trial practice in Princeton, N.J., is devoting 30 percent of his time to assisting a poverty-area public school in Trenton.

Denny Goodman and his daughter Kim '91 both thought that Merali was unrepresentative of his graduating class, which was generally enthusiastic about Dartmouth. Kim was in Glee Club and served for four years as a Big Sister to a family in Lebanon.

John Goyette celebrated not only the graduation of his daughter Tracey '9O, but the safe return (with a Bronze Star) of his son Bob from tank combat in Kuwait and supervision of desperate refugees in Southern Iraq. Tracey, an English major, is off to Europe to follow the trail of Chaucer. Bob is going for an M.B.A. at UNH.

George Rush and Mike Hollern both have '9l children fluent in Chinese, thanks to Dartmouth. Mike's daughter Erica is going to work for J.P. Morgan in New York. George's son Craig, who can also speak Japanese, wants to get into business in the Far East. Mike himself spends half his time at his regular real estate business and half as chairman of the Oregon Transportation Commission. George has been with Xerox for 25 years and now is in charge of worldwide marketing.

Tom Reilly graduated his second Dartmouth child, James '91, who majored in government and played hockey, and now wants to go into some aspect of the health care business. Tom has been with Arthur Andersen for 25 years, now in charge of commercial services.

Jon Halverson and his son Anders '91 are both troubled about drinking and disorder at fraternities, particularly the AD house, now gone independent from the College. Jon also attended Stanford's commencement ceremonies this year and found the social atmosphere far more relaxed and pleasant than at Dartmouth. After majoring in English, Anders is trying out biology. Jon, having made enough money in Denver law to satisfy him, has retired at the age of 52 and is studying ecology and learning to play the piano.

Other parents of '91 graduates are DonBetterton, John Nunn, John Petersen, and Alex von Summer. I'll try to catch up with them by next month. I did reach MichaelBromer, Joe Cramer, and Jack Herrick, whose '91s are still in school. News on them later, too.

7405 Ridgewood Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815