1944

More random 50th Reunion remembering and recapping. Featured speaker at the Saturday luncheon was Clark MacGregor, who waxed eloquently and reminisced warmly on the years since matriculation in 1940.

Eighty former skiers and naval aviators and their guests schussed and Chandelled onto the '44 terrace at the DOC House Thursday evening for some pre-reunion shenanigans, and a number of other skiing greats, including Percy Rideout '40 and Bob Meservery '43, shared in the festivities.

Golf organizer Russ Burdge had the Jack Nicklaus crowd out on the links at 8:00 Friday morning, Mashie niblicks at the ready; and Saturday afternoon, tennis buff Eric Barradale led a merry band of Racqueteers on the courts. No individual trophies or ribbons—everyone was a winner.

Joanie Whiting organized lunches in private homes for bunches of '44 wives, and Helena Burdge, Patti Eckels, Jean Wekks,Jean Allen, Anne Hier, and Joanie herself polished up the family silverware for about 14 to 24 lady guests.

Twenty-seven '44 authors had their books on display in a special Treasure Room exhibition assembled by the library and Burt Rickford(Greg Rabassa and Joe Goldstein led the way with multiple titles). Gordie Ross was the driving force organizing a dozen or so artists (husbands and wives) whose works were hung on a ski fence outside the reunion tent.

Greg Rabassa and Jack Snobble read from their works in a Tower Room session, and later Snobble and the other Singing Jack, JackLandon, led the way in group warbling, with accompanist Herb Storfer tickling the ivories.

The endless supply of Budweiser came courtesy of the late Frank Parker's son, Frank III, who graciously continued his father's gesture of providing beer for major '44 reunions. The Budweiser truck was unavailable this year, but the beer, soft drinks and endless other services were handily dispensed by a hard-working group of undergraduates assigned to our reunion.

John Berry and Walter Burke are responsible for major buildings on the Dartmouth campus, and the reuners got a special tour of the new Burke Chemistry Laboratory and an in-depth preview of the future Berry Library.

And, of course, the class picture. Two versions: one with wives, one without, both in color, and still available at $10 each. Mail check to Dexter Pierce, P.O. Box 13 3, Hanover, NH 03744.

Finally, a little friendly pushing-and-shoving with the class of 1943. We said in a press release that '44 was the first class in Dartmouth history not to have had any kind of graduationceremony. "Not so," said '43. "We claim that distinction." Ah, but we had done our homework. Four hundred members of the class of 1943 held a senior graduation dinner in December 1942, according to The Dartmouth. Arthur Hayes Sulzburger was the speaker.

Whatever, there were no June Commencement ceremonies in 1943, 1944, or 1945.

Don't forget our fall mini-reunion October 13-15, Yale game in Hanover.

That's it. Blessings.

P.O. Box 24, Lovejoy Hill, Cornish Flat, NH 03746