1949

Maybe you noticed. Last spring this magazine asked readers for names of "Dartmouth characters in fiction"—people like Michael Corleone in The Godfather and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Subsequently, two correspondents nominated "fictitious Dartmouth characters," which isn't the same thing, of course. One, with a smudged postmark, came from Gunther Perdue, with three cents postage due. It's gone up to 32 cents, Gunth. The other was from a 'S3 who seems to think Perdue himself is fictional. Hey, get a life.

How did the class do, Alumni Fundwise, compared with past years? Head agent Paul Bjorklund ran the figures and they're a bit short of whelming, though not entirely. Because 1994 was a reunion year Paul elected to use 1993 as a benchmark for 1995's results. While the average gift rose from $451 to $500, the total dropped $3,000 and the number of givers was down by 28. (If those 28 had each met the average we'd have another $14,000. Damn.) Leadership gifts, s1,000-plus, were up by three—to 14 percent of the class—and accounted for 72 percent of our total. What's more, more '49ers (92) increased their gifts in 1995, instead of status quoing or decreasing. Memorial gifts were up, too, but of course that good news derives from bad news, the loss of classmates.

Paul points out that most of the attrition "came from a precipitous plunge of almost $12,000 in matching gifts." Write, wire, or e-mail Newt about corporate tax deductions. Incidentally, Paul attributes the thoroughness of his analysis to retirement. "I found the task a welcome breather from mowing the lawn, painting the house...and watching my tomatoes die on the vine."

Those of you who attended the mini heard about Skip Ungar's recent brush with fate, a heart attack that climaxed just as the 911 guys were walking through the door. Good thing Manya had placed the call. After balloon angioplasty and some rehab Skip made it to the mini in his usual fettle.

"'Golden-ager' [is] a term I really despise," writes Nels Abrahamsen, from Lakewood, Ohio. Nevertheless, he forwarded a clipping from the Cleveland Plain Dealer about a Golden Achievement Award given to Dave Van Tassell, the Hiram C. Hayden professor of history at Case Western Reserve University and widely known for his work in local and ethnic history." Congrats to Dave, and thanks to Nels, who has sold his optometry practice but still sees patients three days a week. More from Dr. Abrahamsen's newsy letter next month.

Samuel Smith, late of Hanover, emailed to say that he has settled into his "little rental house on the prairie," in Wyoming'. Write him next time you plan to be in Ranchester—P.O. Box 579, 82839.

From Doug Thomson of Grantham, a clipping reporting the death from cancer of Richard Russell of Holden, Mass. Our condolences to the family. Dick leaves his wife, Jane, son Mark, daughter Susan, and three grandchildren.

RR #l, Box 2ISA, Fairlee, VT 05045;