1953

"For naught avails the strength of Harvard when they hear our mighty cheers." Winsor Wilkinson '10 and Moses Ewing '13 came up with those lyrics nearly a century ago when they wrote "The Dartmouth Touchdown Song." Isn't it fascinating the way Dartmouth people through the ages find new words to reveal their bond with this intangible we have come to call the Dartmouth Experience? Franklin McDuffee '21 and Homer Whitford immortalized our college in "Dartmouth Undying" with "Dartmouth! There is no music for our singing/No words to bear the burden of our praise." Think about that. These songs were written by Dartmouth graduates early in the century, and the thought has occurred as we approach the next "turn" that some new songs may be in order. From where? Could they come from anywhere but from the Great Class of 1953? This, then, is the challenge: a new "love" song about Dartmouth as a Christmas present to the College in 1995. The musical and lyrical talent of our class is legend: Len Gochman, Stu Fordyce Bob Lonsbury, Gay Jones, JohnKennedy, Don Goss Fred Whittemore, and Bob Poor, to name but a few who come to mind. Write your song, your lyrics, or both and send it on. Those that appear to be in contention will be returned for your copyright option before we pass them along. Perhaps we can persuade Fred Whittemore to organize the debut in one of his shows.

SURFING THE 1953 BULLETIN BOARD NET: • Class Officers Weekend was held early in May with 100 percent of this class's officers in attendance and many from the executive committee. A class meeting was held Saturday afternoon to discuss several budget items that seem to be placing some pressure on our operating revenues. Bob Malin is polling the entire executive committee in order to gain some collective guidance on the priorities for distribution to all classmates (including nondues payers) of the Alumni Magazine, newsletter costs, internships, mini-reunion financial support, and stability or increase in dues to pay the bill.

• The 1996 Maxi-Mini-Reunion in Washington is under the care and feeding of RonScheman, who will be publishing the agenda for the event in this column in the fall. Interest is heightened with the possibility that Newt Gingrich may have moved the capital to North Dakota by that time in order to regain those crucial votes lost in the balanced-budget battle. I have suggested to our mini-reunion chairman, Freddie Carleton, that living facilities, seminars, and socials may be quite cheap after the vacating of the Commerce Department and the Labor Department. Speculation has it that Don Goss and John Kennedy have negotiated a deal With the Dartmouth Marching Band, who gave us such a spiritual refreshment with their performance in front of Rollins Chapel after the Don Smith memorial.

To open the 1996 Maxi-Mini in Washington, John will lead the band, with Don umpahing on the tuba, down Pennsylvania Avenue. That, of course, is the real reason that the area in front of the White House has been sealed off to traffic - well done, Ron Scheman.

"Who can forget her sharp and misty mornings/The clanging bells, the crunch of feet on snow,/ Her sparkling noons, the crowding into Commons/The long white afternoons, the Twilight glow?"

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