1949

The votes are in and it was virtually a clean sweep. During this year of presidential folderol and constitutional clamor, '49 was politically active too. In its collective wisdom it decided to amend its constitution, though short of the six major amendments the GOP platform recommends. Under the guidance of 1949's president, John Stearns, the class has now adopted a new constitution. This transpired at a meeting—which might have taken place in a phonebooth—attended by Stearns, MikeMcGean, and Gordon Thomas. These three officers, however, had in hand nearly 75 proxies from the rest of us, all but one of which were in favor of adoption (the other simply didn't check yea or nay). This support significantly exceeded the required quorum and the document was accepted unanimously.

The reason for amendment? New IRS regs required that we come out of the College closet and establish our own tax-exempt status. There's some other stuff too, including explicit standards for dissolution, which we really need. Further, our new structure forbids the inurement of private individuals or something. For details, talk to the lawyers (Stearns and Thomas) who wrote the thing, probably experiencing just what Thomas Jefferson (not a classmate) must have felt.

Since 1975 Bob Rooke has been a trustee of Bucknell University, following in the footsteps of his late father, who served on Bucknell's board for more than 60 years. On July 1 Bob took over the reins of vice chairman of the board. Along with Bob's service in helping run the institution, Bucknell can also boast that it has a Rooke Chemistry Building and a Rooke Chapel, both named for the family. Bob, who went on to earn a Tuck M.B.A., heads a private investment firm, Robert C. Rooke & Co. Bob and Natalie live in Morristown, N.J.

Earlier this year Russell and AnnabellWolfertz of Rockland, Me., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a big family get-together at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. Russ, a Theta Chi, used to operate a real estate firm specializing in waterfront property. He and Colby College grad Annabell have six children-Russ Jr., Cindy, Gwen, Weston, Kimberly, and Melody, all of whom were in attendance. If you have already done the math in your head you have discovered that Russ and Annabell were married several years before our graduation and shortly after he doffed his coast guard uniform. First he guarded the coast, then he sold it.

Over the past few months, somewhere around a hundred of you, from Abrahamsen to Zafris, have returned the reunion questionnaire, for which we thank you. The plan is to begin creating a data-base for the 50th Reunion book, keyboarding a couple of questionnaires a day and hoping to stay ahead of the power curve and avoid last-minute panic. If you haven't sent yours—people with names like Alden,Cabot, Hicks, Smith, William please do so. The more we save in mailing costs, the bigger the keg in 1999.

RR #1, Box 215A, Fairlee, VT 05045;

Russell Wolferlz first guarded the coast, thien he sold it. Bob Nutt '49