1941

My children like to tease or challenge me with gifts of intricate puzzles, games, craft sets or books. The latest offering was a jigsaw puzzle made up of 250 pairs of words and their definitions which had to be matched before they could be assembled into a 27 by 39 inch wall hanging. I'm happy to report that my eyesight, lower back, and patience survived tie ordeal, but I was tempted to call for help when library dictionaries failed me.

Beanie Nutt could have told me that a line on a chart connecting points where ice begins to thaw was an "isotac." And Robbins Barstow would have helped me with the study of fish being "ichthyology." Similarly seamen Bob Baker and BillDanforth would have known that compass levelers were "gimbals." John Kelley and Bill Clark could have defined "niblick" and Owen Chamberlain would have identified a "quark" for me before I got it mixed up with an aardvark.

Artist Rog Epply and photographer Dick Paul would have known that "chiaroscuro" was a treatment of light and dark in a picture. But I wonder if moneymen Art Hills and Dick Hill could have told me that a 1 followed by 100 zeros was a "googol." And would Ed Stone, now running for office in Wakefield, Mass., have known that "gerontocracy" was government by the old? On the other hand Hal Newell would have set me straight about a "newel" and doctors like Bill Dignam, Ron Losee,Dick Olmstead and Slip Rainie would have quickly identified "rhinology" as pertaining to the nose and "otology" to the ear. Happily no '41s would have been expected to help me match "iracund" with easily angered, "morosoph" with a learned fool, or "differendy interesting" with the PC way of saying boring.

And now for a few words, as space permits, on the magical Reunion just concluded in Hanover. Some 80 men were transported back in time for 55 years to relive the times when their steps were quicker and their eyesight keener. These '41s and many wives seemed to recapture their youth as they laughed and reminisced in the hospitality tent, at the varied dining venues, in the modern Tuck School dorm, and at the tours and programs arranged for their pleasure. It was also a wonderful time to catch up on the post-Dartmouth lives where all could empathize with the stories of success and sadness that punctuate our time on earth.

George Herman will be covering more of the details of the Reunion, but his modesty will prevent him from properly grading his talk at the closing dinner. He made an outstanding presentation filled with humor, inside stories of Washington personalities, a comparison of brightness and wisdom in man and he came to the conclusion that we '41s are a marvelous lot.

5975 Camelot Drive North, Sarasota, FL 34233

Roy Rowan '41's new book, p. 61

Gene Stollennan '41, p. 25