1949
Shortly after Bob Dole sewed up the Republican presidential nomination, Sen. Slade Gorton (R., Wash.) was a prominent member of a panel on PBS's News Hour, debating the merits of his (Slade's) proposed legislation designed to revamp the presidential primary process. The other panelists were former presidential candidate Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and New Hampshire's Sen. Judd Gregg. Gregg, of course, defended the status quo, New Hampshire's longtime leadership role in the early selection of successful candidates. Then Gregg went too far. He accused Slade of having learned nothing when he attended New Hampshire's own Dartmouth College. Everyone had a good laugh over that. To this viewer, it's difficult to justify any state's predominance in nominating a candidate at the expense of the other 49 states. Gorton 10, Gregg 0.
One of the broadcasting industry's more significant honors is a George Polk Award. This year John Cooley, ABC's Middle East correspondent, won a Polk for career achievement. Congratulations, John. It's a fitting capstone to your Gold Pick Axe Award.
Also on the award front, at Class Officers Weekend in May Vail Haak received the College's prestigious Alumni Award, with a citation detailing his distinguished career at Dartmouth, after Dartmouth, and pro bono Dartmouth.
Few have been as active as Vail in serving College and class, and that continues today. Vail and Barbara saw both their kids graduate in Hanover, too, Kellen in 1979 and Amy the following year. Incidentally, Kellen is currently a big hero on campus. On April Fool's Day some fool poured a nasty substance over the famous Warner Bentley bust in the Hop, seriously compromising its patina. This is the bust with the nose that passersby rub for luck. Well, Kellen Haa to the rescue; the Hood curator painstakingkly restored the damaged art to its original state. I knew Warner Bentley, Warner Bentley was a friend of mine, and it's good to have him back. A final noteworthy award: who won Mini-Reunion Chair of the Year? Krista Thomas '86, who learned everything about minis from the guy who practically invented them.
A note from George Hartmann reveals that he and Anne are sailing their boat from Denmark, where it spent the winter, to the Canary Islands. A nice junket, which will lead up to next year's mission: crossing to the West Indies, en route to their home port of Barrington, in Rhode Island. Hope they stopped for some mussels in Honfleur.
From the Milwaukee Courier comes a report on "internationally recognized physical rehabilitation physician Carl V.Granger," who discussed the field's current direction and advancements at a medical symposium. Carl is a professor of rehabilitiation medicine and director of the Center for Functional Assessment Research at SuNY Buffalo. If you need rehab, now you know who to call.
As of the deadline for this column, Alumni Fund maven Paul Bjorklund reports that the class is 30 donors ahead of last year, creeping toward our very challenging $115,000 goal.
Don't forget to call Krista Thomas's father if you're coming to the fall mini, October 4-6, the Fordham Leafpeeper event. The number is (802) 649-2100.
Box 215 A, Fairlee,
VT 05045;
Vail Kellen Haak '49 feted, p. 60
