1990

Wouldn't you know it, they are right: The more things change the more they stay the same. The class of 2000 was culled from the largest pool of applicants in Dartmouth's history 11,398 Dartmouth wannabes, compared to 8,700 when we applied. But, like a decade ago, men outnumber women 5 3 percent to 47 percent (from an even 50-50 last year) and African, Asian, Latin, and Native Americans collectively represent 18 percent of the incoming class, compared to 15 percent our year (and about 23 percent each of the last three years). Academically, however, the class is incom-

parable: 27 percent are valedictorians and nearly 90 percent rank within the top 10 percent of their high school class. The median combined SAT is 1420, but, as I like to say in my snobbiest voice, that's after they reentered. the scores. (Since I don't know how much the scores have been systematically raised, I just add 100 points or so to my own and indulge in a moment of smugness. And don't ruin my mood by quizzing me on trigonometry!)

One thing is changing on campus, though, the Wheelock cluster is being converted into an experimental community. A faculty adviser will live on the premises and organize dinner speakers (the students will eat in their own dining room), trips, concerts, and plays. Other residents will include a graduate student, an area director, and undergraduate advisers. By the way, though no one but us calls Wheelock the"New Dorms" anymore, the area commonly referred to as the"New City" in Prague, where I recently visited, dates to the thirteenth century. Further proof that Americans have short attention spans!

Ever considerate of my MTV videolength patience, Sandy Morton sent a virtual checklist of names and news.She herself completed a master's in art history at Columbia and will be marrying Sam Niles, "an actuary and all around great guy" in October. She adds: Erika dePapp is a veterinarian at the University of Pennsylvania; Carolyn Choi and her husband, John, teach at an elementary school in Stamford, Conn.; Chris Henning is in Portland (Oregon or Maine? I don't know) finishing a master's in education; DerekFowles is a photojournalist in Northampton, Mass.; Suany Chough is getting a master's degree in urban planning at Columbia, where Heidi Julavits just completed her master's in creative writing; and Medill Higgins is working curating a show on nineteenth-century decorative arts.

Our co secretary Anna Cathcart informed me that after two years of managing educational programs for more than 700 international kids in Lenk, Switzerland, she and husband PeterHarvey are moving to Evanston, I11., where Peter will be studying business and education at Kellogg/Northwestern. The first thing Anna plans to do there is read a book. In Raleigh-Durham scouting grad programs earlier this year, Anna and Pete saw Rick Muise, who lives there with his wife and attends UNC's Kenan Flagler School.

Derrick Olsen is now living with his wife, Rebecca, and 10 month old son James Duane in Kuala Lumpur on a twoyear consular/economic rotation. While training in Washington, D.C.,last winter, he saw Ernie Young, who is clerking for Justice David Souter, with his wife, Allegra, and son Alex; Andrew Latimer, clerking for a Boston federal judge; and Mike Kim, working on a doctorate in Asian studies at Harvard. Derrick also let us know that Hunter Labovitz is a public defender in Florida and Jim St. John is getting a doctorate at the University of Rochester, where his wife is also working on her doctorate.,

Corrie Wolosin Martin sent her hello from the London suburb of Eltham where she lives with husband Bill ('89) and their two kids, Caitlin 2 and Des 1.Being a falltime mom, she writes, is a struggle and hard work but lots of fun. Which allows me to end with yet another phrase they always say: Hard work reaps its own rewards. Now why couldn't they think up something more original?

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