1956

The annual New York mini-reunion went well, according to all reports. The class meeting on Friday afternoon was attended by 16 classmates in the newly refurbished Yale Club. The cocktail hour(s) was highlighted by the showing of the official class reunion video, featuring VanHarris at his most egregious. Dinner that evening was enjoyed by the multitude due to a greatly improved cuisine served buffet style. Saturday night was highlighted by 50 classmates and wives on a cruise around Manhattan, dinner and dancing as the skyline passed by. The Gordons entertained in their usual superb style at Sunday brunch. Seen and/or heard, mostly with wives, during the weekend, were Dick Whitney, Wilt Sogg, ArtKatz, Roger Schumacher, T. Rosenwald,Ayatollah Keare, Len Clark, Sid DevOrsetz,Hal Gordon, Ted Bremble, Elliott Weinstein, Flint Ranney, Joel Ash, ClemMalin,Lee Gammill, Buddy Schattman, SteveFarmer, Dutch Rosenberger, John Higgs,Mike Levy, Ken Geary, and Alan Friedman.James Pereire, the famous horticulturalist and rose grower, flew in from Paris to attend the weekend.

During the class meeting considerable interest was expressed in a class trip to China in 1998. Doug Keare spoke from experience as to the delights of such a voyage, including a cruise down the Yangtze River and visits to several cities. The trip would be 21-22 days long and cost about $3,500 to $4,000 per person, including air fare from L.A. Roger Schumacher is looking into the arrangements, so watch this space and the WHW for further developments.

We have a college president in our class! Frank Strong has stepped in for the second time to serve as the interim president of Keuka College in Keuka Park, N.Y. Frank has been a member of the board since 1987 and chairman since 1994. He also serves on the board of overseers for the Thayer School at Dartmouth.

On a sad note, the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Dartmouth has been de-recognized by the College and suspended by its national corporation for repeated violations of college rules, i.e., hazing, reckless conduct, and alcohol abuse. Apparently there were many warnings and many chances to reform, but the brothers for whatever reason never lived up to their promises and the College had no choice but to kick the Betas off campus. This is especially disturbing to me as a member of what I remember to be an outstanding house of responsible men who were leaders on campus. When you think of people like Bayard Johnson, Don Swanson, RossEllis, Jody Mathewson, BobbyMcGrath, Pete Geithner, Bill Beagle,and Toby Julian to name just a few, you realize how far the Beta house has fallen. Times change, but one hates to see such a fine tradition disgraced as this one has been.

P.O. Box 1031, Burlington, NC 27216; (910) 226-7216