1958

Greetings from Indiana as the torch as secretary to '58 has been passed from Pete Kelsey, who gave six years of yeoman service through our 40th Reunion. Having retired from his position supervising seminary education for the Episcopal Church in February, he decided to retire from this post, too.

Pete's last Class Notes and John Murphy's class newsletter gave details of the wonderful 40th Reunion, but one of the highlights could not be included because of space. For those not there it needs to be shared. For those who were there, this will fill all the many requests for copies of Jim Crawford's invocation at our 40th Reunion banquet:

"Lord, we stand before you trusting you remain the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet, though eternal, we know you preside over a world of change; a world where, indeed, from the graffiti on the Parkhurst wall we learn, 'the more things change, the more they go downhill.' Witness your humble servants in the class of 1958.

"Lord, our luggage for this trip to Hanover Plain contains not only proper attire, it serves as an itinerant pharmacy, packed with potions relieving blood pressure, assuaging back pain, and—Saints be praised—bequeathing bladder control. Our wardrobes themselves, made of the expensive materials, nonetheless shrink around our waists, expand around our seats; our tummies precede us into this hall with all the dignity of the Queen Elizabeth II docking in New York Harbor. And today we noticed the stairs to the Tower Room apparently gained 40 steps in 40 years, and the risers on those stairs added two inches, our lungs and heart pleading we take them one step at a time instead of two.

"And, Lord, our memories? Alert, occasionally operating on overload. We parked our car behind Thompson Arena, but somebody moved it perhaps just three or four rows over maybe behind Middle Mass. We can't find it. Maybe it's stolen! Did we even bring it here? And yes: Who removed the reading glasses we set on the night stand in Zimmerman? Where are they? In the reading chair we dozed in at 10:00 this morning? In the garbage at the picnic? Ah right there next to the new book with the intriguing cover we're reading, only to discover last night in the last chapter we read it already—twice.

"And, Lord, what a treat to greet our classmates again; especially our roommate freshman year, a great guy, a terrific friend whose name, O God, whose name we discern by squinting at that thankfully extra-large block of print on his name tag; whose hair transplant consoles us; whose wrinkled visage makes us feel 59 again.

"Lord, through all this change, you convince us 90 percent of life is just showing up.

"We ask you to bless, tonight, our grandchildren, who leave us in cyber-whiz dust, trigger liability suits navigating their skateboards, listen to music accelerating our slide toward deafness.

"Bless this College: diversify its faculty, encourage its new president, take it to a Final Four in anything.

"And finally, Lord, bless these women at our sides: who manage the meal tickets; find the car keys; remember the difference between our pink and our orange one; oversee our diets with deftness, humor, and care. Yes, Lord, we treasure these spouses joining us tonight, our closest friends, our enduring, patient, loyal partners our lovers—bearing our Green obsession with tolerance, sympathy, enthusiasm; yes, joining us as we respond this week eagerly to the question drawing us hither, chuckling at its gentle irony: Who can forget? And, Lord, just one final request: hang on to us yea, Lord, hang on to us until our 50th. Amen."

This was right up there with the invocation from our 25th, so you will want to make plans for the next editions at our 45th (June 9-12, 2003) and 50th (June 6-8, 2008). It's not too early to plan.

Other items from reunion can be read at the class of 1958 website, authored by Andy Thomas. It is a great job and can be accessed through and click on "alumni" and "classes." Thanks, Andy, for another great way to communicate.

An item of note: the Friends of Baseball Newsletter headlined the great 10-1 record the Dartmouth Nine opened with this season and noted that this was the best since 1958. Capt. John Otis and some others can still replay each one of the games of that long ago start.

Keep sending Murf the green cards, but let me hear from you, too.

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