1935

A month ago I reported it had been more than 30 days since I'd received notice from the College about the loss of another classmate. Well, this was too good to last. I have learned from Yank Price via Jack Rubin (Bloomfield, Conn.) that FredMebel (Rockville Center, N.Y.) died in February. Yank said Fred's obituary was in The NYTimes of February 24,1998. From what I hear, the obit desk at DAM is shorthanded, hence I assume it will not be until this fall that complete information on Fred's death is published.

I Fred Mebel was an unusual person, he combined a medical career as a dermatologist with a lifetime devotion to art collecting, both modern art and primitive African art. Fred's college major was zoology, and, according to his biography for 60th Reunion, he was "greatly influenced" by the Dartmouth art faculty to pursue this hobby.

Fred's biography in the reunion book also made reference to "my recent stroke," which could explain his passing, though in 1995, "is not preventing me from making my annual trip to Hanover and bringing my unusual art collection along."

The last sentence in Fred's bio read: "What I do not understand is the unseen umbilical power" that yearly drew him and wife Claire back to the College. There is your definition of a loyal classmate!

Smithsonian magazine usually has a place in my household, but somehow a recent column titled "Notes About Not Much" escaped my attention. The author parodied the plight of class secretaries, saying: "There is no better way to make yourself feel like an underachiever than to read the 'class notes' section of an alumni magazine. Why aren't you the ambassador to France? How come you haven't won the Nobel prize for chemistry? Or sold the movie rights to your adventures sailing the Pacific for $10 million?" The thesis of this story (sent to me by Bill Mathers) is that Class Notes are "about people you never wanted to know anything about in the first place...the ones who always had their hands up in class." Ouch, this secretary welcomes all comers, hands up or down.

This completes my first year as secretary, and I'm grateful to classmates who have kept in touch. I hope another year will bring more response, and until then, see you next in September (June 15 deadline.)

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