1942

This picks up where we left off last month—traveling. Don Amy writes from Ossining, N.Y., that two years ago he took a wonderful Dartmouth trip to North China and Tibet, with numerous references to the Silk Road through China westward, eventually to Europe with silk and returning with a bit of Western civilization to China. His latest is to Central China, through the recently independent republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, and Uzbekistan—between China and Turkey, where the Silk Road extended to Istanbul. "It was as if we were on another planet," he writes. Most of the travel was by bus, "which gave us a close view of the countryside...which varied from 25,000-foot snow-capped mountains (the road was at 15,000 feet) to sunny deserts (with sand as fine as talcum powder). And cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent—places I've heard about but was never quite sure whether they were real or where they were. Even the people—Genghis Khan, Tamerlane—real or legendary? And each trying to leave mosques and mausoleums behind that were bigger than any previously built. They were impressive even by today's standards.

"It was great—people and places. They all realize what tourism can do for them and they are reconstructing and restoring like mad. Almost every restoration project is centered around a Muslim base—a mosque, tomb or seminary. And they are still put to use as such, not just as tourist attractions.

"The Dartmouth group was fun, too-from '35 to '64 (though only one '42). Professor George Demko was study leader, who made a major contribution and made sure we got something out of it besides a good time. And we sure did have a good time. You should try it!"

The proposal to create a memorial to Stubby Pearson has brought this reaction from Dick Craw: "I enthusiastically endorse" the idea of a 1942 honor to Stubby. He was "a fellow Alpha Delt, and so I observed him under various circumstances. He impressed me with his calm, intelligence, courage, compassion, and tenacity. He attained a record at Dartmouth that is incomparable, but, more than that, he was inspiring as a person. If he had lived, not only would he have enriched the lives of his family and friends, but enriched this country, because I believe he was destined for greatness. Although I have not touched bases with some of my other classmates who were also fraternity brothers of Stubby's, such as Jim Erwin,Jim Randall, Gardie Bridge, Ted Arico, they can probably corroborate and enhance my observations and recollections. I'll be happy to do whatever I can to make the proposal a reality."

Thanks, Dick, for the eloquent tribute. The current status, as of this writing, is that the College is looking for a place where such a memorial might be placed, but until a site can be found the project is on hold, under the guiding hand of BobKirk.

A tribute to a departed classmate was sent by Tom Blankley from Florida, regarding his friend Hugh Halsey, who passed away last fall: "Hugh built a big practice after starting out on his own. He brought in one M.D. and as the practice grew added others. The faces changed but he had three or four working for him. He was very highly considered by patients as well as the medical profession. On a number of occasions Hugh and I cruised under sail with a mutual friend who had a Parson 34. We all enjoyed it very much."

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