1944

"Gentlemen, take your places. Gentlemen, start your engines." Our 55th Reunion is about to begin. Well, in a few weeks, anyway. Still time to sign on and show up. We'll really be disappointed if you and your lady don't come chugging across the Ledyard Bridge June 14.

Talked to a small band of our out-of-the headliners recently. Jim "Jake" Dahl is living the quiet life out there in Fergus Falls, Minn., just a few blocks around the corner from where he grew up. He is long retired from the wool business, investments, apartments, farming (wife Jean died a few years ago), and he divides his gardening and flowers time between Fergus Falls and a family camp on a nearby lake, mostly with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild. Jake says there aren't many Dartmouth types wandering around Fergus Falls, and he hasn't seen a '44 since the Civil War.

Bethune "Duff' Duffield in nearby Michigan, also has water in his address Grand" Rapids and he hasn't strayed too far from his old hometown, Detroit. He and wife Shirley are still actively chubbing around the country camping, hiking, skiing and taking full advantage of a daughter who has digs in Vail, Colo. "We can hardly keep up with a 10-year-old granddaughter on the slopes," says Duff, "but it sure is fun trying." A retired stockbroker, Duff still tutors in local public schools, and wife Shirley keeps her hand in at a children's museum.

When we reached Sherm Dowsett in mid-February in Grass Valley, Calif., he had a sofa under one arm and two golf bags under the other. "Can't tarry much," he said. "I'm moving back to Hawaii on Friday." Kailua-Kona, to be exact. Sherm retired in 1985 after a varied career in business, real estate, and cattle ranching. "I've got beach bay viscosity in my blood," he says, "and I can't wait to get back to that year-round warm weather." He says he expects to buy a house with plenty of room for all '44s, their children, and grandchildren whenever they're within striking, or swimming, distance. Sherm is a widower, his wife, Joanne, died in 1990.

Further east, Jay Downing and wife Mary are enjoying good health and quiet times in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, having retired there from Littleton, N.H., where he took over the family garage after the war and then spent the next 18 years working for the New England telephone company. "We love the coast," he says, "but best of all is watching our two grandsons grow up. It is a privilege to be around them. They are not quite Peles yet, but watch out they are darn good soccer players." Jay went to a Kimball Union Academy reunion a while back and had great fun seeing old roommates like Monte Basbas and Ja Densmore.

Al Hormel will have reported more extensively in our newsletter on the January 19 ski-in at New London and Mt. Sunapee, N.H., just down the road from Hanover. Twenty-two '44s, including wives, and another half-dozen guests. Olympians SudsSuddarth came all the way up from West Virginia and Dave Nutt from New Jersey. There were down-hillers on Mt. Sunapee, cross-country types at the New London golf course, and then a splendid lunch for all at the Country Club. Couldn't have been nicer, thanks mostly to Joan and Eric Barradale, who did most of the arranging. WemoEpply was awarded the Jack Snobble '44 numeral sweater as having been the most graceful skier ever in the class of 1944.

That's it. Hope to see you all anon. Blessings.

Fritz Hier, P.O. Box 24, Lovejoy Hill, Cornish Flat, NH 03746

44's 55th June 14-16