1962

Perhaps you read recently about the Trath Commission Report on Guatemala. It is a troublesome business, since it talks of CIA influence in that Central American country going back decades. It seems that the friends of our government, at least at times, have had a very different view of human rights than we take for granted here. The story seemed familiar. Then I thought of Dave Schwantes.

Dave and I were fraternity brothers at Dartmouth. We hadn't seen each other from graduation time until the spring of 1990 in Washington when we met again at the class's 50th birthday celebration. Dave said that he had gotten interested in Guatemala and visited there for several months in the winter of 1988-1989. Shortly afterward Dave sent me his autographed book, Guatemala, a Cry from theHeart. This week we searched around in the basement, found the book, dusted it off, and began to re-read it. Dave spoke of his meetings with government officials, church people, widows, and others. To his own interviews and observations he added his own research. It's very chilling. Just think, in 1990 Dave wrote of stuff that just now is seeping into the national awareness.

There was a fine article about Hugh Johnson in Business First, a Buffalo, N.Y., weekly. It profiles Hugh in his various roles with the First Albany companies. The writer spoke with kid brother (younger by ten minutes) StuartJohnson. "He throws nickels around like they're manhole covers," said Stu. Ah, that New England frugality and success.

It is a pleasure to read of successful Dartmouth women. One such person is Pat Bishop McKean. Pat has been in education for 32 years. Recently Pat was nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science. She earned her bachelor's degree in secondary education at the University of Vermont and her master's degree in biology from Dartmouth. There, thankfully, she met and married Gordy McKean. Good work on both counts, Pat!

Steve Geller just wrote. "Dear Richard: so everyone in our class is retired and is a grandparent? Okay, I'm not retired. I'm directing the screenwriting program at Boston University's School of Film and Television. My wife and I...have just finished adapting Kurt Vonnegut's latest novel, Timequake, as well as Michael Wolfs Catchers of Heaven for film. Both screenplays are now looking for a brilliant production company, unafraid of genius and bankruptcy. Author Vonnegut had championed our play, Opportunities in ZeroGravity, which Kae and I had performed at Boston's Playwrights Theater, and which BobKatz had graciously produced as a reading in NYC, at the Turtle Bay Music School a year ago last fall. But best of all, I'm a father again. On March 4 Kae gave birth to a flower fairy named Florrie Sese (pronounced Shay-Shay a Yoruba word meaning 'maker of sacred verse,' as well as 'thank you,' in Chinese). She appears to be as nice as my other daughters, her stepsisters, who are now in their 30s! So I don't see myself retiring until I'm at least 86."

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