1987

As your new secretary, I'm back from reunion with some observations: Overall it was a fantastic weekend, great to see old, er, familiar faces and the sights at Dartmouth. For the uninitiated, the weekend was filled with planned activities, but with plenty of downtime available. In particular, the academic presentations were excellent, but I think next time the reunion organizers should go with more relevant presentations such as: "What's wrong with you? Being single and/or childless in your 30s" or "When did I become my parents?" (no explanation needed)—and for all of us: "I forget: What did I learn in college again?"

Those of you missed reunion should really make it next time. There's party favors, "free" beer at all engagements, discounted child care and a persistent sense of déjà vu, as we all look at each other and forget for a moment how much time has passed. Its all worth the price of admission.

The reunion also marked the transition between new officers and old. As the new secretary I am faced with the bane of the class secretary- trying to weasel out information from y'all without relying on the six or seven people you know really well from college. I understand the dilemma: Mom taught us not to brag, but the secretary told us to send info on life changes. Frankly, Mom has always won with me and with many of you as well.

I have a few ideas on how we might circumvent some of these issues. One is to use the occasion for updating us on what's happening with you as a chance to pass on a recommendation for a good book you have read or some particularly interesting story attached with the life-changing event.

For example, Tom Kannam, now director of investments at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, a few years ago recommended a great book, which I have since passed on to others: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth about India in the 1950s. In my case, since graduation I received my Ph.D. in American studies in Austin, before talking a job teaching at VCU in Richmond. My recommendation: The Risk Pool by Richard Russo, an amazing story about a boy and his relationship with his often-absent parents.

An example of the latter comes with our classmate John Crane, who with his wife, Michele, welcomed their first child, Meghan Bridget Crane, into their family on June 23. Michele (Emerson '91) and John were married in 1995. The interesting part of John's story was how he and Michele met. As he writes: "Michele previously worked as a television news reporter, and back in 1994 she interviewed me for a story, which is how we met. We are probably among a very few people who have had their first meeting documented on newsreel film!"

Of course, we'll continue to pass along news the old-fashioned way, but I hope that these ideas will inspire a few more e-mails.

As a teacher, I often use the Internet as away of having students connect with each other outside of class, creating what we in the education biz call a "classroom without walls." Well, I would like to create a "class without walls," and have a few ideas about how we might do that. One is to use our Web site as a drop-box for recommendations, news and perhaps job opportunities. Another, and a more ambitious one, is to have an online book group where we would read perhaps two books a year, and post responses online.

Suggestions for books, general statements of interest as well as regular news can come to me at: jtsnyk@yahoo.com. I also want to plug the magazines Jan./ Feb. issue devoted to special places at Dartmouth. If you have any memories/ideas along those lines, please pass them along to me as well.

2814 Kensington Ave, #16.,Richmond, VA 23221;jtsnyk@yahoo.com