1955

From guest columnist Dick Blodgett: "Our class, the Dartmouth family and the Upper Valley community suffered a great loss when Jim Wechsler, our newly elected class secretary, died after suffering a cardiopulmonary arrest while preparing to coach a Lebanon High School Varsity basketball practice on November 28. Along with his career as a journalist, congressional staff member, community planner and Chamber of Commerce executive, Jim or 'Bozie' as he was known, devoted his life to the youth of the community. For more than 45 years he worked with hundreds of players in various sports, encouraging them to achieve their po- tential. At the well-attended memorial service that was held in the school gymnasium, several members of present and past teams he had coached gave moving tributes to his influence on their lives. A letter to the editor of the Valley News summed it up this way: "There is a side of Jim that few knew. He made sure every player had a present at Christmas, supplied out of his own pocket. He made sure every player was given a chance and always treated equally. He kept an eye and an ear out for the troubled youth of our community and stepped in to help in any way he could....The worldwould be so much better off if we had more Jim Wechslers." An obituary appears in this issue.

"President Woody Goss has announced that Dick Hastings has been appointed class secretary and will assume his duties with the next issue. Dick and Jill have recently moved to a new home in Woodstock, Vermont. Our fall mini-reunion in Hanover during Homecoming drew a large number of classmates. Activities included the alumni parade, bonfire and the class reception on Friday night and an executive committee meeting, the Harvard game and class banquet on Saturday. President Goss presided at the meeting, which received officers's reports and conducted other business. The meeting approved the establishment of a class Webmaster position to design a class of 1955 Web site under the Dartmouth alumni system and authorized funding to set up the site and provide maintenance and upgrades for the first year. After the meeting Woody announced that Joe Mathewson had volunteered for the post and been appointed. At the class banquet, Jack Cogswell presented the Class of 1955 Award to Betty Brady for her late husband, Hugh, and, in absentia, to Tom Blumberg and Tom Fulton. Details of the citations will appear in our newsletter. Woody also presented outgoing class president Brooks Parker with a Dartmouth desk lamp in recognition of his service to 1955. Thanks to Lou and Skip Hance, who organized the weekend events, which were attended in record numbers."

It is only a few weeks until our Colonial Williamsburg mini-reunion gets underway on April 1. For those of you still on the fence, it is not too late to call Margie and Harry Ambrose (757-220-4707) and sign up. We will have an outstanding program, including a learning experience led by Jere Daniell.

217 Perry Road, Woodstock, VT05091; (802) 457-1228; richard.j.hastings.55@alum.dartmouth.org