1979

What a month! I was hard at work on the '79 Class Notes column for the biannual "random accomplishments of members of even-numbered classes" issue when the phone rang. I recognized the slightly imperious tones immediately: it was Nelson Smythe-Keaster '54, the Alumni Mag's new sleep-and-eat bureau chief. "What is it, Nellie?" I growled. "Did Tim Ehrsam change his e-mail address again? Maybe an unconfirmed Libby Roberts sighting in a far-flung corner of the globe? Does Bags Mitchell intend to lease pricey Dicks House office space when his term of office expires? Or has yet another '79 been elected governor?"

"Hanover is going crazy!" he sputtered. "Ever since the announcement that that '78 guy is going to head General Electric, even-numbered classes have become the new poster children for Dartmouth alumni organizations. The president is getting 10 to 15 calls a day from '78s who want hugs! It's like being in a Wes Craven flick, AllThings Insipid and Even-Numbered! I heard that Rob Ceplikas is considering changing the listed heights and weights of the '78 football players in the old game programs so that they conform more closely to last fall's Newsweek story!"

"Holy impending double-liposuction! They're all going to be taller and thinner? "Naturally! Geez, we're talking wall-to-wall '78 hegemony around here!"

"Ouch! Sounds pretty serious, Nellie," I said. "But wasn't it just last April that a group of '78s made an unsuccessful attempt to hack into the Dartmouth fileserver and become late additions to the classes of'77,'79 and '81?"

'Ancient history! Forget it! Now listen and listen good: this thing is having an immense impact in Hanover! Suddenly it's a kinder and gentler world for all the even-numbered classes—so icksnay on the '78 jokes, Professor!" he warned, and abruptly hung up.

For once I couldn't argue with Nellie. Frankly, my recent e-mail has been nothing but even-numbered Sturm-und-Drag: Sample: '78srule, '79s drool. Or this one: Be afraid. Be VERYafraid. And this one from a Chicago suburb: Nowthat Jeff Immelt is driving the bus at GE, you'd just better watch your step, buddy!

Double ouch.

Well, any nagging fears I may have harbored of an imminent '78 reign of terror quickly dissipated with the arrival of three pieces of '79 mail. The first was Gina Barreca's insightful and enter- taining Too Much of a Good Thing is Wonderful, a collection of essays on topics ranging from "What Makes You Mad?" to "Happiness and from Anxiety to Education." Gina writes, ",..[L]aughing together is as close as you can get to another person without touching, and sometimes it represents a closer tie...."

Fly Rod Crosby, The Woman Who MarketedMaine by Julia Hunter and Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. was the second piece of treasure. The book tells the story of Cornelia Crosby who, during the latter half of the 19th century, gained national fame as a big game hunter, fisherman and chronicler of the outdoor life. Another interesting read! Julia is the registrar and curator of textiles at the Maine State Museum.

And, just this morning, I received an excerpt from the Greeneville (South Carolina) News titled "Top 25 Leaders": David Brown, hard-working president of the Greater Greeneville Chamber of Commerce, was cited for his "extraordinary" leadership in the community. Since David became president, the amount of new capital investment attracted to Greeneville County by the Chamber has increased almost ten-fold. "Since Brown's arrival, the chamber has become more of a community activist...."

What a month!

And now: A few words from the only evennumbered class still seeking a full pardon from the Clinton administration.

1401 Southgate, Knoxville, TN37919; debelius@utk.edu; 1889 ColdCreek Court, Vienna, VA 22182-1807; tim.ehrsam@oracle.com