1971

The 30th reunion was a big success—good weather, great food, fantastic band, incredible gift by the class to the Alumni Fund and, above all, a great turnout.

It was very warm—hot might be a better term—but the rain held off until Sunday morning, and by then it was welcome. We escaped this time from the clutches of the Dartmouth Dining Association, and perhaps not coincidentally the food was a big hit. Our rockin' R&B band from Boston, The Taylor Brothers, brought back many Motown memories; in fact, they enticed your soon-to-be-former class secretary to sing a few verses of "My Girl" with the band. While Mr. O'Neill enjoyed his 15 seconds in the spotlight, he was reminded by at least one wag not to quit his day job.

At our Saturday night dinner, John Shapleigh and Tony Fitzpatrick presented President Wright with a check for $1,833,157—3 '7l record for any year—a 30th reunion Dartmouth record for to- tal gift—and a 30th reunion Dartmouth record for "unrestricted" giving ($1,073,157)! John adds, "The class has thus helped the College with a new reunion-giving paradigm by contributing more in our 30th reunion year than in our 25th, which will be a challenge to all future classes and advance the Colleges fundraising goals." Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Our class meeting Saturday afternoon nominated and approved the following slate of officers to serve the "great" class of 1971 through our 35th reunion in 2006: president, Pete Webster; vice president, Greg Fell; treasurer, George Rountree; secretary/newsletter editor, John Colangelo (send him your news at dlcolange@aol.com); Webmaster, Don O'Neill; head agent, Tim Dreisbach; class projects chairman, Charles Johnson; bequests chairman, Jeff McElnea; mini-reunion chairman, John Shanahan; and Alumni Council representative, Tony Fitzpatrick.

At the class meeting, Tim Dreisbach reviewed the class projects we've undertaken over the last five years including supporting: undergraduates for semesters abroad under the Dickey Center for International Understanding, the 50 th anniversary of the Dartmouth Film Society, and funding for the DOC to upgrade the Class of 1971 Benton Bunkhouse at Moosilauke. In addition we are beginning to consider a bigger "class gift" that can be a visible legacy on campus, but we have a lot of thinking to do both as to what such a gift might be and that it is in concert with a variety of College requirements. (Mike Maynard's suggestion of an 18-wheeler class of '71 beer wagon continually making campus rounds' has some appeal, but Nels Armstrong thinks it may not be in keeping with the Colleges desire to encourage more adult behavior on campus. Tim said his wife endorses the idea if it includes Clydesdale horses pulling it.)

After the meeting David Lamarre-Vincent led a moving memorial service at Rollins Chapel in honor of the 35 class members who are no longer with us. This is an increase of 11 classmates since our last reunion, and highlights the unfortunate truth that the pace will only accelerate with time; however Davids remarks, which quoted extensively from Bob Dylans "Forever Young," put things in perspective.

You can read his comments and see pictures from the Saturday night festivities on the Web site at www.alum.Dartmouth.org/classes/71.

Thanks for letting me be your "scribe" for the last seven years. I'll still be around, working on the Web site, so keep in touch.And...stay forever young.

20 Den Road, New Hartford, CT06057; doneill@snet.net