1951

Winter Olympics fans are having their big moment as I write this column. Among them is our Walter Bush, who is in Salt Lake City for the games and also to be honored. His distinction is to receive the Olympic Order, the highest individual honor in international sports. President of USA Hockey for more than 15 years, he's also vice president of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Walt was instrumental in having women's hockey added to the Olympics four years ago. Sadly, this honor comes to Walt as he, his family and friends mourn the loss of his wife, Mary, who died in December.

A previous column reported 50th wedding anniversary celebrations by our classmates as they passed the milestone. If you are approaching that date and want to do it in style, follow the example of Betty and Ed Weisenfeld. Go to London and see several shows; then fly to Paris, have dinner at Restaurant Georges Vand surprise your bride with a diamond drop.

Special places in Hanover during our undergraduate years was the subject of my last column. Conveniently, I gathered the information at the fall mini. This time I did it over the phone and all my contacts were with classmates who supplied a biography to the 50th yearbook and somehow never were mentioned in the DAM in the last five years.

Once again, Baker Library is the clear winner with five mentions. Jack Lotz's favorite place and time was walking up Tuck Drive toward Baker when bells were ringing the time of day. Bill Blodgett assured me that he could stay awake in the Tower Room. Bing Broido remembers fondly the Reserve Room, where he was always in awe of the Orozco murals. The same for Hugh Johnston. Dave Hall (Maine) speaks generously of Baker by saying all of it was his favorite place.

Watching hockey games in Davis Rink was the first place that Don Herdeg and Jim Lowell thought of. Watching varsity football games from the bench was tops in the memory of Dick Bacon. Hitting the slopes at Dartmouth Skiway was Line Fenno's recollection of time well spent in a great location. Speaking of spending time, two weeks in Dicks House for Norm Colby after an auto accident brought a warm recall of attention by nurses and doctors.

Al Loehr, a Florida boy, recalls with relish his place, the Inn Coffee Shop where he was eating the $1 Sunday special. He looked out the window onto Main Street and saw snow falling for the first time.

This column will end with Jack Gannon's favorite place. Coxswain for the crew, he recalls an autumn afternoon workout on the Connecticut River in his eight-man shell. He told them to rest on their oars and feast on the view of the treelined shore resplendent in its fall foliage.

Go online to our Web site: www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/51/.

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