1982

Mary Conway was kind enough to pass on some interesting news about some of our classmates. Jane (Brass) Barth and her husband Jack, ended the quiet bliss of their marriage with the arrival of a boy, Alex, in October. Jane and Jack live in Corvallis, Oregon. Mary also reports that Carol Rauch got married in December and that Kate Ringe dispatched her duties as matron of honor with grace and panache. In January Jeanne Witte delivered a member of the class of '24. His name is John Kenneth.

My last column elicited a note from Bobby Charles that I think is well worth sharing: "Year 2001 was an unusual one for the Charles family, filled with miracles large and small. The morning of 9-111 was in the sky on a nonstop for Phoenix. My plane left 45 minutes before the first ill-fated one. By the time we landed in Wichita, both World Trade Centers were down and the Pentagon was burning. Our pilot announced that the entire air traffic control system had been shut down and every plane in the sky was to land wherever it was. Twenty-three hours later I was in D.C. Driving through that strange night, I listened to NPR announce prayer meetings in parking lots and homes, watched silent ambulances carrying blood and candles burning at the road's side. These days I am a Naval Reserve officer, intelligence. Before I could get back, word came over my cell that our office at the Pentagon had been hit; the entire active duty component was killed. Within three days I was mobilized and served active duty for the next 60 days. Our mission was to stand up the intelligence unit that serves the chief of naval operations. That ended on November 19. Three days later we had a healthy baby girl, little Sophia Anne. In December we completed our new house in Gaithersburg Maryland, and the move. So, breathless at year's end, we truly give thanks for good friends, life in this amazing nation, a chance to serve others and Gods remarkable mercy. May 2002 be filled with wondrous and joyful surprises for our class!"

J.J. Hanley has recently completed a documentary titled Refrigerator Mothers that debunks the long-held and unfounded belief that autism is a result of cold, frigid mothering. It will be broadcast on the public television series P.O.V. (Point of View) during its spring/summer season. J.J.'s 9-year-old son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. J.J. refused to accept her pediatricians contention that the sons condition was a result of her parenting, exhaustively researched the condition and, contrary to doctors orders, actively intervened. After thousands of hours of hard work by her son (and J. J., but she doesn't say so), he is now a bright, connected, joyful second-grader in the local public school in Wilmette, Illinois. Autism does appear to strike more frequently in families with intelligent, highly focused parents and, consequent- ly, might have a higher prevalence in the Dartmouth alumni community.J.J.'s message is that you can do something about it.

In other news, Rich Papert has been named executive vice president and CFO of the Lefrak Organization, where he will supervise all financial functions and investment activities of the firm including mortgage financing, treasury and hedge fund portfolios.

Cheers.

3260 East Floyd Drive, Denver,CO, 80210; (303) 692-0946; msoane@questcapitalpartnership.com;1889 Workman St., Montreal, QC, Canada H3J2P1; (314) 931-9258; bercuvit@management.mcgill.ca