1952

This is a recap of '52's wonderful 50th reunion June 7-9. It's written largely for the benefit of those classmates who weren't present. We missed you and you missed a great event.

At our reunion we had 265 classmates present, plus three widows whom we welcome as continuing class members. Together with spouses the reunion totaled a little more than 500 persons. We can boast of having the largest number of class members ever to appear at a Dartmouth 50th.

Our Reunion co-chairmen were Pete Zischke and Bill Montgomery. These guys are no novices at '52 reunion planning and management and their expertise clearly showed. Our information distribution, class meals, housing and class meetings were all flawlessly handled. The weather was flawless, too, but for that we must thank a higher power. We all instantly recognized one another because none of our classmates had changed in appearance since 1952 (well, maybe a few had, a little bit).

There was a very nice memorial service for departed classmates led by clergy Walt Grevatt and Ed Sumner. Bob Lord played the organ.

After a brief class meeting Saturday, lunch was served at tables set out on the lawn in front of Baker Library. Doc Dey had given a great talk at our 45 th reunion and so, of course, he had to pay the price and give another

address—which was equally great.

The '52 class gift to the College was presented by our reunion giving chairman Steve Mandel, accompanied by head class agents Jim Churchill and Ev Parker. They presented President Wright with a check for $5,552,520 (close to a record for a 50th reunion) which represented contributions from almost 80 percent of the class.

The high point of our reunion was at graduation, when President Wright conferred the degree of honorary doctor of laws upon our own E. John Rosenwald Jr. This was in recognition of Rosie's many services to the College as well as his efforts and enormous successes as a philanthropic fundraiser. The New York Times recently named him New York's Philanthropist of the Year. For various good causes, including Dartmouth, Rosie has raised the total of $2.5 billion. Mixed in with this is a very large amount of his own money. We are all enormously proud of Rosie and his manifold accomplishments.

At our Saturday meeting the nominating committee presented a new slate of class officers to serve for a five-year term. Elected by unanimous vote were Pete McSpadden, president; Lou Zehner, vice president; Rog Pierce, treasurer; Dick Watt, secretary; Ray Buck, newsletter editor; Vic Trautwein, mini-reunions chair; Ev Parker and Jim Churchill, co-head agents. In our next issue we'll give the names of the class executive committee.

Being present at a 50 th reunion naturally puts one into a reflective mood. So we went over to the library, got hold of the complete file of TheDartmouth and read the daily news accounts of our first week as matriculated students, 54 years ago. The issue for Friday, October 1, 1948, is headlined "Students Throng Webster Hall" for conbusiness of learning.'" You were there, wearing a beanie and sitting in the balcony.

Earlier that morning in 1948 several hundred 52s gathered at the Inn corner to cheer the football team as it departed to open the season against Penn. Alas, Penn triumphed 26-13. We fast forwarded to a seasons end issue and found that the "Indians" had completed what was regarded as a disappointing 6-2 season, an outcome we would gratefully accept now. But not everything was better then. The Alumni Fund had just wound up with a record $375,000. In 2001 the fund raised $22 million and large change.

So there you have it. Your editor desperately needs news and input from all class members. Write, phone or e-mail (without attachments, please). Keep in touch!

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