1978

Eating those fabulous Lou's donuts on a Main Street bench with Harriet Travilla Reynolds; running into classmates crossing the Green; hanging out in Hen's dorm room with Lee Potter Rogers; touring the Hood Museum exhibits and collections, including the first item donated to the "young Dartmouth museum" in 1774 (a mammoth tooth), with Barbara Dau Southwell, Steve Meili, Don Frankel, Mindy Kassen, Tricia Singer, Gary Sobelson and Tom Swartwood; perusing original drawings by Dr. Seuss at the Rauner Library with my daughter, Charlotte; catching up with long-lost classmates; enjoying presentations by illustrious faculty and '78s. (Thank you, Anne Bagamery, Jim Bassett, Bill Grant, Will Yancey, Paul Kuhn and Pierre Kirch for "The View from Abroad"; Scott Brown for telling us how to negotiate with our kids; and Will Yancey for an entertaining history refresher class.) I could go on and on.

Indisputably, in the case of our 25th reunion, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The three days flew by in a haze of renewed friendships, great music and endless fun! The reunion was a microcosm of our four years at Dartmouth—forgive an old French major, but it was as though I tasted Proust's Madeleine...and then it was no more. Fortunately, Jeff Krolik had a long flight back to the West Coast and produced the following ode:

Shaky I am on those couplets that rhyme But here's a report on a very good time To Hoffy and Doc, let's hear a big rouse The check they turned in was greeted by "Wows!" How nice, Mark Farley, to see you once more The big show you mastered had us all on the floor It was good to hear tales from the fabled Phi Delt Let's call it "recycle the fridge" by Immelt Nick Scheu was there, and the Browns (Scott, Mary Kendall) And we got to say hi to both of the Rendalls Tom Johansen still lives on the Hanover Plain Says it's all good, despite the damn rain Nick Lowery came back, on a stop-off to Canton; Bruce Rauner held court, on the jukebox was Frampton California came in with more than a few Over there was Jim Lattin, over here was Bob "Shue" This talk of the Left Coast brings more folks to mind With Crowe-man, Sam Coffey and Franca we dined Sarge didn't make it, and that's a real shame But a standing o greeted the call of his name And speaking of names, let's shout out a few: Steve, Todd and Curt for taming this crew Harpo was there, as was Gifford and Portman And Hawkeye with cleats, our dependable sportsman His SAE brethren asked BD: "Is true?" Turns out his own son is now pledging Psi U! Hyman appeared, but much to my fluster He calls himself Bob, just forget it was Buster Out on the links the Blurph made us flip-out On the very first hole his ace was a lip-out Park Dougherty was there, he traveled by train "I just drove up," countered Annie McLane Walden is Bagley, and that's quite a twist, Which is good cause I needed a rhyme with Malmquist Tom Swartwood was present, Duane Peterson too Thoughts of pal Shiner are still with that crew Daily D was in force, despite fears to the contrary There's Lenny, there's Hughes, there's Anne Bagamery "Who's that over there? " I heard you inquire It's been many years, but I think Ellen Meyer All our old buddies gathered 'round the class tent Hi, Amy. Hi, Maggie. It's Chris Simpson Brent! Hodgie and Heather and Charles Grandin Wise So many came back—what a pleasant surprise Yo, Wilson. Hi, P. Mags. Hey, Celia Chen You look better now than you did way back when Handshakes and backslaps wherever you stood: Renner and Reeder and Engelsted (Knud) Brooksie and Corey and Mark Tomizawa Wherever you turned it was "How the hell are ya?" Not to be prideful, but I'll make a claim Let's say it together in a shouting refrain "Your class may be fine, may be good, may be great But the greatest one ever is seventy-eight!"

Thank youjeff! By the way, our class set all sorts of records for reunion giving—Kevin Hoffman and Steve Mandel did a fantastic job.The class of '78 donated $6.2 million in unrestricted funds and an additional $8.2 million in targeted giving. Congratulations! Send news.

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