1965

Summertime—and the mailbox is pretty empty. C'mon guys, give me something to run with. Write me at the address below, or e-mail me at mcgrutherk@aol.com. As we head toward our 40th next June, I'll be calling or e-mailing some of you to solicit news and opinions. Speaking of which, how about letting us know who in particular you would like to see again at our reunion to be held June 13-16 in Hanover.

By the time this arrives many of us will have just returned from our annual mini-reunion at Pierces Inn. I'll have news for the next edition. If you get this before the 15th of October, don't wait a minute: Hop in your car, on a plane, whatever and get yourself up to Hanover for the mid-October mini-reunion. Since it'll be off-Homecoming this year it should be a bit quieter and intimate among classmates, and the foliage should be close to peak. I'm looking forward to it myself, having missed the last three.

I did hear something about my freshman roommate, Charlie Blaisdell (you may remember him as "Marryin' Sam" in Li'lAbner that year). Among other pursuits Charlie now directs the Shakespeare Summer Camp for Teens near Waterville. The camp is sponsored by Greater Waterville Communities for Children and Youth, Alfond Youth Center, Waterville Opera House and Waterville Public Schools. Charlie, who went from Dartmouth to Yale, has considerable experience both in acting and in stage management. This summer the program will include scenes from Much Ado About Nothing, Henry IV Part 2,Merry Wives of Windsor and King Lear.

Ken Lieberthal, who was senior director for Asia on the National Security Council staff under the Clinton administration, has long been a student of the Chinese political system, in particular how the Beijing bureaucracy is structured, how it operates and how it influences policy-making. Ken was instrumental in negotiations with China to help it enter the World Trade Organization in the late 19905. Ken has been a student of China since he earned his doctorate at Columbia, following Dartmouth. After getting his doctorate Ken taught for 10 years at Swarthmore, then moved on to the University of Michigan before his stint at the NSC. He now is director for China at U of Ms William Davidson Institute, and this summer is a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., where he is particularly following inherent flashpoints in the China-Taiwan relationship.

Just a few reminders to close on: Jim Griffiths and Brian Porzak have issued a "casting call" for the "show" they will be producing at our 40th.

Watch the class Web site for updates on 40th.

Finally, a reminder that class dues notices hit the mails in September. If you have not already done so, please contribute your class dues ASAP.

An obituary on classmate Stu Lieber, who died in June this year, can be found in the obituaries section. Hardest part of this job, guys, so stop dying! See you in Hanover.

2921 Deer Hollow Way, #414,Fairfax, VA 22031; mcgrutherk@aol.com