1961

Frank Ginn, our 45th reunion chairman, has been quietly putting together his reunion cabinet. Since my last DAM column, Gerry Kaminsky and Don O'Neill have graciously stepped up and volunteered to be co-chairs for the 45th reunion giving committee, which also includes Hank Eberhardt, Charley Chapman, Vic Rich and Len DeSavino, with others to follow.Assisting us ably from the College is Janet Rosa.

One of the most unusual pieces of mail I have received about our classmates came in recently from Judge Quentin Kopp '49 of the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, on Superior Court stationary! At first I thought it was either a subpoena or a summons for jury duty in California. But I live in New York! As I read on, however, I learned that the judge was sending me news about Ellis Alden, and his magnanimous gesture to the College. Apparently the judge put together a fundraising dinner for Friends of Dartmouth Basketball at Ellis' Stanford Park Hotel, when the men's basketball team was in California to play U.C. Davis and Stanford University. The event drew approximately 100 people, which was funded entirely (ballroom, open bar and dinner) by Ellis. Take note, 45th reunion giving committee!

Speaking of really big class news, Mike Gazzaniga, former dean of the faculty and cognitive neuroscience pioneer, recently led a team of Dartmouth researchers to beat out 60 colleges across the nation to receive the National Science Foundations $21.8 million grant. This is the largest grant ever awarded to the College and will be used to establish a new center for cognitive and educational neuroscience. Congratulations, Mike, and thanks for helping to give our small class so much name and "brand" recognition.

Another classmate who has worked tirelessly on behalf of our class and the College throughout the years, Gerry Kaminsky, recently made a significant contribution to Dartmouth in the form of an endowment gift from the Kaminsky Family Fund to support the Senior Fellows Program. Many of us are still wondering how Gerry actually spent his senior year as a senior fellow!

I have just been informed that Vic Rich has been elected first vice president of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the largest such state CPA society in the United States, for the fiscal year 2005-06.

As a final point of interest, Gregg Millett and his granddaughter traveled to Kunming, China, during the early part of 2004, where Gregg presided over an exhibition of his fathers photographs taken in 1945, while he was there as an Army doctor and led his hospital convoy across the Burma Road. The exhibit was headlined in the local and regional newspapers continuously for nearly a month and attracted more than 300,000 attendees. It was apparently a very emotional event because many visitors found their relatives on the exhibit walls and it was like looking through a window into their past. Due to the tremendous changes in China, the past had pretty much been lost. In the latter part of 2004 Gregg and granddaughter returned to China for a second successful exhibition and publication of a book containing the letters and photographs of Gregg's dad and his Army tour in China. During this year Gregg is anticipating at least three separate museum exhibits within New York State of his fathers photos and letters. Gregg, great follow-up on an international goodwill level. New Secretary of State Condi Rice may have a senior position open for you on her staff.

5 Red Ground Road, Old Westbury,NY 11568; victor rich@rsmi.com