1965

Forty years ago Professor Kemeny was advocating timesharing of new-fangled gadgets called computers, we waited in line at pay phones, Vietnam was heating up and the Super Bowl not even imagined. Well, it's time to get back together and remember those days and all the days since:June 13-16 is our 40th reunion!

What a run it has been; and what a class we have been! To help appreciate all that, I reviewed all the 1965 DAM columns since graduation, and herewith offer a brief class history in two parts: here and in the June edition. Come to the reunion and fill in missing tidbits, of which there are many.

Class president John Richardson and secretary Rick Mahoney along with Jay Johnston, Larry Duffy and Hank Amon got us started. "Marriage is our biggest business" for the first six months, noted Rick. For trivia buffs, Larry Duffy was the first classmate mentioned by name; Bob Koury the second. The first reported death was Mike Farney; Don Macauley followed soon after and too many were subsequently lost in Vietnam, including Steve MacVean, John Seels and Jack Livingston.

Many went to graduate school: frequently mentioned were Tuck, Cornell, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Stanford, Tufts, UVA and Michigan. Others who left Dartmouth came back to graduate.

By 1968 Rick reported, "Children are replacing weddings as the most frequent '65 happening." Our first reunion was in 1969; Pete Frederick took over as president, supported by Roger Rines and Ted Bracken; Mahoney stayed secretary, the only class officer to serve continuous terms.

With all this early activity, it took us awhile to get our "class act" together. In fact, in 1970 Rick rued, 'After five years our contribution has been zero." But that began to change. In 1971 under Steve Waterhouse we reached Alumni Fund goals of 40 percent participation and $8,331(!), then in 1972 we achieved "the best-ever [performance] for a class seven years out."

And when Steve became president in 1975 we began our climb to one of the strongest Dartmouth classes ever: Class of the Year in 1977, seven individual Dartmouth Alumni Awards and many class awards, fall mini-reunions continuously since 1980 and out-of-Hanover minis becoming common the past few years.

Profession-wise, many of us went into military service right after graduation or within two years, and some stayed to make it a career. We served in them all: Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard, with at least 18 serving in Vietnam. We also served in the Peace Corps, FBI, ATF, AID, USGS, CIA, U.S. Forest Service and VISTA. We have served the commerce, energy, transportation and treasury departments, and on the National Security Council staff. Many of us have served in state and local governments.

Private occupations over the years have included teaching, education, writing, management, law, photography, medical, architecture, civilian aviation, banking, urban development/city planning, movie-making, music, recreation/coaching, mortician, financial advising, farming, engineering and public accounting. Many of us went into corporate business. The numbers and variety of both self-owned businesses and corporate entrepreneurs is impressive, and too many to list.

Tune in next edition for "the rest of the story." Better yet, come on up to the Plain in June and tell us all yourself! Meantime here are three pseudonyms from class annals to noodle: Clyde Dietz, Robert Sand and Palmer C.D. Wooglin! (Snaps to whoever can identify all three).

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

REUNION June 13-16 2005