1970

As I begin this column I am faced with the usual dearth of input (read "none"). However, being just a week back from our 35th reunion, I will indulge in some thoughts for the next five years and try to plant a seed.

We were faced with our first midweek reunion, and all agreed that for a number of reasons this had an adverse impact on attendance. If nothing changes, all future reunions (except our 50th) will also be midweek. A good time was had by all who were able to attend, and thanks are due to the reunion committee, especially chairman Tom Peisch and class president Star Johnson. Check the class Web site for a posting of the new (and not so new) class officers and other luminaries.

Now for the reflections: I have attended all of our reunions, and they are a good time. Several told me last week that their first reunion was the 20th or the 25th or even the 30th, and that they hadn't missed one since they found out what they were all about and how enjoyable they are. They had been concerned that there would be fundraising pressure or that they wouldn't know anyone. They were gratified to find that this was not the case, and that even if only a few of their 500 best friends from the class attended, the opportunity to get to know people they had known only casually (or not at all) was well rewarded. It's a great time to see folks you haven't seen in a long time and share memories and to meet new folks. There seems to be a hard core of 25 or 30 who are regulars, with attendance filled out with irregulars and some first-timers.

There's the opportunity to talk with the student workers (and other students, if you make an effort to meet them), to find out what they do and to learn about their "Dartmouth experience." There are interesting activities (both recreational and intellectual), humorous and thoughtful after-dinner speakers (professor of history emeritus Jere Daniel '55 and former dean of the College Thaddeus Seymour '53 were featured this year) and plenty of free time for schmoozing, nostalgia, sightseeing or shopping as well as the priceless opportunity to re-experience student housing (optional).

All this a back door and not very eloquent way of saying if you have never attended a reunion, it's not too early to start planning for 2010; a lot of water has flowed over the dam since spring 1970; things have changed; give it some thought. I hope to see you at our 40th!

Feel free to send news or a note; failure will subject you to more similar musings-or worse.

Finally, we are saddened to learn of the death of Herschel Johnson in May. I would like to extend the class' condolences to his family. An obituary will appear in this or a later edition of the AlumniMagazine.

P.O. Box 607, Grantham, NH 03753;hollansx@earthlink.net;6 Pump House, Springhouse, PA 19477; jonoplinger@yahoo.com