1969

This is my first opportunity to report on the Homecoming events of October, when so much happened over the weekend that I will suggest to all that you go to the class Web site, where full descriptions, analyses and photographs of the occasion are available. The best part (besides a football victory) is attendance was up and new classmates appeared. Among the several class officers and regular attendees were Jim Grant, Bill Stableford with Mary, Dan Cooperman (from Cleveland) and John Mathias, who came from Chicago and must hold a record for legacy production with one child already a Big Green graduate and two sets of twins currently attending the College. Bonfire evening festivities brought everyone together for food and discussions of important class topics.

One of the top priorities for this group was to push for attendance at our 40th reunion in 18 months. Given our age and the statistical evidence presented by some of our resident physicians, it is clear a significant number of us will not be around to attend a 50th; therefore, let's make the "Get back! Get back! Get back to where you once belonged!" reunion the biggie. This became a central theme for the weekends discussion and reunion co-chairs John Leavitt, with Sue, and Terry Robinson, with Vivian and daughter Stephanie, are well into the process of setting goals and establishing networks to contact classmates and push for greater participation. Volunteers for this effort are being sought and Dimitri Gerakaris, with Mary, was the first to step forward. Contact any of these people to offer your assistance.

The class meeting was well attended and included Alumni Fund agent Jeff Bloomberg and George Ross, our agent for fraternity giving. Rick Willets, with Joan, and Paul Tuhus reported on Class Officers Weekend, where the '69s were recognized for our efforts to adopt the "Pioneering Nine" women. We received a certificate, which is being framed and will be mounted in the Class of '69 Room in Baker-Berry. The '69 legacy was discussed with a review of past success and possible participation in new projects such as a campus map, a book on Dartmouth traditions and a class scholarship. Details of all these subjects are available on the Web site and will be dealt with at length in an upcoming '69 Times.

Our president Dud Kay, with Jill Ford, led the group to the pregame tailgate party at the AD house, where David Prentice, Bob Shellard, Peter Elias with Cindy, Mark Bankoff with Ann and Sarah, Clint Harris and Jim Staros with Alice Harris joined most of the aforementioned for a celebration with other classes during and after the game.

There is news beyond Homecoming, the most noteworthy being the nuptials for Arthur Fergenson and Shirley Sussman on October 27. Theirs is a touching story, which Shirley has beautifully described and that will appear in Allen Denison's next effort.

If you have not recently viewed the '69 Web site, now is a good time to do it with so much information available to bring you up to speed on this event-filled Homecoming weekend and our many class activities.

P.O. Box 1447; Anacortes, WA 98221;(360) 588-8852; wheat69@earthlink.net