1961

As most of you know our class had a 74.5 percent participation rate for the recently ended Dartmouth Alumni Fund campaign, which was a record for our class. We were one of only four classes that this year broke their past non-reunion participation record. Many thanks for this achievement go to Don O'Neill and Denny Denniston, our leadership and participation co-chairs, and to all of the many other classmates who helped us achieve this record and also bring in $253,139, which was just a hair shy of our class dollar goal.

Let me give you a current perspective on our class after 50 years. We started with 720 at matriculation and we currently have 634 classmates still living (88 percent). After deducting 28 "not interested" and 17 "lost," our class is working with a current base number of 590. Our class is, and always has been, a small one, but there are those of us who love it and always will.

Dave Lazar is working harder than ever, whereas many of our fellow classmates have retired fully or at least partially. A few years ago David became an owner and active in the development and management of a company in the growing industry of individual background investigations. Although David lives in Cleveland, he now comes to New York often and had lunch recently with Larry Levy and me. David also met with Gerry Kaminsky, who was unable to make the luncheon.

Ken DeHaven, a successful orthopedic surgeon, has moved a step closer to full retirement. First, about three years ago he stopped operating (just when my knees began to give out). Then, earlier this year, he stepped down from his administrative job at the medical center. Now he works only one and a half days a week examining knee patients. However, this doesn't mean that Ken is doing nothing with his free time. If you happen to have a pendulum clock that needs servicing, then Ken will be the person for you to see. He just finished his apprenticeship to service old pendulum clocks and he is waiting eagerly to service yours.

Stu Sheldon apparently had some heart problems and recently underwent successful quadruple bypass surgery in Sarasota, Florida. According to his wife, Jean, the elective surgery was successful and Stu is recovering (we hope recovered by the time you read this article).

Oscar Arslanian simply won't grow up (much less retire). He is still running around with yesterday's stars of the rock and roll world. In this case, it's Chris Montez, who is managed by Oscar and who has been ap- pearing regularly in The Original Stars of AmericanBandstand show at the new Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Missouri. Oscar, it's almost time for you to stop being a rock-'n'-roll groupie!

Fritz Kern and Keith Latimore, along with their respective wives, went to Hilton Head, South Carolina, for a few days (after not seeing each other for nearly 50 years) and played two rounds of golf. According to Fritz, he cleaned the plate of his former DTD/ Bones Gate fraternity brother on their second golf date. Now that version came from Fritz. We have yet to hear Keiths version.

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