1962

As we prepare for the high drama and stress of Election Day and its aftermath it is tempting to reflect once again on those halcyon days in May aboard the Galileo when we sailed through the sunny Greek Isles and paid homage to Dionysus, god of revelry and wine. We voyagers from the class of 62 were a jolly good group.

We even had our own vintner, Larry Hazard, on board. Larry, our trip videographer, strolled happily about the decks in a T-shirt with "Wine Maker" printed on the back. His wife, Joyce, he said, owned a companion T-shirt that read "Wine Drinker." The limited edition shirts on the front celebrated their Hazard Hill Vineyard. Larry and Joyce live in Lafayette, California, near Walnut Creek. Each year, on a quarter-acre of land, they nurture 110 plants into 20 to 30 cases of cabernet sauvignon. What began as a hobby in 1999 and grew to an eight-case harvest in 2003 has now reached an annual output that even Larry soberly admits is in excess of what he and Joyce can safely consume. In consequence he generously offers an "open wine-tasting for any Dartmouth grads in the area who give a little advance notice." Now, there is an offer you can't refuse!

California, land of the wine-dark grape, not surprisingly supplied the largest delegation aboard the Galileo and won special recognition for so doing. Dionysus was thrilled. Jan and Phil Meyer came from Los Altos, California, where they live in the winter when not at their "retirement home" in Quechee, Vermont. Phil, former chemistry major at Dartmouth, earned an M.A. at Indiana University and taught for many years (when not playing tennis) at a community college near his Los Altos home. Phil and Jan have two sons. The older lives nearby in California; the younger lives in the Italian Lake District near Lago di Maggiore—a rather sweet post-trip extension for the Meyers.

Also along on the voyage were Barbara and Chuck Preuss of Atherton, California, where Chuck practices law; Gretchen and Dave Bergman, of San Diego, where "Bags" practices psychiatry; and Elizabeth Fagan and David Smith, newly of San Francisco, where David has "retired" to read, write, play golf and mull over the imponderable socio-economic consequences of the upcoming election. Pass the bottle.

Moving on, former shipmate Bill Baschnagel reports from his home in Etna, New Hampshire, that the class of '62 has launched a new initiative: bonding with the incoming class of 2012. Bill writes, "The class connection program is something that has evolved informally between the graduating class and the 50th reunion class. It has helped the returning 50th class better understand the current Dartmouth experience while offering the graduating class the opportunity to develop links to the 50th reunion class."

In September members of our class met each incoming freshman and presented him or her with a class pin. In October a joint planning session was held with the new officers of the class of 2012. If you are interested in becoming actively involved in this worthy program, please contact Bill at bbasch@valley.net.

And now it's time to vote. It's the Greek way.

307 Sewickley Ridge Drive, SewickleyPA 15143; (.412) 741-9088; (412) 741-9089(fax);jbhaines@comcast.net