1965

In June 2015 we will celebrate the passage of half a centuiy since our graduation. For the next five years this column will trace events that shaped the world while we made our way to that moment. As we began our senior year in high school the Games of the 17th Olympiad opened in Rome. Cassius Clay (later Mohammed Ali) won gold. A few days later the Denver Broncos defeated the Boston Patriots 13-10 in the first American Football League game. On September 12, i960, candidate John F. Kennedy announced that he was "not the Catholic candidate for president [but] the Democratic Party's candidate for president who happens also to be a Catholic." Francis Gaiy Powers, captured U-2 pilot, was sentenced to 10 years in a Soviet prison. It was a different time.

More than 12 5 of our classmates and guests attended a wonderful 45th reunion—many thanks to Marcia and Ted Atkinson, Betsy ana Bruce Wagner and the whole reunion committee. People came from as far as the Philippines (Steve Banta). In the fall of 1961 10 young men came from Colorado to join our class—five returned for the 45th: Bob Busch, Shep Curtis, Dick Durrance, Tom Long and Tom Meacham. We heard President Jim Yong Kim describe his plans for achieving John Sloan Dickeys goal of "making a better human being" and met with him to discuss the global fight to improve healthcare, depicted in Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains. Classmates played golf, took tours, heard lectures and concerts, but we most enjoyed visiting during the evenings in the class tent. Head agent Jim Griffiths presented checks for $500,000, as a reunion-year gift, and $35,409,442, representing the total of all '65 gifts in the current capital campaign, to Presi- dent Kim.

We elected officers for the next five years: Roger Hansen, president; Tom Long, secretary; Mike Gonnerman, treasurer; Dick Harris, newsletter editor; Don Bradley, head agent; Ted Atkinson, communications; Jim Hamilton, webmaster; Steve Fowler and Mike Bettman, 50th reunion chairs; George Wittreich and Jane, mini-reunion chairs; Tucky Mays, out-of-Hanover minireunion chair; Stu Keiler, special projects; Pete Frederick (2010) and Ed Keible (2011-14), Alum- ni Council representatives; and Doug Leitch, Bartlett Tower Society. Roger plans to focus on increasing participation in class activities, culminating in the 50th reunion. The effort is off to a good start, thanks to Ken McGruther and all of the officers who did a splendid job during the past five years.

The fall mini-reunion is October 8-10. Pierces Inn will again serve as headquarters. Please contact Cindy and Bruce for reservations at (603) 643-2997 or piercesinn(3)valley.net.

Our next out-of-Hanover mini will be at Shades of Green Resort on Disney World in Orlando, Florida, January 28-30, 2011. Contact Bob Blake at rblake65@mac.com for information. CarniVail will be held on February 24-27, 2011.

Classmate George Jacobs' book, ManagingYour Medicare: An Insider's Guide to MaximizingBenefits and Lowering Costs can help us navigate this complex system.

Please contact me to share news of our classmates.

1056 Leigh Mill Road, Great Falls, VA22066; (703) 759-4255; tomlong@erok com