1956

There has been lots of press coverage of the fraternity hazing issue and calls for abolishing the Greek system at Dartmouth. I for one cherish my days as a member of Tau Epsilon Phi (TEP) and never experienced any vile hazing of the sort reported. I was very active in my house, learned much of great benefit in later life and made many close and lasting friendships. I therefore dedicate this column as a tribute to my fraternity (now defunct on the Dartmouth campus) and to my TEP frater- nity brothers. To those whom I see often and with much pleasure: Harold Gordon and his wife, Joan; Alan Friedman and Diane; and El- liott Weinstein and Alice. I must now interrupt this tribute as I see the jazz band approach- ing. Marching behind the band this time are newly departed classmates Robert A. Kris- sel and W. Mott Hupfel Jr. Among our many other departed classmates I take special note of TEP brothers who have passed on, in remem- brance of Hank Bloom, Al Levenson, Steve Pearlman, Howie Newman and Roger Tolins. Other fraternity brothers still with us—whom I see less frequently, only on special occasions such as reunions—Dick Margolese and Bob Grossman come to mind. The writing of this column has led to recent contacts with frater- nity brothers in other classes besides 1956, and this includes Gene Matusow and Mike Sherb, both ’57s. I look forward to other contacts like this in the future. There are many good friends in the class of 1956 who were not in TEP, and since I am out of room I will have to work them into a future column. Lastly, most importantly, I first met my wife at TEP and close with a stan- za from a 1996 poem titled “Ode to Marsha.”

1996 poem “In a crowd at Tau Epsilon Phi, The girl of my dreams caught my eye; Her eyes of pale blue, With hair auburn hue, Compelling but modestly shy.”

P.O Box 1733, Grantham, NH 03753; (603) 863-3360; joel@poeticlimericks.com