The Grand Fiftieth Reunion from June 11 through June
13 is now a memory, but forever memorable. Attended by 264 classmates
and 234 spouses and others, we almost met the grand total of 500. JOHN
GILLESPIE, reunion chairman, and his committee are to be commended for
providing a spirited and thoughtful reunion with several high points.
The class
meeting filled “Great Issues” 105 Dartmouth Hall (standing room only for
late comers), where a new slate of officers of the class were
“unceremoniously” sworn in and the past officers were recognized. DICK
LEWIS, now past president, requested decorum which he but briefly achieved.
The new slate is reported as follows: President -JAY DAVIS; Vice President - DON
BERLIN; Secretary - BRYCE
BASTIAN; Treasurer -HARRY ROBINSON; Associate Treasurer -
ALEC GRAY; Head Agent - HUGH
NOLIN; Newsletter Editor -
PETE BARKER;
Mini-Reunion Chairman -
JOHN FENN; Gift
Planning Chairman - TOM TYLER; Class Award Chairman -
BOB ADNOPOZ; Class Project Coordinator -
PETE KENYON. The new Executive Committee is as follows: DON
BELCHER; RIP COFFIN; PERRY DAVIS; MORT GALPER; JOHN GILLESPIE; RICK HARTMAN;
JOHN HESTQN; DANA LOW; DAVE MARTIN; JOHN MORAN; BILL MURANE; BOB OSMUND; JIM
TOFIAS; WAYNE WElL and SHELDON WOOLF.
It was also
agreed that past presidents also would serve on the executive committee in
recognition of their questionable wisdom but certainly their dedication in
support of the class. Past Presidents: PETE GEITHNER; DAVE MC LAUGHLIN; BILL
WHITE; TOM KELSEY; DAVE MANDELBAUM; STEVE MULLINS; DICK BARKER; DICK PAGE;
JERRY GOLDSTEIN; BOB BERRY and DICK LEWIS.
On Saturday, the
college gave the class luncheon where DAVE MCLAUGHLIN spoke concerned about
polarization and advised unheated and measured discussion to eliminate lines
drawn in the sands. James Wright, president of the college, acknowledged the
class gift of $7,774,554 and participation rate of 92% as a record for a
fifty-year class according to the Alumni Fund. The check was presented by DICK
PAGE, BOB BERRY and RICK HARTMAN. Both numbers will climb as the
fund was not closed until June 30th. Many large gifts were given by our
classmates. The most significant was BOB CLEMENTS' gift of $2,500,000.
The Saturday night “Class
Dinner” featured PETE BARKER's critique as newsletter editor of HARRY
ROBINSON's ability to receive notes from classmates addressed “Dear
Harry” while Pete only receives notes with no salutations. JAY DAVIS was
given the last remaining first edition class award. In the citation, his
contribution to “connections” for our class by organizing ski events and
trips to historic places was noted.
The reunion culminated with a
grand march to the graduation of the class of 2004 and preferred seating. At
the graduation two of our classmates received honorary degrees; DICK PAGE and
LO-Yl CHAN, both recognized for their individual careers and their outstanding
contributions to the college.
The traditional “Hamburgers at
Hestons” concluded the weekend.
Recognized throughout the reunion
were BILL WHITE and WAYNE WElL for their production of More Reflections,
our 50th Reunion Book. Their dogged pursuit of classmates to contribute provides
a near complete perspective of the class.
Bryce
Bastian