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CONTEST TIME!
Over the past several years, we have run the standard contests -most grandchildren, oldest car, tallest wife, etc. Now it’s time for one that challenges your imagination, your inventiveness. The topic is Groups of Things. You are familiar with the usuals: herd of buffalo, pack of wolves, fleet of aircraft, bunch of grapes, the ever-popular exultation of doves, a gam or pod of whales (for the crossworders), a gaggle of geese and a morass of Yalies. OK - what do you call a group of ‘54s? Imagine that you walk into a saloon and, sitting at the bar, you see ACKER, the McLAUGHLINs, BLACKSHER, CONLIN, DRAWBAUGH and BERWICK. Nearby, at a full table, are all the CLARKs. At another one, all the DAVISes, MARTINs and HAYES are tossing them down. You spot MALTZOFF chatting up MELTZER, METCALF, MIGELY and PA1ANTONES. MESICS and THIELSCHER are throwing an unruly WINSLOW out the swinging doors. You go home and say to your wife: "You’re not going to believe this, but I just saw a __________ of ‘54s at KELSEY’s bar!" Come up with a brilliant term and send it to the newsletter editor. The July issue wifi present the best ten.
While we’re on the subject of the Greencard, here are two more ideas - crossword puzzles and golden anniversaries. In a letter to the editors of the AARP magazine, a woman recently claimed that doing crossword puzzles regularly was her secret for keeping her aging brain in shape - that it helped preserve vocabulary and provided calm, relaxation and enjoyment at all hours of the day. How many of you do them and what do you think the benefits are? On golden anniversaries, there have to be a few coming up (or already past). There were more than one ‘54 shouting "sandwiches and milk!" At 11pm in order to pay for married housing. Tell us about the celebrations. The DAMEs are in already. Note:newsletter editor PETE BARKER and current wife GAIL will draw a double line under twenty-five years in August. The occasion will be marked at our favorite haunt in Port Antonio, Jamaica.
Demonstrating his puerile lack of maturity, young DON AUSTERMANN asked why so much attention was being paid to those turning 70. On receipt of some requested statistics, he was crest-fallen to learn that he was only the 14th youngest entering Dartmouth in September of 1950. On top of that, 8 of our number were still at the tender age of 16! The Austies won’t be with us in Tarrytown for the group 70th due to a West Coast traverse, starting in Vancouver, BC and "threading our way through Washington, Oregon and California, winding up in Oceanside mooching as many meals and beds as we can along the way." Don and SALLIE’s plan is to hit the SCHENCK’s place just as PETE and LYNDA get home.
Continuing a series of ‘54 Letters to the Editor of The Alumni Magazine, WES DINGMAN excoriated a ‘65 for criticizing the publication of "A Civil Action", an artide about the successful enactment of legislation in support of same-sex unions in Vermont by a young Dartmouth grad. Wes’s diatribe would have made Daniel Webster proud. Earlier, DICK WATT had also chimed in on the same subject. Let’s keep the Class in the forefront by challenging positions in Letters to the Editor. On a related note, the Dingman’s have followed through on their plans to move to the mountains and now present a mailing address of P0 Box 340, North River, NY 12856 and a street address of 379 Bird Pond Rd., Chestertown, NY 12817.
HOWIE "I’ll never retire!" ARONSON and MARGE don’t let down in their frenetic tasting of life. Howie’s flying/instructing and Marge is creating artwork. Last year’s Far East trip took Marge to Burma while Howie hooked marlin and sailfish at Phuket. Last month, the duo took a six-day cruise up the Yangtze River in China, sampling both the artwork and the potables.
Both JOE MESICS and AD brother JOHN STEEL sent in news about Doctor TOM "Tissues" SCOTT’s bid for a return to the state senate of West Virginia. A native of Huntington, WV, Tom returned there after school and established a successful orthopedic practice. Somehow, he managed to find the time to found United Huntington Industries, an organization which brings new companies into the area. He is a professor at the Marshall University medical school, a director of several community organizations and an annual medical volunteer in Haiti. During a prior term as state senator, Tom put together a successful record of accomplishments for the benefit of the state’s citizens. Truly a man giving back - in spades. Tom and JEANNE’s combined family includes seven children and twelve grandchildren. Good luck to a good man. Remember his order to us a few year’s ago to GET A CHECK-UP!? Well, do it!
JERRY GOLDSTEIN has suggested an idea - a regular item in the newsletter regarding health issues. He included an article on the consumption of alcohol which ended with the statement: "Experts say people over 65 should cut those amounts in half because of age-related changes in the way alcohol is metabolized." "Those amounts" referred to a limit of 2 standard-sized drinks per day - 10 ounces of wine, 24 ounces of beer or 3 ounces of 80-proof liquor. We certainly have the expertise in the Class, medical and laymen. What do you think?
From DICK PAGE: "After eight years as a Trustee and seven years as Chairman, I will retire from the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Board of Trustees in June. Looking back, the eight years were a wonderful mixture of excitement, achievement, education, satisfaction, camaraderie and, on occasion, just a wee bit of frustration. Would I do it again? You bet! I will miss the Board, but it’s time to move on to new opportunities and challenges." Truly one of our giants.
The GILLESPIE grandtwins have bulled their way through the preemie minefield and are their way to upholding the family rep. JOHN recently spent some time in Nashville having a memory-fified visit with his old CO from the Air Force. Nice. Also, John has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Class Officers Association.
At the Class Officer’s weekend in Hanover, DICK BARKER learned from another Exec Committee member, Stephanie MULLINS, that her dad, STEVE, had had a misadventure in Chicago of a nature that we see in TV cop shows all the time. He was hit by a car and rolled up onto the hood! Badly bruised and sporting a head wound, Steve refused an ambulance ride and drove himself home. Our rock-hard dassmate has shucked off injuries that would have kept most of us on the couch and is back to competitive swimming.
In the May issue of Down East, a three-page review begins: "In 1979, professional photographer, maritime historian and Edgecomb (ME) resident NICK DEAN, while on an expedition to the Faildand Islands to survey a wrecked British bark, unexpectedly discovered a piece of Maine history staring him in the face, or under his feet, actually. It was the Snow Squall, a Maine-built dipper launched in South Portland in 1851."In the ensuing years, Nick devoted his enormous and varied talents into compiling the story of the birth, life and death of the ship: Snow Squall, The Last American Clipper Ship. His 200-page effort is complemented by another contributor’s account of the attempts during 1983-1986 to salvage the craft. The reviewer gushes in high compliment in describing the phenomenal work done by Nick in gathering historical data from records, charts, shipping news, etc. The quality of the book is summarized in the final sentence: "I defy anyone who picks this up not to head directly for the nearest comfortable chair, there to settle in for a lengthy and rewarding perusal of the riches within."
On the way to the flicks in Erie, PA, CLARK DAVIS experienced the all-too-scary pressure/pain in the chest and pain radiating down his arm. In typical ‘54 wife fashion, DONNA whomped him up along side the head and instructed "Emergency Room!" Clark entered by the wrong door and, luckily encountered a bright young man who, after a pleasant exchange, flopped him onto a gurney and rushed him into the right place. Mild heart attack. Turned on the ‘ol angioplasty machine and rotorooter, then turned Clark loose with a ditty bag of drugs. In a story we hear too often, our classmate contracted hospital-acquired pneumonia which was quickly treated and he is now back on the road to better health.
Having failed retirement three times -Dresser Industries, Air Force JAG and U. of Texas, Dallas, ROCK GRUNDMAN is back to practicing law, doing a lakefront development and building houses. In order to avoid the "smellin’ the roses" conversation with MARY ELLEN, he took her for a multi-month sojourn around Europe - Germany, Austria, France, Luxembourg, Belgium. The Alps got skied and the entire region of Alsace had to send out for more wine. Rock suggests that the best beer can be had at a bierstube just off the square in Weisbaden. New law office: (903) 856-1500; grundman@mt-vernon.com.
Adhering to his pledge to write once a decade, JERRY EVANS checked in from South Lake Tahoe, CA. With the arrival of May, he has stored his cross-country skis in favor of the tennis racket. Two to three days a week find him rowing - all through the winter. Eschewing retirement, Jerry still "peddles tribal art - Native American, Oceanic, African - with marginal success." He and other Oceanic art dealers have great anticipations for the 2005 exhibition of the Friede collection at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Scullers are invited to communicate and passers-through of Tahoe should stop by for a cappuccino.
Last November, the Board of Proprietors of The Dartmouth selected Jennifer Rottman ‘02 as the recipient of the Milton Sims Kramer Book Award. Jennifer was cited for her outstanding work in fighting homelessness in the Upper Valley and increasing social awareness among students. Her award was significant in that she was singled out as an individual, whereas most of the past awards had been presented to campus groups. MILT’s spirit continues to motivate and stimulate positive social activism on campus.
Our annual lottery triumph, granting us the use of the Faculty Lounge for our post-game convivialities at Homecoming has been confirmed by MiniMaestro GILLESPIE.
Under the self-deprecating title of "Some Truly Little Known Facts About Little Known Subjects", our genius Web-Master, PERRY DAVIS reported 212 hits on the ‘54 website in the 64 day period ended February 20. There appears to be a fairly dedicated bunch of classmates that have both the mental capacity to bring up the site (alum.dartmouth.org/ classes/ 54/) and the initiative/curiosity to check in regularly. Try it.
Eight stalwarts got the synapses firing at the ‘54 3rd annual gathering in
Aspen. JAY DAVIS’s report: “CLIFF EVANS from the West Coast, MIKE
MORRISSEY from Jackson Hole, , TOM TYLER from Michigan and from the East
Coast, NED FREEDMAN, DICK GORSEY, DICK PEARL, ART RAUCH and JAY DAVIS. For 4
straight days, we had nothing but brilliant sunshine and great snow surfaces.
On the 5th day, high winds and a foot of new snow dumped on us, but did not
keep us indoors, but did reduce our vertical that day to 6000 feet when it had
been running at 15K to 20K per day. As usual, there was much reminiscing and
laughter throughout the week. By unanimous vote, the Ms decided to spin off
from the Aspen nest next year and gather at either Breckinridge or Steamboat,
CO, tentatively starting 2/24/03 (God and our legs willing.)” Photog Evans
echoed the “legs” concern, pondering how much longer his limbs can handle
the intense demands of 4-5 days of truly hard skiing.
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From a telephone conversation with PETE BULLIS, BILL GROVER writes that
DICK DANFORTH has had some unfortunate health setbacks. He is currently at the
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, recuperating from a mild heart attack,
possibly brought on by medications for some recent major surgery. Our
best
wishes go out to him. Bill, himself, is on the mend from a corneal transplant
undergone in January. OK, but has to watch the driving.
From ED HOBBlE: “Back from Argentina for dove hunt - sky full of birds
- has to be seen to be believed. The airline security people are the dropouts
from baggage handling school. Came home with severe bronchial trouble but can
now speak without whistling. Argentina is wracked with financial problems, due
in no small part to US bank lending and the State Department. Neither had any
idea of the havoc their programs would wreak - why am I not surprised! People
great, beef stupendous.”
For some obscure reason, when ‘54s take shots at RON DUNTON, they
always send him a copy of the offending email. This prompts Ron to reply and
to copy the newsletter editor. A most delightful message had to do with the
previously reported high mountain encounter with BEAVER NASH while hunting
down some lost goats. Somewhat edited, here is his explanation:
Changes
Either find your ‘54 directory and insert the following changes, or keep, on doing what most do - call your editor when you need the information. Having had far too many Class emails returned by the Mail Daemon, DON
BERLIN asks - no - demands that you notify him or the editor of all address changes.
-Dingman - see write-up
-McCarthy (Dan) - dmcarthy@aftbi.com
-Lasky - jlasky2@juno.com
-White (Bill) - whwhite20@aol.com
-Lewis (Dick) - new area code - (239)
-Dame - dadame@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu
-Lukeman - (703) 743-5081
-Bowers - 3570 Higgins Gulch Rd., Spearfish,
SD 57783; tro1dhaugen@webtv.net
Rev. DAVE RANSOM, LOUISE and their granddaughter spent a long weekend on campus, attending the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tucker Foundation. He provided a lengthy summary of the experience. Some excerpts:
-"It took the weekend to realize that 49 years ago, LEE LANE and I had roomed in 405 Lord with a view of the tombstone of William Jewett
Tucker. I was pretty unconscious of John Sloan Dickers bold moves in establishing Tucker as Dartmouth’s ‘heart and soul’ in the ‘unfinished business of society.’
-The 50th weekend was extremely meaningful for me - chthonic, like stepping on a series of spiritual landmines.
-Each of us compete with HARRY ROBINSON, who has been spending some hours in Baker to learn more about Tucker’s perceptions and those of Dickey in establishing the foundation in 1951.
-We had to miss trying for overflow space to hear keynoter Maya Angelou - 2000 applied, 900 accepted - reports were she was spectacular.
-Maureen Bunce, MD ‘83 squarely faced the integration of ancient/natural et al therapies with modern ‘cut-burn-poison’.
-Hafiz Shabazz, Music prof dazzled us with the drums and beat out the tunes of multi-culturalists as progenitors of human survival.
-Roger Bonair Agard, poet from Trinidad, moved us to empathy with all the pain of poverty in reading ‘Harder then Flesh’ by Marty McConnell."
There’s lots more. If you would to read it, call the editor.
JIM BOWERS’s story bears quoting: "My wife, JYTTE, and I returned to china for the Fall semester (Aug - Dec, 2001) to teach Business English at a private business college in Shanghai. The changes in Shanghai since we left in 1989 are absolutely unbelievable. The city has been torn down and rebuilt to become as modern as Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the younger generation (some, not all) have also become Westernized and more:
undisciplined, unwilling to work, living only for the moment. They are without brothers and sisters, raised by doting and increasingly wealthy parents and grandparents who do not want them (understandably) to remember the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and lack of freedom which the older generations had experienced. But there were also other young people anxious to learn English and respectful toward the elderly." The Bowers are now back home in Spearfish, SD.
A Class event that has grown in popularity is the annual golf outing at the Plantation Inn in Crystal River, FL The organizers have refined it into a very affordable, totally delightful outing which includes wives.
When you think about the fishing, skiing, golf annuals, the holiday lunches and the dazzling mini-reunions John Gillespie puts on, maybe we could pump up our treasury by selling memberships in the Class.... Anyway, ALEC/MARY GRAY and JOHNIJINNY POPE put on a spectacular that attracted 20 Classmates and 17 wives. Three days of competitive golf (everyone got an award) and delicious, rowdy dinners left the participants gasping - even the non-golfing shoppers. A stab was taken at throwing in an informal tennis tournament on the morning of the departure day by Alec and BOB OSMOND, but was postponed for a year (match at 6-4, 5-5) because of the arrival of some common sense. In attendance were:
DON/BARBARA BERLIN BOB/FAY BERRY
BOB/KIT DEAN RON/CAROLE DOUGHERTY
MORT/JUDYGALPER BILL GARLAND
ALEC/MARY GRAY RICK/ANNE HARTMAN
DOUG/JOYCE }IOSKINS YNGVAR HVISTENDAHL
TOM/LIZ KELSEY DICK/AUDREY LEWIS
CHAS/FRANNIE MORRISON BOB/PATfY OSMOND
DICK/JANE PAGE JOHN/JINNY POPE
HARRY/SUE ROCKEFELLER JIM/JOAN TOFIAS
SHELLY/ELISABETH WOOLF GARY ZWART
The 2003 Golf Classic, in the hands of Rick & Anne Hartman and Tom and Liz Kelsey, is already locked into place, February 23-27, 2003. Not only will the tennis portion take form, but an annual croquet tournament is being added with HARRY ROCKEFELLER in charge of defining the rules. Mark your calendars and watch for Rick’s call to action in these pages.
DartmouthThings
-"Dartmouth Athletics Receives Top-20 Rank". US News & World Report rated us on gender equality, number of varsity sports offered, win-loss records and athlete graduation rate. The women have certainly made significant contributions to the win-loss column and may well be the reason we’re in the top 20!
-"Pleasing the Pious Palate at Dartmouth". College officials claim that the College has the only cafeteria in the country that observes the dietary laws of the Old Testament (kashrut), the Quran (halal) and the Vedas and Upanishads(sakahara). The not insignificant percentage of the student body that want to observe the stipulations of their religions now have those options available to them. While this may strike some of us as "off beat" Dartmouth, remember the "no meat on Friday". aspects of our times.
-The former President of the Philippines, Honorable Fidel Ramos, was a speaker at the Tuck Leadership Forum in April. Remember when we were presented with speakers of similar world rank during Great Issues?
-The Commencement speaker this year is Fred Rogers ‘49. Mr. Rogers, an ordained Presbyterian minister and a world renowned stimulus to the development of children’s social values is thought to be the right person for this point in the history of our country.
-"Dartmouth Cancels IMPS Program". IMPS was a noble experiment in providing "a potential paradigm for interdisciplinary studies (math and science).: Unfortunately, the ever present need to trim budgets spelled the death knell for the program.
Reunion Thought
It’s the big one. We need to come together again. Many of you may have never attended a
reunion. Others have been "mad" at the College for one reason or another for decades. Then there are those with the innocuous label "Not Interested". OK - you may dump anything with
Dartmouth on it in the trash and you may throw out the Alunmi Magazine unread. But .... if you are reading this (aha!) there is still some "interest alive. Think about it. June 2004
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IN MEMORIAM
EDWIN JACK GODFREY
Jack died April 12th in San Diego. He was a man that always did the right thing at the right time. A football captain and student leader at Montclair (NJ) HS; a blocker for McLaughlin, a Beta, a Vigilante and a dedicated party-enjoyer at Dartmouth (see page 120 of the Aegis); a dedicated career Marine officer, rising to the rank of Lt. General (see page 96 of Reflections); then, after retirement in 1989, a strong participant in community affairs (see Sixty Minutes last April when he spoke for the Red Cross). He compounded his Russian Civilization degree into a Masters at Georgetown in 1979. His service ranged from combat command to the Joint Chiefs. He and JEAN raised two daughters who have brought pride to the Godfrey name.
High school classmate FRED PAGE was astounded, at their 50th reunion to see "a man who looked an talked like a member of Bill Gates’ board." In spite of their comparable lofty Marine ranks - only 10/11 in the Corps - TONY LUKEMAN and Jack only met once during their decades of service.
Dave McLaughlin characterized Jack "I have never known a man of such rock solid principles, such enormous loyalty and such unwavering ethical values."
CHARLES FREDERICK HOOPER, JR.
Chuck passed away May 5th in Gainesville, FL Emerging from Newton High School (MA), he dove immediately in the pursuit of physics, his lifelong love and career. While on campus, he was among the elite NROTC cadets who always dressed better and comported themselves in a manner above the other services. Following graduation, he married his first wife, Nancy and pulled his two years of active duty - on a ~avy tanker, then as a battalion commander of new recruits. That out of the way, he spent six years at Johns Hopkins, getting his doctorate and joined the faculty of the University of Florida. Two daughters filled out family for the new digs on campus. He and Nancy divorced in 1970 and he married RENATE, a part-time German instructor at the university in 1971. At the time of. his retirement, he was chairman of the department and had gained recognition for his research in laser-fusion.
While visiting campus only occasionally, he joined DAVE DAME as an alumni interviewer of prospective students. He had the good fortune to be able to immerse himself in a life that brought multiple satisfactions.