JANUARY 2004 2004

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JANUARY 2004 2004!

It’s here! With a lot less fanfare than Y2K, but with special significance for us.

The program from our 1954 graduation mentions no group of gnarly members of the Class of 1904 leading us in, so it appears that our responsibility in June to show the ‘04s “the way” is a more modern tradition. Come to think of it, there probably weren’t too many 1904s alive and capable of making the trek back then.

A warm and fuzzy letter to Class widows from President DICK LEWIS has begun to bear fruit. At this writing, we have heard positively from PARRY GROGAN, JEAN MYSERIAN, IRENE ITABASHI and DOTTIE FITCH. You who opted to share your lives with our Classmates all receive the newsletter, so take heed - the reunion will be a welcoming and inclusive event. Please give strong consideration to coming, at least for the memorial service. It will be a pleasant weekend with a flurry of social and traditional activities which should appeal to all. Direct any questions you have to me at the above communication links.

At this writing (January 9th),the returns on reunion intentions are quite positive - 219 Yeses and 56 Maybes. Add in the 74 No’s and we have responses from an unprecedented 63% of the Class. Following the adage of “Persistence is the Hobgoblin of Anal Retentives”, I have exhausted the email route and am now using the snailmail approach to be followed by personal home visits. Lest we lose sight of the objectives of The Committee, The Powers That Be or whatever sobriquet by which we toilers in the fields of reunion are known, they are simply: (1) to offer a wide, appealing spectrum of reasons to return to Hanover, (2) to deliver memorable, stimulating activities with a strong under-energy of camaraderie and (3) to send you home fully satisfied that all expectations had been met.

Okay, time to locate your reading glasses. Here are the names of Classmates who as of January 8th, have indicated that YES!, they do indeed plan to be in Hanover next June:

Adams Addison Adnopoz W. Anderson Ankeny Aronson Austermann R. Barker P. Barker Barton Bastian Bates Bean Belcher Berlin R. Berry Biggs Bonneville Brief D. Briggs Bryan Buchanan Bugbee Bullis Carey Case Chaikin Chan Chandler Christophe Christy Classon Clements Coffin Cohn Collimore Conrad Cooke Cunningham Dabney Dame Davidoff Davidson C. Davis J. Davis Dean DesCombes Destino Donahower Donahue Dougherty Dunton Durham C. Evans Fast Fenn Fetherolf Finigan Dot Fitch Fitzgerald Franklin Freedman Freud Freund Galper Garland Geithner Geller Gillespie Gilmore Gilson Gluek Gold Goldfarb Goldstein Gorsey Gould Graboys Grassey Gray Grebe Greenberg Grinton Parry Grogan Grover Grundman Gutlon Hall Hartman Haskins C. Hayes E. Hayes Haynes Heston Heyn Hildebrandt Hillman Horton Hoskins Jarrett Jeffrey Kane Kass Keleher D. Keller Kelsey Kenney Kenyon Kidd Kirkpatrick Kolbe Kramer Krimm LaFollette Leary Lederer Lee D. Levine R. Levine C. Lewis R. Lewis Lindenauer Linsky Love Low Lukeman Mahler Malcolm Mandelbaum Mansfield D. Martin S. Martin E. May D. McCarthy McConnon D. McLaughlin Metcalf Metz Milkey J. Moore Moran Morrison Mullins Murane Myers Jean Myserian Nash Neiditz Nolin Nova Novascone O’Connor Osmond Oudheusden F. Page R. Page Papantones Parker Patterson Payson Pearl Peters Petty W. Pierce Poorman Pope Ransom Rauch C. Reed J. Reed Rex Rill D. Roberts H. Roberts H. Robinson Rosenthal N. Ross H. Russell L. Russell Schenck E. Scott T. Scott Shenefield Sherman Short Shrader Sibley Simonds Sleigh J. Smith Spears Staley Stead Steel Steinberg Swanson L. Taylor Tepper Terrill Thielscher Titus Tofias Trowbridge Tucker Tyler Veasey Vorsanger Weidenthal Weil Wesselman Weymouth W. White Wilkins Winnick Woodberry Woolf Workum Zwart Zwiener - a total of 219 Classmates.

Then there are the MAYBEs:

Abell Bassett Berwick Borden B. Briggs F. Brooks R. Buffington R. Clark Conarro Conlin M. Corcoran T. Corcoran Dahl Dingwall Engel J. Evans Everett Feldman Fuller Gasteyer Gruel Hobbie Kasparson Kingsley Korjeff Lehrman Mackey McAllister McCartney G. McLaughlin Meltzer Messore Mower Murdoch Oneal Osborn Plummer Quinn Reilly Robbins H. Rockefeller Roos Rosenberg Rowland Roxborogh Schreiber Siqueland Snow Sokolski Spicer Talbot Tannenbaum Tiihonen Wedell Wheelock Wisdom - 56 Classmates.

Add in the 74 Classmates who have indicated NO and you have a response rate of some 63% of the living “interested” Class. These early returns give us confidence that attendance can easily reach 270-280.

Since I will soon be coming at you with a response envelope into which you will be asked to insert a deposit check for $150 per person (toward a total reunion tab of $310, excluding housing) it seems appropriate to lay out for you the current schedule of events. Reunion Chair JOHN GILLESPIE, between his unending periods of joint replacement, has provided the following outline for our gathering:

Residence Halls:

Andres, Morton, Zimmerman, McCullough

across from ....

Headquarters:

‘54 Class Tent - in front of Alumni Gym

Thursday, June 10 - Early Arrivals

5:00-7:00 pm Early Bird Cocktails - Class

Tent - remember, dorms open on Friday

Friday, June 11

7:00 am Moosilauke Climb - Ravine Lodge

led by Dave & Louise Ransom - back by

4:30 pm

-Golf Outing - Bob Berry

10:00 am Registration opens at Tent

11:00 am Bus Tour of Dartmouth/Hanover

12:00 noon Professional School Luncheons

Tuck, Thayer, Medical

1:30 pm Tennis matches - Steve Fast

-Bus Tour of Dartmouth/Hanover

2:30 pm Reunion College Seminar

3:00 pm Special Library Collections Tour

3:30 pm Gilman Orchid Greenhouse

4:00 pm Class meeting - Dick Lewis

5:30 pm Cocktail Reception-Memorial Field

7:00 pm New England Shore Dinner

Lobster, steamers, chicken, corn, strawberry shortcake, Leverone Field House

8:00 pm Reception at President & Mrs.Wright’s home

9:15 pm Glee Club Concert

9:15 pm Tent Activity -music and talk

Saturday, June 12

7:00 am Breakfast - Thayer Hall

9:00 am Presentation-Dr. Edward Hallowell “A Celebration of Connection: Why Your Attendance at This 50th Reunion Will Add Years to Your Life and Joy to Your Heart”

10:30 pm Memorial Service - Rollins Chapel

12:15 pm 50-Year Class Luncheon - Leverone Field House - Dick Lewis

-Gift to 2004 - Harry Robinson

-50-Year Address - Pete Barker

-54 Gift to Dartmouth - Dick Page,
Bob Berry , Rick Hartman

-Address - President Wright

2:00 pm Hood Museum Tour

- Golf & Tennis

3:00 pm Gilman Orchid Greenhouse

- Shopping, touring, resting

- College Student Panel

5:00 pm Reception -Hon. Degree Recipients

5:30 pm Cocktail Reception-Memorial Field

7:00 pm Class Banquet - Leverone Field House - Dick
Page

Dave McLaughlin - “Reflections of a
President”

10:00 pm Tent Activities

Sunday, June 13

7:00 am Breakfast - Thayer Hall

9:00 am ‘54s and wives assemble - Rollins

9:15 am March to specially-assigned seats

10:00 am Commencement Exercises

12:15 pm Hamburgers at Hestons

2:00 pm Dormitory Checkout

Afternoon - departure for Basin Harbor Club on Lake Champlain for reunion extension June 13-15

All of the above is linked, buoyed, enervated and solidified with constant palaver, such as: “remember the time we ...?”, “she your first wife?”, “who woulda thought ...”, “weren’t you the guy who .....?”, “whatever happened to ...?”, “how ‘bout them Jets?”, “your house still in the national?”etc. Now - all you Maybes and No’s - rethink your early attendance indication and upgrade to Yes!

No mention of the 50th reunion would be complete without the continuing call to ‘54s to submit sketches to Bill and Wayne for the 50th Book. A variety of options are currently under consideration relative to who gets the Book, who gets included in the Book and how the Book is funded. As often happens, a small number of Classmates have stepped up and generously committed to fund a major chunk of the publishing costs. So take the time to chronicle your and your family’s last 25 years and join the growing number of ‘54s now being put into alphabetic order by Bill/Wayne. Once again, come at me for a copy of the instructions if needed.

Keep in mind the basis for Dr. Hallowell’s talk on Saturday morning - the reunion will extend your life and add joy!

Holiday Luncheons

The Boston and New York luncheons continue to be enjoyable, relaxed gatherings where little Class business is transacted and laughin’ and scratchin’ is the order of the day. 38 showed in New York , including first timer DICK KRIMM and mid-westerners STEVE MULLINS and TOM TYLER. Forsaking the traditional ritual of every man addressing the assemblage, it was decreed that each table would share stories amongst themselves. Ergo, my table: JOHN FENN has sold his place in Florida and has returned to Yale/New Haven Hospital to teach fledgling physicians about the professional responsibilities of the field they are about to enter. John also commented on the massive negative impact of the “Medicare discount” on debt-laden new doctors. DICK LEWIS plays lots of golf on both ends of the Eastern coast. The capture of large numbers of unsuspecting lobsters in Maine evolves into a winter’s worth of defrosted tails in Naples , FL. JAY DAVIS balances the joy of ski instruction with volunteer work in local shelters in Vermont . WALT ANDERSON plans to move to the New London area of New Hampshire in 2005. DON BERLIN serves as the finance chair for a local symphony orchestra and is participating in the building of a new library. PETE BARKER still acting, throwing and ‘54ing. BOB VORSANGER has merely moved his former professional activities into the public sector by providing counsel to civic organizations. Altogether, a group far too busy to even think about dessert.

The Gillespie Award was presented, in New York and in Boston , to TOM TYLER and STEVE MULLINS: “Steve and Tom, they scoffed when you suggested the idea of a MidWest mini-reunion of ‘54s. ‘What a ridiculous idea! Who would come?’ 44 people, that’s who! Undaunted by antipathy, procrastination, bad handwriting and yes, scoffing, you generously opened your homes and your hearts to pull off one for the record books. The tours, the dining, the hospitality and our Class spirit were all blended to such perfection that a marvelous mixture of old hands and newly-attracted Classmates connected with extraordinary vigor. A grateful Class of 1954 proudly thanks you with a Gillespie Award.”

JERRY GOLDSTEIN was appointed to head a nominating committee for Class officers who will take over following the June reunion. He is joined in the effort by TOM KELSEY, STEVE MULLINS and BOB BERRY. Send your suggestions and commentary to Jerry at 857 Fifth Ave., NY , NY10021; ; jrgoldstein @bear.com; 212-988-8130.

Pete Barker claimed the attendance award for the five Phi Psis present, but was quickly challenged by BOB ADNOPOZ’s five Sigma Chis, then defeated by Jerry Goldstein’s six Pi Lams.

Boston drew only 15 plus the traveling squad of Page, Robinson, Lewis and Davis . The regulars were joined by rarely-seen JON MOORE and ED QUINN. Stringer DICK BARKER reported that the conversation was muted and tended toward the aches and pains of vigorous activity in the face of advancing age.

The Jackson Hole News reported the induction of BILL BRIGGS into the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame last October along with Olympic Gold Medalist Stein Eriksen. The article then went on for two full pages, lauding Bill’s character, dedication and spectacular exploits. “As word of Briggs’ honor spreads among his former students, instructors, co-workers and friends, there is no shortage of people who can’t say enough about the integrity of the man and the influence Briggs still exerts on their day-to-day lives. Words like ‘brilliant’, ‘mentor’, ‘honest’, ‘fair’, and others illustrate the indelible impressions he has etched in his 51 years of ski instructing.” While Bill eschews the titles, he has been dubbed the “father of extreme skiing” and the “grandfather of North American ski mountaineering.” While the bulk of the article is devoted to the reasons for the adjectives above, the description of his history-making, almost mythic descent of the Grand Teton bears a full description:

“Most famously, in 1958, he organized and led ‘The Grand Traverse’, a 100-mile slog from the Bugaboo Mountains , a sub-range of the Rocky mountains in British Columbia , Canada , to Rogers Pass. The 10-day trip was revolutionary not only for the terrain covered - technical glaciers and high-mountain passes - but for the minimalist approach to supplies and equipment. And, as became his trademark, Briggs attempted the route not to beat those who might get there first, but to show the next group it could be done and how they could do it too. ..... For Briggs, finding a way to ski from the top of the Grand Teton was only a matter of time. a

Unfavorable snow conditions in 1969 and 1970 pushed back plans to ski from the summit, plans made as early as 1968. But after heavy snowfall marked the winter and spring of 1971, Briggs found the right formula of partners and conditions. Joined by three experienced friends, Briggs left the Lower Saddle on June 16, taking the Black Dike Traverse toward the Stettner Couloir. From there, the team climbed the icy chimney leading to the Ford Couloir where his partners began to lag due to fatigue and lesser abilities than their leader. So Briggs went on alone, climbing past the Stettner Col before post-holing through wet heavy snow to the top of the East Face and the summit.

Without someone to share the trail-breaking duties, the going was slow on the 45-degree slope, especially since his fused right hip allowed him to make his ground-covering, nearly vertical steps with his left foot only. At the summit, he changed from crampons to skis, then took the view from 13,770 feet before heading down. From the top, he triggered numerous 8-inch avalanches and took one abrupt fall as he slushed his way down to the top of the Stettner Couloir. Then, excellent skiing to the rappel, where he rejoined his teammates for the bouncing descent on the rope, wearing skis. After another fall, Briggs used a rope to sideslip through ice bulges before heading past Glencoe Col and onto Teepe Glacier. From there, down to 7,700 feet, a near-continuous descent of nearly 6000 feet. How much of the descent was one fall away from certain death? ‘Quite a bit’ admits Briggs - ‘scary as hell, but nothing I wasn’t familiar with.’” Wow!!!! Article available on request.

From DAN McCARTHY: “Possible/Probable on the reunion. I’ll be in touch with HAP WINSLOW to check on his plans. We get together with wives FITZ and MARGARET 5/6 times a year. Margaret and I are still living in Hamilton , MA and have children and two grandsons in the area.

“Still very active at Northeastern University in Boston and don’t see leaving soon since I thoroughly enjoy what I do. Been thee a long while, but have constantly ‘recreated’ my career. Presently, a great variety: a little teaching, administration of our great Hi-Tech MBA Program and lots of writing/publishing along with just enough travel after lots of it earlier.

“I am also active as a Fellow at The Davis Center for Russian Studies at Harvard, which is perfect for me, since Russian Business and Management is my specialty and has been my passion for the last 12 years, including half a dozen trips there.

‘ “If I retired, i would do the same things since I am in great health due to decades of exercise, particularly road racing. I did hundreds of miles during my 50s and 60s until i ruptured my Achilles tendon. in my 50s, i did 11 marathons, all but my last one under 3:30 which was in Dublin , Ireland ( 3:48 - must have been the beer) with 3 at 3:05 . Still run and work out at reduced levels - just enough after decades of vigorous activity. “ Dan is the kind of person Dr. Hallowell will undoubtably being talking about - a nicely balanced combination of stimulation for both is head and his body. Can you imagine Dan and Bill Briggs sitting down over a couple of beers and talking about their lives?

MIKE and VIRGINIA BIGGS did two weeks in Cuba - the whole island, not just Havana - last November. Mike then hit his 45th reunion at Stanford Business School , which drew a respectable 27 alums out of 205 grads. Each attendee had to present a 90-second resume of his career with a cowbell being rung for those who went over. Likely a lot of ringing ensued.

Tyler, Migley & Adnopoz. Click on photo for a larger view.

GEORGE and IRENE HASKINS close up their place in Rochester, NY and escape the tough winters there by moving down to their condo - High Hammock Villas on Johns Island, SC. By means of the November newsletter, the Haskins discovered TOM and DAPHNE CORCORAN “about a driver, 3-wood and an 8-iron away at their winter place. They joined up for a mini-reunion around dinner and a lecture on Winston Churchill. Tom, by the way , was the source of the article on Bill Briggs.

Nice note from MARTHA-LEE MULLEN , widow of JACK, from Honolulu . She wanted to submit something for the 50th Book (Jack passed away in 1988). During the summer, she traveled to “the Mainland” twice and spent a good part of October in Europe . She met the KELSEYs (for the first time) when they visited Hawaii in 2002. It’s truly satisfying to hear from Class widows who enjoy keeping up with the doings of ‘54s.

Renaissance man TOM HALL claims that popular music ceased being interesting just about the time we graduated. He plays with a small band which refuses to play anything that’s younger than 50 years - unless, of course, it’s “Crazy” or “Girl from Ipanema”.

In the never-ending search for links to Classmates, communications-wise, like addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, height, color of eyes and birthdates, surprises never end. Rrbrace1 turned out to be DICK BRACE’s nephew who is, luckily, a ‘79 and understands the weird things that happen during reunion freneticism. Then there is timothyone.yahoo who, after receiving multiple messages meant for TOM SCOTT, asked to be deleted (most of the email had been ultra-conservative venom) and posited that he felt like an eavesdropper on a family argument. Turned out he is a young administrator in Tom’s orthopedic practice. Tom had “borrowed” his address a while back in order to join into cyberspaced chats.

The January/February issue of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine (page 83) lists the 2004 award recipients of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Award at Dartmouth College . JONATHAN MOORE is one of the four. The award recognizes Dartmouth-related people “who have contributed significantly to peace, civil rights, education, public health, environmental justice or social justice.” Additionally, “their demonstrated compassion, perseverance, courage and leadership in the difficult work of fostering human dignity and our common humanity.”

JANIE PEARL is one of those talented folk who have the capacity to write hilarious family letters at year-end. one clip: “DICK signed up for cooking school at the Culinary Institute and spent three Saturdays mastering the art of Italian, Asian and French cooking. He proudly showed off his talents by making lunch for the gardeners - we haven’t seen them since) and dinner for me (permanent captive audience.) I did draw the line at sauteing lamb chops in olive oil and breakfast from a wok. Some meals were better than others, but it’s nice to see him pursuing non-financial interests. if the stock market comes unglued, maybe he can hire out as an internationally-trained short order cook.”

In Memoriam

RAY JOSEPH WOLFF

Ray died of pneumonia November 11, 2003 in St. Louis . He is survived by his wife, Dr. Dolores Wolff and three children, Carl, Paul and Sara. Ray came to Hanover from Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School in St. Louis where he had been quite active in a range of activities from the sublime (yearbook, dramatics, orchestra, honor society) to the physical (football and wrestling). He began Dartmouth in the unique confines of College Hall with RON and DON WAGNER. Knowing that medicine was his future, he dove right into a Chem/Zoo major , nicely balanced with a first chair strings position in the Handel Society. His brothers of Tau Epsilon Phi remember him as one with with a “wonderful, quiet sense of humor” and as “a gentleman and a gentle man.” Ray specialized in OB/GYN and served as medical director of a medical research company. After a quadruple bypass in 1999, he sent in a hilarious note, proclaiming it “smell the roses time.” His friends agree that his warmth and understanding of the human equation had to have been perfect for his chosen field of endeavor. We are diminished by his passing.

PGBarker54@aol.com

(203) 661-7611