Click here for:
January
2007
www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/54/
PGBarker54@aol.com (203) 661-7611
THE GLORY YEARS!!
2007! - most of the Class will celebrate their 75th birthdays this year - the three-quarter point. And we younger types will be right behind. Think about the quarter points in our lives. At 25, we were either finishing up military obligations, law school, medical school or getting moving on our first jobs. We were married and beginning families. At 50, we were mid-career, paying college tuition bills, involved in our communities, remembering the '54 25th reunion, trying to keep physically active and giving thought to the various paths the future might take. Now, most of us are retired, enjoying grandchildren, watching our investments, expressing ourselves about politics and keeping active in all sorts of activities. At 75, the IRS gives us an estimated lifespan of 13.4 years (for required IRA distributions). Let's commit ourselves to two things: (1) proving the IRS wrong, and (2) going all out to meet new challenges, seek new opportunities and to live life to its fullest - be more than we can be! JERRY GOLDSTEIN forwarded a tract to me entitled The Metabolic Plan - Feeling Young in which the key point was "energy is the currency of life." All of our wallets are filled with this inherent energy - let's spend it!
By the time you receive this newsletter, you will have heard from STEVE MULLINS in regard to our planned communal 75th birthday party in New Orleans, The Big Easy. April 12 - 16. Mark your calendars, but more importantly, contact Steve soon if you plan to attend. The 70th was a blast at JERRY GOLDSTEIN's and proved that we truly know how to have a good time. The area of our activities in New Orleans has been fully vetted for safety and acceptable physical conditions and found in great shape. Now - just in! Rev. RIP COFFIN has come up with a wonderful embellishment of the celebration - potential opportunities for '54s to engage in some volunteerism. As the plan develops, you will hear more from Rip - nothing physically demanding, but truly good for the soul.
Our multiple "connecting" events have had consistent leadership and more new faces are appearing. If the sports activities don't interest you and you are within commuting distance of New York City, get your goodself to the monthly luncheons at the Yale Club (first Thursday of the month). Our regular table is at the far end of the dining room and gives each of us the opportunity to suck it in, assume an attitude and get noticed by everyone in the room. Hey - '54s in NYC, Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut , we're talking to you!
In the waning months of his term as Class President, DICK LEWIS was inspired to found the Gillespie Award - a means for acknowledging the efforts of '54s who brought to fruition activities which brought us together. The award honored two men: JOHN GILLESPIE, the undisputed all-time king of reunions and JAY DAVIS, who brought "connecting" into our vocabularies during his term as vice president. The award, generally accompanied by a citation, is an inspired photograph of a '54 flag, wafting in the breezes at the Lewis compound in Cape Elizabeth, ME - very presentable for one's living room or den wall. The photographer was - right! - John Gillespie. Four Gillespies were awarded recently. Jay presented one to SHELLY WOOLF at the Boston holiday luncheon:
"Shelly, few members of the Class of 1954 have enjoyed the notoriety you have since our very first days on campus. First, it was the shoes - yes, the shoes - that established WOOLFIE as the man to go to. Then, as Pi Lam's Archon, you garnered major credit for the new house. Then came Elizabeth, the energy behind your next 50 years of success in business, the family and in the hearts of your Classmates. But ego still drives a man on top and you needed a new challenge. 'Golf'' is a four-letter word and you grabbed it and ran. The 2006 linking of '54s in Florida broke all previous records and you suspected that a repeat might win you a Gillespie. You were right. Because of you, we '54s are super-connected!"
In New York, TONY KANE was called to the dais to be honored:
"Tony, 'doing lunch' has taken on a new special meaning for New York area '54s under your inspired leadership. You not only conceived the idea of luring Classmates into companionable groups with food and drink, but you led us through the desert of local restaurants until you hit on one that would treat us with the proper respect - the Roof Restaurant of the Yale Club. Now, when your persistent notices summon us to the monthly table, we are assured of stimulating chatter, strong opinions and new faces. Because of you, we are realizing the joys of connecting and we are proud to present you with this Gillespie Award!
Shelly and Tony's acceptance remarks reflected the well-known personalities of the two men. ED SCOTT and DON BELCHER were similarly honored, receiving their awards by mail. The Class citation-writer has offered to write appropriate commentaries for the Northwest Mini organizers. If they are requested, they will be quoted in this medium.
At my table at the NYC luncheon, Dr. DAVE LEVINE held forth on his farm and the demands of keeping horses, sheep and ducks. Did you know that sheep grow toenails? Yep - they grow within the grooves of their hooves and must be trimmed - interested? Dave is a man who delves deeply into new pastimes as they catch his interest. In addition to making fine furniture and farming, his newest activity has been learning Italian cooking - mainly in Tuscany. In a burst of energy and skill, he and JANET put together a luncheon honoring JERRY and DOROTHY GOLDSTEIN at their Sky Acres Farm in Ancram, New York. Invitees included MARCIA and LYON GREENBERG, JANE WATERS and PETE CALDWELL, JUDITH and DICK STEINBERG, ARLENE and DAN NEIDITZ and MILLIE and LO-YI CHAN. The Italian menu's primo piatto included a choice of Lasagne alla Bolognese Forno or Lasagne Frutta di Mare, homemade with green Dartmouth pasta. An exhibit was presented, showing the new Goldstein Hall in the McLaughlin Residential Center and photos and legends of each of the '54s present from our Freshman Green Book. The exhibit also listed the many ways in which Jerry has served his College and his Class. Nothing would do after such a dose of nostalgia than multiple toasts of Prosecco. No better way to spend a crisp Sunday in late January.
Caldwell, Chan, Goldstein, Greenberg, Levine, Neiditz and Steinberg
At the very same table at the Yale Club, the conversation drifted to the famously anticipated Dartmouth-Princeton game of 1951. The gridiron performances of Princeton's star back, Dick Kazmeier, had gotten his photograph on the cover of Time magazine. Speculation ran rampant. From my extensive MESICS Files: "Ah yes, the Princeton game, 1951. There are almost limitless tales about that fracas. What I recall, though, is being selected, along with PAUL MACKEY, during the practice week preceding the game to 'Stop K up the middle'. We both, aggressive sophomores, nodded in agreement with Tuss. His plan, not too complex, in fact - when Mackey said 'fire', I was to slant across the middle and he would go straight ahead. On 'ice', the reverse was in order. Over and over that week, we responded to 'fire' and 'ice' 'til Del Isola was almost, but not quite satisfied, so he asked Tuss for a full-scale scrimmage - this on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I'm not kidding, and if confirmation is needed of this character-building event, just check with RUDY THIELSCHER whose leg was broken on that icy afternoon in Hanover on the final play of the scrimmage. Tuss had had enough! OK, the game. They received the kickoff, which squirted into the end zone. Ball on the twenty, it was the first play of this infamous game, the films of which were later featured in a Dartmouth gut course called 'Social Disorientation.' Mackey called 'ice' and we both sped straight ahead. K ran for eighty yards for a TD that was called back because Brad Glass was holding. Ask Mackey! Was he going straight ahead on 'ice'? Only the football gods know ........ Re 'Dirty Don' Myers '52 - he took care of Spears from Yale, Mitch Price from Columbia, a couple of halfbacks from Cornell before doing his famous elbow work on K. God bless him." Now, a few newsletter editor (who was sitting in the safe seats of the marching band) observations:
- our quarterback, JIM MILLER, suffered a broken leg, but got no press
- my recollection was that it was "Gentle George" Rambour who inadvertently rearranged Kazmeier's proboscis, not Myers
- who won the game? Probably didn't matter
- the 2001 Dartmouth directory listed Myers as a dentist in the Virgin Islands
DON SIMONDS sends us an acerbic quote from Konrad Lorenz, ethologist and Nobel laureate: "I believe I found the missing link between animal and civilized man - it is us." Takes us back to our Great Issues speaker, Walt Kelly, when his 'possum, Pogo, made the environmentally prescient comment: "We have met the enemy and he is us."
Greencards:
- Turns out that DAVE and LOUISE RANSOM are not ascending the highest point in every state, but just New York and New England at this point. Dave's mission is to scatter his mother's ashes, symbolically. So far, some significant places - Katahdin, Mansfield, Greylock, then maybe Mt. Frissell, Bear Mountain, Marcy and, in Rhode Island, Jerimoth Hill. The hardy couple hopes to complete the Cohos Trail in New Hampshire as a warm-up to the 55th reunion assault on Moosilauke.
- MARY GUNAS writes that PETE has switched to the Class of 1956 as an affiliation. Illness prevented him from trooping to graduation in 1954 and he finally got his diploma with the '56s.
- DOT FITCH proclaims that she and her buddy, HAROLD BLOOD, thoroughly enjoy kicking it around with '54s when they abandon Greenfield for the warmer climes of Punta Gordo, FL.
- After 27 years as a widower, TOM OSBORN remarried - Valerie, a Britisher, who has been on our shores for 25 years. The happy nuptials were conducted at their vacation home in Fountain Hills, AZ.
- DON AUSTERMANN happily finished his cardio rehab, got the second shoulder replaced (in time for spring training) and lost 25 pounds. Didn't run into any '54s in the ICU. One of his six grandkids, a femme, is starting forward for the Bethel, CT hoops team.
- GEORGE KINGSLEY: "Had to miss the Northwest gathering because we had signed on for a cruise from Alaska to Russia to Japan to China. Got to hike part of the Great Wall - very impressive. Japan was quite a revelation - the #2 economy in the world, with no natural resources, just skilled, hardworking labor. The mission at Hiroshima was difficult - very sobering. We were glad to have experienced it."
- West Virginian TOM SCOTT says he's "still creaking around and not making moonshine." He recommends the film "We Are Marshall", a great film about a sad happening.
Address changes (I know you don't record these, but feel it's a required duty):
-
AUDREY CLARKSON - 768D Hudson Parkway, Whiting, NJ 08759;
(732) 350-0865
- TOM OSBORN -2000 Irving Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55405; 02Tom@aol.com
- ALEC GRAY -wagdart54@gmail.com
- BOB MOWER - 453 Rounsville Rd, Rochester, MA 02770; (508) 763-4326
- GEORGE HITCHCOCK - captaingh@roadrunner.com
- WILLIAM NORCROSS - 4513 Glendale St., Metairie, LA 70006
- ERNIE DAHL - 211 Perazul Circle, Sacramento, CA 95835; (915) 419-2679
- JIM COLBY - jgcolby@ukonline.co.uk
- WES DINGMAN cwdingman@frontiernet.net
- PETE GUTLON - PS@Gutlon.com; cell - (413) 822-0506
-
CLIFF EVANS -
3848 Palos Verdes
Drive, North,
Palos Verdes Estates,
CA 90274; (310) 378-0786
Our Class Nomad, PETE KENYON, reported on a mini-odyssey taken last fall: "The adventure started with a luncheon JILL, SASHA and I hosted with our newsletter editor at Gallagher's Steak House in New York City. Last time I recall walking in, past the various cuts of raw beef staring out from the entranceway window, was sometime in the mid-70s. PETE had made the reservation and we were seated at the table which, for many years, had been reserved for the then VP - Marketing & Sales for CBS, one GAIL BARKER. We were thoroughly brought up to date on local theatre happenings with an occasional comment on discus or shotput. Note: table location was in close proximity to the bar. Memories are made of this. (Editor's note - Jill and I discovered a common avid interest in 'possums and drew the attention of several nearby diners with our conversation.). The following evening, we dined with DICK and MARILYN GRASSEY and BILL and JANE WHITE at The Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, NY. Dick looked to be recovering nicely from two recent cancer operations. Bill still looks like he cut out his 1950 freshman picture and pasted it on his well-manicured frame. By coincidence, a Club member (standing at the bar) had bought a copy of The Wall Street Journal containing an editorial on 'Dissidence at Dartmouth'. Started a quite lively discussion. The Tuxedo Club is something of an interesting venue. In the mid-19th century, a heavy smoker by the name of Pierre Lorillard and a chap with a keen yen for chocolate named Charles Baker purchased a two-mile long lake and the surrounding 5000 acres just north of the NJ/NY border. They invited their society friends to join them, started the Club and built the third oldest golf course in the country. Formal male dress at the time was tails. For one event, a young Lorillard had his tailor remove the tails from his jacket and thus, society males started clamoring for the Tuxedo! Note: none of our contingent was in formal attire (except in our manner of speech). Next day, we arrived at the Innis Arden Golf Club in Old Greenwich, CT for lunch with BOB and BARBARA LEVINE. Bob had recently added to his house collection with a purchase in Naples, FL. Conversation switched between real estate and descriptions of the most interesting trips they had either taken or were in the planning stage of. While Bob and Barbara have been members of the Club for quite some time, they are a bit short on where the land area got its first known start. They showed us the original grant of the land the Club occupies, signed in 1640 by an Indian tribe, then known as the title holders. Food superb, as they recently lured one of the area's best chefs (Kevin Sullivan) to preside. Then back to Acton and our historical house built in 1987. Oh well......" Another editor's note - In the summer before matriculating in Hanover, my son, Bill '81, was runner-up in the Innis Arden Club golf championship, then went on to captain the Dartmouth golf team, taking them to the Nationals in 1981. A January Greencard from Marilyn Grassey echoed Peter's observations of Dick's recovery from his cancer problems: "After not playing golf for a year, Dick played four times here in Florida this month. In September '06, we attended the international American Public Works convention in Kansas City, MO, where Dick was honored by TYMCO Industries as president of Grassey Equipment and for establishing one of its pioneer dealerships which has continued to support their efforts for the past forty years. Very nice trophy!"
The inimitable LARRY RUSSELL made his annual trek south to Atlanta for Green holiday observances. GORDY NICHOLS wore a tie! 75 degrees and 100 attendees at a manor house, with 1952 as the oldest class represented.
The ADNOPOZs and the FENNs went to the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven to see JOHN CUNNINGHAM in A.R. Gurney's "The Cocktail Hour". At dinner with Mr. C., they had to request a very private table in order to avoid the multitude of autograph-seekers. The New York Times went overboard on John's performance: "Ms. Rubenstein (Creative Director) gets special credit for hiring John Cunningham to play the old-school dad - a poseur who's also the real deal, a skinflint who's also ready to write a $20,000 check to get his son to do what he wants. Mr. Cunningham, mixing drinks at the crystal-laden bar cart in tweed jacket and plaid tie, embodies these contradictions with ease. Never losing his cool, he reveals Bradley's shifts in feelings with tiny alterations in body language and inflection. It is a commanding performance by an actor perhaps born to play this character." Bravo!
John Cunningham, in the company of actress Mary Beth Peil
Headlines in the November 2nd Las Vegas Review-Journal trumpeted "Philharmonic Guild Honors HUGH and PHYLLIS ROBERTS!" The event, held at the Red Rock Resort had been preceded by a surprise "thank-you" blast for the duo in June. The honors were well-earned. Hugh and Phyllis founded the Guild, a volunteer support organization, six years ago and were eminently successful in luring the big names in Vegas to participate. Their last three years were served as president and vice president. When asked what they were doing now, Hugh emailed: "We are now in a semi-retired public holding pattern", which could be interpreted as "Whaddaya got? We're available!" Their holiday letter covered two full pages and included The Salvation Army, CCNY Alumni Association, the Liberace Museum, the Assistance League and travel/visiting all over the place.
BOB WOODBERRY asked for a photo of the DAVE McLAUGHLIN bust, now proudly displayed in the GOLDSTEIN Residence Hall. Here it is, eyebrows and all!:
BOB MOWER has "Closed the doors forever on The Hobby Horse on December 3rd and moved four miles north to an 1810 farmhouse" in Rochester, MA. He had operated the Hobby Horse antique shop and appraisal service in Marion, MA for many years.
In a brief wail of frustration, STEVE MULLINS wrote that he had been swamped through the holidays with the biggest and most complicated real estate deal of his life - trying to sell "our NYC property and having partners problems". For our former president, who regularly swims fish-infested high-chop bodies of water, it's easy to assume who's coming out on top.
JOHN GILLESPIE's latest career as a greeter and tender on the Downeaster Train comes with some unexpected benefits. In December, his name was drawn for a raffle on the train and he won! Just like he used to win the raffle for our Homecoming room. The prize was an overnight for two and dinner for two at The Shipyard Inn at Sugarloaf. The award notice came from the Manager of the Epicurean Feast - Amtrak.
While we're on John, he has thrown down the gauntlet for the "prettiest mail carrier" serving a Classmate. He has flooded the newsletter editor's mailbox with photographs of the lovely Janice, who lets not "rain, snow nor dark of night" deter her from her appointed rounds. All '54s are invited to enter the contest with photos. I tried with our Greenwich, CT gal, but she refuses to pose naked.
This year's sponsored Tucker Foundation International intern will be benefiting from the DONALD R. DESCOMBES '54 Tucker Internship. BETTY responded to Pete Kenyon's notification: "Furthering student educational opportunity was always of vital interest to Deke. He was on the Board of the Claremont Graduate University for over twenty years. He worked diligently to bring resources and opportunities to its many qualified students. Our sons Jeff '80 and Gordon join me in thanking you for the honor."
The commercial properties along the Southeast and Gulf coasts of the United States are classified as "disaster-prone" by the insurance industry. Many of our Classmates can attest to this. Emerging from this acknowledged problem/opportunity is Ironshore Insurance, a Bermuda-based firm whose financing was arranged by BOB CLEMENTS and his son, John. Among the investing firms which provided $1 billion, was Bear Stearns, the former "primitive alcazar" of JERRY GOLDSTEIN. For two elderly, retired guys, Bob and Jerry certainly belie the common definition of "retired." Bob and MARILYN toured New Delhi and the Rajastan area of India in January, then returned to the good life of Cayman Island, newly recovered from the devastations of Ivan a few years ago.
MIKE BIGGS reports that GINNY, suffering a small cough, asked for a chest X-ray, from which she received an early diagnosis of lung cancer. The discovery was early enough to avoid major circumstances through the removal of the upper right lobe. No traces of cancer in the lymph nodes, but, just to be safe, she underwent some chemo to knock out any microscopic cancer cells that might have been swimming around in her blood stream. The message that Mike underlines is Get Checked! - particularly if you are a smoker or ex-smoker.
While running the Golden Eagle Lodge in Stowe is a delightful activity, HERB and ANN HILLMAN find that Florida offers a nice respite and an ever-enlarging population of '54s to schmooze with. January 15 through the end of February. SKIP and CAROL WEYMOUTH have found a nice condo community in Bonita Springs where the same crowd gathers annually in the winter months. And my Yale/New Haven cardiologist is a frequent guest of the WINNICK's at their place on the coast. Perhaps we are at the point where we need a full-time '54 coordinator for the Sunshine State - send applications to Jay Davis.
Did you know that there is a 39-cent postage stamp bearing the Gillespie-designed '54 logo? Cousin DICK BARKER sent me a pane of them. Once I paste one of them on an envelope and determine that the letter was delivered, I shall investigate how the stamps came into being (with the slight suspicion that Dick is printing them in his basement.)
If you are a crossword puzzle devotee, be aware that Will Shortz's 30th Annual Crossword Puzzle Tournament is scheduled for March 23-25 in Stamford, CT. If you're interested, check out http://crosswordtournament.com. What's a six-letter word for "member of Dartmouth's great Class of 1954?"
IN MEMORIAM
Condolences to PAUL DABNEY on the loss of his beloved JANE in mid-January.
RICH ROGIN and BILL SHERMAN passed away January 1st and January 18th, respectively. Both will be honored in the next newsletter. Memories and anecdotes are invited.
*************************************************************************
JAY GOODMAN ENGEL, JR.
Jay passed away on November 11th after a two-year battle with MDS, an acquired genetic disease which causes bone marrow to stop making red blood cells. The news came to us from his boyhood friend, JOHN HEYN. Jay and DIANE spent the post-diagnosis period living life to its fullest, continuing classes at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, enjoying their young grandsons, attending plays and concerts and participating in storytelling programs and gatherings.
Jay's full-page submission to our More Reflections 50th book described an incredibly full and satisfying life and career. The generosity of time and care he brought to his teaching position at St. Mark's School in Southborough, MA was evident during his earlier years on the third floor of Butterfield Hall: JOEL LASKY - "a very gentle, likable guy who was sought out for his sense of humor", BILL MURANE - "Jay's family took pity on me one Thanksgiving vacation with an invitation to Baltimore when the transportation then available did not render a trip back to Wyoming feasible. His father and mother treated me with my first Seder. I remember Jay as a thoughtful, serious and most pleasant Classmate", PHIL COOKE - "During spring break, we had crew training in Philly. RON DUNTON, who was training with the 150s somewhere in Delaware, and I answered Jay's invitation for dinner at his home near Baltimore. He would fix us up with dates. After a memorable dinner with his folks, we picked up the dates and had a good time in town. Nice break from crew practice due to a thoughtful Classmate", Sig Ep brother BOB RIGGIO: "All hail and farewell to one of the finest".
Rather than rephrase Jay's fine reportage on the many aspects of his life from More Reflections, here is a kaleidoscope of commentary from Diane, the "very attractive girl sitting opposite me" who became his wife in 1964.
"During my mid-life training as a librarian in the mid-80s, I introduced Jay to storytelling and he took off like a rocket, having held audience's attention in the classroom and school assemblies for decades. After Dartmouth and the years of travel and study, he had 'found his bliss' as joseph Campbell would put it, in teaching at St. Marks, a profession to which he brought tremendous energy, scholarship and inspiration for most of the rest of his life."
"Jay was always seeking ways to share his enthusiasm for music and the theater with students by taking students into Boston for plays and concerts. About 15 years ago, he instituted an exciting new program: an annual trip to the Metropolitan Opera, with dinner, the opera and a return trip the same night! At first, there were enough students to fill one bus. After a few years, three buses were needed and today, 165 students, plus faculty left to see 'Tosca'. I dropped off Godiva chocolates for the trip - Jay believed in feeding the young well while selling them culture."
An extraordinary Classmate who left quite a mark on this earthly plain. A book will be placed in Baker Library in his memory.