Class of 1958

2008 Class of the Year

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.”

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It’s not that the great Class of 1958 was sleeping. On the contrary, it was wide awake, thinking deep thoughts about its great milestone of a 50th reunion.  The officers of the class, plus many stalwart volunteers, had some serious goals to achieve, and they were not going to let anyone rest until those goals were met.  Knocking on the proverbial door, through letters and newsletters, emails, phone calls and personal visits, they wanted nothing less than the best reunion experience of their lives.  Happily, their lofty objectives were not only met but exceeded, bringing glory to the class and to the College they love so well.

Good leadership is the key to success, and the class was blessed with a strong leader in Ralph Manuel.  A former naval officer, headmaster and Dean of Dartmouth College, Ralph ran a tight ship.  Under his watch, the class held five meetings in the conduct of its business, including amendments to class by-laws and the establishment of the Class of 1958 Distinguished Service Award, named in honor of Peter D. Williamson.  Strong communications were the focus this year, all geared toward building excitement and attendance for the 50th reunion.  Seven class letters, 11 newsletters, six columns in the Alumni Magazine, and a much-visited website all contributed to the communications effort. In a burst of creativity, the class produced and sent two DVDs to each classmate, both aimed at maximizing enthusiasm for the reunion.  The 50th reunion book—all 496 pages—also helped the class reach its reunion attendance goals.

The 50th reunion was a stunning event.  Forty-two percent of the class made it made to Hanover for a fabulous, albeit steamy weekend.  The reunion giving effort smashed the record with an amazing 97.5% rate and $3,585,858 dollars raised!  This is truly perseverance that pays off, and yes, there was much knocking on doors and gates along the way.

The ’58s inaugurated the first four-year Class Connection program with the Class of 2008. This involved regular meetings with the ’08 executive committee, culminating with a gift to the seniors of $2058, with the request that the ’08s invest and grow this fund until its own 50th reunion, and challenging that class to exceed the ’58s record-setting gift.  A healthy competition between the two classes paid nice dividends, as the class of 2008 achieved a record 92.5% participation with its own senior gift.

Never a class to rest on its laurels, the ’58s want to build on their great legacy, and “work with the current undergraduates to instill in them the moral obligation to ensure that the quality of experience of which they were the beneficiaries is continued on to the [farthest] generation. It is their obligation, indeed it is their duty, to do so, and we wish to help them understand that sacred trust which we pass on to them.”

It is with great pride and admiration that we honor the Class of 1958, as the 2008 Class of the Year.