JULY 2002

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JULY 2002

A SCORE OF ‘54s!

No, that’s not the winning entry for the "What Do You Call a Group of ‘54s?" contest. It’s the number of imaginative classmates that stepped up and submitted a creative idea. Score, like in Abraham Lincoln’s address at the Gettysburg battle field. The response went far beyond expectations and drew in a surprising range of men, geographically, politically and by predilection. While there is a hands-down winner, the editorial board determined to present all the entries in the interest of eliciting bigger numbers for future such endeavors.

-DICK DAVIDOFF played it straight with a Nifty Force of 54s

-DICK BARKER went a little weird with a Flaggle of 54s

-the most popular was a Tribe of 54s, submitted by JOHN STEEL , ED KIDD and an unidentified South Floridian

-Dr. STEEL, in true conservative style, also put forth a Powwow

-Dr. ED HORTON took the high road with a Fantasy, a Phenomenon and a Fabulous Few

-then there was the fully anticipated Whole Sh_tpot of 54s from DICK PLUMMER. Wall Street Journal editor PAUL MARTIN was consulted on the proper presentation of barnyard terminology and he posited that the sensitivity of the readership should be considered. If wives and clergy weren’t dedicated readers of this journal, the vowel would not have been omitted

-a Stalwart of 54s was injected by your editor, just to be a player

-DON MILLER waved his many higher educational degrees at us and suggested a Flatulence of 54s, feeling that such a gathering of our classmates had to involve the release of an abundance of noxious gases

-BOB LEVINE used 2 postcards - a Crap: Classmates Reuning And Pontificating; a Crab: Classmates Reminiscing Around a Bar; and      a Crooh: Classmates Reuning Outside Of Hanover

-Ever inventive SHELLY WOOLF says a             Konglomeration of 54s makes sense

-DICK LEWIS dug into his memories: ‘when Maine fishermen are searching for lobsters, herring, mussels, clams, etc. they look for a mess. A group of pals who drink and dine together in the Navy constitute a mess, therefore, a Mess of 54s.’

-BILL GARLAND’s granddaughter had the same thought, but has a problem with the pronunciation of ‘mess’, ergo, a Mesh of 54s - which has its own special connotation

-ED SCOTT just kept sending ‘em in: a Grope, a Smudge, a Clutch, a Six-pak,then reached back into Chaucer for a Paunchandpate of 54s

-Reflecting the constant search for a new mascot, PERRY WESTON imagined a Mooseful

-GEORGE HASKINS’ crossword dictionary shows Flote as a synonym            or ‘herd’, but he can find no specific definition for it. Flota is Spanish for ‘fleet’

-Class philosopher JOE MESICS conjured: a Round of Well-rounded 54s; a Somatic Sea of Truth-seeking 54s (Huxley); a Platoon of Linear 54s Lined Up For Beer; and Highly Desiccated Dartmouths Downing Drafts

-from British Columbia, Canada, DON WHEATLEY injects a sinister Murderof Old 54 Crows

-then the capper. DON SIMONDS primed the pump with a grumpy Bellyful of 54s, then drilled one over the wall with a HOVEY of 54s! The perfect word! Its two syllables roll off the tongue easily and its historical attitudinal link withthe Class of 1954 is Legion - see next ....

On Easter Day, 1894, Richard Hovey ‘85, a renowned poet and journalist wrote the words to a comical song about Eleazer Wheelock and the founding of the College (‘... and 500 gallons of New England rum!! What’s an ‘alcazar?). He is also the author of the words to ‘Men of Dartmouth’ and the ‘Hanover Winter Song’ (Zum, Zum, Zum ....). In the late 1930s, Walter Humphries ‘14, decided to create a mural to memorialize the words of the Eleazer song and painted it on the wall of what was to become the Hovey Grill. It depicted Indians in loincloths and a paunchy Eleazer, dispensing rum. In 1979, political correctness overtook the College and the painting was covered and removed from public sight. The spirit and intentions of Richard Hovey mirror the simpler times that we enjoyed as students in the early 50s, so Hovey it is!

Minimal responses were received about 50th wedding anniversaries and ‘sandwiches and milk!’, but FRANK DENIETOLIS wrote lyrically: ‘You hit the nail right on the head. NANCY and I have been married since June 14, 1952. We lived at Wigwam Circle and did the sandwiches and milk thing. To me, it seems like yesterday - Nancy says it seems like an eternity! We have four great sons after having been told that, because of endometiosis, Nancy might never have children, thus the wedding in ‘52 to try to beat the clock. After each pregnancy and birth, the doctor proclaimed it a miracle!. We finally made a pilgrimage to Ste. Anne de Beaupre near Quebec to ask God to shut it off - four was enough! We are going to spend a month in the South Pacific - Hawaii, Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora on our second honeymoon. Finally going to get to our Bali Hai.’ Nice story.

JACK and ANN DONAHUE toasted each other on their 50th recently. Their estimate, over a three year period was over 58,000 sandwiches made and consumed. Jack was just inducted into the Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame.

TOM and KATE TYLER just banged the 50th gong and their sizable clan was gathering in Michigan to honor the king and queen. During college years, Tom eschewed sandwich-making for the more physical hauling of oil for those wintering in the Hanover area.

DAVE and MARIE DAME celebrated their 50th on an island (Hawaii) cruise with son Doug ‘76 and his wife. Dave retired from 30 years of government service as a specialist on insects that transmit disease. Early life included visits to 25 countries and a 5-year tour in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Since 1970 , the Dames have lived in Gainesville, FL where Dave directed a federal scientific team researching mosquitoes that transmit malaria, dengue, encephalitis, etc., plus international programs for new ways to control tsetse flies and mosquitoes. Retirement seems to be only a word, as demands on Dave’s expertise continues apace. Maybe the golfers will finally see them at Crystal River in 2003.

Let’s hear from the rest of you Golden Anniversary celebrants!

Word from crossword fanatics was even more sparse, but very intense. PERRY and POLLY WESTON attend to the L.A. Times puzzle every day. GEORGE HASKINS claims to ‘attempt’ about 15 crosswords a week, including the highly challenging Friday Wall Street Journal offering. George echoes the feeling that the activity is mentally stimulating and educational about life and the world’s cultures. Your editor is a strict 7-day a week devotee of the New York Times puzzles.

PETE KENYON and JOHN HESTON’s ‘penpal project’ with the Class of 2004 has prompted several notes from 54’s who are enjoying the experience. There are 54 of our classmates and 125 ‘04s. Additionally, there is a mini-reunion type gathering among the participants this summer.

HARRY ROBINSON has been honored by the Treasurers’ Association by being appointed their representative on the Alumni Council for a three-year term. Even though we are officially represented by a ‘53 on the Council, we always seem to have one of ours in its midst anyway.

JUDITH STEINBERG had an old hip replacement brought into the 21st century with some surgery (a ‘revision’). Back out striding around like it never happened. Because of DICK’s service on the national board of the USO, he and Judith joined a tour to entertain the troops in Korea, accompanied by Wayne Newton, Bo Derek, Drew Carey and a C&W singer. They flew to Korea on a chartered 60-passenger jet out of Vegas. Stay tuned for the report.

Cape Cod has become a most active setting for a Hovey of 54s. The WOOLFs got the LEWISs, BARKERs and MILKEYs together for some ‘pops’ and revelry. The ever-philosophical Shelly mentioned that his 70th birthday occurred on July 13, ‘but if I didn’t repeat junior year in prep school, I’d only be 69.’ Very deep. Word has it that DICK and JANE PAGE celebrated their 140th birthday in the company of the above plus the DUNC ROBERTS, GILLESPIEs, GEORGE MCLAUGHLINs and the MYERS.

DR. ED HORTON and BETTY ‘Continue to work and travel a lot. So far this spring, we’ve been to Prague, Tokyo and Paris, plus various and sundry US cities. Still love Boston and our ‘country home’ in Vermont. No retirement in sight yet!’

Noting the various mentions of RON DUNTON’s activities, ED SCOTT wonders whether he applies his oral hygiene regimen to goats, in addition to cats and dogs.

In William Safire’s regular Sunday New York Times column, ‘On Language’, he mentions Paul Martin’s book, ‘The Wall Street Journal Guide to Business Style and Usage’ and its unique entries like triple witching, green-shoe clause and dragon bonds. Also, no periods in CIA and no apostrophe for Presidents Day. On the other hand, the Times uses the periods and apostrophe. Fascinating!

GEORGE and SYL HITCHCOCK just got back from a 16-day singing trip to Europe with the Hilton Head Choral Society. They sang in some beautiful baroque cathedrals and toured extensively. George: ‘A long time ago I found that it was easier to carry a tune than a French horn.’ The happy couple celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary at the Hofbrau Haus in Munich.

JERRY GOLDSTEIN, the majordomo of our collective 70th birthday party provides the current report:

‘There is availability for fifteen additional classmates to participate in the gala 70th birthday party for the Class of 1954. Dates are Wednesday, September 18th to Friday, September 20th, 2002. Headquartered at the Tarrytown Hilton, Tarrytown, NY. Events will feature visits to the Roosevelt Library and homesites in Hyde Park, a tour of West Point, a tour of and gourmet lunch at the Culinary Institute of America and an opening dinner party at Jerry and Dorothy Goldstein’s home. As of July 10th, the following classmates have signed up to attend:

Adnopoz J. Davis D. Keller Neiditz

Aronson R. Dean Kelsey Osmond

R. Barker Fenn Klineman R. Page

W. Barker Freund D. Levine Rauch

Barton Geithner R. Levine H. Robinson

Berlin Gillespie R. Lewis Rubin

Berry Gilson Low Schenck

Borden Goldstein Mahler Steinberg

Chan Grassey Mandelbaum Tofias

Chandler Gutlon D. McLaughlin Weil

Classon Hartman Metz Weidenthal

Clements Heston J. Moore Winnick

Coffin Hoskins Mullins Woolf

If you are interested in joining in, call Jerry (212) 272-2459 or email: jrgoldstein@bear.com

In his quest for perfection, Jerry recently did some 70th research by helping to celebrate JOHN FREUND’s step into his eighth decade. Adding depth to the research were John’s Horace Mann classmates, GAIL and DICK RUBIN, John’s Gamma Delt roomie, DAN NEIDITZ along with ARLENE and Jerry’s very senior associate, DOROTHY. In keeping with their luminance, John and SUSIE were selected as the most dazzling couple, out of 650 people, to be photographed in dance mode at the gala opening ball for the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts.

Rev. DAVE and LOUISE RANSOM have been back on the trails again. Moosilauke (Ridge Trail) on June 4, then up to the monument and back into Hanover on June 5 to meet with penpal ‘04. Also ran into some folks they had encountered at the Tucker Foundation 50th. Back on the Appalachian Trail in Maine , July to mid-August.

Speaking of the AT, DANA LOW finally achieved his goal of hiking the full 2,160 miles of The Trail. He did it in 15 separate section hikes over four years, ranging from two days to five weeks in duration. His fifteenth section was five weeks through Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Now rediscovering the game of golf. Dana and ANNE are currently in Italy , where Anne is singing with the Greenwich Choral Society in Rome and Florence. After, it’s ten days in the Chianti region, exploring, hiking, pasta eating and wining.

Also on the App. Trail, DON SIMONDS found an article on a meeting of the Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers Association in Hanover which stated: ‘Designated shower hours are provided - a necessity because, at the earlier Gatherings (when showers weren’t provided), some used to take sponge baths and wash their hair in the lavatory sinks, much to the horror of the well-to-do Dartmouth students. An announcement had to be made at the general meeting: ‘No taking baths in the sinks!’’Don is alarmed at the change in perception of students - ‘What happened to the ‘hairy-chested vandals from the North’?’

The June issue of AAA’s Horizons trumpeted the election of GEORGE GRABOYS as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for AAA Southern New England. He has been on the Board since 1977 and it took three columns of Horizons to list George’s contributions to his various communities.

STEVE MULLINS expanded on the story of his being hit by a car in Chicago. Although the body damage was a bloodied head and lots of bruising and scraping, the major damage was the body trauma which occurs from such a shock: ‘Difficult to sleep or raise out of bed for weeks. Couldn’t tie shoes for two weeks. Doc said 4-6 month recovery - now I believe. Back into the pool after 3 weeks. I, a 32 second 50-yard man, couldn’t break a minute! Picked up only one medal at the World Championships in New Zealand - should have been four or five. It was the third accident in a year: March 2001, JAY DAVIS leads me over a cliff in Aspen - bruised knee bone - 6 weeks; August, fell off kitchen counter changing a light bulb (should have used three Harvard men) - bruised back and rib cage - 8 weeks; then this in January - 3-4 months. Hope third time is the the charm.’ Ever the observer, Don Simonds suggests that only a man with New Hampshire granite in his muscles and brain could survive these ordeals. Don also wonders about the condition of the car that collided with Steve.

RON DUNTON emailed in a confession that his going out for Freshman Crew was only a ploy to get permission to have a car on campus. His fabled lifestyle during his early campus years was so contrary to the disciplines required for Crew that the government is considering a secret program, ‘The Dunton Project’, to discover how he survived.

From Dr. BEN GILSON: ‘This May marked another great week in Quebec at the CHANDLER fishing camp. JAY is ever the ultimate host. While he is third generation accomplished poker player and fisherman, once in a while another person - like a ‘54 classmate - can draw the right cards or bluff fish and fisherman. Note his pleased expression (photo on back page). You can’t hear the commentary, but it went something like: ‘I’m not sure it’s a trout. Maybe it’s a big herring. Small, isn’t it? Maybe 2 pounds (4 pounds!) Looks like one I threw back. We’ll have to check the measuring stick. Lucky the game warden didn’t come by. Well - with a little luck, maybe a few or us will have a small bite of fish. Hard to consider this one worth one bluey (poker chip). Hmmm - that was a five of diamonds you used?’

A few months ago, Ed Scott reported that he had heard from BOB MOWER and that he was having some severe problems with his eyesight - might drop Bob a note. DON BERLIN and your editor received a warm note from Bob last year, extolling the virtues of reconnecting and maintaining the cohesive nature of the Class. Feel well, Bob!

Just because he’s the kind of guy he is, Classmates feel compelled to write notes to HARRY ROBINSON when they pay their dues. STEVE FAST - ‘Burma a highlight! No-one in Zimbabwe because of all the trouble. We were the only ones over there - well, almost. Only 38 people at Victoria Falls Hotel, but we made it back!’ And from Harry’s Alumni Fund calls: STAN ROSENBERG still in medicine - indeed, operating this morning on a serious prostate case. Reports SAM TROCK in good order. TOM MALCOLM sold his Florida house - not used enough. He’ll try the famous Malcolm charm on STAN CLARK and BAYARD JOHNSON to get them to the December lunch in New York.

Chief Justice NORM VEASEY spoke to a group of CEOs, COOs and CFOs at the Tuck School on the subject of corporate governance last April. Most pertinent topic in this present era of badness. Our 50th reunion in June 2004 coincides with the end of Norm’s 12-year ride as Chief Justice of Delaware.

Retired Marine General TONY LUKEMAN has taken on writing as an avocational pastime. He is assisting in the preparation of a textbook on leadership and looking for a publisher for his book of poems for children. Let him know if you have a fertile source in the business.

CHARLIE MORRISON’s upcoming column in Tuck Today is full of ‘54 news, but will not be reported here until he’s in print. Featured in the column is Charlie’s commentary on the Arthur Andersen damage suffered from the Enron debacle. The damnation of the entire firm, based on the bad judgments of a few is a travesty. Both Charlie and PAUL WILSON were career-long partners in the firm.

MEREDITH MYSERIAN just had an adventure! - ‘Took a Southbound Discovery cruise on the M.S. Statendam in May, from Seward to Vancouver, BC. Had always heard Alaska is beautiful, but it is something else to actually see! Glacier Bay was totally awesome! The ice columns were ‘calving’ off with loud thunderous echo-like sounds, before tumbling into the Bay with a huge spray. Visited Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan. A salmon bake and a lot of hiking. Took a day or so to get over the jet lag and get used to the brightness at night, esp. in Anchorage. A worthwhile experience though, and so many things to do.’ Next time around, Meredith intends to get to Denali/Fairbanks, based on AL EDMUNDSEN’s description of his trip there.

The first ‘54 International Trip to the Greek Isles was a ‘home run’ according to all the 14 classmates and wives who joined in. The adventurers included the couples ADNOPOZ, BERLIN, J. DAVIS, FENN, HARTMAN, MANDELBAUM, D. MARTIN, MULLINS, MURANE, OSMOND, R. PAGE, POPE, H. ROBINSON and TYLER. From an opening tour of the Acropolis and dinner of mezes, the group boarded their private yacht, the Callisto for a seven day cruise of the isles including Siros, Delos, Samos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Symi, Rhodes, Astipalea and Santorini. Several of the stops had impressive historical and religious significance. After their return to Athens, six of the couples flew to Istanbul for a site-filled three days. The special vibrations of deep-based camaraderie in the luxurious confines of the yacht put the icing on a fabulous mini-reunion in exotic climes. Plans for a similar event next year are already on the drawing board. The selected group photos are a little too much for the dimensions of the newsletter, so have been forwarded to the Class Webster, PERRY DAVIS for publishing on the ‘54 website.

College Stuff

-a phenomenal source of information - the Digital Library for Alumni, online access to70-million full text articles in Baker Library. Try it out. Here’s how to do it: (1) log onto http://www.northernlight.com/dartmouth, (2) click on New User Sign-in link in left column, and (3) fill out all the information to establish a user name and password. -after two weeks, the newly named Director of Athletics withdrew his acceptance of the job based on reports that he had misrepresented his educational background. Quickly after, Josie Harper, Senior Associate Director was named to the post. Ms. Harper is the first female to hold the position at both Dartmouth and in the Ivy League. Her background is awesome in its dimensions, including an ‘81-’92 stint as our winning lacrosse coach.

-Our adopted classmate, CARRIE PELZEL, Vice President of Development, got Daily D headlines on her huge upcoming project - capital campaign kicking off in 2003 with a likely goal of $1-billion over 7 years.

-strange headline: ‘Tucker’s Lord alienates some student leaders.’ Turns out it’s not THE LORD, but Stuart Lord, the Dean of the Tucker Foundation. Whew! Eleazer would have been really upset!

-’College Boasts High 4-Year Grad Rates’, recently 86.2% of students graduating in four years. It’s been as high as 89.3% (1999). A lot better than the ‘look to your right and to your left - one of you won’t be here four years from now.’

Changes and Additions

Please grab your Class directory and insert the following:

Denietolis - FNDEN@aol.com

Donahue - JCKEVERBREEZE@aol.com

Haskins - new area code - (585)

Horton - add edbettyhor@aol.com

Kidd - new area code - (585)

Osmond - osmond@worldpath.net

Pearl - 88 Old Wagon Road

Mt. Kisco, NY 10546

Plummer - RWPlummernh@earthlink.net

Weston - ppsdj@aol.com