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Class Newsletter December 2002
Rafter Jack Patterson with friends Stray Cat and Pappa Smurf, Mt. Katahdin, ME 9/26/02
Remarkable Feet, Low IQ Brothers, Some Views on the World, and Two More Sad Departures
The elections are over, but because of certain inappropriate comments at our October Class meeting, to the effect that this Newsletter has become too PC and leans Left, I shall refrain from enlightening you on the implications of November 5. Read Mort Kondracke for that. But, for those of you on the Right who have been making yourself more obnoxious than usual since Republicans took control of the Hill, I would call your attention to the words of one Samuel Clemens: "There is no distinctly native American criminal class save Congress."
In 1999 Jack Patterson (Patsy, Rafter Jack) spent 21 days on the Appalachian Trail and hiked 164 miles. This year he was out there for 188 days and
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Patsy scribbling in PA |
covered 2,004 miles. I have 21 emails in my "Current Newsletter" folder from Patsy and untold scribblings from him, penned as he worked his heroic way north on the Appalachian Trail this spring, summer, and fall. I would happily turn this whole edition over to Patsy to let you follow his remarkable feet almost day by day, but if I did, Jay Emery would probably cut off my funding and put fin to any chance I have of subtly brainwashing you in the future. So I will confine this to a more limited report.
In mid-February, Patsy emailed: "I have a deposit on my fancy truck so it is starting to look like I will be taking my walk in the woods…… Perhaps my [imaginary] Jewish mother would say, 'Mishugina, that's what you are, giving up such a nice job where it is warm and the building is heated and where you don't have to go too far to get good corned beef and instead my son the rocket scientist wants to get lost for I don't know how long in the woods for what, I tell you. Abie he's not ok; talk to him, Abie. He's your son!……The thing is about a Done Deal, Dennis. Truck? Sold. House? Rented. Home Depot? History……. I shall be starting solo there in N Carolina at the southern boundary of the Smokys …..I do have an inner capacity apparently to slow all to the speed that is within, which when pressed puts me in good stead, God willing. Means: when push comes to shove, I go at my own pace - find my own pace as best I can….."
Well, that was all in mid-March. By mid-July Rafter Jack was anticipating his passage through Hanover. The AT runs right down Main St., if you didn't know. E-mailed Patsy: "i am in vernon nj . i am not going to redo ct and ny and a small part of mass - that puts me maybe in hanover around august 5 to 10 . By leaving the country you planned on shirking your obligation to rafter jack, I know. Maybe though, as we say, I can 'yogi' ( that is to act pathetic enough by lounging and pouting in your backpack/hiker gear, so as to elicit free goodies from park/campground -ordinary - citizens, out for picnics , etc.) ----point being, sir, who and where do i go when I get to hanover for free stay/goodies because i know you and many other 60's in the area?" [As was Steve Carroll, and we already know of their important Hanover Inn discussion on sexing chickens.]
Then, on Oct. 1, this welcome email: "Hi Guy -I finished my hike, I, as they say, 'summited' Katahdin on Sept . 26. I only got home here to CT last night. It is good to be done; I am, however, proud of myself….. I'm LOVING my energy levels !"
Asked to say something about the impact on his fitness, he wrote: "I weighed 236 one naked morning in February of 2002 prior to commencing my 'big' adventure. Yesterday, on the same scale I weighed 218. I stopped the effort (finished the hike ) on Sept. 26 so I have been, perhaps, 'bulking up' some maybe since then. (The huge appetite I--we all--had has dissipated mostly since I left the trail.) ( A JOY of the trail, that: eating, once again, whatever you wanted!) I weighed myself along the way a few times and I believe I got as low as below 205….I have noticed changes re Rafter's body; initially, within a day or two of ending the hike, I felt like I had been run over by a steam roller. All gone now those many aches and pains that I had then; they have been replaced by a general good/healthy, even vigorous, feeling…...It may be that over all ' toning,' even starting with the legs and focused on the legs, leads to 'general' toning; maybe I ask my Greenwich neighbor, Mayor; our classmate [that would be Peter Crumbine] who is in such great shape)."
The day before he "summitted" in Maine, he scribbled this: "Jeez, it has been a trip…tomorrow I finish. I'm ready……I look for ways this experience might lift the spirit even the least bit of someone--anyone--else even right now perhaps contemplating a similar small, creative, even emotionally courageous move in their own lives."
I don't think I can quite portray what an accomplishment that is for a guy our age, walking on his own, camping out, carrying 30-50 pounds on his back, day after day after day, through endless woods, endless climbs and descents, endless weather and insects, to keep himself going until he arrives at the top of Mt. Katahdn in Maine. That to me is our equivalent of DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, and I, for one, find it all beyond awesome. Nice going, Rafter Jack. Some of us (like me) talk the talk, but you walked the walk. You set us all a great example of what is possible. I believe we are all a little in awe.
And I am not the only one impressed with Patsy's trek. So too is Tom Beadel, who should also be impressed with his own accomplishments, namely staying alive and upbeat. He keeps telling us he has a foot in the grave, but he sounds so positive and writes so well, I think I should dump this newsletter business in his lap. Cards Tom on September 30: "Spent 3 1/2 delicious months on
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Foley charms 'em |
Murray Island in the St. Lawrence River this summer of 2002. Part of the deliciousness was drinking single malt scotch, fileting small mouth bass, and swapping lies with my old Zete buddies Urban Hirschey, Dick Foley, and Don Sheffield, all of whom showed up on my front porch. A neighbor asked what was the commonality of this august group. Without the slightest hesitation the reply came back: 'low I.Q.' In addition, Alio Stowe came up to say his 4th goodbye to me (I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1997--'six months to live'--. The miracle of the drug Thalidomide has so far prolonged my 'whinnying' amongst you. Missing was Rafter Jack Patterson, who claims he will correct that deficiency next year. I read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson to acquaint myself with the dimensions of Patsy's achievement--which I must say is considerable.
"Then the four-day cross country drive from Clayton, NY to Santa Barbara,
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Hannon (R) and friends, above the fog |
Calif. with my wife of 38 years was considerably ameliorated…by a visit to another Zete, Alan Danson and Silvia Danson at their beautiful condo in Vail--just off I 70. So, all in all it was a great Dartmouth '60 summer!! Along the way I also had occasion to converse with Hap Dunning and Phil Kron.."
Mini-reunion for the Yale weekend was a grand and record gathering. We dined sumptuously at Mt. Roeschmore, ate our tailgate banquet in the
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| Weider, Johansen, Emery, Paul, Shields and amiable consorts, at Quechee Club |
parking lot by the Observatory, and further stuffed ourselves at the Quechee Club on Saturday night. We saw an upset over Yale or hiked in the opaque fog of John and Gretchen Hannon's South Strafford, VT. We held a most interesting Class meeting which I will report in detail if I ever find the notes I took. And we enjoyed each other's company.
Here are a few comments: From Andy Paul: "We had a wonderful week-end in Hanover, and I can't tell you how pleased I was to see so many old friends and classmates. We will try to do that more often and to be better at staying in touch." And from Dick Davidson: "It was a fantastic weekend,
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Dick and Arlene Davidson, partying |
thanks to all of the '60s resident in Hanover……." And Sid Goldman: "The weekend was terrific and the class meeting the best." .Then, Roger Schaefer: " It was great to see all the guys last weekend (and gals too). I'm glad we kicked Yale's b- - - ."
So who all was there (here)? Here's a list of the idle plutocracy who found their ways to Hanover: Jim & Brooke Adler, Jack & Scilla Benson, Bob & Nancy Boye, Tom & Dorla Brock, Russ & Pat Brooks, George & Jean Bruder, Peter Crumbine, Dick & Arlene Davidson, Bob & Gail
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Found their ways to Hanover: Eiken, Hirschey, Kron and Prior |
Derderian, Bruce & Mina Eaken, Jay & Wendy Emery, Dick Foley, Howard & Judy Frankel, Sid & Deborah Goldman, Bill Gould, John & Viki Guy, Roger & Ann Hanlon, John & Gretchen Hannon, Urban & Sally Hirschey, Ken & Ruth Johansen, Chuck & Diane Kaufman, Bob & Ruth Kenerson, Gene & Judy Kohn, Phil & Mary Lou Kron, Bill & Lynn Lum, Rick & Hila Lyman, Jim & Corinne Marlow, Bill & Rebecca McClung, John Mitchell & Carol McQuate, Bill Moorman, Rey Moulton & Betsy Winder, Nick & Carol Muller, Dick & Pat Ossen, Andy & Britt-Marie Paul, Jim & Sally Pollard, Dick & Sue Prior, Bob & Maura Prouty, Ken
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Ladies, too: Kaufman, Kohn and Stowe |
Reich, Al & Pam Roberts, Rick & Linda Roesch, Eric & Joanne Sailer, Bob & Margie Shields, Dudley & Julie Smith, Gil & Ellie Stone, Allen & Wendy Stowe, David & Martha Vaules, John Walker & Joy Wanden, Ken & Carol Weg, and Doug & Joan Weider Whew!
As for the Oct. 12 Class meeting (notes just located): Emery says pay your
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Arm Twisters Johansen and Emery with better halves |
dues. (We are running a surplus and still giving $4,000 to our dorm art project and $4,000 to the scholarship fund.) Johansen says we contributed $396,195 to the Alumni Fund with 64 percent participation (vs. 41 percent for the College overall). The dollar amount was a record for a non-reunion class. Next year's target: $401,960, with 70 percent participation. Reich said the last of us will expire in 2742 if we continued at the then present rate. Alas, as you will see below, the rate has changed.
Our well-orchestrated meeting enjoyed presentations by students on the dorm art program, the athletic sponsorship program, the student scholarship program, and the SEAD (Summer Enrichment at Dartmouth) program. We now have a scholarship student in every class and will in perpetuity. Details in a future NL. Marty Lower missed the first of these gatherings that I can remember, being scheduled that morning for prostate surgery. I have since spoken to him and found him on the mend with golf more than his prostate foremost in mind.
Plans for our Chicago bash, 60's 65th, are proceeding apace. As of mid-November Alan Danson had heard from approximately 100 classmates (including the "nos"), and we have almost 150 people (classmates and partners) who have said they either will or might attend. This reunion should break all records. More of us have the time, Chicago is conveniently located (unless you're looking for another shot at [or in] the Napa Valley), and more of us are recognizing the enjoyment to be had in each other's company (see Andy Paul above). Those of you are planning to attend or are on the "maybe" list might do well to call a few classmates you'd like to see there and put the squeeze on. It's called peer pressure.
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Stowe welcomes you |
From Allen Stowe comes this additional Chicago information for golf addicts who, before assembling in the Windy City June 5, would pursue the little white ball around the large green field: "It's not Pebble Beach, but it is wonderful. The AMERICAN CLUB in Kohler, WI: Four terrific golf courses! Wonderful food opportunities! Great lodging and mall amenities! It is known as 'The Midwest's Premier Resort destination,' two hours from Chicago." For more information, contact Allen, tuffstowe@aol.com, fax: 772-234-5356, phone: 772-234-3087 or write him at 337 Island Creek Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32963. Anticipated attendees include two foursomes of ladies including Stowes, Brocks, Barnes, Vandeweghes, and Lowers, plus guys only to include Straus, Kron, Ossen, Lloyd, Strickland, and Derderian. Allen needs to book reservations by December 15 if possible, so let him know at once.
Here's an unalphabetized list of who, as of Nov. 15, is or may be going to Chicago: Yes: Kohn, Reich, Lower, Sloper, Davidson, Brock, Mitchell, Barnes, Bryant, Mullet, Carroll, Glick, Phillips, Walter Freedman, MacLean, Danson, Gundy, Dunning, Vandeweghe, Gale, McBurney, Lewis Goodman, Hasenkamp, Ingersoll, Levy, Stowe, Guilford, Cohen, Lloyd, Martin, Churchill, Brown, Adler, Passeggio, Stephenson, Givens, Morgan, Bond, McMurtrie, Lyman, Leach, Kron, Brooks, Feldman, Beadle, Huttrer, Roesch, Savage, Freud, Harrison, Katz, Brannen, Snyder, Foley, Goldman, McHugh, Koreman, Joan Flashner, Hager, and Rogeness. Maybes: Ingham, Belcher, Pieper, Palmer, Johansen, Fairbank, Straus, Trimarco, Batchelder, Muller, Weeks, Progin, Leventhal, Fine, and Batt, Kaufman, Derderian, Gordon, Wahman, Duchin, Bruce Clark, Landzettel, Hinshaw, Prouty, Mandel, Greenberg, Hirschey, Notaro, Boeker, Grabowsky, Murphy, Kirby, Bob Freedman, Hodgson, Molinaroli, Armknecht, and Daley.
Hasenkamp wrote back on Sept. 24 that he and Inta were leaving in a week for Florida and Italy and wouldn't be back until Thanksgiving. Some trip, and I hope we'll hear about it. A lot of you seem to be going to Italy (Crumbine, Roesch, Kron, Adler for example). Here was the prospective Hasenkamp program: "We are off…to Florida (Federation of State Medical Boards board meeting) and thence to Italy for five-six weeks. Milan, Verona, Perugia, Assissi, Parma, Bologna, Venice, Florence.….Neither of us has been there in 35 years…..The budget then was $5 a day, so the food will be better this time…..And as I recall I didn't drink wine then. These days I've been known to open a case or two." [More like a vineyard or two.]
Sign of the times: from the "Daily D": Door locks make dormitory debut. The system was installed partly in response to requests from students and parents and was tested this summer with little complaint. The system, which cost $500,000, uses student identity cards to obtain access to any dorm.
Speaking of $500,000, here are some more headlines from the "D": At nearly $500,000, Wright's salary average; Greeks face costly renovations; New Phi
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Are these guys worth $1.8 million? |
Tau costs $1.8 million--College provides new house for Greek org. in exchange for land; Sailors second in nation; Equestrian takes second and fourth in two shows [so who needs a football team?]; Library cut outlined (librarian recommends Sanborn become a reading room rather than a separate library); Dartmouth will lay off 30 employees; New alcohol policy due this winter. If the "NY Times," the "LA Times," or the "WSJ" no longer cuts it for you, are you aware that you can read this hot Dartmouth news on a current basis at http://www.thedartmouth.com/ ? Better yet, read Class news at http://www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/60/
Larry "Zoo" Gazley died of cancer on November 6 in Seneca Falls, NY. My thanks to Win Robinson for writing the following, touching obituary: "Zoo was my good friend from high school on--a 'one of a kind' guy who loved life, his wife Abbie, his kids, friends, golf, NY wine country, good jazz and a good time. He and Abbie were married 42 years.
"Dartmouth was important to Zoo, and as you might expect, he did make a last trip to Hanover shortly before he died to critique the recent changes to the golf course and just to visit the place he had loved for his entire life. Having grown up in Hanover and enjoying five (yes five) undergraduate years there, he did feel some ownership.
"After a stretch with American Hospital Supply Company in Detroit, Zoo founded two small companies; he didn't really want to work for anyone. The first, Degree Inc., manufactured plastic ware for hospitals, and with the next, Cayuga Wine Company, he proudly represented the vineyards of the Finger Lakes Region of New York and distributed their wines for them.
"When I visited with him and Abbie in their newly renovated home on the shore of Cayuga Lake only a few weeks ago, he was very aware of his status and was doing his best to appreciate the time he had remaining with his family and friends. I can attest to the fact that his sense of humor had not been affected in the least.
"He was one of a kind--as Superman at a 'hidden desires' party at Theta Delt he attempted flight, skiing fearlessly from the landing at the house. He went off the Dartmouth ski jump as a freshman on the Nordic team; he was an actor in the house plays; and some may recall his raccoon coat experience in the Hanover jail. He was convinced that the 'road trip' in 'Animal House' was his. Zoo never let anyone take himself too seriously. More recently he hosted his own jazz radio show in Seneca Falls and performed with the Seneca Falls Community players. No one loved Dartmouth more...we'll miss him."
Added Hank Greer: "Very sad news. I had talked to Zoo about three weeks ago. We talked about playing golf together…in Hiltonhead. This is a passing that is especially sad for me...for all of us, no doubt." Wrote Jim Adler: "Zoo was an original and a lovely, caring guy." And Bill McCarter added: "Zoo and I grew up in Hanover together and were close friends from our youth to the present. I visited him about a month ago, and Rick Lyman saw him a couple of days later. Win Robinson had visited him shortly before that. He seemed in good spirits when I saw him, but deteriorated rapidly after that. I attended an 'Irish Wake' for family and friends on November 9. Abbie and his three kids were holding up well. Their first grandchild is expected in January." And one final story from our Class historian, John Goyette: "Zoo was such a good guy. He always brought binoculars to every football game. He'd say, 'John, you want to have a look?' Then he'd unscrew the eyepiece so we could take a belt of whiskey out of the cylinders disguised as binoculars. Kept my feet warm."
For Art Coburn, and Dana Johnson and Jon Stockholm and Mel Kau and Don Stoddard and Rollie Kolman and Bob Phillips and Bob Wangbichler and Hank Greer and the rest of you idiots who played rugby: you will be interested to know that Corey Ford's old house on North Balch is on the block, gymnasium and all. Asking price is $1.15 million. Who will start the bidding? NL editor claims small commission, will throw in English setter no charge.
Gordie Haw, take note: The NH Pediatric Society presented Sol Rockenmacher, the Society's outgoing president, with its Pediatrician of the Year Award.
Recommended books: Mike McGinnis (whose son Ian '01, has just started touring Mexico with the Washington Generals, who play nightly against the Harlem Globetrotters) has high praise for Mind Matters by Mike Gazzaniga '61, the new Dean of Faculty at Dartmouth. Al Roberts suggests A Soldier of the Great War; Bruce Hasenkamp writes, "And tonight I polish off the last
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Al Roberts, Dudley Smith re-uning |
dozen pages of Caro's 3rd volume on Lyndon Johnson, which is one helluva read. Fascinating. And it moves along, even though 1000+ pages is still a lot to lug around. Have you read Freedom from Fear by David Kennedy (Stanford prof.). Deservedly won the Pulitzer." And here's about a book by one of our own: emails Dave Bond from the Great White North: "We are still in Canmore here in the snow covered mountains of Alberta. We have been rather busy. Finally, our book on retirement Future Perfect: retirement strategies for productive people, is off to the printers . I have taken on a substitute teaching gig at U. B. C….This lasts until the end of November when Di and I are off to Australia and then New Zealand for three weeks."
More books and other stuff: Ray Pong recommends two, The Russian Debutante's Handbook by Gary Shetyngart, and Prague by Arthur Phillips. Shel Gisser emails: "Take a look at What Kind of Nation by James Simon. It's about the conflict between Republican Thomas Jefferson and Federalist (Supreme Court Chief Justice) John Marshall. It overlaps part of the time period of the highly publicized and much over-rated John Adams, but is much more readable and more interesting." Ned Hanauer "Visited with Elliott and Sue Carr on Cape Cod. They are doing well. I recommend Elliott's Walking the Shores of Cape Cod, a remarkable book, especially for a banker!"
Now let me tell you what you really should read, if you didn't already read it in the 8th grade: How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn. It is a beautiful Welsh story in beautiful prose, no, more like poetry. As old-fashioned as can be, old values, beautiful characters. When last did a book leave you sobbing with emotion? You will love it. Well, you mushy ones will.
Ken Reich provides the following sad report: "News comes from Quincy, Ill., where he was a self-employed general surgeon for many years, of the death of our classmate, Alex R. McGinnis on Oct. 26 of pneumonia and the complications of a fungal infection. The last year-and-a-half had been difficult for Alex, who had spent three months in hospital recovering from a perforated colon and ensuing infection and, for the most part, had been unable to pursue his beloved medical practice.
"Bob Fairbank put it well in an e-mail when he described Alex as 'one of the smartest, most talented guys in our class.' As an undergraduate, he was a leader of the class -- president of Casque and Gauntlet, a member of Palaeopitus, the senior executive committee of student government, a participant in Green Key, a leader of the Sophomore Orientation Committee, rushing chairman of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and a talented member of the Glee Club. 'He was a wonderful piano player,' recalled Hap Dunning. 'Just a terrific guy.'
"Alex came to the College from Peoria, Ill. After medical school at Northwestern University, a year abroad on a Rotary scholarship, traveling in New Zealand, India and other countries, service in the U.S. Navy and a residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, he made a key decision when he moved to Quincy, a medium-sized city on the banks of the Mississippi River, to pursue his surgical career. He was a purist. Beyond his membership in the American College of Surgeons, his commitment to Quincy represented a commitment to the highest standards of medicine as he understood them. With his folksy way he was devoted to spending the time with his patients essential to treating them in the most able and understanding way. So the skills of moral leadership he developed at Dartmouth he followed assiduously in later life.
"Alex is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, and their four adult children, sons Kevin, Andrew and Brian and daughter, Amy, who is due shortly to be married."
Alex was a special friend and to all who knew him a special person. He and Hap Dunning and I were ushers in each other's weddings . Dave and Mary Farnsworth drove at the last minute, almost 800 miles each way to attend Scoops' old roommate's funeral in Quincy. One measure of a doctor is surely what his patients have to say. One wrote to Alex, "I didn't know they made doctors like you anymore. You have been so caring and gracious to my mother." From another: We will always be grateful for your surgical skill and your patient manner--you clearly practice the 'ART' of medicine--Quincy is lucky to have you." And this: "Doctor, how is it possible to say thanks. Your genuine caring and concern for my well being was evidence that I was under the care of one of the finest physicians in the country.".
As Alex's obituary in the Quincy press phrased it, "He was a hero to his wife and the finest and funniest man she ever knew." Would that we will all be seen as such.
Dave Farnsworth sends two scoops: Butch Virostek (reachable at 518-566-9452) recently tore his Achilles tendon and was having an operation to repair it on Nov. 4. Probably the result of his unique dancing performance at our 35th. [The Newsletter never forgets.] Dave Chevrier had a serious heart attack three years ago and was laid up for six months. Chevy is retiring in June and moving from Chicago to Saxtons River, VT.
Spencer Morgan has a new street address: '163 Glenburnie Lane' -everything else stays the same. Emails Spencer: "Without elaboration, Jack Sommer & Diane, Dave Farnsworth and I had dinner with Pat & Russ Ingersoll at their Christ School manse last week. The prior day Sommer, Ingersoll &
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| Tied to Carolina, Sommer, Morgan, Ingersoll and Farnsworth |
Morgan played golf, the former two with distinction." [Ingersoll played "with distinction."? Define your terms.] From Russ and Pat, a photo and the following: Jack Sommer was playing in the North Carolina Senior Amateur tournament at the Broadmoor Golf Course and that prompted a dinner at the Rectory at Christ School….Jack's tournament was sponsored by Pfizer. From a distance the tie looks good, up close you see little white pills with the name of one of Pfizer's products. Care to take a guess as to the pills?!!" [I suspect it's not Synthroid.] "Our last year at Christ School is underway and we've started cleaning the closets for the move to Hendersonville in June. Looking forward to the Chicago birthday bash."
So, speaking of golf--and may we all hope that any possible smallpox
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Lower and Kron in single malt Scotland |
epidemic would prove less invasive and debilitating to the American public--Phil Kron wrote in August: "[Enclosed] is a picture of Marty Lower and myself in front of 'The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews' on a recent golfing trip to Scotland.…..We were fortunate enough to be able to become 'temporary' one-day members of the R&A where we enjoyed lunch, showers after golf, and a little 19th hole 'single malt.' Played 10 rounds in nine days on, in addition to the Old Course at St. Andrews, the other four Scottish British Open Courses (Carroustie, Troon, Turnbery, and Muirfield) along with Kingsbarn, Gleneagles, Royal Dornoch, and Nairse. It was the golfing experience of a lifetime for both of us. My only problem was that I forgot to pack my golf game so my playing was not very stellar. Marty, on the other hand, played quite well.
"Other news from us is that Mary Lou and I spent two weeks in Tuscany in late May and early June with two other couples. We rented a villa in Montecatine Terme which was an ideal location to do Tucca, Pisa, the beaches at Viareggio, Vinci (home and birthplace of Leonardo), Siena, and Florence. Can't say enough about Florence where we went twice. Have a good picture of Mary Lou oogling 'The David'!"
Seth and Kathy Strickland were among those in Hanover Nov. 1 for the Homecoming parade and bonfire. In Seth's case, we plucked him from the Senior Fence area to march the rest of the way around the Green with the likes of Bill Colton, John Goyette, Tom Stone, Eric Sailer, Jay Emery, and, all the way from Anchorage, Tom Wood. That was a remarkable showing considering that our real celebration this fall was our October mini-reunion. For what it's worth (and it ain't worth much), '59 and '61 each had one person in the parade. Not marching, but there somewhere was Win Robinson, down from the far reaches of Kingfield, Maine for a family gathering with his two Dartmouth sons, David '95 and Ben '97. It was cold and snowy so the bonfire felt good, but it proved the wisdom of our earlier mini-reunion. A reminder to Kathy Strickland: I'm waiting for the mail.
Bill Colton, who came up just for Dartmouth Night and returned that evening to CT, wrote afterward: "Thanks very much for including my grandkids in the festivities on Friday night. [They helped carry our banner.] They absolutely
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| Bill Colton and Grand marchers |
had a ball……..They keep us young. My wife of 38 years, Teresa, and I are raising our two grandchildren and have been since Matthew was born. We have been bringing them to Homecoming for several years. Friday was a typical Dartmouth Night in that there was a lot of energy, great camaraderie and a tremendous bonfire. I remember them as being much taller when we did it. For those who haven’t gotten back to a Homecoming, it is a great time. Both my wife and I are still working, she the Tax Collector in our hometown of Farmington and me as the Human Resource Director of a public educational agency, a fancy way of saying we run regional and magnet schools. We have now finished the roller hockey season and the fall baseball season, and basketball has not yet started. It is fun raising kids the second time around but we are very busy…..You can put me on the list of '60s who are trying to convince their wives to move to the Hanover area. Will probably do so when we retire in about two or three years."
I don't know if it's steroids in the water you're drinking, or sudden worries over immortality and what are you going to do with the rest of your days, but at least a few classmates have been doing some impressive things (see Patterson, above). Mal Churchill, long and accurately described in these pages as a cookie-pushing, striped pants diplomat (well, he once was), is now, seemingly, an oar-pushing fitness freak. Cards Mal: "The former oarsmen of our class who still love the sport may be interested in knowing that senior rowing is booming. Our club, Capital Rowing Club, on the Anacostia, Washington's other river, is very supportive of senior rowing. What began five or six years ago as recreational rowing is moving into competitive. Master's Nationals were held in the Washington area this year. Two of us entered in the doubles, just for the experience. We were told they are opening more and more age categories as senior rowers move up in years, and that whereas five years ago a good club rower could hope to win, now most winners are former Olympians. The oldest rower was 92. Our 60-64 year-old bracket had two heats of four boats each and the winning times were astonishingly close to those of the younger age brackets. We weren't close, but the experience led me to start training seriously with our small boats program, coached by a former Russian Olympian….So come on in, the water's fine." So who else besides Hans Wurster has read this far?
Hardly to be outdone by that is Peter Hawks. At the September Norwich Inn class luncheon, Pete, who came all the way down from Burlington, brought
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Hawks, world champ |
along a handsome gold medal and winner's shirt. And what did he win? Well, the World (sic) Championship downhill mountain bike race for seniors (over 60), edging out an Argentine by just seven seconds. Asked what he plans to do for an encore, Pete asked if we were all crazy and announced his retirement from the sport (while still more or less in one piece. He "only" fell once in his winning ride.) He described coming down a mountain trail, strewn with rocks, at up to 55 mph. He was a daredevil skier at Dartmouth, and he hasn't gotten any smarter over the years. But what an accomplishment, and after only two years at the sport. So, sports fans, the great Class of 1960 has a World Champion. No small accomplishment.
John Goyette has his own take on Peter and on himself: "Hawks is amazing! I think his early battle with polio got him going. I've skied with Pete when his broken arm was in a sling and he was using only 1 pole! He still went down the mountain faster than I could." And on Goyette: " This [weekend] is my last chance to get my boat out of the lake. .Plus, I'm moving to winter quarters in Concord Nov 1. I have to finish the opera house business plan for Franklin. And yesterday Rochester NH called to say they were changing their annual meeting date to October 23 to accommodate my schedule. Next week I'm in NYC. Someone said 'there is salvation in work,' but this is ridiculous."
Al Roberts wrote back in September: "I think Mr. Bush is on the right track by taking some time to give the UN a chance, even though I personally have no doubt that the process will be totally ineffective. We'll see?" Eventually. In the same vein, from Hasenkamp on Sept. 11, '02, a day before the president addressed the UN: "Iraq seems like such a clear decision to me: do something now before we get whacked, or wait to react after we get whacked. Simple no brainer. Likewise the UN. Yes, make nice noises to bring on board a few voices, probably by insisting on sending inspectors again, and presuming that Iraq will refuse or stonewall them." Prescient?
And, since Iraq is a just slightly hot topic these days, here are some more '60 thoughts. Well, comments, anyway. John Mitchell: " Oil may not be the moral
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Mitchell comments |
justification for war but 3000 specters chanting at the site of the Trade Center, 'Avenge me, avenge me,' sure as hell is. The only question is after we finish off the Iraqis, do we obliterate the Saudi's? Oil is just a thing. Islam is an idea and ideas cause trouble. It's deja vu 1472 all over again. (That's when Mohammod II swept over the walls of Constantinople and headed for Buda-pest.) The West had to crush them then and we're going to have to do it again. Where's Marshall Tito when we need him? When someone thinks God is on his side, watch it."
One recent evening I put Dave Sammon's name to a Google search, just to see if I might find some material for this rag, given that 695 out of every 700 Green cards seem to end up in your collective trash rather than mine. I pulled Dave's name and three others more or less at random out of "More Musings." And Google responded. But the next day, so did the mail. Believe in ESP? Sometimes I think I do. Here is from Dave's Green card: "Looking forward to retirement with my wife one of these days, I've just traded in membership on the board of the Graduate Theological Union and being President of the Board of Planned Parenthood, Shasta Diablo, to take on the Presidency of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and Clergy for Responsible Choice.
"I was also honored by Planned Parenthood by being given the Margaret Sanger Award for 30+ years of service in the cause of responsible sexuality and reproductive health of women. I continue to love being in the ministry and serving the church in Walnut Creek where I've been for almost 20 years but it would also be nice not to be doing so much and also having to come up with a good (and new) sermon every Sunday. It's also interesting bumping into so many Dartmouth people here in the Bay Area, and having so many of them be women. Not being able to have women as classmates is one of the few things I regret about the time I spent at Dartmouth." Right, and Write Rev. Dr. David Sammons at Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Ln., Walnut Creek, CA 94596 or email him at dgsam2@cs.com
As for those sermons, here are some excerpts from one written just after 9/11, courtesy of Google: "Tragedy and the Gift of Compassion, September 16, 2001. "….. our central resolve must be to go on being Americans. We should remain people who value our liberties and who never allow a small, mad group to push us into giving up the freedoms that make us who we are.
" How does one respond to something this terrible with something other than with incredible sadness? I tried to imagine the impossibility of the Universalist image of a God of love being combined with the fundamentalist notion of a God who can control what happens here on earth. Could a loving God cause something like this to happen? All I could imagine was God, if there is a God, crying again, having had to cry so many times before, because of the lack of human feeling so many seem to have.
"What happens next - retribution? I suppose those who planned these attacks believed they were engaged in an act of retribution because of something done by Americans. But whom did they kill. Not soldiers, not policy-makers, not people who had anything to do with whatever it is that angered them…… the worst thing we could do in response to the hatred displayed by those who caused Tuesday's deaths would be to be hateful in return. It can be easy to do that, given the anger that goes with the grief after such a tragedy. Our President expressed that anger in his call to arms in response to what he calls a declaration of war.
"….though it [is] important for our government to find out who planned and carried out what happened, the worst possible response would be to do something that would inflict suffering on a whole new group of innocent people, like the hundreds of thousands of innocent women, children and men who were killed when we struck back at Iraq because of its invasion of Kuwait or died as a result of the economic boycott we imposed on the country.
"I know we clergy tend to be idealistic. But we're realists, too - realists of the broadest kind…..I want to see those who are still alive and were among those who planned what happened on Tuesday caught so that they will not be free to do something like it again. There is a price to pay for what they have done. But I pray to God, and I mean it, that the price doesn't include the death of more even innocent people than have already died…..."
Earlier this year I spotted an article on the Internet by our Ned Hanauer, and contacted him. Several email exchanges with Ned over the intervening months brought the following, with excerpts from his article at the end: "While I have not gotten to reunions, I have admired the achievements of 60s thanks to the…..1960 Newsletter. And 'Musings' and 'More Musings' were great; we have much for which to thank Bob Boye. I made 'Musings' (but missed 'More Musings'….), where Renate and I are found…in our Peace outfits. While in Munich, I taught servicemen and women with the University of Maryland and produced cultural and political programs about the US for Bavarian State Radio.
"We returned in 1989 and I resumed work as Director of Search for Justice and Equality in Palestine/Israel, the group I founded 30 years ago. I have lectured around the US, including two talks at the State Department. [ I used to give talks there myself, all the time, but fortunately nobody listened.] C-SPAN carried my talk to the Cleveland City Club and some of my opinion articles have been carried by 10-15 leading papers. I welcome any invites to speak at colleges, churches, synagogues, etc. search25@aol.com; or www.searchforjustice.org
"My involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems in part from courses I took at Dartmouth. Just as I expect, as a Jew, to receive equal rights in the US, so should Israel, a 'Jewish State,' treat Palestinian Muslims and Christians as equals. Unfortunately, Israel is creating an apartheid system in the West Bank and Gaza, confiscating Palestinian land and water resources….Inside Israel, Palestinians are second-class citizens.
"As Dartmouth grads, we might also see the parallels with how Native Americans were pushed off their land. Speaking of Jews and Dartmouth, who would have believed in the late 50s that we would live to see a time when almost every (or every?) Ivy League College would have a Jewish President?! And that Dartmouth would be the first. Or that Dartmouth would lead the Ivies in tenured women faculty!
"Finally, I was just in Hanover to visit Nephew Andy ('04) and to see the excellent Orozco exhibit at the Hood museum. It is there until Dec. 15. Try to see it!"
Excerpts from Ned's February '02 article (full text): "…..Terrorism involves the threat or use of violence to intimidate civilians or governments, and that includes actions by governments, that is to say, 'state terrorism.' But Bush defines 'terrorism' selectively so as to include Palestinian, but not Israeli, violence [and] criticizes Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat for being unwilling or unable to stop Palestinian violence. Bush's approach strengthens hawks and undercuts moderates on both sides, giving Sharon a blank check to continue Israeli violence. This, in turn, makes it harder for Arafat to stop Palestinian extremists without looking like a collaborator, especially since Sharon is unwilling to offer concessions Arafat needs to curb violence without bringing on civil war among Palestinians. Bush's double standard only makes it harder to end the cycle of violence that has taken more than a thousand lives (and wounded far more), 80 percent of them Palestinians.
"…..Israel should also heed calls by the international community to withdraw from Palestinian towns and villages and lift draconian blockades…that prevent Palestinians from reaching hospitals, schools and jobs and from getting adequate food, water and medicines. These acts of Israeli state terrorism violate international law; many qualify as war crimes….All the Jewish settlements are in violation of international law. The United States should tie its massive foreign aid to Israel of $3 billion yearly and its much smaller aid to the Palestinian Authority of $100 million yearly to their adherence to human rights treaties and international law, a position taken in 1999 by 1,100 American religious leaders.
"Israel [should] end the occupation by withdrawing troops and settlers from the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, and to recognize the rights of Palestinian refugees exiled from Israel. A viable, independent and demilitarized Palestinian state can then live at peace with a secure Israel. Washington should insist that the Palestinian Authority end violence and encourage those Palestinians who are already engaged in non-violent resistance…..In seeking an end to violence in Palestine/Israel, Bush should heed Pope Paul VI: 'If you want peace, work for justice.'"
Tired of your daily Cheerios and juice? Do what we did recently and take a trip to Freeport, ME, to Lloyd and Susie Lawrence's Maple Hill B&B,
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| Lloyd and Susie Lawrence with Mike Daley in the middle, Freeport, Maine |
where breakfast consists of anything and everything you might want, the accommodations are warm and cozy, and, if you're lucky, as we were, you may be joined at breakfast by Mike Daley, who came over from Bridgton to entertain the whole B&B crowd with tales of Maine told in pure Maine-ese. And if you didn't know, Freeport is the home of LL Bean and a million outlet stores that piggyback on Bean's presence. Great weekend. Mr. Daley, by the way, is the author of some fine poetry--a real challenge to Alan Danson for Class poetry honors, unless Jim Marlow would like to reclaim the title--but space considerations mandate that one of Mike's opuses (what a terrible word) wait for the next edition.
Speaking of Maine, Sam McMurtrie actually used a Green Card to send the following: "To try to answer your question in the July NL…… here's a version of 'down East.' The expression is probably nautical, and probably having its genesis before boat engines were in general use. A vessel proceeding up (north) the Maine coast is going more East than North. The prevailing wind is SW, abaft (behind) the beam of said vessel. A vessel with wind abaft its beam is said to be sailing down wind. I hope Patsy makes it to the b'day party. I would like to see him, even if I can't understand a thing he says." So, someone who actually reads the NL. Amazing. Mike Daley, feel free to elaborate further on "abaft". Or "down East."
Another Green Card user is Dud Weider, whose summer adventure was a trip to Seattle and a climb on Mt. Ranier. "We made it to 10,000 feet and turned back because of time constraints. The weather was magnificent and we will give it another try next summer. The high point of the trip was meeting Gambu, the sherpe who accompanied Jim Whittaker to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1963 and then was the first man to summit Everest twice, doing it again in 1965. In his 60s at 5'2'', he has no trouble with an 80 pound pack." More recently, Dud was para-sailing in the Caribbean.
Ray Pong rang up recently--another way to reach me; you don't have to write a word, just talk--and we had a long discussion in which we managed to finger everything from political leaders to college sports. Ray says he will be "easing out" of his Los Angeles urology practice by the end of the year. But he is involved with two companies, one as president, that lease medical equipment. There is, he says, some remarkable new equipment out there for dealing with kidney stones, enlarged prostates, and other such evils not unknown to guys our age, and he says no one should submit to the scalpel before looking into what these new machines can do.
Back in February, Gus Leach sent me the following and the accompanying
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Blaisdell in the bear's cave |
photo. I neatly filed them where all things for the next NL get filed, then lost them until now: "Remember Jim Blaisdell, aka 'Shane'? He was a Deke fraternity brother of mine from Nevada, now living in Palm Desert. Saw him there last year & have had occasional emails from him….The photo shows him being entertained in Russia recently."
Have I got a deal for you: Jay Emery's annual supplication for Class Dues is probably on your desk somewhere, if you have yet to ante up, Consider this:$3,283 goes for the Newsletter. If you get five of these a year and they go to 750 people, then this literary masterpiece is only costing you 87 cents. If that sounds like too much, then you haven't seen yourself and your grandchildren in these pages yet. Whatever. Send Jay your dues, and then kick in a little extra for the dorm art program or the Class scholarship fund or the Athletic Sponsors program. Or all three. Such a deal..
Happy holidays to all of you and to your better halves. May 2003 bring us, everyone, good health and much happiness. dg
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