101 Dartmouth, 1 November 1997

Oscar Arslanian called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.

I. Treasurer’s report

In the absence of Ivar Jozus, the report was presented by Art Johnson and Arslanian. The class treasury is in good shape. No details were presented.

II. 40th Reunion: Arslanian and Johnson

The decision before the class is whether to have to have a weekend reunion or a midweek reunion. The college would prefer us to have a midweek reunion. We would get the pick of the best versus whatever is available on a weekend. That likely would mean the new dormitories, which are air conditioned and otherwise "age friendly." However, a weekend reunion would allow more people -- especially those who are still working -- to make it.

Either way, the reunion will occur on schedule in 2001. It is considered our last major reunion; by the 50th our numbers will be considerably diminished.

Oscar took a straw vote, which showed those present favored the midweek reunion by a margin of greater than 2-1. The decision doesn’t have to be made until a year out, but the consensus was that we would try to make a firm decision at the Chicago reunion.

III. Chicago Reunion

Oscar reported that the plans for the reunion are still being developed. The Chicago committee started off to be Cleve Carney and Bill Glenn; in recent months they have been joined by Denny Engleman, Alan Orschel and Rick Taft. Jim Watson, who moved to Chicago about 2½ years ago, was present and volunteered to join the planning committee.

Oscar provided the following tentative outline for the weekend, 4-7 June 1998, and suggested it be placed on calendars now.

The headquarters hotel is the Fairmont, at a rate of $200 per night. A block of 50 rooms has been reserved.

The Chicago committee will be mailing a questionnaire shortly asking for responses, but here are some ideas for activities:

Thursday would be an open day with an impromptu but scheduled private dinner -- as there were in Hollywood and New Orleans.

Friday: shopping, cultural. Museum tours. That evening: architectural boat tour with perhaps dinner on the boat

Saturday day: to be determined. Saturday evening would be a musical experience, house of blues.

Sunday brunch, perhaps at the Orschel home.

The reunion is still a work in progress and much could change.

IV. Minireunion

Art Johnson did a brief update of logistics and locations for the rest of the mini-reunion.

a. Resumption of minifellows program: Vice President Roger McArt had a lengthy discussion with Charlie Buffon on the 61 fellows program, which some classmates had talked about resuming. He said there were a number of positive things to it, the biggest of which was the contribution to current undergraduates and professional schools, as well as a sense of participation from the classmates who were fellows. One negative aspect is that the program involved few members of class, so it had some elitism to it. It involved high profile people rather than broad class involvement. But it was an administrative nightmare like the statue. The academic departments were generally relatively easy to work out, then bureaucracy of the administration, which somehow was different almost every year. The fellowships chair who took over after Charlie didn’t really understand the administrative problems. It was a strong project while it happened. It made a real contribution to classes and to the College.

Bob Conn reported on his discussions on the project with Ken DeHaven, an early fellow, and world expert in arthroscopy. As a 1961 fellow, Ken brought arthroscopy to Dartmouth. By operating on the department chair during that weekend, he was able to break through a long-standing resistance to arthroscopy in the Department of Orthopedics, and the department has used those techniques ever since. So, in a sense, the 1961 fellows program forever changed medicine at Dartmouth.

But it was Charlie’s sense, relayed through Roger, that we should try to look for something else.

A discussion ensued. One question that arose: what is our mission statement; what is the purpose of a class project. Is it to serve us and the current undergraduates, or is it something that will still be contributing to Dartmouth a century after we’re out of here?

Mike Murphy: one of the problems of the 1961 fellows program is that it never found an institutional home at Dartmouth. It was kicked from office to office, making for a new process each time. We have to find someone who will make it his/her own.

b. Alcoholism Project: Hartley Webster presented a proposal for class support of an undergraduate alcohol abuse prevention program that he and Ron Wybranowski have been assisting with. The course is called Alcoholism and the Culture of Addiction, .and recovering alcoholics are involved, including both Hartley and Ron. He said it offered them a renewed point of contact with undergraduates. Some of the other classes, notably the class of 1968, are supporting the program, and it is now backed by an endowed fund in the college. Hartley appealed for class support for this undergraduate education program. He offered to share insights from students who have had this course and on the use and abuse of alcohol on campus. He asked the class to consider donating $3-5000 per year for the program, and suggested that one reason why some classmates are not coming to reunions is that they themselves are impaired through addiction. "We can really make an impact on this campus."

It takes $10,000 each time the course is run. It is a full semester course, but at present, they can only grant PE credit. Typically 20-25 students per term, but because it is not a full academic course, some don’t attend as religiously.

Hartley asked the class to vote to participate at at least that level $2,500 to $3,000 for first year.

A discussion ensued, and resulted in a motion that the class support the program with a grant of $2,500 for one year, with Hartley and Ron serving as a subcommittee for the project. Hartley said the funds should be sent to Dartmouth Alcohol and Drug Education Fund, Endowed Fund #01382.

c. Dartmouth Athletic Sponsorship Program. Oscar presented. The Dartmouth Athletic Sponsorship Program helps college in the athletic recruiting process. It costs about $228,000 annually. Our class contributed $500 last year. The program allows coaches to do one invite per year per kid. Prospectives are put up with freshmen or sophomores. The yield is 40-50 percent, if they get into Dartmouth. Boss moved, Pete Bleyler seconded that we continue for 1997-98. All in favor.

d. Frost statue update. Mike Murphy relayed the growing recognition of our sculptor, George Lundeen, who has been selected to do Colorado’s work in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

He then reviewed the current status of the statue. The College will repair a technical glitch in the stick supporting the writing board. He discussed recent correspondence with Timothy Rub, director of the Hood Museum and chairman of the Design Review Committee. The statue has been removed from its granite base and affixed to natural rock near the Bartlett Tower location, overlooking the Bema. Rub said in the letter to Mike, "This is, in my opinion, an excellent recommendation as it will make the poet seem a more integral part of the setting in which visitors will encounter him." Members of the class voiced enthusiasm about the site and the new setting

Murphy also brought up the proposed wording of the plaque from Rub’s letter. The part he objected to was the following: "As we develop the wording for the plaque, we need to keep in mind the strenuous objections voiced about this work by several members of your class. The College’s sense is that the plaque should indicate that the statue is a ‘gift from members of the class of 1961.' This wording will identify the statue as from members of the class, while not necessarily from the Class as a whole. This will help us ensure that we avoid any further problems or public disputes on the matter of who was responsible for commissioning and paying for the statue."

An extended discussion ensued.

Ron Boss noted that the class is still the class. Pete Bleyler said that you can’t always get unanimity. The class voted overwhelmingly for the project on several occasions. Bob Conn said this was an official action of the class, as reflected in the minutes of earlier meetings.

On the other hand, not everybody contributed to the project. Most classmates present had no problem with Rub’s proposed wording so it was decided not to pursue any changes.

Mike thanked the class for the clock that was presented to him at the Florida reunion. "It is in the front hall of my house. Thank you for it."

He said the class project was a fabulous opportunity for him. He thanked Art Kelton as "the most effective CEO of a class you ever saw" and former Provost Lee Bollenger -- "One of the best college administrators ever met in my life. He understood what we were trying to say."

e. Performing Arts Fund. Oscar presented his proposal for an endowment for arts and culture at Dartmouth. He said the Frost statue is a lasting contribution. A endowment for the arts would leave a living endowment, a permanent performing arts fund that would bring in a noted artist once a year to come in and perform on campus at kind of ticket prices kids can afford. The endowment would support this performance every year. Discussions with the Hopkins Center have suggested that such funds ordinarily are put into a pool.

Ron Boss pointed out that the college ordinarily projects income of 5% from an endowment. Therefore, it would take a huge amount of dollars – $200,000 to $400,000 – to fund a $10,000 or $20,000 annual income from the endowment. An extended discussion followed.

Mike Murphy pointed out that only two mailings were made for the statue and despite that minuscule effort, we raised $20,000 on a $30,000 project.

Bob Conn pointed out that the college lets the clubs establish scholarship funds but does not officially launch them until a minimum dollar amount is reached, usually $10,000

Others thought that people will a lot more excited after if the project continues after we’re gone. Arslanian, McArt and Cox will continue to pursue. It was suggested that Peter Palin, the estate and bequest chair, also be involved, because a couple of life income gifts might really launch the fund. David Birney also is interested and probably will be added to the planning committee.

VI. Class Directory

A motion to update class directory was approved. Bob Conn will confirm costs and get back with Arslanian and Jozus. Arslanian noted that he considers the interim directory his bible and encouraged classmates to use it. Brief discussion of new college e mail addresses

VII. Alumni Magazine

Bob Conn described the upcoming issue on Dartmouth athletics and asked for thoughts and ideas of where key Dartmouth classmates who were athletes are now. The deadline is Nov. 15

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Conn, Secretary.

Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem NC 27157-1015
Rconn@wfubmc.edu