Class of '64 (November-December Issue)

We have two classmates with the surname Hall, who became ministers. Jim Hall from last column was a chemistry major and Tod Hall was an architecture major. Tod followed in the footsteps of his father, who was Episcopalian Bishop of New Hampshire. He received his ordination from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts then did graduate work at Oxford. He led a parish in Dayton, Ohio then was at Trinity Church in Boston for 13 years. He and his wife Pat had a summer house in northern New Hampshire where they moved in 1985. He still leads a church in Lisbon, New Hampshire. Tod's current focus is counseling high school students from low income families, as these first in the family applicants navigate the college application process. He works under a federal grant administered through the University of New Hampshire. He's still looking for his first successful Dartmouth applicant. Tod and his wife Pat have a son, Ned '99, a lawyer in Boston, and one grandson. Pat also has two sons from a prior marriage. Their shared interests are winter sports, hiking, gardening, horses and raising Labrador retrievers.

When he was a sophomore, Randy Nichols decided that he would pursue the ministry. However, he took an uncommon path from the road less taken - Randy is an academic. He's been affiliated with Princeton for most of his post-Dartmouth years - initially as a student for six years at the Seminary, where he was ordained and received a Ph.D. in Theology and Communication. He was pastor at Oak Hills Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, Texas for five years. He returned to Princeton to teach and lead a new program, Doctor of Ministry, which though rare then, is now common. During his 34-year career he also became a psychotherapist and still counsels, though he officially retired from teaching. Randy describes himself as a maverick theologian, part of the loyal, very thoughtful opposition (to the mainstream). He came to Dartmouth already an active church participant, became a social justice advocate and was attracted to the ministry. His books include Ending Marriage, Keeping Faith. Randy has two sons, Matthew, a clinical psychologist and Adam, a chef.

So, three columns and eight classmates later, are there any obvious associations between our Dartmouth educations and becoming a cleric? The most obvious is that three were philosophy majors - even with such a small sample that's probably a significant correlation. Let's discount the fact that they were also baseball pitchers. Only one participated in the Tucker Foundation, half were in Casque & Gauntlet and three-fourths were fraternity members. As part of their ministry and their lives, many identify with nature, either teaching about the importance of man's relationship with the environment, or by caring for the earth and its creatures, just the example for which one might hope. If enough people are watching their examples, our offspring and theirs will have a good chance to enjoy the goals our clerics spend a lifetime illuminating.

Have a wonderful holiday season.