THE NEWSLETTER OF THE DARTMOUTH CLASS OF 1965

September, 2001

Dear '65 Classmates:

It’s been a quiet summer at Dartmouth and on the Hanover plain.  “Traditions” with which we were not familiar during our undergraduate days are reminders of how the College changes with the times.  Sophomore summer, the summer fling weekend, and “Tubestock” on the Connecticut River are new to us, unless we’ve been fortunate enough to have our children follow in our Big Green footsteps.  Some of the activities of Zeta Psi, which led to the permanent closing of the fraternity in May, may have stirred vague memories of the excesses of our all-male college days.  Of note: the college’s “yield” of freshmen has substantially exceeded expectations, leading to financial offers to defer entrance for a year as well as application to the town to build temporary dorms.

We have here some reports on class activities, details on class projects, wonderful plans for the next few years, and even a Class of ’65 mystery!  Get out your calendars:

Yep, it’s coming up to that fabulous and fantastic fun-filled fall frolic (is that alliteration, you English majors?), under Larry Duffy’s skillful hand. Check out the schedule and sign-up sheet at the end of this missive.

The date above was confirmed by your Executive Committee, which met on July 18 in Old Saybrook, Connecticut at Bill Webster’s lovely home.  In addition to Bill,  attending were Hank Amon, Mike Bettmann, Bob Blake, Carl Boe, Bob Ernst, Steve Fowler, Mike Gonnerman, Jim Griffiths, Ken McGruther, and Mike Orr. It was noted at the meeting that The Class of 1965 Scholarship Fund has been increased by $6,620, enabling the Class to reach the necessary $50,000 threshold for the first scholarship. Our first scholar will be chosen by the College from this year’s entering Freshman Class.  It was agreed that our Scholar would be invited to the Saturday night Mini-Reunion dinner.  To raise funds for awarding an annual Scholarship it was unanimously agreed to raise Class dues by $10 to $60, with probably $20 of that to go towards the Scholarship Fund (the remaining $40 matches our actual class operating expenses.) More details on these items are in Hank Amon’s letter toward the end of this mailing.

Also discussed at the meeting was the next out-of-Hanover mini-reunion, although it was agreed that the Steve Waterhouse special in Vail was hard to top.   Not to fear, with particular inspiration from Sing Chiu check this out:

Yes indeed, we are venturing far afield at Sing’s suggestion and hope to attract you to this corner of our ’65 world.  As it happens, Dartmouth President Jim Wright will be “passing through” on his way to Beijing, and will be our special guest.  If you’ve been thinking about someday getting around to a trip to the Pacific Rim, this is the time to do it!  Details will follow, but think seriously about this special opportunity.  Closer to home, we’ll have a 60th Birthday Party mini somewhere in the USA during 2003, with discussion and planning to be done at our October mini-reunion in Hanover.

Photo courtesy of Old Saybrook, CT Organized Crime Task Force

Still have your calendars or Palms out and running?  If you were at our 35th Reunion in Hanover last year, or if you only heard about the fun, or if you’re a believer in round numbers and only come to reunions ending in zero, mark down the dates below.

This is a Monday to Thursday gig.  We do know for a fact that The Class of 1965 Players, being organized by Brian Porzak (Director) and Jim Griffiths (Musical Director), will arrange their world premier performance on the Wednesday (June 15) of the Reunion.  It is unthinkable that any of us would miss this remarkable debut!

We have a couple of new initiatives to ponder and talk about at our future meetings.  First, one of our Class projects is to obtain books of literature (fiction and nonfiction), poetry and photography, as well as substantial articles that might have been published by members of the Class of 1965.  The purpose would be to assemble these materials somehow, perhaps in a display case, in the Class of 1965 Webster Hall Galleries or otherwise to make this compendium available in the Rauner Library.  Accordingly, we would like to seek information from class authors/writers/poets/photographers about their publications.  Those of you who have published (or those who are aware of classmates who have published) can provide information to me, Sven Karlen (our Special Projects guru), or any other class officer about these matters.  You can find contact information on our class Website.  Should be fun.

Second, Dick Bordeau has a fascinating idea, especially for the numerous ’65 entrepreneurs. I’m summarizing, but contact Dick at rwbordeau@aol.com after this spurs your interest.  “The venture initiative is a class project that I originated.  The idea originated through a friend who is a trustee of Babson College. Seven years ago, he convinced five entrepreneurs (like himself) to donate five percent of their founder’s stock to Babson's endowment. Those five were also asked to go out and find five more donors each who would do the same by the first anniversary date. This entire effort achieved great visibility because it was launched at Babson's annual Executive of the Year Dinner in front of an audience of several thousand well-heeled alums and outside supporters. From its origin the concept took off and now Babson enjoys a substantially larger endowment augmented by a sizeable (and growing) venture capital pool.

I concluded that if Babson can pull this off, surely Dartmouth and its affiliated schools can knock the ball out of the park. I originally contacted Dartmouth officials about this  three to four years ago and received a fairly tepid response mainly, I think in retrospect, because they were anticipating major personnel changes in the endowment area. Now, with the changes completed, they have actually begun to embrace the idea, even establishing a Director of Venture Initiatives, Mr. Peter Glenshaw. Others are also aware of our Class sponsorship of this idea including Win Johnson, Cary Palzell and Bruce Smith in endowment and development. I have offered to work very closely with all of them to help insure that Dartmouth realizes the full potential of the leverage of this concept. It is very clear that Dartmouth is well behind its Ivy counterparts in tapping its true potential.  Hank and I very much hope that our Class receives proper recognition for initiating this project and I personally hope that we can develop a core of Classmates who, because of their complimentary professional careers, will help spearhead its implementation over the next few years across all Dartmouth's Alumni Classes. It could achieve unprecedented results and also be a heck of a lot of fun in the process.”

Bruce Wagner sent me the official press release announcing his appointment as Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications for MSX International, a Michigan-based provider of “technology-driven business services that enable customers to significantly improve their competitive advantage.”  Clearly a big business – MSX has sales exceeding $1 billion, and over 14,000 employees in 23 countries.  Bruce confesses to some surprise at moving from a consulting role to actually signing on with the client, but hopes to have fun “helping some good people create a global company.”  Showing his true Dartmouth colors, he’s hoping this doesn’t turn into that last ski run of the day, ending in an ignominious face-plant!  Reach him on bwagner@msxi.com.

A card from Thunder Bay, Ontario from Claude Liman notes his separation just shy of 20 years of marriage, “sad but necessary”, but Rocks says he is on the mend and still in love with life.  He’s running and biking daily, and promises to kick butt on the cross-country ski circuit next winter.  He biked through Hanover early this summer on his way to Martha’s Vineyard and then his 40th reunion at Deerfield Academy.  You’ll find him at rliman@tbayel.net.

“After 36 years of filing these things in the circular file, I’m going to write something.”  Sit up and take note, classmates, at this green card from Dave Mulliken.  His older son David graduated this year from Dartmouth after three letters in the middle distances, just like his old man did for Ellie Noyes lo’ these many years ago.  Unfortunately, Dave conspired with Sven Karlen (who also has an athletic son at Harvard) to send his younger son Doug to the Crimson to play volleyball, explaining that the Big Green does not support men’s volleyball as a varsity sport.  Assuming you forgive Dave for this minor transgression, you can dial him up at david.mulliken@lw.com.

It’s always reassuring to know that you actually read what I concoct!  Gary Herbst writes that he has recently retired from J. P. Morgan, and read the news about Bruce Gottschall’s award in the last Newsletter.  Gary is interested in talking with Bruce about his career in the non-profit world, and asked for Bruce’s e-mail address (which I don’t have).  Can someone help Gary?  Bruce, are you listening?  Contact him at GHCNHerbst@aol.com, and see him at the October mini.

The final item in my mailbox is from Brad Hawley, another retiree who remains active in infectious disease education as Professor Emeritus (sounds distinguished) after his retirement in 1999 from Wright State University.  This past May he received one of three special recognition awards from the Infectious Disease Society of Ohio.  Brad also retains his Dartmouth activity by meeting monthly for lunch with the Dayton Dartmouth Alumni group, joining recently with the Cincinnati Club for an evening at the Cincinnati Pops (which he notes is led by Erich Kunzel ’53).  Find Brad at HBhawley@aol.com.

As many of our news items seem to center on the younger generation, Paul Pringle's daughter, Jennifer, a Dartmouth graduate, Class of 1994, was married on Saturday, July 14, in Plainfield, New Hampshire at the Home Hill Inn to Jon Fahey.  Hank Amon attended the wedding and reception along with Rich Beams.

One of our Class projects is an annual contributory participation in the Athletic Sponsor Program.  We have been informed by Bob Ceplikas '78, the Program Director, that our recent contribution helped make possible the campus recruiting trip of prospective student-athlete, Alexandria Otto, of St. Louis, Missouri, whose sport is field hockey.  Lexie was admitted to Dartmouth and will join the Class of 2005 in September!  She cited her first-hand view of the "Dartmouth Experience" as being very influential in her decision to choose Dartmouth.

Finally, the class mystery.  This summer, while doing renovations in French Hall (known to us as South Wigwam Dormitory), a member of Dartmouth’s Building and Grounds crew came across a note hidden in a wall.  It was written by a classmate, possibly in desperation as he finished a freshman year in “the Wigs”, and he somehow slipped a notecard into the wall.  A copy of the card appears below: will the real “Tom” please step forward and solve this mystery?

Who is the author of this artifact, almost 40 years old,from South Wigwam?

Larry Duffy (larry.duffy@valley.net)
Mike Bettmann (mab@hitchcock.org)

Homecoming Weekend (the Columbia game) is again the time for our fall mini-reunion. HQ is at Reg and Nancy Pierce's Inn in Etna, where we have been every fall since 1979. Their rooms are $40-68 and the bunkroom is $19. Other lodging possibilities are the Best Western in White River Jct. @ 802-295-3015, Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee, VT @ 802-333-4311, or contact the Alumni Office for many more.  Activities include golf at Lake Morey (contact Duffy for tee times), hoss-ridin' (contact Sharon Blake 781-235-3139), canooo-in' @ Ledyard (603-646-2753), tennis @ Pierces', and/or whatever else you'd like to do in this beautiful season of autumn in New England.