CLASS NOTESJune 2006

  It was a spectacular success! The Class of 1966 broke with conventional timing and held its 40th Reunion over Memorial Day, when school was in session and many more planning and implementation responsibilities fell on classmates than in the traditional mid-June reunion period.

The result – a terrific turnout, an action-packed schedule, stimulating discussions, good-fun competition, and plenty of time for camaraderie with friends old and new. And, just as planned, the weather was perfect.

Reunion Chairman Al Keiller and Co-Chair Roger Brett, ably assisted by their wives, Jo and Korki, and the hard-working class reunion team, attracted 131 classmates and over 245 total participants, the largest class reunion turnout since the 25th and higher totals than the two most recent 40th’s.

A full description of the weekend can be found on the class website at (http://www.dartmouth.org/classes/66/) and in the next class newsletter. Here are just a few of the highlights… but first start thinking. What 1966 song was rated number one in a class poll? (answer below)

Three panel discussions kept everyone thinking. Peter Prichard led panelists Steve Hayes, Jim Weiskopf and others on a discussion of the news media (the internet and cable have eclipsed newspapers and broadcast news). Retirement was the main topic on the program for moderator David Johnston and panelists Rich Abraham and Jeff Brown (with heavy emphasis on second careers, caring for parents and community service). And the current campus issues panel featured four classmate’s offspring who are now Dartmouth students – Rob Cowden, Alex Fidel, Michael Reiss and Elias Tapley – engaged in a lively session moderated by Alex’s dad, Noel Fidel, and including former VP of Alumni Relations Stan Colla and Professor Dick Birnie (hot topics were the teaching – research balance, the Student Life Initiative and integrating minorities fully into Dartmouth).

Golf “winners” were competition organizer Rich Kaiser, who also devised the unique scoring system (hmm), low net scorer Jim Beardsley and Gene Nattie, who shot a low gross of 74. Just about everyone who played tennis arranged by Jeff Futter and Ted Thompson won something. And Dick Blacklow laid out a course for five runners that, we understand, involved jumping over or wading through three brisk New Hampshire creeks.

Popular activities included tours of Billings Farm National Historic Site in Woodstock and the many new College facilities, from the Alumni Gym Fitness Center to the new dorms where Mary Hitchcock once stood. And many classmates made it to the top of Baker Library for sensational views of the beautiful campus and surrounding hills.

There were meals aplenty around the school, including in hallowed Thayer Hall which is scheduled to be replaced soon. The Class Dinner Sunday night in Alumni Hall featured the presentation of Dartmouth Chairs to outgoing class presidents Bill Higgins and Steve Warhover and crystal Hanover Bowls to Al and Brett for their leadership on the 40th Reunion. Professor Jere Daniell ’55, who had taught many reunion attendees, recounted the issues on campus in the John Sloane Dickey era before co-education.

At the dinner Bill Higgins also became the second member of the Class to receive the College’s distinguished Alumni Award. Diseased Classmate Fred Rosenblatt was a previous recipient.

The Class Meeting produced reports that the class is solvent and that 46% had participated in the Alumni Fund (with one month to go!). Class projects include support of fellowships to the John Sloane Dickey Foundation for work abroad, and the Dartmouth Sponsors Program, among others.

A new slate of officers was approved – Chuck Sherman, who has done a terrific job as Webmaster will be President, Al Keiller Vice President, Larry Geiger Secretary, Tim Urban will succeed the tireless Jim Weiskopf as Treasurer, Terry Lowd is Mini-Reunion Chairman, Bob Spence will remain as Head Agent, Alan Rottenberg Bequest Chairman, and Newsletter Editor Bob Serenbetz, will continue in that key role.

Executive Committee Members include Messrs. Birnie, Brett, Colla, Weiskopf, Gary Broughton, John Rollins and George Trumbull. Additional volunteers will be welcomed. Shortly after the Reunion, Ben Day signed on as Webmaster.

Reunion concluded with a moving service Monday morning in honor of the forty-seven class of 1966 classmates who have passed since matriculation. Fred Berthold ’45, former head of the Tucker Foundation, led the service and Bill Higgins, Wayne LoCurto, Steve Warhover and Steve Zegel read the names of departed classmates.

It was a warm and wonderful reunion, with the number one song, “California Dreaming” by The Mama and Papas heard frequently throughout the weekend.

Send comments on the website to Ben.Day@Dartmouth.org