On November 6, 2015, my wife and I attended an awards ceremony by the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine honoring Alan J. Friedman, among others. Alan, who graduated from the Dartmouth Medical School in 1957, was honored for outstanding service—the only one of the eight honorees so honored. Each of the honorees gave interesting presentations and the awards ceremony was followed by a reception with multi-course hors d’oeuvres. The class extends hearty congratulations to Alan for a lifetime of service to Dartmouth and the Medical School!

I heard recently from Abner Oakes, who sent along some poetry and passes to the Friends of Hockey reception room—thank you for both! I publicly invite you to join me in attending a Dartmouth hockey team game. I would love to see you in person.

This time the Barbary Coast Jazz band plays in honor of five classmates as they march behind the band up Main Street and around the Green. All of us who remain bow our heads in silent tribute to Steve Barnett, Jim Groebe, Hugh Manchester, Thomas Stahl Marvel and Henry Harrison Taylor Jr. The class extends heartfelt condolences to widows, family and friends.

I recently received a short email from John Chapman expressing his appreciation for this column and his love of my limericks about Dartmouth. Nice to hear from you, Chaps, and thank you for the kind words.

This issue of Dartmouth Alumni Magazine features reasons to love Dartmouth and I want to try to fit in with that theme—but how do I do justice to the many reasons for love of alma mater. I simply conclude with a poem deeply expressing that love.

The following is from “The Green Heart,” the sixth stanza of a poetic limerick written in 1999.

All join in when the Dartmouth songs start,

As alumni we each play our part;

School ties are maintained,

Loyal feelings ingrained,

In each chest you will find a green heart.

—Joel D. Ash, P.O. Box 1733, Grantham, NH 03753; (603) 863-3360; jash_125@comcast.net