Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 1956, the late Joel Ash and I had a reverence for the Indian and the old traditions. Chief Plenty Coups of the Crow people in Montana said in the late 1800s, “With education, you are the white man’s equal; without education, you are his victim.”

So the Baker Tower weathervane issue fans ill winds. Joel eloquently stated the case in his September/October column. I had asked three questions: Who were the 900 people who signed the complaint; what percentage of Dartmouth alumni is 900 (a sliver, perhaps); and how do we know it’s a rum barrel on the weathervane? Could be an apple barrel—Eleazar was from Connecticut! Please let me know your thoughts—and what else is going on!

I want to acknowledge and thank the previous great communicators of the class—Joel Ash, Stew Wood, Ab Oakes, Flint Ranney, Bob Grossman, Tom Harper, Freddie “Pig” Oman, Art Zich, Stew Sanders, et al.—and appreciate being given the stewardship of the “back nine” as we approach our 65th reunion next fall! Hope to have a smooth transition from Joel to myself in this goat roping.

The class executive committee has recently met to plan the 65th reunion and further information will be forthcoming. A startling new concept, a class leadership authors program, was unveiled and you will hear more about it.

Bob McKay writes from Berlin, Germany, that he fondly remembers the hole in one made at No. 4 (the short uphill par 3) on the now-closed golf course. He says he hasn’t hit a good shot since and hopes the course will not be “condominiumised” to house grad school students.

Finally, I must mention our class physician, Dr. Eric Jensen of Mukilteo, Washington. After saving my life twice (three times, he says) he is now happily growing dahlias on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Washington.

All best wishes for a neat start to 2021!

The Indian will never die.

—J.W. Crowley, 15612 SE 42nd Place, Bellevue, WA 98006; (425) 746-1824; jackcrowley@ hotmail.com