Class Note 1961

By the time that you read this article, the class of ’61 will have done its share to assist in the alumni celebration of Dartmouth’s 250-year anniversary, certainly a worthy milestone in and of itself, with an event unique among the other Ivy League colleges and universities. On May 15-18 a group of ’61 classmates, along with their spouses and significant others, planned to descend upon London, England, for four days to celebrate their 80-year birthday party and the College’s 250-year birthday party in the city and country that provided the royal family that was so instrumental in the founding of Dartmouth College.

Several classmates have been working on this class event, but none as hard or as effectively as Frank Stephens and his wife, Dawn. Frank has been dedicated, thorough, and a cheerleader for this mini-reunion for about a year and a half. The event will take place in a little more than two weeks as I write, and there is no doubt that it will be a highly successful mini-reunion. Our only regret, based on our advancing age, is that we did not do this mini-reunion 20 to 25 years ago, when the turnout could have and probably would have been more extensive—but then that time period would not have coincided with Dartmouth’s extraordinary 250-year anniversary.

In closing, I leave you with an appropriate quote from some unknown source: “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’ ” For at least some of those 80-year-old ’61 alumni attending the London mini, this was a driving force motivating their attendance.

—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516 )446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com