Class Note 1961
Issue
Sept - Oct 2019
During May 15-18 the small (less than 500 surviving classmates) but highly active class of 1961 (winner of Class of the Year for two of the past four years) held its first off-campus mini-reunion in a foreign location (London, England). What started as a moment of historical significance almost exactly 30 years ago—when the class of ’61 held its first off-campus mini-reunion (and the College’s first official off-campus mini) in early May 1989 in Washington, D.C.—evolved through three decades into a celebration of Dartmouth’s 250th anniversary. The class held its first foreign mini in the city and country from which the then Lord Dartmouth and king of England indirectly provided the financial support necessary for the evolution of Dartmouth College in colonial America.
During the London mini 19 classmates, spouses, and significant others followed a detailed and extensive schedule that included visiting historical sites and listening to historical perspectives. The class’ highlight event was the final banquet dinner celebrating our classmates’ 80th birthdays and held in the stately Hall of the Worshipful Company of Founders in London. Classmate Frank Stephens, a longtime resident of London, and his wife, Dawn, planned the itinerary and implemented the entire celebration. Clearly, from post-mini responses from attendees, they were successful. At the final class dinner class president Don O’Neill presented Frank with a framed photograph of the Robert Frost statue at Dartmouth, autographed by the sculptor, as recognition by the class for a job well done.
On another tack, Dartmouth is currently undertaking the development of a new master plan for the development of the College through the next 20 years or so, both within its current campus envelope and including its outlying areas. While building and campus development has grown steadily during the past decade with respect to academic and arts use, there has been little recent growth, actual or projected, of buildings for undergraduate residential use. It is important that all of us follow this current master plan and provide input as to what size the undergraduate student body should be, considering the College both as an isolated individual entity and as a member of the highly competitive eight Ivy League schools, all of which (except Dartmouth, which is already the smallest Ivy) are or have been intentionally growing their respective undergraduate student bodies. Maybe Dartmouth does not need to grow its undergraduate student body, but maybe it does.
—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516) 446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com
During the London mini 19 classmates, spouses, and significant others followed a detailed and extensive schedule that included visiting historical sites and listening to historical perspectives. The class’ highlight event was the final banquet dinner celebrating our classmates’ 80th birthdays and held in the stately Hall of the Worshipful Company of Founders in London. Classmate Frank Stephens, a longtime resident of London, and his wife, Dawn, planned the itinerary and implemented the entire celebration. Clearly, from post-mini responses from attendees, they were successful. At the final class dinner class president Don O’Neill presented Frank with a framed photograph of the Robert Frost statue at Dartmouth, autographed by the sculptor, as recognition by the class for a job well done.
On another tack, Dartmouth is currently undertaking the development of a new master plan for the development of the College through the next 20 years or so, both within its current campus envelope and including its outlying areas. While building and campus development has grown steadily during the past decade with respect to academic and arts use, there has been little recent growth, actual or projected, of buildings for undergraduate residential use. It is important that all of us follow this current master plan and provide input as to what size the undergraduate student body should be, considering the College both as an isolated individual entity and as a member of the highly competitive eight Ivy League schools, all of which (except Dartmouth, which is already the smallest Ivy) are or have been intentionally growing their respective undergraduate student bodies. Maybe Dartmouth does not need to grow its undergraduate student body, but maybe it does.
—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516) 446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com