As of February, some 130 classmates, wives and significant others were registered for our 55th reunion in Hanover on June 11-14, including many who will partake in the optional Moosilauke Ravine Lodge overnight stay June 9-10 and the two-day extension at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, Vermont, June 15-16. In addition to tours, parties, sports and educational programs, the reunion will offer entertainment by cabaret performers Paul Binder and Petie Subin Tuesday evening and banquet keynote by acclaimed humorist Gina Barreca ’79 Wednesday night, followed by partying to a Motown band (“My Girl,” “All Night Long,” “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” and more) at the class tent. There is still time to register at www.63reunion.com. For last-minute questions, contact reunion registration chair Mike Emerson at johnmichaelemerson@comcast.net; mobile, (206) 290-8036; or home, (206) 242-0992.

Conversation about the future of higher education in these tumultuous times is bound to come up at the reunion. Mike Rie, retired professor of anesthesiology at the University of Kentucky, was moved after reading a New York Times piece about a letter to parents from John Allman, head of the elite K-12 Trinity School in Manhattan. The letter discussed alienation among students at Trinity for which Allman blamed “consumerist families that treat teachers and the school in entirely instrumental ways, seeking to use us exclusively to advance their child’s narrow self-interest.” Mike commented “After seeing that, I became convinced that many people whose children are in the pre-college group are going off the rail. I was impressed that the head of Trinity School got it and wondered that as an alumni group do we at Dartmouth have thoughts about recruitment and the great demarcation we have in this country between the well-off and the not well-off?”

Steve Spahn, who will be at the reunion with wife Constance, believes college admissions officers are less interested today in SATs and transcripts. “They want students with critical-thinking abilities. It’s a game changer,” Steve says. He should know, as one who is marking his 50th year as chancellor of Dwight School, an international baccalaureate school headquartered in New York with branches in China, Korea, United Kingdom, Canada and most recently Dubai. “I believe we are in a new age of educational enlightenment,” Steve said. “If you want to survive, you better have a philosophy and an approach both as an educator and as a student. We are redesigning how you train teachers. How do you test for ideas? Everyone wants simple solutions, but we have to redefine what we want to develop in kids.” The Spahns’ sons have followed in dad’s footsteps. Blake, a Columbia grad, is vice chancellor of Dwight; Kirk ’99 founded Dwight’s online high school.

Frank Wohl, a lawyer specializing in complex civil litigation, regulatory enforcement and white-collar crime, was honored in March with the prestigious 2018 Norman S. Ostrow Award presented by the New York Council of Defense Lawyers. Celebrated defense lawyers Benjamin Brafman, Gerald Shargel and Barry Scheck and former SEC chair Mary Jo White are among previous winners.

Finally, I wish to mention that Ed and Charlene Mazer were also part of our group at Paul Binder and Petie Subin’s N.Y.C. cabaret covered in last issue’s column.

—Harry Zlokower, 190 Amity St., Brooklyn, NY 11201; (917) 541-8162; harry@zlokower.com