Class Note 1965

One of my references for this column is a rapidly decaying copy of the 1965 Green Book—cover flaking, pages sticking, classmates looking oh so young. In my research I flipped to the back and realized the concept of Facebook has been with us longer than the app itself. The last pages have dormitory numbers of many women’s colleges in the Northeast. Remember calling those numbers hopefully, waiting while a distant voice yelled, “Some guy from Dartmouth wants to talk to you”? Then, successful in setting the date, remember donning a sport coat or Dartmouth green jacket (which would usually guarantee a ride when you stuck your thumb out), riding to Boston, Mount Holyoke, or further afield? Ahh, the optimism of it all. Such rumination raises the question: How about your experiences, your road trips? Let me know for the next column.

Now to the present. The winter months saw the expansion of the New York City meeting, well-attended Hanover breakfasts, a Florida baseball game, and a Florida micro-mini.

Hank Amon reports that a February lunch at Café Central included Jim Gerson, Bob Reilert, Jon Silbert, Brian Porzak, Dick Shaw, Mark Sheingorn, Charlie Strauss,Hank,and Carl Boe. He notes, “We went around the table, and each of us described what had become of our lives after Dartmouth. A stimulating and diverse group in terms of what our working and personal lives had involved.”

The Florida micro-mini reunion mentioned above included Bob Murphy, Rick Mahoney, Dave Bush, Steve Horvath, Bob Ziemian, Mike Zare,and Jim Griffiths. Micro-mini group, but macro interest and conversation. Closer to home, the Hanover Skinny Pancake breakfast is flourishing. March meeting included Phil Schaeffer, Hunt Whitacre, Dave Hewitt, Peter Frederick, Bob McConnaughey, Larry Duffy, Steve Fowler, Mike Bettman,and Mike Gonnerman. Good conversation and, of course, the pancakes.

Bob Murphy reports that “the first road trip for the ’65 club of southwest Florida took place March 18 with a group visit to a Detroit Tigers-Tampa Bay Rays game at the Rays’ spring training site in Port Charlotte. We were fortunate that Bill Brown was able to arrange group tickets for us. This was our first venture outside the friendly confines of First Watch Breakfast Restaurant. It won’t be the last, as we had a great time. Bill coordinated everything through Murphy, and the group included George Wittreich, Mahoney, Gonnerman, and Sherlyn and Peter Morrissette. Our group was enriched by the presence of Jim Beattie ’76, husband of our former alumni relations VP Martha Beattie; Jim pitched for Dartmouth and then for nine years for the Yankees and Mariners, so we all learned more about real baseball than we had collectively known before. A great experience!” He continues, “Coming up next is our coed luncheon at Snook Haven in Venice.” That Florida group does get around!

Finally, we note with sadness the January passing of Jim Danielson in Wenatchee, Washington, and George Poland in West Kingston, Rhode Island, in February.

—John Rogers, 6051 Laurel Ave., #310, Golden Valley, MN 55416; (763) 568-7501; johnbairdrogers@comcast.net