As I write this in April I think back to this time 50 years ago. We were all eagerly awaiting our graduation from high school and perhaps even more anxious about the college we had chosen to attend or were still weighing our options. It was an exciting time and today is an exciting time for the future members of the class of ’19. In our class executive committee calls we have been discussing the concept of connecting with the class 50 years behind us, a project several classes have already accepted with good results. Dimitri Gerakaris has met with members of prior classes to learn what is involved with the program and will have a report and proposals for our participation in an upcoming meeting. Meantime please be thinking about your life 50 years ago and pass your thoughts and memories to Allen Denison and me.


One of the first opportunities to connect with today’s incoming freshmen will be Homecoming, when we always have a presence and a mini-reunion. Rick Willets is the chairman of the planning committee and with Paul Tuhus and several others will be creating an array of events and gatherings to officially start the journey to our 50th reunion, so plan on joining many of us then. We may even run with the ’19s around the bonfire!


We received notice of an award to David Abbott and a lengthy follow-up email detailing much of his life’s work in geology. We shared Professor Stoiber’s “Rocks 1” class as freshmen and David turned his resultant enthusiasm into a 45-year career while I accumulated a significant library of “Roadside Geology” books as I drove this country’s highways. He received the 2015 Ben H. Parker Memorial Medal, the oldest and most distinguished award granted by the American Institute of Professional Geologists, awarded to individuals for their distinguished and outstanding service to the profession. David is best known for his “Professional Ethics & Practices” column in AIPG’s The Professional Geologist. You can find more about David’s experiences in Allen’s latest newsletter.


Wise@Dartmouth, our most recent class special project, has received an award to one of its facilitators, Caeli Cavanagh ’14, who earned the 2015 Youth Activist Award by the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services.


In a late-breaking item expanding on our class connection project mentioned above, Norman Jacobs has agreed to lead our class effort in the DOC first-year trips program this fall. This will involve the use of volunteer ’69s to provide transportation, meals and other assistance to the incoming class of ’19 members making this DOC trip during the period between August 26 and September 8. Dona Heller, Bill Stableford and Jim Staros have already signed on for this effort, but Norman needs more volunteers. If you can stay the entire time or just come in for a day or two please contact Norman at njacobs@spiritproducts.com to learn more details of this opportunity to spend time in the Grant with fellow classmates and those incoming freshmen.


Next time we will discuss George Anastasia’s new book.


—Steve Larson, 465 Miller Road; Winchester, VA 22602; (360) 770-4388; wheat69@outlook.com