Five hundred words can’t adequately highlight Homecoming 2021! Peter Elias arrived on Friday at the Courtyard in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and he recommends it highly: clean, convenient, friendly. “I think it would be fun,” Peter writes, “if ’69s would stay there for campus visits, so we could enjoy breakfasts or other times together. I walked around campus, saddened by the construction scaffolds and staging for the Dartmouth Hall renovations. The Baker Library lawn was blighted by a monstrous tent (perhaps never used) and there were at least three concentric circles of metal fencing around the bonfire, along with huge portable light fixtures and mobile generators.” Great photo opportunities were lost. Nonetheless, a lively crowd gathered Friday in the Hinman Forum for drinks and dinner. Peter adds: “The meal was good, and the company was great. The speeches and rituals on a grandstand on the Green were mercifully short. There was a rather anemic running around the bonfire within layers of metal fencing and no stampede of ’25s. The bonfire was quite nice.” On Saturday Rick Willets once again hustled to Chi Heorot to erect our class tent with Norm Jacobs and Dona Heller, organizers of many class-related events. Prior to the Yale game (Dartmouth won in overtime!), classmates gathered to enjoy sparkling weather and renewed fellowship. At the annual class meeting in 219 Wilson, the updated class constitution won unanimous approval. Among those present—too many to list everyone—Greg Lau, Ken Paul, Roy Wallace, Mark Anderson, Jud Graves, and Jay Glaser were in fine form, along with your executive committee and the usual suspects. Several classmates commented about touring the campus, noting that undergraduates were friendly, talkative, and welcoming. There was ski team cider at Robinson, and Peter asked several students about current affairs at Dartmouth, including freedom of speech on campus. He has written about this on our listserv. The most meaningful and memorable event at Homecoming was the dedication of the legendary DOC House, a multi-year project carried out by our class. Described as “breathtaking,” “stupendous,” “inspiring,” and “magnificent,” the lodge has become the most popular and impressive gathering place on campus. The DOC House is already booked for weddings, celebrations, reunions, and other major events. Peter notes that the team preserved the shape and character of the original structure. The planners dramatically enhanced the dining room, creating a memorable view of Occom Pond. Julie Mathias and team worked magic on the interiors, including old photos and memorabilia as well as elegant furnishings, adding layers of personality and history. The books and photos alone are worth hours of attention. Remember that we are still meeting often on Zoom for casual conversations, social hours, play readings, lectures, and support groups—contact me for information and details. And join the email listserv! Stay in touch and send news.

—John “Tex” Talmadge, 3519 Brookline Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234; (214) 673-9250; johntalmadgemd@gmail.com