Class Note 1972

Let’s start with some good news about our classmate A. Roger Ekirch. Roger is a history professor at Virginia Tech, and its board of visitors has just announced that Roger has been appointed a “university distinguished professor,” which is Tech’s preeminent faculty rank! The appointment is well deserved. Roger is “an award-winning author whose books have been translated into eight languages,” and he “has achieved international acclaim both within and outside the academy. His extensive body of research has included the surprising discovery, captured in At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past, that the dominant sleep pattern in Western societies was, until the Industrial Revolution, segmented into two parts. The two intervals were bridged by an hour or more of wakefulness shortly past midnight, during which people did ‘anything and everything imaginable,’ from reciting prayers to pilfering a neighbor’s chickens.”

For sleep scientists this revelation provides insights into modern sleep disorders. According to Charles Czeisler, director of Harvard Medical School’s division of sleep medicine, “Professor Ekirch has made a major contribution to both the history and our scientific understanding of sleep. His findings have led to changes in the practice of sleep disorders medicine, particularly for patients with middle-of-the-night insomnia—quite a feat for a historian.” Congratulations, Roger! Well done.

Sadly, I have to report the deaths of several classmates. Our dear classmate and former newsletter editor and executive committee member John “Rocky” Rockwell has passed away. As Greg Yadley put it, “Rocky had a huge heart and the most optimistic outlook imaginable. He will be missed, so we should all celebrate him with a craft beer and some oldies tonight.” Bill Schur remembers that “Rocky programmed the ‘oldies’ music for several of our reunions and offered the contents to all classmates at no charge for later enjoyment. He always admired the accomplishments of our classmates, while he struggled with his own media business. His efforts were hindered by ill health, but he carried on courageously.”

Wes Streeter died last November in Winona, Minnesota. Although Wes did not finish his college career at Dartmouth, he is fondly remembered by his classmates. I received a note from Mark Stitham, who was in Lord Hall with Wes freshman year, and Mark remembers Wes as “quite a character.” Wes went on to get a degree from St. Mary’s College in 1979 in English literature. He was an avid reader all his life and loved music. Mark remembers that Wes turned him on to Gordon Lightfoot and the Mothers of Invention!

The College has also reported the passing of Thomas D. Bullen and Richard H. German. I don’t have any additional information on the circumstances but hope to have more details in the next column. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of all those classmates who have died.

Finally, on a personal note, Conni and I are moving to Franklin, Tennessee, next month! We are looking forward to more moderate temperatures, more favorable taxes, and great country music!,

Be well!

—David Hetzel, 5 Chestnut St., Windham, NH 03087; dghetzel@gmail.com