Forty years ago next month we all descended on the Hanover Plain from ’round the girdled earth to begin our Dartmouth College adventure. Seems like only yesterday. What stands out in your memory?


John Brennner recalls, “Pulling out of Hanover at some ungodly hour of the morning headed to my freshman trip at the College Grant, seated next to Rob Hendren (M.D.), who promptly fell asleep with his head on my shoulder. When he awoke about an hour later his opening remark, delivered with perfect Boston grace and aplomb: ‘Pardon me, have I been drooling on you?’ Welcome to Dartmouth.”


Barbi Martinez recently wrote about her freshman trip on Facebook. “Freshman trip (and hiking) was one of many ‘firsts’ in my ‘Dartmouth experience.’ Not only was it wonderful to do something out of my comfort zone, learn the alma mater and eat green eggs and ham, but it was amazing to start college with an instant group of friends, including the late, great professor John Kidder (whom this economics major would otherwise never have met).”


My own freshman trip memory involves the telling of the Doc Benton story at the Ravine Lodge. At the climactic scary moment, the vivacious young lady sitting next to me (you know who you are!) leaped into my lap and threw her arms around me. After four years at an all-boy’s high school, it was a welcome introduction to coeducation.


“First thing I did when I moved into my room in Hitchcock,” writes Jack Manheimer, “was set up my stereo and put on Europe ’72 (Grateful Dead). Within minutes Vicki Smith, hearing the music, was at the door. In the words of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca), that was ‘the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’ Along with Steve Maynard and David “Chip” Shoemaker, we shared many Dead concerts in the ensuing years, including a memorable show at Dartmouth in 1978.”


One of Stephen Chamberlain’s favorite memories is from freshman football. “In those days there was a separate freshman squad. We played our games out on the practice fields in back of where Thompson Arena now stands. Of course there were no locker-room facilities out there and so at half time the woods were the replacement for bathroom facilities. Sports Illustrated did a story on Ivy League football and what should they publish in it? A picture of the whole freshman squad, lined up, backs to the camera, facing the woods, captioned ‘Halftime in Hanover.’ It is interesting to think about the future occupations and positions of some of those whose picture was taken that day.”


Send your memories of freshman year for future columns and the class newsletter. 


—Rick Beyer, 34 Outlook Drive, Lexington, MA 02421; rick@rickbeyer.net