Class Note 1981
Which Dartmouth classmate influenced you the most (either during our years at Dartmouth, or in the years since we graduated)? The responses to this big question literally poured in, demonstrating the countless ways we have been touched by our college peers. Here are a few.
“It would be impossible to name just one. I spent four years at Dartmouth trying to emulate the best or most interesting qualities of first one student, then another, then another, sometimes several simultaneously, while all the while trying to be myself. Not an easy trick, but no doubt the person I am was shaped by that experience,” says Steven Sullivan. I am sure many of us can relate to this sentiment.
Anne Putney Swire writes “Ann Smolowe—I had never met anyone who was as fearless and adventuresome as Ann. Prior to coming to college she had taken a year off to live on a kibbutz in Israel. I had never heard of a kibbutz. She was the youngest sports massage therapist for Olympic athletes at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. I had never heard of a massage therapist, let alone seen a massage table, which she hauled into our dorm room to give a sports massage to one of my athletic roommates. We all know that she hiked the Appalachian Trail solo in the year after College—that’s pretty fearless—and she also led outdoor ropes courses for the executives that she had met on Wall Street, where she was the youngest person to ever work for the American Stock Exchange. Ann was always challenging herself to conquer new heights—learn more, do more, explore more. She inspired me with her sheer will to live life deeply, fully, and joyfully and fearlessly. Polly Duncan Collum—Polly’s spirituality is what inspired me, and still does today. Polly’s faith manifests in her commitment to social justice. She is deeply principled and lives out her life in that way—by working on nuclear disarmament issues right after college, being a political activist, living in an intentional Catholic faith community, and becoming a lay minister in her Catholic faith. She continues to do outreach work, minister to Hispanic parishioners in her community, and live a very intentional life. This integration—the integrity—of her faith, work, and life deeply inspire me.”
For Jim Pearson, “Creativity is a foundational lesson in Hanover.” His big influencers were Sharon Washington and Mark Lotito. “Both were great presences on stage at Dartmouth. In later years they have excelled as actors and creative forces. Sharon’s work has touched our lives in her performances and writing. Mark took some time out after a performance of Jersey Boys in New York to catch up when my wife, Laurie, and I were in town and saw the show.” Sharon and Mark’s examples inspired Jim to fund a theater scholarship for kids.
Please continue to send your news and answers to the big questions series to d.81.news@gmail.com.
—Veronica Wessels, 224 Buena Vista Road, Rockcliffe, ON K1M0V7, Canada; (613) 864-4491; vcwessels@rogers.com; Emil Miskovsky, 520 Seneca St., Suite 312, Utica, NY 13502; (802) 345-9861; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com
