The article in the recent Dartmouth Alumni Magazine mentioning Peter Bullis and the Indian Chiefs Jazz Band brought up memories of other ’54s who played with College bands. Mike Payton, Mike Biggs, Ron Dutton and Benny Davis were part of the Sultans. As stated in the Aegis, they “made a break with Dartmouth tradition and introduced a new and more sophisticated style of jazz. The group turned from Dixie to bop.”


There also was the Barbary Coast Orchestra led by Skip Weymouth. Playing with the Barbary Coast were Pete Barker, Dike Ketelhut, Jim Colby, Bob Martin, Bill Murane, George Hitchcock and Bruce Matheson. Well before the Aires, they played on national television while performing at Frank Dailey’s Meadowbrook in New Jersey.


After resurrecting his career as class newsletter editor, Pete Barker decided to resurrect his “late-in-life” acting career. If you see someone who looks like Pete in commercials or on television, it is probably Pete. In January he appeared at the America Theater of Actors in New York City in the role of the ghost of the dead king of Denmark in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Pete’s stage name: W. Griffith Barker.


Records are made to be broken. However some last for a long time. In 1953 Bob Drawbaugh established a Dartmouth record for the most soccer goals in a career. It stood intact until this year, when the record was surpassed by Lucky Mkosana ’12.


At the December ’54 holiday luncheon at the Yale Club, attended by 39 (spouses included for the first time), Dana Low was awarded the Class of 1954 Award. Dana was recognized for his professional career in engineering and his community service with Saint Luke’s Life Works, helping the homeless.


We sadly report the passing of our long-term webmaster Perry Davis in January. Dick Barker has agreed to succeed Perry as webmaster.


As this column is being written the class is gathering in Sarasota, Florida, for the second 80th celebration. Note the third celebration at the Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale, New York, on May 23.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com