Class Note 1961
Issue
January-February 2024
A ’61 class project, begun nearly 30 years ago in 1994, was finally completed in 2023.
The initial phase of the project, a high-quality, life-size statue of Robert Frost (class of 1896, with many close ties to Dartmouth although never a graduate), created by now famous sculptor George W. Lundeen, was completed and donated to Dartmouth by the class of 1961 during its 35th Reunion in 1996. Primarily because the College at the time had no other statues on campus (and to date still does not have any statues of a person, real or imaginary), it placed the statue of Robert Frost at the top of College Park, alone except for the existence of the long unused Bartlett Tower. Although at the time the upper tier of College Park was in decent shape and reasonably well kept, those conditions were not maintained during the next 20 years, although the Frost statue gained popularity and increased visitation steadily during that period.
For our 55th reunion in 2016, the class had a re-dedication of the statue, ran a College-wide art contest using the Frost statue as the focus point (with financial awards in three categories and a public display of the winning and runner-up efforts during the week of the various reunions), and worked with the College to clean up the upper section of the College Park area.
In 2022 the ’61 class executive committee realized that the upper area of College Park was again overgrown and, more significantly, the edges of the rock outcropping near the statue was falling away, thus creating an ugly and potentially dangerous situation for visitors. Although initial planning and discussions were leaning us toward possibly doing another Frost statue improvement project for our 65th reunion in 2026, we learned the class of 1967 was planning to improve portions of the upper area of College Park. Fortunately for both classes, we were able to join together and coordinate our efforts in a joint class project to do a quality job for the entire upper section of College Park, now renamed “The Rise.”
The Robert Frost statue, after nearly 30 years, finally has a home attractive enough and large enough to accommodate comfortably his friends, students, and other visitors.
—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516)446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com
The initial phase of the project, a high-quality, life-size statue of Robert Frost (class of 1896, with many close ties to Dartmouth although never a graduate), created by now famous sculptor George W. Lundeen, was completed and donated to Dartmouth by the class of 1961 during its 35th Reunion in 1996. Primarily because the College at the time had no other statues on campus (and to date still does not have any statues of a person, real or imaginary), it placed the statue of Robert Frost at the top of College Park, alone except for the existence of the long unused Bartlett Tower. Although at the time the upper tier of College Park was in decent shape and reasonably well kept, those conditions were not maintained during the next 20 years, although the Frost statue gained popularity and increased visitation steadily during that period.
For our 55th reunion in 2016, the class had a re-dedication of the statue, ran a College-wide art contest using the Frost statue as the focus point (with financial awards in three categories and a public display of the winning and runner-up efforts during the week of the various reunions), and worked with the College to clean up the upper section of the College Park area.
In 2022 the ’61 class executive committee realized that the upper area of College Park was again overgrown and, more significantly, the edges of the rock outcropping near the statue was falling away, thus creating an ugly and potentially dangerous situation for visitors. Although initial planning and discussions were leaning us toward possibly doing another Frost statue improvement project for our 65th reunion in 2026, we learned the class of 1967 was planning to improve portions of the upper area of College Park. Fortunately for both classes, we were able to join together and coordinate our efforts in a joint class project to do a quality job for the entire upper section of College Park, now renamed “The Rise.”
The Robert Frost statue, after nearly 30 years, finally has a home attractive enough and large enough to accommodate comfortably his friends, students, and other visitors.
—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; (516)446-3977; richwind13@gmail.com