Class Note 1953
Issue
September-October 2026
Class Note 1953. In 1949 the class of 1953 began its freshman year at Dartmouth College. Here are some of the other important events of that year.
The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., creating the NATO defense alliance. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific opened on Broadway. The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator, the first practicable stored-program computer, ran its first program at Cambridge University. The first trial of Alger Hiss for perjury began in New York City. Celebrities including Helen Keller, Dorothy Parker, Danny Kaye, and Edward G. Robinson were named Communist Party members by the FBI. George Orwell’s 1984 was published in London. Soviet authorities deported more than 92,000 people from the Baltic states to remote areas of the Soviet Union. Evangelist Billy Graham began his “L.A. Crusade.” The cornerstone for the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan was laid. The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb. Israel and Syria signed a truce ending their 19-month war. The first TV Western, Hopalong Cassidy, aired on NBC. The People’s Republic of China was officially proclaimed. The Volkswagen Type 2 was introduced in Germany. The Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League to become the NBA. How many of these events did you know about at the time?
We sadly note the following deaths: Peter B. Schwarzkopf in April, Christopher “Dennis” Thron in May, and John M. “Jack” Becher in November 2020. Gail Lassiter Malin (wife of Robert), died in March. Eric Schnell ’84, son of Emil Schnell,has notified us of the death of his mother, Lois Leifsen Schnell, in March. He writes, “My mom was very appreciative that she continued to receive the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine these past eight years since my father’s passing, as she read it every month and felt connected to the Dartmouth community.”
You, too, can connect to the Dartmouth 1953 community by sending me your news.
Save the date: The next class Zoom meeting will be 4 p.m. (EST) Friday, November 13. Stay tuned for more information from class president Ron Lazar.
—Donna Grant Reilly, 32 Penn Road, Apt. 418; Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 643-7281; reillys5357@gmail.com
54 Edward Fuller was living in his home in Orange, Connecticut, doing well at 93 when I called in June. Ed’s wife, Patricia, died many years ago. He drives, shops, takes care of the lawn, and enjoys engaging with neighbors and ambient phone callers such as me. He worked at General Electric as a tax consultant. Ed added, “I’m fine. My daughter lives close by.”
While in college I spent a fondly remembered weekend with Levi Goldfarb and parents in Onset, Massachusetts. His dad was a family doctor making house calls, his mother gave me lessons on kosher kitchen and food. Ruth and Levi were married nearly 56 years; she died 16 years ago. Levi grieves for Ruth: “There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.” They had three boys and a girl. Levi now has six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Speaking with this retired U.S. Air Force bird colonel, I learned that Levi had more than 26 years on active duty, 13 months in Vietnam, worldwide travels, two years in Crete, and many years as an intelligence officer at the Pentagon. Levi lives alone in his home in Temple Hills, Maryland, where he cooks, does laundry, drives, and shops. One son lives nearby. Just talking with Levi gave me days of feeling good about him and the joy and pride inside Levi from his life’s path.
Listed in a short list of “Notables” during the last 75 years at the University of Michigan Medical School, found in its alum magazine, is Robert O’Neal, late professor of plastic surgery. He was the founder of the Rhinoplasty Society in the United States, author of the book on Michigan’s plastic surgery department, and member of Dartmouth Medical School class of ’55. Bob was our “Bobo,” beloved. More ’54: Stan Rosenberg and his wife, Betsy, are happy and healthy, living in Princeton, New Jersey, at Princeton Windrows, an independent living community. Kindly send your thoughts, views, and news to drjaychandler@icloud.com.
—Jay Chandler,1382 Newtown-Langhorne Road, Newtown, PA 18940-2418; (609) 577-9851; drjaychandler@icloud.com
Back to 1953 Class Year
More of 1953 Class Notes
The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., creating the NATO defense alliance. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific opened on Broadway. The Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator, the first practicable stored-program computer, ran its first program at Cambridge University. The first trial of Alger Hiss for perjury began in New York City. Celebrities including Helen Keller, Dorothy Parker, Danny Kaye, and Edward G. Robinson were named Communist Party members by the FBI. George Orwell’s 1984 was published in London. Soviet authorities deported more than 92,000 people from the Baltic states to remote areas of the Soviet Union. Evangelist Billy Graham began his “L.A. Crusade.” The cornerstone for the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan was laid. The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb. Israel and Syria signed a truce ending their 19-month war. The first TV Western, Hopalong Cassidy, aired on NBC. The People’s Republic of China was officially proclaimed. The Volkswagen Type 2 was introduced in Germany. The Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League to become the NBA. How many of these events did you know about at the time?
We sadly note the following deaths: Peter B. Schwarzkopf in April, Christopher “Dennis” Thron in May, and John M. “Jack” Becher in November 2020. Gail Lassiter Malin (wife of Robert), died in March. Eric Schnell ’84, son of Emil Schnell,has notified us of the death of his mother, Lois Leifsen Schnell, in March. He writes, “My mom was very appreciative that she continued to receive the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine these past eight years since my father’s passing, as she read it every month and felt connected to the Dartmouth community.”
You, too, can connect to the Dartmouth 1953 community by sending me your news.
Save the date: The next class Zoom meeting will be 4 p.m. (EST) Friday, November 13. Stay tuned for more information from class president Ron Lazar.
—Donna Grant Reilly, 32 Penn Road, Apt. 418; Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 643-7281; reillys5357@gmail.com
While in college I spent a fondly remembered weekend with Levi Goldfarb and parents in Onset, Massachusetts. His dad was a family doctor making house calls, his mother gave me lessons on kosher kitchen and food. Ruth and Levi were married nearly 56 years; she died 16 years ago. Levi grieves for Ruth: “There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.” They had three boys and a girl. Levi now has six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Speaking with this retired U.S. Air Force bird colonel, I learned that Levi had more than 26 years on active duty, 13 months in Vietnam, worldwide travels, two years in Crete, and many years as an intelligence officer at the Pentagon. Levi lives alone in his home in Temple Hills, Maryland, where he cooks, does laundry, drives, and shops. One son lives nearby. Just talking with Levi gave me days of feeling good about him and the joy and pride inside Levi from his life’s path.
Listed in a short list of “Notables” during the last 75 years at the University of Michigan Medical School, found in its alum magazine, is Robert O’Neal, late professor of plastic surgery. He was the founder of the Rhinoplasty Society in the United States, author of the book on Michigan’s plastic surgery department, and member of Dartmouth Medical School class of ’55. Bob was our “Bobo,” beloved. More ’54: Stan Rosenberg and his wife, Betsy, are happy and healthy, living in Princeton, New Jersey, at Princeton Windrows, an independent living community. Kindly send your thoughts, views, and news to drjaychandler@icloud.com.
—Jay Chandler,1382 Newtown-Langhorne Road, Newtown, PA 18940-2418; (609) 577-9851; drjaychandler@icloud.com