During March and April of 1964 we were on the downhill side of our junior year. Without realizing it, the country was edging closer to a war that would change our lives. On March 26 Robert McNamara confirmed that the United States would increase its military and economic aid to South Vietnam in the effort to prevent an insurgent Communist takeover. The same day Special Forces Capt. Floyd Thompson was captured by Viet Cong insurgents. He was held for almost nine years, longer than any other American POW.


The country was also deeply involved in the civil rights movement. In April three students from the College, including Ned Greeley, were arrested during a civil rights protest in St. Augustine, Florida. They were charged with trespassing, conspiring to commit a misdemeanor and “failure to be a good guest.” The College wired funds to cover their bail and groups started raising funds to support the effort. The same month the newly formed Hanover chapter of the NAACP had 150 members at the inaugural meeting. Richard Joseph and John Ehrenberg were elected vice presidents.


Everyday life, however, went on. UCLA’s basketball team finished undefeated, winning the first of John Wooden’s 10 championships in 12 years. The first Ford Mustang was unveiled. Henry Cabot Lodge won the New Hampshire primary over Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller. Television quiz show Jeopardy debuted on March 30. Closer to home, the Hopkins Center hosted its “World of William Shakespeare” festival, featuring Richard III, starring Dave Feldshuh in the title role. 


We began to choose the leaders for our senior year. We selected Pete Frederick and Rick Mahoney for class president and secretary-treasurer. Ted Bracken, John Ferdico, Dave Weber and the late Dave Perinchief were elected to positions on the Undergraduate Council. The Interfraternity Council picked Rich Bloch for president, Marshall Wallach vice president, and Reb Forte secretary. The Interdormitory Council elected Steve Farrow president and Joel Eiserman chairman of the Judiciary Council. Jim Cooper and Vic Mair were named captains of the hockey and basketball teams, respectively. Rob Hartford was tapped for general manager of WDCR, with Alan Boyce, Jim Frank, Mike Lewis and Jeff Panitt completing the board.


Steve Fowler (stephens.fowler@myfairpoint.net) and Mike Bettmann (bettmann@wfubmc.edu) are hard at work planning our 50th reunion. We have a chance to make the occasion really personal and special. Steve and Mike have been considering a number of ideas to make it more interesting and enjoyable. They have started arranging musical performances by classmates and creating opportunities for us to get together with the specific group of friends who were our closest companions during our Dartmouth years. Not everyone is interested in events for the entire class, but might like to spend time with their closest friends from those days. To further that effort, they have emailed us a six-question survey. Please take a few minutes to think about the questions—most importantly, what would you most enjoy doing at our 50th. If you did not receive the questionnaire, please contact Steve or Mike and get involved. 


Please send me a note about what you have been doing.


—Tom Long, 1056 Leigh Mill Road, Great Falls, VA 22066; (703) 759-4255; tomlongerols.com