The class held its annual on-campus mini-reunion in Hanover on October 29-31, 2010, which coincided this year with Homecoming Weekend. Because of our upcoming 50th reunion, we were the premier class attending and on Friday evening led the parade procession up Main Street to Dartmouth Hall and the highlight bonfire. Attendance by our class was very good (30 classmates, plus 25 spouses and three grandchildren) and everyone had a great time. Kudos to Maynard Wheeler, class mini-reunion chairman, and his assistants for putting together a great weekend.


Hank Eberhardt recently informed me that he has once again retired, this time from the Hampshire College administrative staff, after 41 years of professional fundraising at six educational institutions, including Dartmouth College. Based on Hank’s “advanced age,” this will more than likely be his last retirement. Hank, best of luck and thank you for all of your past time and effort on behalf of the class of 1961 and Dartmouth College.


The class of 1961 legacy continues to make its imprint on the performing arts at Dartmouth. For the 2010-11 season we are sponsoring three events: Herbie Hancock, jazz legend, in August 2010; the Kronos Quartet, in residency, on October 2, 2010; SITI Company’s Radio Macbeth on April 4-5. You should be proud of what your class is doing in the arena of performing arts at Dartmouth! Thank you, David Birney, Oscar Arslanian, Pete Bleyler, Denny Denniston and many, many other classmates who have contributed time, effort and financial support to this wonderful class project. Show your support with a financial contribution this year, so that we can continue to grow our performing arts legacy endowment and, we hope, reach our goal of $1 million by our 50th reunion.


Our 50th reunion, June 9-14, is rapidly approaching. I hope you will all be attending this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Who would have thought 50 years ago that this momentous occasion would ever arrive! There will be no do-over’s or second chances, so use it or lose it. We’re aiming for 55 percent class participation. Hank Eberhardt, our 50th reunion participation chair, requests your attendance.


Speaking of Pete Bleyler, he and his wife, Ruth, were featured in a national magazine, the October 2010 issue of Money, which contained a lead article on “5 Great College Towns to Retire In.” Hanover was No. 1 on the list, and the article featured a photo of Pete and Ruth and a mention in the text. 


In closing I want to put our class age into proper perspective. As part of an interview from a September issue of Time magazine, a prominent male singer was asked about his singing an old love song written for someone he no longer loves, and how he felt about that. His response was that he didn’t feel forced or uncomfortable about singing it, stating that, “Once I write a song, it becomes like a cover. I don’t relate to it anymore. I feel like I’m singing ‘Wooley Bully’ or something.” Right on! “Wooley Bully” contains some of the most diversified and complex lyrics that our generation ever produced in a single song!


—Victor S. Rich, 5 Red Ground Road, Old Westbury, NY 11568; victor.rich@rsmi.com