Your class officers, with assistance from the class executive committee, is currently in the process of revising our class logo, after more than 25 years of having a logo that focused on our class’ connectivity and connections with each other. Harris McKee, our class webmaster, agreed to assume administrative responsibility for this project. It was quickly decided that we wanted to build the new logo around the Robert Frost statue, which the class donated to Dartmouth in connection with our 35th reunion. Ron Wybranowski, a very talented photographer, donated several photos that he had taken of the statue. Harris then began to manipulate his computer graphics skills to present, eventually, 13 different variations for the class officers and the class executive committee members to review and evaluate. As of the submission date for this article, the process is still ongoing.


Patti and I just returned from attending a weekend wedding in Los Angeles. We arrived a day early so that we could enjoy a leisurely dinner at our hotel with Oscar and Nyla Arslanian. Because of their connections the manager of the hotel came over to our table, said hello to Oscar and Nyla and then picked up our entire dinner and bar bill. Then we learned at least partially why. Nyla, first chair of the class of ’61 women’s initiative committee, recently stepped down as the long-term president of the Hollywood Arts Council, a position she had held for an astounding 33 years, and has assumed the lifetime position of president emeritus. Upon her retirement Nyla was honored by the Hollywood community with a reception at the venerable Pantages Theatre at Hollywood and Vine. Nyla had no knowledge of the reception as she strolled down Hollywood Boulevard with Oscar, believing that they were going to attend an important business meeting, until she just happened to notice the Pantages Theatre’s glowing marquee on Hollywood Boulevard, which read on all three sides, “Congratulations Nyla Arslanian on 33 years of service to Hollywood.” At the reception she was feted by the community with accolades as well as a video in which numerous Los Angeles leaders proclaimed that, “There were not many great things that had occurred in Hollywood over the past 33 years that did not have Nyla’s name attached to them in some way.” According to Oscar, she was “completely blown away.” He even sent us pictures of the movie theater marquee and the award presentation (see our class newsletter and our class website). It appears that we drafted Nyla to be a ’61 class officer just in time.


The spring ’61 mini-reunion in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, has been set for Sunday, April 19, to Wednesday, April 22. Limited hotel reservations at a special low rate are available at the Williamsburg Lodge; call (800) 261-9530, mention “Dartmouth Class of ’61 Reunion” and use code #32210. Dave Prewitt, mini-reunion co-chair, and his wife, Joan, have put together a great weekend for all who attend.


—Victor S. Rich, 94 Dove Hill Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030; richwind13@gmail.com