The Williamsburg, Virginia, mini-reunion has come and gone after three event-filled days and evenings of activities and camaraderie among 48 classmates and spouses and significant others from across the country, from New Hampshire to California to Florida. These included a history lecture by our own professor Ron Heinemann, walking tours, bus tours, meetings, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with the highlight being our 75th birthday dinner with great entertainment. Denny Denniston, our class president, led a spirited class meeting. Finally, thanks to Dave Prewitt and his lovely wife, Joan, for putting together another spectacular and special out-of-Hanover mini-reunion. Our next chance to get together as a class will be our 55th reunion from June 13-16, 2016. Try to attend as we are planning some really special events and we are not getting any younger.


Speaking of the 55th reunion, our class project, the ’61 Frost Statue art contest, has now been approved by the class officers, the appropriate faculty and the appropriate alumni administrator. The goal of the contest is to reward the best artistic representations of the Robert Frost statue submitted in each of the four major forms of studio art and then to select a single overall winner. All winners will receive a cash stipend and a framed certificate acknowledging their artistic excellence. The contest will be open to all Dartmouth undergraduate and graduate students. We expect to tie in the granting of the awards and the anticipated completion of the physical improvements of the property surrounding the statue with a Frost Statue rededication ceremony to take place during our 55th reunion. In addition to Vic Rich and Pete Bleyler, as of April Ron Wybranowski, Ben Gitchel and Maynard Wheeler also have agreed to participate and assist with the project, and Mike Murphy is working with the College on the nature and completion of the improvements.


Speaking of Ron Wybranowski, he has become a professional photographer during the past decade and recently has had an exhibit of his photography, titled The Beauty of Trees, at the Andover (Massachusetts) Memorial Hall Library. The images are from Utah, Colorado, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Most of the pictures are literal renderings of the scenes photographed, while a few have a distinctive impressionistic flair. Several are printed on a bright canvas. Check out Ron’s catalogue for yourself at www.ronwybranowski.com.


In April Patti and I attended the annual Stephen F. Mandel ’52 Society dinner in New York. Also attending from our class was Gerry Kaminsky and “Red” Facher with his wife, Marylou. The Stephen F. Mandel ’52 Society, begun in 2008, recognizes alumni volunteers who provide visionary leadership in raising gifts for Dartmouth through the Dartmouth College Fund. Included in the list of prior recipients of the award was Don O’Neill, who received the award in 2010.


Finally, also in April, Dick Beattie was honored with an awards dinner in New York, where he was recognized by the foundation for New Visions For Public Schools for his outstanding and ongoing support of and contribution to public school education.


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