Class Notes 1954

I hope that this new year finds you all in good health.

We sadly list the classmates who have passed on: Robert Price and Dave Bradley.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

Maybe it’s time to think about starting to prepare your obituary and save family from trying to reconstruct your work experiences, honors, and personal affairs. As class secretary, I maintain a file of these so it saves time and effort to create an obituary from scratch.

Our 70th September reunion is now at 140 individuals. There’s still time to contact Shel Woolf and register.

We are saddened to list the names of classmates who have passed on, including Peter Kenyon, Ron Dougherty, Bill Rex, Alec Gray, Dick Lewis, J. Scott Rambaugh, and Thomas Scott, as well as Nancy Stead.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

We are saddened to list the name of classmates who have passed on: Steve Fast, Michael Freedman, Peggy Barton, George G. Shaw, Bob Woodberry, and Michael Freeman.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

The planning has begun for our 70th reunion in Hanover Sunday to Tuesday, September 22-24. We’re looking for a great turnout, so keep the dates in mind as we will update information as it becomes available. The other classes who will be celebrating are 1949 and 1959. Our 70th reunion starts at 1 p.m. and concludes at noon on Tuesday. President Woolf has given more information: Rooms at the Hanover Inn will be provided by the College at no charge. Sign up info will be forthcoming. All meals are provided by the College. Reception cocktails will be provided by the class of ’54. Campus events will be planned by the College at its expense. Rooms, meals, drinks, and events are free!

You will never forget—or regret—it. The only cost, other than getting there, would be if you needed rooms for any children who might be joining you.

We are saddened to announce the passing of Thomas Clarke.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Norm Veasey writes: “The important thing to us and our family is that Suzy and I are alive and kicking—blessed with okay health and excellent medical care. I’ve been so lucky and blessed to have been happily married to Suzy and to have been a lawyer and a judge for 66-plus happy years. At the end of next month I plan to retire from active law and judging practice and continue (as long as we can) dividing our days among homes in Delaware, North Carolina, and New Jersey—close to our four offspring and 11 grandchildren. Every day is a gift!” President Shel Woolf said there are no plans for a mini-reunion this September but wait for news of our seventieth. A date has not been assigned as yet but it will be in September 2024.

The September/October issue of DAM is a special installment devoted to things to love about Dartmouth. As you can see, we are really lacking in information about the class. Please drop me a line or two.

We are sad to post the passing of Jerry O’Neil, Bob Mower, Bill Bullen, Tom Agan, Jim Tofias, Bob Collimore, Richard Gates,Rosemary Mandelbaum, and Serge Maltzoff.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

I just returned from our mini reunion, and what a success it was. After three years of planning by president Shelly Woolf and multiple starts and stops, everything came together.

First was an informal Friday meeting, as “formal” meetings occur only on official reunion years. This was followed by a discussion and a reading of names of classmates who passed on since our last meeting. We then started party time with a cocktail party and dinner at the Hanover Inn and a performance by the premier coed a cappella group, the Dartmouth Dodecaphonics.

Saturday started with a continental breakfast and a roundtable led by Dick Page, with classmates talking about activities since graduation. Then we had lunch and a “Retrospective of 50 Years of Dartmouth Coeducation” facilitated by Sarah Page ’86 and Cheryl Bascomb ’82, vice president of alumni relations. Afternoon activities included optional tours of venues, including the latest at the Hood Museum and new campus buildings that combine a new computer science facility with the Thayer School of Engineering. Evening consisted of cocktails with guest speakers Sylvia Racca, executive director of the Dartmouth College Fund, accompanied by Debra Stearns, ’54 development coordinator. Dinner finished the day with guest speaker Susan Wright.

Sunday concluded the weekend activities with a farewell continental breakfast. Pete Kenyon gave an overview of the 2022 internships. We sponsored six interns, two each at the Rockefeller Center, Dickey Center, and Dartmouth Center for Student Impact. The funding came from the earnings produced by the $600,000 class internship fund. The six students came from the 18 choices sent to our internship committee (Bob Levine, Dan McCarthy, and Norm Veasey). The internships were to Seoul, South Korea; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Jackson, Mississippi; New Hampshire and Vermont; and New York City (working on the U.S. committee to the United Nations).

We no longer sponsor an individual athlete, as the College sent our athlete fund ($100,000) directly to the athletic department. We continue our book placement in the library in the name of each dead classmate.

We note the passing of John Bergensen Sr., Frank Carey,Natalie Fenn, Don Brief, and Tim Wagner.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

Plans are going forth for the mini-reunion in Hanover September 29 through October 1. There is still room at the Hanover Inn. Have you notified Shel Woolf that you are going to attend?

We note the passing of George Lane, Neil Sibley, Bob Rafelson, Robert D. Vock, James Love, andMiriam Lowell Page.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

President Shelly Woolf announces a class mini-reunion for September 30 to October 2. Save the date—it will be our 90th birthday party. We will plan great programs, lively cocktail parties, wonderful meals, and the joy of being together again in a place we love. Thanks to the efforts of Dick Page, we will be privileged to have Susan Wright as our keynote speaker on Saturday night. Susan served in numerous leadership positions on campus and, as President James Wright’s wife, was Dartmouth’s much-beloved first lady from 1998 to 2009.

The current list of attendees is as follows: Bob Adnopoz and Jean, Jerry Barton and Peggy, Sue Bastian, Don Berlin and Barbara, Brad Borden and Mimi, Jay Chandler and Fleur, Kit Dean and son Bill, Jerry Goldstein, Dick Gorsey and Ellen, Rick Hartman, Mort Haefitz and Roz, Betty Heston, Herb Hillman, Tony Kane and Jackie Roberts, Pete Kenyon and Jillian, Dave Levine and Janet, Ann Low, Rose Murane, Dan Neiditz and Arlene, Dick Page and Jane, Sara Page, Mike Papetones and Elin, Dave Ransom and Louise, Art Rauch and Lynn, Wayne Weil and Shelia, Shel Woolf and Elisabeth and Tricia (his daughter), and Gary Zwart and Cynthia.

There are eight rooms left in the ’54 room block at the Hanover Inn and it is my hope that they will be taken by other classmates or widows who would like to join us. All who want to come but aren’t listed above should call Shel at (508) 728-5757 to get more details and sign up.

We note the passing of classmates Neil Sibley, Dick Barker, John Wolfer, David Mandelbaum, John Donahue, John Felter, and Brad Borden.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

From president Shelly Woolf: “Mini-reunion is September 30 to October 2. Save the date for our 90th or 91st birthday party. Rejoice in staying connected. I am pleased and amazed that almost every classmate who signed up for our mini-reunion last year has done so again. That’s a testimony of their positive attitude and determination. All who want to stay at the Hanover Inn must call (603) 643-4300 and ask to confirm in the ’54 room block. There are still 10 rooms left at the Hanover Inn, and it is my hope that they will be taken by classmates or widows who would like to join us. All who want to come but aren’t currently signed up should call me at (508) 728-5757 and get connected.”

Peter Kenyon writes: “We are sponsoring three interns from each of the three centers with which we work each year, Rockefeller, Dickey and the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact. The internships for the nine were taken virtually. This made the cost for each much less expensive. The funding of the project is coming from the earnings we get from the investment of the internship endowment fund. This year we will use about one half the amount earned. Next year we should be back to our normal amount earned and spent.”

He continues, “The endowment fund we completed last year was sent to the athletics department, which will use it to help fund its recruitment of high school athletes. The fund and its earnings will stay in the hands of the athletics department. For the memorial book program, we place a book in Baker Library in the name of each deceased ’54 classmate. This has been held up this year as Baker has been mostly closed and new books have been few. They are reopening and we should get caught up by the start of the fall semester.”

We mourn the passing of our classmates John Donahue, John Schreiber, and Lon Chaikin.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

Message from Shel Woolf: “Since this report is printed after the date for our scheduled September 24-27 mini-reunion in Hanover, I can tell you only what we planned and who indicated they would attend. I can also predict that if the reunion took place, it was a wonderful gathering and a good time was had by all. If Covid reared its ugly head and forced us to cancel, we will try for the third time to gather in the fall of 2022. All promised to stay well and fully expect to attend in 2022 with even more classmates coming.” Three great speakers were lined up: Susan Wright, Dartmouth’s former first lady and recipient of an honorary doctorate of humane letters for her service to the College; Peter Roby ’79, interim athletic director and prime mover for the future of Dartmouth athletics; and Jeff Crowe ’78, Dartmouth trustee and son of classmate John Crowe, to enlighten us on aspects of Dartmouth’s future. Confirmed to attend were Bob Adnopoz and Jean, Jerry Barton and Peggy, Sue Bastian, Don Berlin and Barbara, Brad Borden, Mimi and Jay Chandler and Fleur, Kit Dean and son Bill, Mort Galper and Judy, Ron Gold and Eileen, Jerry Goldstein, Dick Gorsey and Ellen, Lyon Greenberg and Marcia, Rick Hartman, Mort Heafitz and Roz, Betty Heston, Herb Hillman, Tony Kane and Jackie Roberts, Tom Kelsey, Pete Kenyon and Jillian, Ann Low, Carol Mullins, Rose Murane, Dan Neiditz and Arlene, Dick Page and Jane plus daughter Sarah, Mike Papantones and Elin-Marie, Dave Ransom and Louise, Arthur Rauch and Lynn, Jim Stead and Nancy, Jim Tofias and Joan, Wayne Weil and Shelia, Shel Woolfand Elisabeth plus daughter Patricia, and Gary Zwart and Cynthia.

A big thank you to Larry Russell and George Haskins, who volunteered to serve on the obituary committee. As the numbers of obits grew it required a lot of work by Dick Page and Tom Kelsey.

Email address correction: paulmartinsr@aol.com (no period between paul and martin).

We regret the passing of Richard Jennings Jr.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

From Peter Kenyon: “Starting in April we will begin work on our 2021 programs supporting interns and our finance-supported recruited athlete. The class financial picture for these activities has dramatically changed, as ’54s have funded two endowments that will provide the funding for both activities. The approximate total for the two endowments is $600,000 for interns and $100,000 for athletes. We are in the process of determining the earnings amount that each endowment will provide for this year. Once this is certain, we will start our contacts with the three intern centers and the athletic department.

Remember: only 177 days until our September mini-reunion.

We are saddened by the passing of our classmates Allen Edmundson Jr., Edgar Lamb, Bob McGrath, and John Herrmann.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

News from Dick Lewis: “I have recently completed my residency at the Piper Shores Retirement Community. I am now for the time being living with my daughter, Tracy, and my son-in-law, Larry, at Kettle Cove in Maine. Down the street live my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Looking forward to getting together in Hanover later on this year (when the virus is gone).”

And from Jim Tofias: “By now you have all received the only dues letter you will receive this year. Our dues help support our class activities–such as the upcoming mini in Hanover on September 24, 25, and 26, and, most importantly, our four-times-a-year newsletter—all working to help us stay connected. Make your check out to Dartmouth ’54 and mail to me at 39 Bermuda Lake Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418.” I am looking for volunteers to work on the obit committee. As you will note they are coming more frequent lately.

We are saddened by the passing of Dana Low, Raymond Corwin, Richard Pearl, Joe Migley, Dr. Robert Canestrari, Anthony Lukeman,and Sue Case.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

President Shelly Woolf, along with Tony Kane and Herb Hillman, are planning a 2021 mini-reunion on campus with classmates arriving Friday, September 24, and departing Sunday, September 26. Twenty rooms have been booked at the Hanover Inn (at $399.) It is essential that you let Shelly know as soon as possible if you will attend. There is a home game on that Saturday, so space is going fast. Reach him at (508) 728-5757 or swoolf1060@comcast.net.

Anne George ’20, the John D. Pope ’54 John Sloan Dickey 2020 intern, writes: “The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a semi-public hospital that was created to provide a U.S. model of care to reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for complex medical needs. I worked as a research assistant to Dr. Ranjith Menon, a migraine specialist who had moved to the United Arab Emirates from the United Kingdom. He shared with me the learning curve he was going through. I was responsible for the retrospective analysis of how patients responded to one of the first preventives for migraine treatments. I would spend hours reading research articles, taking notes on patients charts, and googling medical jargon I had never been exposed to. I was asked to write a case study on a rare condition that causes arteries that supply blood from the heart to the scalp to become inflamed and constricted. I was also able to write three research papers that are now under review for submission to medical and neuroscience journals.”

Due to the fact that we will not have a fall mini-reunion this year, we could not present the intern award plaques personally to our 2020 interns. So we mailed each one of the interns their framed award plaques. In addition, full-size photos of the plaques were mailed to the three centers we work with: Dickey Center, Rockefeller Center, and Dartmouth Center for Service. We mourn the passing of our classmates Raymond Corwin, Edward Freedman, George Csiky,and Charles Roth.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

The Dartmouth College Fund report shows the class of ’54 with the highest participation of all classes listed: 42.9 percent. From Robert Ceplikas ’78, deputy director of athletics: “Shel and Dan, I just received a copy of the paperwork committing the class of ’54 to an endowment fund that will essentially continue your generous support of our athletic sponsor program in perpetuity. That’s phenomenal! Please accept our heartfelt thanks for leading this effort and to your many classmates. They sure don’t call it ‘the great class of 1954’ for nothing! You’ve already collected $95,000 in pledges! And it’s wonderful that you’re continuing to shoot for $100,000. All the best.” Our president came up with a terrific idea: “It has been a very long time since all of us did the same thing, like going to Doc Pollard’s smut class in our freshman year or pulling on a rope line in a tug of war with the ’53s or ‘Great Issues’ in our senior year. Now we are all octogenarians, prime targets for the coronavirus, and hunkered down in our homes waiting for it to go away. If there was ever a time that our motto ‘Stay Connected’ speaks to us, it is now. Here is what I am asking you to do: Take out your 65th reunion class directory (if you can’t find yours, email me at swoolf1060@comcast.net and I’ll forward you one) and call a few old friends you haven’t spoken to in a while. Tell them that this is a connection call not a collection call and it has been a while since you have had a visit and touched base. Have a chat, share memories, and some laughs. Explain that the only thing the class is asking is that each person called follows up in a similar fashion by calling a few of his classmate friends asking each to do the same. Our sympathies go out to the families of Seaver Peters, Frank Van Aalst, William Gardner, John Pierce,and Richard Pearl.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Maya Frost-Belansky ’20 is the Richard P. Lederer ’54 Rockefeller Center 2019 intern. Maya interned in the Boulder regional office of the Colorado state public defender. The organization represents clients accused of criminal offenses who are either in custody or are unable to afford private counsel. Maya’s role included drafting and filing the basic documents, reviewing client discovery, and summarizing the vast amounts of evidence. Her favorite time was the monthly tradition of “Law Day,” when her group reviewed the latest appellate decisions handed down from the Colorado Supreme Court. Maya feels that criminal defense will be her career goal.

Our sponsored athlete, Ethan Banks ’23, a distance freestyler from Pepper Pike, Ohio, swam for the University School in Hunting Valley as well as the Canton City schools club team. His academic accolades include being named a National Merit semifinalist, USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, achieving a gold medal on the 2018 National Latin exam, and being named a Strnad Fellow during his senior year of high school. He is just as accomplished in the pool as he is in the classroom. Ethan will be an immediate contributor in the 500 free, 1,000 free, and 1,650 free events on the Dartmouth team. SwimSwam.com published a great article announcing Ethan’s commitment to Dartmouth at https://swimswam.com/ethan-s-banks-commits-to-dartmouth-class-of-2023.

Jim Tofias received a note from swim coach Jim Holder: “Thank you for your generous support of the Dartmouth athletic’s sponsor program. The support of the class of 1954 was integral in bringing Ethan Banks to campus for his official visit. We expect Ethan to have an immediate impact on the team in the middle and distance events. Thank you for the support. Go Big Green!”

The annual holiday in N.Y.C.’s Dartmouth Club felt the results of advanced age in attendance, which dwindled down to 10 classmates and five widows.

We mourn the passing of Jameson Doig, Harry Hughes, Lee Harris, Mike Spicer, Sandy Gillespie, and Gloria Franklin.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

To all attending the 65th reunion: Remember to take photos of classmates and forward them to me to build a library for future newsletters and our 70th. Pete Kenyon received the following from Sadhana Hall, executive director of the Rockefeller Center, “Thank you for the class of ’54’s recent gift in support of our internship program. We are blessed to have your support of our mission to educate, train, and inspire students at Dartmouth.”

Shae Wolfe ’20, the William E. Mullane ’54 Dickey Center intern, spent three months in Sydney, Australia, helping conduct and translate research on aboriginal and Torre Strait islander health and aging. Due to Australia’s history of racism and discrimination toward the two communities, they are at high risk of developing physical- and mental health-related issues. She focused on two degenerative diseases, dementia and Alzheimer’s. Shae was able to immerse herself in the aboriginal communities to better understand why they were a target for degenerative brain diseases. She had a deeply moving experience personally.

Zachary Milestone ’20, the John D. Pope ’54 Dartmouth Center for Service intern, worked with Broader Volunteer House located in Arusha, Tanzania. The organization works to give all Tanzanians access to quality health services that are affordable and culturally sensitive. A key problem is HIV/AIDS. Zachary was involved in community outreach to lessen the stigma of the diseases and held village meetings to teach residents the importance of proper hygiene and promote testing for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and diabetes. Zachary plans to attend medical school, then return on annual trips to Tanzania as a doctor, as he has a longstanding interest in global health that stems from classes in infectious diseases he took at Rutgers Medical School while in high school.

The other two interns and sponsored athlete will be in future columns. A 65th directory correction: Sue Bastian’s phone number should be (914), not (941).

We sadly note the passing of William Walls, William Robbins, James Adams, and Lee Harris.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

Steve Mullins has done it again. From U.S. Masters Swimming: “Dear Stephen, You are being recognized as a U.S. Masters Swimming All-American for your excellence in swimming for 2018. Your first-place finish in three events in the men’s 85-89 age group has made you a U.S. Masters Swimming All-American. We applaud your dedication and hard work that led to this achievement.”

Have you made your gift to the class of 1954 internship fund? Your gift ensures that the most capable students will benefit from an internship whether they are capable of paying their living costs. The opportunities through the Dickey Center, the Rockefeller Center, and the Center for Social Impact can fuel ambitions and transform lives. Your support sustains the fine liberal arts educational experience in the world and reminds us all that there is no place like Dartmouth.

From Pete Kenyon: “Met with Rick Hartman regarding our plan for 2019. We will continue with four interns at the three centers (two at Rockefeller) and one athlete. The income from the endowment fund will allow us to raise our amount per intern from $3,000 to $4,000. The class meeting in September will be only one hour. We will not be able to have interns attend. We will have written descriptions from each. We should start receiving our choices for 2019 interns from the three centers around mid-to late April.

From Tom Kelsey: “During this year’s snowbird season in Naples, Florida, Tony Kane and Tom Kelsey and Liz, the snowbirds, have enjoyed some dinners together (we called them mini-mini-reunions) with year-rounders Peter and Jill Kenyon, Irv Sherwood and Lee, and Bob Levine and Barbara. As could be expected, the dinner conversations kept recalling our times in Hanover and how different it seems today. We Northerners are happy to report that the gorgeous climate here does wonderful things for the mind and body.”

We sadly note the passing of Frank van Aalst, Peter Robinson, and Dick Brace.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Our mini-reunion of September 12-13 was a great success. Attending were Jerry Barton and Peggy, Don Berlin and Barbara, Don Brief and Dottie, David Dame and Marie, Jay Davis, Bob Durham and Mary Lane, Mort Galper and Judy, Rick Hartman and Anne Gay, Roger Gilmore and Betty, Ben Gilson and Sarah, Jerry Goldstein, Herb Hillman, Tom Kelsey and Liz, Pete Kenyon and Jill, Dana Low and Anne, Dave Mandelbaum and Rosemary, Peter Murane and Rosemarie, Charley Morrison and Frances, Steve Mullins and Carol, David Ransom and Louise, Harry Robinson and Carol and son Hank, John Rosenthal and Gary, Jim Tofias and Joan, Tom Tyler, Norm Veasey and Suzanne, and Wayne Weil and Shelia. Look for more information on the next year’s 65th reunion (as well as Dartmouth’s 250th) as the time approaches.

Josh Betts ’22 is our 2018 athletic sponsor. Here’s a short bio: football and track and field captain at Manatee, played on two district championship football teams, had offers from Pioneer Football League members Jacksonville and Stetson as well as several lower-division schools. He averaged 4.7 tackles as a senior. He holds his school record in 110-meter hurdles, was county and district champ in track, and is interested in also joining the track team at Dartmouth. He enjoys golf as well as boxing and may study economics. Peter Kenyon received a letter from Andrew Samwick, the director of the Rockefeller Center: “Just over 35 years ago the center was a vision of the late Rodman Rockefeller ’54, the oldest son of Nelson A. Rockefeller ’30. That vision was informed by his father’s commitment to solving problems by bringing together experts from different disciplines. Your generosity has had a positive influence by fostering success in generations of young people—our future leaders. We want you to know the broad impact your contributions have made and continue to make to so many lives. Together, we carry on the Rockefeller Center’s traditions. It has been an honor to carry on the Rockefeller tradition of excellence.”

We regret the passing of Laurence Bain, Walter Tumeniuk, Myles Jacobs, Bill Murane, Richard Major, Maurice Wilkins Jr., and Greg Graml.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouth graphics.com

Dan McCarthy’s new book is Hammer and Silicon: The Soviet Diaspora in the U.S. Innovation Economy— Immigration, Innovation, Institutions, Imprinting, and Identity. This deeply personal book tells the untold story of the significant contributions of technical professionals from the former Soviet Union to the U.S. innovation economy, particularly in the sectors of software, social media, biotechnology, and medicine. Drawing upon in-depth interviews, it channels the voices and stories of more than 150 professionals who emigrated from 11 of the 15 former Soviet republics between the 1970s and 2015 and who currently work in the innovation hubs of Silicon Valley, Boston, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

From our intrepid swimmer Steve Mullins, “I won the 400-meter free at the Pan American championships last weekend, including breaking the 85-plus record by 45 seconds. It was the fastest race I have had in years (25 seconds faster than Budapest Worlds last year).”

Yesterday as coming home from the YMCA I was listening to NPR and heard a detailed report about what was going on in Turkey. At the sign off the speaker was identified as Peter Kenyon (Jr.)—the son of our Pete Kenyon.

Pete updated us on the ’54 projects committee annual report, saying that in 2017 the class raised a very sizeable amount to be placed in an endowment fund to continue the financing of internships after the class is unable to do so. This amount has been invested, and the annual interest will be used to support the funds required to continue these projects. In 2018 these funds provided 50 percent of the funds required. This allows the class to sponsor or increase support to other key projects. Also, the class finances a book chosen and placed in the library in the name of each deceased classmate. The book’s title and name of the author are sent to our classmate’s widow. The fund outgrows the spending.

We are sad to announce the passing of Philip De Turk, George Fitzgerald, Ralph Gardner Griffin Jr.,and Valentine Grundman.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

A get-well wish to our class president, Rick Hartman, who suffered a broken arm in a fall. Bill White informs us that the Dartmouth men’s hockey team capped a season sweep of No. 7 Clarkson with a 3-2 win January 20 at Thompson Arena. Our sponsored player from last year, sophomore Cam Strong ’20, fired a slap shot from center ice into the offensive zone. The puck hit the boards behind the net and bounced back toward the crease and the side of the goal post. Clarkson goalie Jake Kielly attempted to cover it, but inadvertently pushed it back into his own net for the goal with 16:44 showing on the scoreboard. The men’s tennis team won its first-ever ECAC Championship. The player who sealed the deal for a win was Ciro Riccardi ’18. Ciro, now a senior, was our class selection a few years ago and has had a solid career at D tennis.

From Tom Kelsey, “My grandson, a freshman at Dartmouth, sent me an item that I found so entertaining that I am passing it along for your enjoyment: ‘In one of my classes we have been assigned to watch a few videos that Dartmouth made in the 1950s to attract and inform prospective students. To see them, visit YouTube and search for “Dartmouth Visited (1956),” “My First Week at Dartmouth, 1950,” and “Dartmouth Outdoors.”

We are saddened to note the passing of Richard Trowbridge, Bob McCartney, Richard Leary, Dave Metz, and Robert Dean III.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics. om

The antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced the establishment of the James F. Rill Fellowship, which is designed to provide elite candidates of the honors program with a special opportunity to participate in antitrust enforcement actions and in the development and implementation of antitrust policy. James was already considered one of the greats of the antitrust bar. The list of Jim’s accomplishments as associate attorney general alone is daunting—issuing the 1992 horizontal merger guidelines, the first version to be issued jointly with the Federal Trade Commission; negotiating the landmark U.S.-European Union “Positive Comity Agreement,” raising corporate fines for Sherman Act violations from $1 million to $10 million. One of Jim’s most important contributions to the division is perhaps the hardest to capture—that is, Jim’s crucial role in fostering a bipartisan consensus for how the government should enforce the antitrust laws. Bill Pierce notes that Bob Oxford two years ago had an incident that resulted in a variety of issues: the onset of Parkinson’s disease and memory-cognitive issues associated with dementia. Since June 29 he has been living at an assisted living community in Franklin, New Hampshire, called the Golden Crest and seems to enjoy having visitors. Just an early reminder that our 65th reunion (June 2019) coincides with Dartmouth’s 250th anniversary. The New York class holiday luncheon was held at the Dartmouth club on December 7. Attending were 27 classmates and wives and guests—with the highlight being the class award to Don Brief. The Boston holiday luncheon attendees were Rick Hartman and Anne, Tom Kelsey and Liz, Dick Page and Jane, Dick Barker and Barbara, Dan Neiditz and Arlene, Phil Cooke, Shelly Woolf, Dick Gorsey and Ellen, Gary Zwart and Cynthia Sunderland, Mort Haefitz and Roz, Dick Bracer and Jane, Dave Thielscher and Mary, and Bob Fanger ’55. We note the passing of classmates Bob Osmond, Paul Wisdom, William Derwood, William Norcross, Edwin Jarrett and Walter Anderson.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Our class has a world champion. Steve Mullins took a gold in the men’s 85-89-age, 800-meter freestyle category at the world masters swim meet in Budapest. The class of ’54 had its annual dinner meeting of the Cape Cod Dartmouth club. Jim Wright, president emeritus, delivered an inspiring talk of his personal interactions with those who experienced casualties of all severities and extremes during the Vietnam conflict. In attendance were Jane and Dick Page, Joan and Jim Tofias, Elisabeth and Shelly Woolf, Lew Milkey, Jim Clark and Dick Barker.

Preeti Rishi ’18, our Tucker intern, is a rising senior from Michigan. She is studying linguistics with a minor in East Asian studies. On campus Preeti is the president of the College’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity, literacy tutor for area schools though America Reads. She is an avid photographer and language buff—already speaking Chinese and Japanese and working on Korean. After Dartmouth Preeti hopes to attend medical school. This summer Preeti will be interning at Stepping Stones in Shanghai, China. Their mission is to improve the education and general welfare of disadvantaged children in China. The students at these schools find English to be their most difficult subject and the schools struggle to provide a reasonable standard of English teaching. Thus, Stepping Stones tries to fill this need for better English teaching. Preeti will serve as a teaching intern, coordinate all teaching activity and manage and support assigned volunteers. She will be in contact the local schools, teachers and principals and all the teaching volunteers to ensure that all parties are aware of schedules and responsibilities. She will be working with the teaching volunteers to develop teaching materials and lesson plans. Our athletic sponsor for 2016, Cam Strong, was named rookie of the year for the Dartmouth men’s hockey team. His 10 goals place him second for rookies in the ECAC. He had a really good year. Source is Coach Gaudet’s annual report to friends of Dartmouth hockey. We are saddened by the passing of Tommy Corcoran and Robert Gluek.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Plan ahead! Our 65th reunion (2019) falls in the same year as the 250th anniversary of Dartmouth College. We have all aged gracefully. Don’t forget your Alumni Fund contribution. One of the most important legacies our class has is the interns we support. Here are two of them. Future columns will complete the group of four.

Théry Badin ’18, 2017 Jonathan Moore Dickey Center intern, writes: “At a glance, Build Health International (BHI) is a Boston-based construction firm that is classified as a nongovernmental organization. As an engineering major, I had the opportunity to work as project engineer intern as well as an assistant site supervisor. The internship also provided the opportunity to fully immerse in Haitian lifestyle and culture on a daily basis. The most important aspect of the work is the dynamisms and willingness to work outside of one’s comfort zone. With the organizational structure of a startup, it is easy to access anyone within the company from direct supervisors all the way up to the executive director. BHI can be a challenging place to work due to the versatility required for each role. Working abroad in Haiti requires patience to acclimate to an environment that is noticeably different from Hanover. My role in particular involved a significant amount of learning on the job and helping to maintain projects on schedule.”

From Charlotte Kamin ’18, 2017 Peter F. Geithner Rockefeller Center intern: “I will be interning at the Institute for the Study of War (Washington, D.C.) as a research analyst for its Iraq project, conducting open-source Arabic and English research on political and military developments in Iraq with an eye toward the movements of ISIS. Working with other interns and analysts I will contribute to ISW’s mission of providing nuanced and highly precise research of conflicts and security threats on the ground in order to educate the public and to influence U.S. strategy and policy in the region.”

Richard Montgomery Deaner passed away on April 8.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

We returned to Hanover (September 30 to October 2) for the executive committee meeting and mini-reunion. Attending: Dick Lewis and Audrey, Harry Robinson and Carol, Hugh Nolin and Debby, Peter Kenyon and Jillian, David Mandelbaum and Rosemary, Rick Hartman and Anne, Sue Bastian, Bob Collimore, Don Berlin and Barbara, Jay Chandler and Fleur, Herb Hillman and Ann, Jim Tofias and Joan, Wayne Weil and Shelia, Tom Kelsey and Liz, Shel Woolf, Dick Page, Jay Davis, Mort Galper and Judy, Mike Finigan, Bob Adnopoz and Jean, Ben Gilson and Sarah, Dana Low and Anne, Steve Mullins and Carol, David Ransom, Dan Neiditz and Arlene, Betty Heston. Events included were a class meeting, the Penn football game, and dinner and lecture at Jesse’s.

Rick Hartman announced initiatives to improve communications with ’54 widows: Betty Heston volunteered as co-chair of the mini-reunion committee; Sue Bastian, widow of Bryce Bastian, volunteered to encourage the involvement of widows in class activities. She will contact classmates’ surviving spouses to offer condolences and to advise them that a memorial book will be placed in Baker Library. She will make personal contact with a new widow to assure her that she will be invited, and will always be welcome to participate in class of 1954 events. Don Berlin reported that the 1954 internship endowment has been established as the class’s legacy gift to the College to fund our internships into the future. Thanks to 33 leadership classmates (and a class of 1954 donation), $50,000 has been raised to match the donation of the anonymous challenge gift of $50,000. The class of 1954 internship endowment will start with $100,000 and it will be funded primarily by individual classmate bequests. Classmates who are members of the 1769 Society should notify the gift planning office to designate all or a portion of their bequest for the internship endowment. Additional support by others will be encouraged. Don declared this a great start toward our legacy gift to the College!

We are sad to report the recent deaths of Robert Riggio, John Parker, Edwin Quinn, Norman Ross and David Gleason.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.

com

Kassie Pike of the Dartmouth College Fund wrote to Dick Page and Shelly Woolf regarding the class award ’54 took home this year: “Thank you so much for your work this year! I’m so impressed with your passion for your class and for Dartmouth to succeed. Best to the both of you.”

From our intern Sarah Khatry ’17: “It was an honor and a world-opening opportunity to be sponsored to pursue regional journalism. My experiences abroad will prove invaluable to my future career skills, connections and knowledge of what’s out there. While in Nepal I worked on the editorial staff of Himal Southasian, the only regional publication transforming in the Internet age. The model is changing through the rise of national media. The practice of foreign correspondents, sent from Western media outlets abroad, is being slowly phased out. Instead, trained and remarkable journalism is happening in-country by nationals, whose work reaches a global platform over the web. Himal operates by reaching out into its network of journalists already based in or from South Asian countries. With Himal I was exposed to the challenge of financing the magazine and was witness to an attempt at government censorship. It’s been instructive to witness. Should I want to pursue journalism abroad, I will have to work with and within national-based medias. Thank you again so much.”

From Faith Rotich ’18: “Dear class of1954, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for making possible my internship in Washington, D.C., this summer. The process of finding an internship in Washington, D.C., and securing funding for it had been quite challenging and strenuous. This summer I will be interning with the World Justice Project (worldjusticeproject.org), an independent nonprofit that seeks to drive and improve the rule of law in countries around the world. The organization works effortlessly to increase public awareness about the rule of law, especially in regions where it is weak or non-existent. Again, I am grateful for your support.”

Please be advised that George Dudley Fletcher passed away on May 7, Peter Franz Geithner onJuly 29 and Rollin F. Haynes on August 12.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Norm Veasey heard from our ’54 Tucker Foundation intern, Andrea Price ’16. “I am very honored to have been selected for the class of 1954 internship. I am an engineering major from near Seattle. I did my internship over the summer working at a hospital in a small town in Haiti. My work included setting up a streamlined stock management system for the depot with the staff, computer trainings, creating first aid trainings for ambulance drivers and teaching English classes. Haitian Creole is an incredibly simple language, so I was able to learn to communicate pretty decently by the end. It was a very small town and there were only a couple of foreign people there, so I felt like I got to know the lifestyle and the people, and it was great that I was able to safely go out alone to explore.” Dan McCarthy heard from intern Melanie Zaraska ’19. “I recently suffered from an ankle injury that had me out of the water for several months of this season. Eventually, after a long, hard rehabilitation program, I was finally able to swim again. After touching the wall first in the 200 individual medley I knew that I was making a strong comeback. It was an amazing feeling as I heard my teammates cheering and sharing such a wonderful moment with me. I am confident that I will continue to improve and help Dartmouth women’s swim and dive team achieve great things. I never imagined I could come to love a school as much as I love Dartmouth. My life outside of the pool—professors and peers alike—continues to amaze and inspire me on a daily basis. I am so proud to be a part of a place where people are so passionate and exceptional.”

Sad to announce the passing of Willard Nice Chamberlain June 27, 2015, William Emery Ullmann Jr. September 27, Donald Richard Meltzer March 30, George Myron Morris October 29, Don Fetherolf January 12, Ron Pickett February 8; David Martin February 19, Barry Nova March 2 and Anthony J. Migliaccio March 13.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

At our mini-reunion dinner October 24 we heard from Sadhana W. Hall, who is responsible for our internship program and knows many of the students who have received the class of ’54 internship grants. She is the deputy director of the Rockefeller Center and designs, implements and oversees programs for undergraduate students focusing on leadership, public policy and civic engagement and oversees the overall operations of the center. The 2014-15 academic year marks her 10th year at the center. She holds a B.S. from the University of Delhi, India, an M.A. from the University of Rajasthan, India, and an M.P.H. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health. She recently received the 2015 Sheila Culbert Distinguished Employee Award from President Hanlon. Our class has made it possible for 31 students to do internships through the years. Our athletic scholarship recipient this year, Melanie Zaraska, is a swimmer and was one of the few first-years participating in the November 13-14 women’s swim meet at Cornell, with Dartmouth and Harvard being the visiting teams. Melanie participated in three events: the 200-yard butterfly, the 200-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay. While Melanie was not a medal winner, she is proving a valuable member of the team. The Boston ’54 holiday luncheon was held Tuesday, December 8, at the Weston Golf Club Weston, Massachusetts, with 19 in attendance; two days later we convened at the Dartmouth Club in New York City, where we congratulated Dr. John Fenn for his many years of running events at our reunions and mini-reunions, as well as the New York holiday luncheons. The baton was passed on to Dr. David Levine. There were 32 classmates, guests and spouses able to make it. We regret to announce the passing of classmates George Myron Morris II on October 29, 2015, and Lee Wilfred Huff on November 14, 2015.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

Shelly Woolf and Dick Page and the class of ’54 made College history by breaking through the 80-percent participation barrier for the second year in a row. By attaining 83-percent participation the class of ’54 retained its ranking for participation. The class of ’54 also exceeded its goal of $325,000 by raising $352,060, the second highest amount ever raised for a 61st reunion year. In 1923 the College completed Memorial Field and its stands as a center for its recreational activities. It also serves as a memorial to the 3,407 students and alumni who answered the call of their country and the 112 who gave their lives during World War I. This year Memorial Field has undergone renovations to transform it into a modern, comfortable stadium. The class of ’54 has stepped forward with a contribution of $1,000 for this purpose. Steve Mullins was in Russia for the World Masters swimming meet, where he took a silver and two bronze medals in the 80-84 group. Ron Dougherty was interviewed in Canton, Ohio, for his distinguished legal career and his long-time involvement with the Football Hall of Fame. www.youtube.com/watch?v=guzt3e8YLG4#t=15. Bob andBarb Levine celebrated their 60th two months early by heading back to Japan for a month-long nostalgia trip. Class projects coordinator Peter Kenyon has announced that he and his committee of Tony Kane, Bob Levine, Dan McCarthy and Jon Moore have selected undergraduates as the class of ’54-sponsored interns for 2015. Lily Fagin ’16 is the Masao James Itabashi ’54 Dartmouth Partners in Community Service intern, at the Southwest Center for Law and Policy, Tucson, Arizona; Pooja Singhi ’18 is the William G. “Pete” Barker ’54 Rockefeller Center intern, at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D.C.; Andrea Price ’16 is the Victor C. Mahler ’54 Tucker Foundation intern, at the Development of National Reference Laboratory in Mirebalais, Haiti; Asaf Zilberfarb ’17 is the John L. Gillespie ’54 Dickey Center intern, at the Middle East Institute, Washington, D.C. We note the passing of Almon Brackley Lewis Jr. June 4, Peter H. Dwight June 21 and William W. Bonneville July 27.

—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com

John Fenn writes, “I have written a book called Yale Surgery: Leaders and Legacies. The book traces the evolution of the Yale department of surgery from its founder, Dartmouth’s own Nathan Smith, to the current leader, the 14th in sequence. Dee Dee Roy-Deyo in the Dartmouth alumni office helped me to gather information about Nathan Smith, who was instrumental in founding the Dartmouth Medical School in 1797 (the fourth oldest in the United States) before he was recruited to Yale in 1812 to start the fledgling school in New Haven, Connecticut (founded in 1810). The first chapter in the book is devoted to Nathan Smith, and I have numerous photos of Dr. Smith and the Nathan Smith building in Hanover (present during our years in Hanover, but since demolished because of structural deterioration). I am sending several copies of the book to Dee Dee and two targeted for Baker Library and the Medical School. The book’s primary audience are graduates of the Yale surgery residency training program. Book signings are scheduled for that group’s New Haven reunions in April and June and in October in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons, where Yale-trained surgeons from across the country gather, along with thousands of others. After 50 years on the Yale faculty I shall be retiring in June.” From Tom Kelsey: “Liz and I are in Naples, Florida, where ’54s gathered a couple of times last month. Dick Lewis and Audrey hosted a Super Bowl party at their gorgeous condo overlooking the Gulf. Attending were Phil Christophe and Carol, Bob Levine and Barbara, Peter Kenyon and Jill. Next was a Dartmouth Club of Southwest Florida luncheon held in a beautiful estate in Port Royal and attended by the same group. The speaker was Tuck School Dean Danos, who is retiring from his position at the end of the spring term. He gave all of us an up-to-date picture of Tuck School and its role in the ‘new’ Dartmouth interdisciplinary approach to education.” We report the passing of Donald Charles Berwick on February 24, James Osmyn Berry on March 20 and Howland Shaw Russell on February 23.


—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com


Members of the class of 1954 have been recognized by the College for the following outstanding achievements on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Dartmouth College Fund (DCF). Honors and recipients include: recognition by the Stephen F. Mandel 1952 Society, for alumni volunteers who provide visionary leadership in raising gifts through the DCF, Sheldon M. Woolf; the Mark R. Alperin 1980 Award for highest reunion participation percentage, ’54 with 85.3 percent; the Roger C. Wilde 1921 Award for a new 60th reunion dollar record, ’54 for $800,054; the Harvey P. Hood 1918 Award for a new 60th reunion participation percentage record, ’54 with 85.3 percent; and Outstanding Volunteer Performance recognition for Richard M. Page and Sheldon M. Woolf.


Pete Kenyon writes: “Each year we fund five student internships and one athletic department sponsorship. We need more financial support to continue. On your dues notice, please check items marked ‘internships’ and ‘athletics.’ Our 2014 internships: Amanda LaMothe ’15, the Dwight H. Ketelhut ’54 Nelson Rockefeller Center internship; Ling Jing ’15, the Kenneth M. Pulley ’54 Dickey Center internship; Kieran Sim ’17, the Everett T. Rattray ’54 Tucker Foundation internship; Logan Borg ’15, the Robert Clements ’54 Dickey Center internship; and Myles McMurchy ’16, the Perry J. Davis ’54 Dartmouth Partners in Community Service internship. The Chester H. Edlund ’54 athletic sponsorship went to Ciro Riccardi ’18, a highly recruited male tennis player from Los Angeles who won against Princeton (September 27).”


Mini-reunion plans include the golf mini in Florida March 2-6; contact Jim Tofias, 39 Bermuda Lake Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418; jimtofias@verizon.net; or (617) 645-6636. There’s also the ski mini February 8-12 at the Dartmouth Skiway; contact Jay Davis. Headquarters for the event will be Steve Mullins’ house in Norwich, Vermont. Contact either at steve.mullins@mindspring.com or jdmd@valley.net 


Seen at Class Officers Weekend in September were Dick Barker, Rick Hartman, Herb Hillman, Tom Kelsey, Dan Neiditz and Wayne Weil. All attended a variety of seminars and workshops designed to get new and old officers up to speed. 


We sadly report the passing of our classmates Charles Acker Jr., William Grover, Kenneth Meyer, Frank Denietolis and Dick Eaton and the wife of Pete Geithner, Deborah. 


—Wayne Weil, 246 Ridge Road, Rutherford, NJ 07070; (201) 933-4102; wayne@dartmouthgraphics.com


Our 60th reunion was held in Hanover from June 6 to June 11. There were 205 attendees, including 104 classmates and seven classmate’s widows. They came from near (locals Wally Anderson, Jay Davis, Dana Low, Seaver Peters and Ben Gilson) and far (Don Belcher, Ron Dunton, Steve Fast, Bill Gould, Charlie Tannenbaum and Bob Woodberry from the far west). However recognition for coming the furthest goes to Paco Garcia, traveling from Venezuela. We enjoyed an early-bird reception hosted by Carol and Steve Mullins at their home in Norwich, Vermont, a lobster fest in a tent by the river, an Italian dinner in ’53 Commons and a final banquet in Common Ground (we remember it as Freshman Commons). Tom Kelsey led a memorial service in Rollins Chapel in memory of the 67 classmates we have lost since our 55th reunion. We revisited “Great Issues” with a seminar, “Great Issues 2014,” led by Dan McCarthy with panelists John Moore and Bill Mansfield. We presented a check to President Hanlon in the amount of $800,054; 84 percent of the class contributed. Both were 60th reunion records. Special kudos to Shelly Woolf and Dick Page for their leadership in creating this gift to the College. The class elected the following leadership for the next five years: president, Rick Hartman; vice president, Dan Neiditz; secretary, Wayne Weil; treasurer, Jim Tofias; newsletter editor and webmaster, Dick Barker; mini-reunion chair, Herb Hillman; head agents, Shelly Woolf and Dick Page; gift planning chair, Tom Kelsey; and class projects, Pete Kenyon.


Gary Zwart coached the MIT crew for many years. He was recently honored by his crews, who created an endowment for the crew coach’s salary named after him.


We sadly report the passing of our classmates Robert White, Robert Wheeler, William Burger, Douglas Hoskins, John May, Peter Mitchell and Pete Barker. 


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


54 Sixtieth reunion June 9-12. As of the date this column is written, we expect at least 200 classmates and spouses at reunion. If you have not responded your intentions, please email me or Dick Barker (rdbarker@aol.com).
At Homecoming in September Tom Kelsey was recognized as 2013 Gift Planning Chair of the Year and was the recipient of the Ford Weldon ’25 and Robert Kaiser ’39 Award. He was recognized for his personal commitment and volunteer service as the gift planning chair of the class of 1954, as well as his willingness to be a leader in teaching his peers about the importance of thoughtful estate planning.
The class of 1954 2013 Athletic Sponsorship Grant has been awarded, in memory of Richard S. Danforth, to Kathleen Ratty ’17. Kathleen is a woman’s ice hockey forward from Northfield, Illinois, and was an early admissions applicant. Dan McCarthy managed this sponsorship and will mentor Kathleen.
The class was ably represented at Class Officers Weekend by Dick Barker, Shelly Woolf, Jay Davis, Dana Low and Rick Hartman.
At Homecoming, since we are celebrating a major reunion, the class “rented” a high school band to march and play directly in front of the class at the annual Dartmouth Night and torchlight parade. More in the next column.
The class, Shelly Woolf and his band of jolly solicitors won the John R. Mason’15 Award for attaining the College Fund’s highest participation percentage for a non-reunion class and set a new year out, non-reunion record.
The October issue of the Yale Club of New York News (also home of the Dartmouth Club of New York) highlighted a lecture at the club by Dave Levine on “the toll of the American Civil War, its casualties and rise of the oldest orthopedic hospital in America.”
Dick Page and Shelly Woolf are busy chairing our 60th reunion gift to the College. Our goal is $615,054 and 76-percent participation, both will be College records for a 60th reunion. If you have not already done so, please dig deep and help.
—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com



Rain, some sunshine and, finally, a Dartmouth football win greeted 30 classmates, spouses and guests at Homecoming Weekend. Co-mini-reunion chairs Jay Davis and Steve Mullins arranged a welcoming Friday evening reception and a gala Saturday banquet. New ’54 president Don Berlin conducted a spirited and fruitful executive committee meeting, with former chair John Fenn serving as planning advance man. An important change to note is that next year ’54 will hold its executive committee meeting and a mini-reunion from Thursday, October 7, through Sunday, October 10. Highlights will include the Yale game and, we hope, plenty of sunshine and fall foliage at its peak.


Shelly Woolf, our new head agent, is excited about the start of this year’s Dartmouth College Fund drive. In making reference to a bulletin he received, Shel writes: “The four reasons for giving to Dartmouth expressed below really resonate with me.


“Every gift helps the College raise money: Corporations and foundations, which provide millions of dollars in support to Dartmouth, base their awards more on alumni participation than on total dollars raised. Every gift—including yours—has a multiplier effect.


“Every gift enables the College to save money: Bond-rating agencies factor in alumni participation when determining the interest rate Dartmouth will pay when it borrows money. Every alumni gift—including yours—means less money paid out.


“Every gift supports the College’s national ranking: Publications such as U.S. News & World Report consider Dartmouth’s historically high rates of participation when affirming its rank. Every alumni gift—including yours—sustains Dartmouth’s reputation for excellence.


“Participation is the common thread—and every gift has an impact. Twenty-five gifts of $100 cover a student’s service term in Nicaragua. Five hundred gifts of $300 fund two professors’ salaries for one year. Gifts add up, and every alumni gift—including yours—inspires others to give, too.


“As Harold ‘Rip’ Ripley ’29, the spry 102-year-old alumnus seen visiting Hanover frequently from his Kendal home, says: ‘Please do me proud. Make a gift. And fuel someone else’s Dartmouth experience.’ ”


Reminder: Check the ’54 Web site on a regular basis and follow the link to the most recent Class Notes column to see up-to-date news of your classmates.


—Anthony Kane, 650 Park Ave., 18A, New York, NY 10065; (212) 628-2147; akane32@nyc.rr.com


Shelly Woolf, no doubt remembered by many classmates as the founder and chief salesman of Woolfie’s Whites, a successful white bucks shoe-selling effort during our undergraduate years, has assumed the mantle of head agent. For the next five years Shelly will be leading the increasingly important effort to ensure that the class of 1954 contributes significantly to the annual Dartmouth College Fund drives. For starters Shel’s entrepreneurial skills led him to spot an anomaly in the history of class giving that represents a potentially significant target market of its own. He observed that 99 classmates had made a contribution to the fund in each of the years since graduation. (Full disclosure: Shelly was not in this group of exemplars.) He further found that many classmates had missed only one, two or three years of giving.


With the College’s endorsement Shelly has established the ’54 Set the Record Straight (STRS) program. Classmates will receive letters advising them that if they make a one-time payment for all years missed, approximately equaling the average of their last four non-reunion-year gifts, they’ll join the elite group of classmates and be recognized as having a perfect giving record. Shelly also points out that this one-time gift will signal yet another outstanding distinction for the class of 1954. This gift would be in addition to your 2010 contribution to the DCF. Questions or comments to swoolf1060@comcast.net or call (508) 362-3522. And, yes, Shelly is a charter member of the new ’54 STRS program, as is your Class Notes editor.


As you’ll no doubt note the DAM no longer runs obituaries in the back of the magazine, enabling the publication of smaller issues, which will thereby result in “significant savings on printing and mailing costs.” Obituaries will now be featured on the new DAM Web site. 


Mini-reunion co-chairs Jay Davis and Steve Mullins have been hard at work planning a number of important ’54 get-togethers. At this writing an early May trip to Washington, D.C., is planned. Check the ’54 Web site for exact dates.


A fall mini is planned for Hanover October 7-10 and will include the annual executive committee meeting. Peak fall foliage is promised for that weekend.


—Anthony Kane, 650 Park Ave., 18A, New York, NY 10065; (212) 628-2147; akane32@nyc.rr.com


A very special thank you to Pete Barker (Wm. G. Barker Jr.) upon his retirement as our newsletter editor. For the past 16 years Pete has been issuing quarterly (most years) multi-page newsletters that have been a chief class medium for comprehensive news, pictures and commentaries par excellence. Without word and format restrictions, Pete has used his creative writing talents to the delight of classmates from coast to coast. His humor and skill at innuendo have provided his readers (morphing from mostly employed to mostly retired) with an eagerly awaited break from daily routine. Pete’s son Bill Barker ’81 (Wm. G. Barker III) commented: “I always felt the newsletter was a great fit for him, because it combined two things that he loved and that helped define him as a person: a platform to entertain others and Dartmouth College.” Pete’s last newsletter will be posted or mailed to classmates in June of this year and will no doubt include the name of his successor. Talk about tough acts to follow! Pete has this to say: “The finest gratification I derived from writing the 1954 newsletter was the opportunity to ‘know’ myriad classmates through e-mail, snail mail and telephone (and an occasional lunch) whom I would have never have met otherwise: a unique body of men who were willing to share their news and thoughts. Thanks.” One can only guess that Pete’s dad, Wm. G. Barker ’25, would have been awfully proud of this ninth-generation Dartmouth alumnus (as well as the 10th). Once again, Pete, on behalf of all members of the class of ’54: Thank you!


At this late-April writing it is clear that Shelly Woolf deserves many accolades for his leadership as ’54 head class agent. While final returns are not as yet in, our goal of $215,000 was exceeded earlier this month—with three months of this year’s Dartmouth College Fund drive remaining. Shel thanks all those who have helped the class achieve such fine results.


Remember to check the ’54 website at least once every week for addenda to the bimonthly DAM Class Notes column.


—Anthony Kane, 650 Park Ave., 18A, New York, NY 10065; (212) 628-2147; akane32@nyc.rr.com


Thanks to Shel Woolf’s creative marketing skills, Dartmouth College can now add a unique fundraising tool to its already extensive array of successful techniques. Beginning his first year as 1954 head agent, Shel was struck by the fact that he had contributed to the Dartmouth College Fund 52 out of the 55 years since our class graduated. Coming up with a set of parameters and convincing the powers-that-be that it could work, Shel conceived the Set the Record Straight (STRS) program, designed to enable those classmates who wanted to receive credit for 100 percent participation, i.e., 55-year consistent giving record, to make a special, one-time contribution. Starting with himself and yours truly, Shel convinced a total of 64 class of ’54 “exemplars” to join the STRS effort. Here’s how it played out: The class of 1954 set a non-reunion-year participation record of 88 percent, raising more than $340,000 and thereby establishing itself as the all-time years-out contributing leader, exceeding 1942’s 84 percent. For his outstanding achievement Shel has received the Andrew J. Scarlet ’10 Award for outstanding class leadership for classes more than 50 years out. Congratulations, Shel! Oh yes, the DCF will be happy to share details of the STRS program with other interested classes. 


Questions have been raised regarding the discontinuance of printed obituaries in the DAM. In line with last fall’s announced budgetary cuts at the College, the Alumni Magazine was forced to make some hard decisions with regard to its mandated expense reductions. One of the areas that represented a possible cost-savings was the section including obituaries of deceased alumni, whose deaths had been reported since the most recent edition. It was decided that the printed obituary section would be eliminated and that starting with the January-February 2010 issue obituaries would be run online only. At the same time the word limit for obituaries was increased from 150 to 250 and, as announced, “there is now the opportunity to post additional remembrances and memorial information on the website.” Sadly, since our last Class Notes column we have learned of the deaths of five classmates: Joseph Thomas Murphy III, January 29; Robert Edward Gilman, February 2; Perry Cotton Weston, July 20; Michael Hurley Biggs, July 31; and Clark Spaulding Davis, August 7. The class sends its condolences to the families of our recently departed classmates, and their obituaries can be read online at www.dartmouth alumnimagazine.com/obituaries. Additionally, celebrations of their lives appear in the September newsletter.


—Anthony Kane, 650 Park Ave., #18A, New York, NY 10065; (212) 628-2147; akane32@nyc.rr.com


Received a note from Spider Potterton ’62 about Bill Briggs. Bill was the first person to ski the Grand Teton, the Middle Teton, Mount Moran and Mount Owen. It is said that he is the” father of extreme skiing in North America.” In 2008 Bill was inducted into the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. He is a founding member of the Stage Coast Band, which has played country and bluegrass music every Sunday since 1969 at the Stage Coast Bar in Wilson, Wyoming. He also founded and presides over Hootenanny, an open mic music event that happens every Monday in Moose, Wyoming. He plays the banjo, auto harp and six- and 12-string guitars.


The class of 2013 has named Professor David Lagomarsino the winner of the Jerome Goldstein Award for Distinguished Teaching at Dartmouth.


Those that played football at Dartmouth in the 1950s were honored during halftime at the Columbia game in October. Representing ’54 were Wally Anderson and Dave Thielscher.


Bill Bullen reports that he had a “horrific motorcycle accident” in May of 2008. As a result of the residuals of those injuries he recently gave up tennis. Within the past year he had lunch with Trish and Peter Bullis and Mary and Dave Thielscher. 


Plans are all set for our 60th reunion on June 9 to June 11 (early-bird reception at the Mullins home on June 8). Make your plans now.


At a dinner in October in Hanover marking the 100th anniversary of the Alumni Council, Don Berlin was awarded the Dartmouth Alumni Award for his exceptional contributions to alumni affairs through his long-standing leadership. Present in addition to his wife, Barbara, were his sons Geoffrey ’84 and Eric ’89 and daughter-in-law Laura Hartwell Berlin ’89. Also in attendance were Anne and Rick Hartman, Jane and Dick Page, Natalie and John Fenn, Jean and Bob Adnopoz and Rosemary and Dave Mandelbaum. Don was the 12th ’54 so honored. Previous recipients were Bob Adnopoz, Dick Barker, Pete Barker, John Gillespie, Jerry Goldstein, Dave McLaughlin, Dave Mandelbaum, John Moore, Charlie Morrison, Steve Mullins and Dick Page.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


Planning for ’54’s 60th reunion has started. It will take place on June 9-12, 2014. The reunion committee is Don Berlin, Rick Hartman, Dana Low, John Fenn, Dick Page, Shelly Woolf, Dick Barker, Jim Tofias, Tom Kelsey, Herb Hillman, John Gillespie, Dan McCarthy and Lo-Yi Chan.Mark your calendars.


Several ’54s attended a gathering in May to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Dave Levine hosted the evening. Dave is the author of Anatomy of a Hospital: The History of the Hospital for Special Surgery. The ’54s in attendance were Lynn and Art Rauch, Judith and Dick Steinberg, Marcia and Lyon Greenberg, Dorothy and Jerry Goldstein, Tony Kane and Dick Davidoff.Dave has been on the staff of the hospital since 1966, serving at various times as director of scoliosis, director of the department of orthopedic surgery and as a member of more than 20 hospital administrative committees. Currently he is emeritus professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornel Medical College and emeritus attending surgeon at the Hospital For Special Surgery.


Peter Kenyon and his committee announced our 2013 interns: Adam Kraus ’14 will be the C. Bayard Johnson ’54 Dickey Center intern, Elliot Sanborn ’14 will be the Richard R. Grassey ’54 Dickey Center intern, Oladipupo “Dippo” Fasawa ’14 will be the Robert J. Kirkpatrick ’54 Tucker Foundation intern, Christine Auberle ’14 will be the Herbert S. Jacobs ’54 Dartmouth in Community Service intern and Chelsea Estevez ’14 will be the Ronald Jabara ’54 Rockefeller Center intern.


Congratulations to Bud Martz on the publication of his first fiction novel, To Know the Truth, about newspapering in Detroit, Michigan, in the late 1950s.


We are returning to Hanover for Homecoming this year on October 10-13. Our mini-reunion chairs, Steve Mullins and Jay Davis, have planned a great program. Join us.


We sadly report the passing of Richard Fowler.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


Bill Gould reports he is still seeing patients and doing clinical teaching at Stanford Medical School, having recently returned from a self-imposed sabbatical in Florence, Italy. Besides his medical practice, Bill has found time to write novels that have been published. His first novel, A Little Score To Settle, is a tale of suspense about a man’s search for his father. His second novel (recently published) is Three Boys Like You, a story of a complicated boyhood friendship and how it changed during 30 years. Either Amazon or Barns & Noble will be happy to provide you with a copy. 


Pete Kenyon has announced the new class of 1954 internships: Michelle Shanker ’12 is the recipient of the George F. Murdoch’54 Tucker Foundation Internship; Anna Villarruel ’12 is the recipient of the John F. Reilly ’54 Rockefeller Center Internship; Guilia Siccardo ’12 is the recipient of the Joseph E. Mesics ’54 Dickey Center Internship; and Francisco Hererra ’13 is the recipient of the Irvin M. Herrman ’54 Dartmouth Partners in Community Service (Tucker) Internship.


As we write this column we are on the fifth class of 1954 overseas trip—this time to the Italian Lake District at Lake Como. Participating are Ellie and Walt Anderson, Barbara and Don Berlin, Kit and Bob Dean, Anne and Rick Hartman, Carol and Steve Mullins, Rosemarie and Bill Murane, Carol and Harry Robinson, Joan and Jim Tofias and Cynthia Sunderland and Garry Zwart. Also joining the trip for a few days was Yngvar Hvistendahl, who had lead a group (the Deans, the Tofias and the Robinsons) on a trip through Switzerland before joining us at Lake Como. Also prior to the trip the Mullins toured Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia and Belarus while the Muranes spent several days in Milan. After the trip the Berlins and Hartmans spent time in Switzerland visiting Geneva and Meiringen.


The first day of the trip was spent on a walking tour of the city of Como followed by a boat trip around the lake. During successive days we attended cooking classes and learned all about art restoration, toured Lake Maggiore by boat and visited Milan, where we saw DaVinci’s The Last Supper.


Sadly we report the passing of classmates Sky Grey and Jack Christie. 


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


Class sports maven Bill White’s recent prognostication relative to football is that 2012 will be a year of rebuilding following Dartmouth’s first winning season in 13 years. Much press has been devoted lately to dangerous drinking habits on campus. The College has initiated a peak performance program aimed at getting athletes to kick unhealthy habits. Looking back to the 1950s, Bill suggests that the many of us who had peak performances on the playing field seldom had problems with large quantities of beer. Perhaps the difference is in perception. 


Bob Woodberry has accumulated a packet of material about the life of our departed classmate Joe Mesics. It includes the remarks by friends and relatives made at his well-attended funeral in Healdsburg, California. A unique individual whose on-campus persona belied his softer and creative side, Joe emerged in his adult years as one with a wide variety of interests, including flying, growing grapes and writing poetry. Five songs were suggested as being special to Joe: “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Marines’ Hymn,” “My Way,” “Stardust” and “As the Backs Go Tearing By.” To request the Joe packet, call Bob Woodberry at (925) 933-2451. 


To correct the situation of the newsletter lying fallow, Pete Barker has re-entered the lists and will endeavor to publish the next issue prior to your reading this column. Send stuff to pgbarker54@aol.com or 111 Parsonage Road, Greenwich, CT 06830. 


Head agent Shelly Woolf has outdone himself in getting us to outdo ourselves in contributing to the College. Our 90.4-percent participation exceeded our goal, broke the 57-years-out record and outdid all classes in non-reunion-year participation. There is much to celebrate about today’s Dartmouth, so let’s start sending checks now to give Shel a head start. 


Dana Low retired as board chairman of Saint Luke’s LifeWorks, a civic organization in Stamford, Connecticut, that deals with the problems of homeless families. Under Dana’s leadership LifeWorks regained fiscal strength, clarified its role in the community and vastly improved its effectiveness. 


Condolences to Ron Lehrman on the loss of his wife, Carol Simkin. 


—Pete Barker, 111 Parsonage Road, Greenwich, CT 06830; (203) 661-7611; pgbarker54@aol.com


The article in the recent Dartmouth Alumni Magazine mentioning Peter Bullis and the Indian Chiefs Jazz Band brought up memories of other ’54s who played with College bands. Mike Payton, Mike Biggs, Ron Dutton and Benny Davis were part of the Sultans. As stated in the Aegis, they “made a break with Dartmouth tradition and introduced a new and more sophisticated style of jazz. The group turned from Dixie to bop.”


There also was the Barbary Coast Orchestra led by Skip Weymouth. Playing with the Barbary Coast were Pete Barker, Dike Ketelhut, Jim Colby, Bob Martin, Bill Murane, George Hitchcock and Bruce Matheson. Well before the Aires, they played on national television while performing at Frank Dailey’s Meadowbrook in New Jersey.


After resurrecting his career as class newsletter editor, Pete Barker decided to resurrect his “late-in-life” acting career. If you see someone who looks like Pete in commercials or on television, it is probably Pete. In January he appeared at the America Theater of Actors in New York City in the role of the ghost of the dead king of Denmark in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Pete’s stage name: W. Griffith Barker.


Records are made to be broken. However some last for a long time. In 1953 Bob Drawbaugh established a Dartmouth record for the most soccer goals in a career. It stood intact until this year, when the record was surpassed by Lucky Mkosana ’12.


At the December ’54 holiday luncheon at the Yale Club, attended by 39 (spouses included for the first time), Dana Low was awarded the Class of 1954 Award. Dana was recognized for his professional career in engineering and his community service with Saint Luke’s Life Works, helping the homeless.


We sadly report the passing of our long-term webmaster Perry Davis in January. Dick Barker has agreed to succeed Perry as webmaster.


As this column is being written the class is gathering in Sarasota, Florida, for the second 80th celebration. Note the third celebration at the Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale, New York, on May 23.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


Milton Kramer was an outstanding member of our class, serving in leadership positions—chair of Palaeopitus and editor-in-chief of The Dartmouth. He was the valedictorian of our class. The summer after graduation Milt died in an auto accident while driving east from a summer job on his way to England as a Rhodes scholar. A number of classmates headed by Jon Moore met to discuss how to memorialize Milt. They reached out to others, not only classmates, and with the College’s approval arranged to endow the Milton Sims Kramer 1954 Memorial Award. This monetary award is given annually to students or student groups for engaging in research, service or programing projects that benefit the Dartmouth community. Most recently the award winners were Rachel Siegel ’12 for a Dartmouth Book Day—focused on a book written by a Dartmouth professor or alum, for an afternoon after class dedicated to the self-reflection, profound thought and free exchange of ideas facilitated by a great book—and the Dartmouth Student Initiative on Global Experiences, “to form a student community passionate about tackling international socioeconomic inequality and engaging with the world’s problems by improving the quality of Dartmouth students’ engagement with global experience through peer-to-peer mentoring programs” 


John Robbins left us during sophomore year and since has left his mark in the world. He completed his college education at New York University and NYU Medical School. He served as an intern and resident at Mass General Hospital and in 1970, after nine years in academia at the Weitzman Institute of Science and at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was appointed as clinical director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He then became director of bacterial vaccines at the Food and Drug Administration. In 1983 he returned to the National Institute as chief of the laboratory of development and molecular immunity. John’s research focused on developing vaccines for diseases that are prevalent in infants and children. He developed a vaccine, which is now used throughout the world, designed to eradicate bacterial meningitis, a leading cause of acquired mental retardation in children. John has been awarded the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, the World Health Organization’s Pasteur Award and the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal. 


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


It’s no secret that during calendar 2012 most of us will be celebrating our, gulp, 80th birthday! To honor this momentous occasion ’54 class president Don Berlin has announced that three birthday celebrations are in the planning stages and will be scheduled in the following locations around the following dates with the following named organizers: Boston, October 29, 2011, Dick Page; Florida, February or March 2012, Mort Galper and Jim Tofias; and New York City, spring of 2012, Dave Mandelbaum. Clearly the idea is to have centrally located gatherings so that as many of us as possible can celebrate together. You’ll be hearing much more about these upcoming events in future columns and newsletters.


A total of 23 classmates attended the annual New York holiday luncheon at the Yale Club on December 9. Two highlights of the luncheon were the reading of a tribute to Pete Barker by Don Berlin and a wonderful accolade to Pete by Jay Chandler. Unfortunately, Pete was unable to attend the luncheon but did make it to a very special, surprise dinner—at least for him—that same evening in Connecticut. Bob Levine took the lead in arranging an elegant sit-down dinner at the upscale Innis Arden Golf Club in Old Greenwich. With the help of Dana Low, John Fenn and yours truly in planning the dinner, getting a beautiful plaque for Pete (John) and chauffeuring train riders (Dana), our class motto of “Staying Connected,” originally coined by immediate past president Jay Davis, was given new meaning. Celebrants included Jean and Bob Adnopoz, Carolyn and John Cunningham, Dick Davidoff, Natalie and John Fenn, Sonja and Tony Kane, Dana Low, Arlene and Dan Neiditiz, Dick Pearl, Lynn and Art Rauch, Harry Robinson, and Judith and Dick Steinberg. To the delight of many, the annual New York luncheon will henceforth include wives, widows and significant others.


Bill Grover reports that there were 21 attendees at the annual Boston holiday luncheon held on December 8, including four wives and one perennial booster from the class of 1955, Bob Fanger. The class offers its congratulations to Dick Trowbridge, who was presented with the Class of 1954 Award. Look for the text of the Barker tribute and Trowbridge award in the ’54 winter newsletter. 


The class sends its condolences to the families of recently departed classmates, including Bob Drawbaugh, Norm Kasparson, Don Miller and Hugh Roberts.


—Anthony Kane, 650 Park Ave., #18A, New York, NY 10065; (212) 628-2147; akane32@nyc.rr.com


The second 80th celebration was held in Sarasota, Florida, in February. There were 96 attendees, including 50 classmates. Celebrating were Sabe Abell, Walt Anderson, Don Berlin, Bill Bonneville, Brad Borden, Jim Bowers, Don Brief, Luke Case, Jay Davis, Bob Dean, Ron Dougherty, Mort Galper, Bill Gardner, Bill Garland, Art Geller, Herb Gildan, Alec Gray, George Grayboys, Bill Grover, Yngvar Hvistendahl, Bob Jeffrey, Phil Kaiser, Don Keller, Tom Kelsey, Neil King, Dick Kolbe, Mitch Kramer, Bob Levine, Dick Lewis, Marty Lindenauer, Dick May, Ned May, Mead Metcalf, Charlie Morrison, Steve Mullins, Dan Neiditz, Dick Page, Mike Papantones, Bill Robbins, Harry Robinson, Dick Rubin, Peter Schenck, Neal Sibley, Jim Stead, Jim Tofias, Tom Tyler, Dan Weidenthal, Paul Wilson, Ed Winnick and Shelly Woolf. We were entertained by Mead Metcalf, cruised Sarasota harbor, had dinner and attended a performance at the Asolo Theater, played golf and had a gala 80th birthday party. A memorial service was conducted by Tom Kelsey in memory of our recently departed classmates Bob Berry, Tom Malcolm, Vic Mahler and Perry Davis. A ’54 thank you to co-chairs Mort Galper and Jim Tofias.


Norm Veasey has co-authored The Chief Legal Officer in the New Reality, “a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the responsibilities of the corporate counsel in this increasingly dynamic and competitive global marketplace.” Norm is former chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. 


Never too old to ski. Jay Davis, Mead Metcalf, Steve Mullins and Tom Tyler met in Aspen, Colorado, for the annual ’54 ski event. Jay Davis first visited Aspen 58 years ago in 1954.


John Cunningham appeared off Broadway in the revival of Painting Churches, playing Gardner Church, a Pulitzer-winning poet. The New York Times described John and Kathleen Chalfant as “transfixing as Boston blue bloods whose patrician airs and whimsical lives mask the shambles of their lives.” John’s Broadway credits include Armour, Design for Living, Titanic, The Sisters Rosensweig, Six Degrees of Separation, Anna Karenina, Cabaret, Company and Sunday In the Park With George.In March Jerry Goldstein, Art Rauch, Lyon Greenberg and David Levine attended John’s performance.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com


The class met in Hanover during the last weekend in September for a mini-reunion and executive committee meeting during Class Officers Weekend. Classmates in attendance at sometime during the weekend were Don Berlin, Rick Hartman, Tony Kane, Jim Tofias, Shelly Woolf, Steve Mullins, Jay Davis, Tom Kelsey, Bob Adnopoz, Bob Dean, Bill Grover, Harry Robinson, Dick Steinberg, Tom Tyler, Norm Veasey, Wayne Weil, Dick Barker, Jerry Goldstein, Dick Lewis, Ben Gilson, Rich Lederer, Bob Clark, Art Geller, Dana Low, Charlie Morrison, Bob Levine, Jerry Barton and Dave Ransom.At the class officers’ meeting Shelly Woolf was honored as the 2012 Head Agent of the Year in recognition of his extraordinary results as 1954 head agent and his initiation of the STARS (Setting the Record Straight) program. Also, the class was honored for its outstanding efforts in achieving 75-percent College Fund participation, the highest of any class, including reunion classes. 


Two Northeastern University dropouts who went on to earn their degrees after encouragement from a mentoring professor teamed up to donate $60 million to Northeastern. The mentoring professor was business professor Dan McCarthy.


Under the leadership of Jerry Goldstein the Victor C. Mahler Visiting Architects Fund in memory of Vic Mahler has been established. This fund will provide support for attendance on campus of a visiting distinguished architect who will critique the students’ work and give an annual lecture. The fund has been endowed by friends, associates and architects who wished to honor Vic. 


How many people pass the Inn corner each day? If they looked down at the sidewalk they would notice the plaque locating the location of the Appalachian Trail as it passes through Hanover. This plaque was provided by the class of 1954. The Appalachian Trail turned 75 this summer.


We sadly report the passing of Robert V. Berry, Herbert Syle III, Howard Roxborough, Ronald Jabara, Bayard Johnson, Robert Kirkpatrick III and Richard R. Grassey.


—Don Berlin, 7 Hamilton Drive, Washington Valley, Morristown, NJ 07960-3311; (973) 267-8122; berlin1954@aol.com