Class Note 1951
Dave Batchelder’s retirement as editor of our class newsletter marks the end of an era. For more than 30 years Batch’s news-filled, fun, inspiring, entertaining letter has been the glue that binds our class together and the primary link to Dartmouth for many of us. He has reached out to all of us, kept us all in touch and fostered a remarkable class esprit. Along the way Batch was recognized by the College as Newsletter Editor of the Year and by his class with the Spirit of ’51 Award. To all ’51s he is newsletter editor—and classmate—of the century! We send him our warm thanks for the extraordinary gift he has given us for all these years.
It was Bob Hopkins (Darien, Connecticut) who recommended Batch for the job back then. He deserves our thanks too—as class talent scout! Bob has also served as head of our nominating committee for several terms.
Janet and Bob Rutstein gave Jean and me a warm welcome when we stopped by their attractive retirement community on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, recently. These reconnections with friends from years past are a great source of pleasure.
Frank Bruch reflects on his good fortune at settling in Middlebury, Vermont, where he served as head of student health and doctor to several Middlebury College athletic teams. Jeff Hart’s (Lyme, New Hampshire) latest book, The Living Moment: Modernism in a Broken World (Northwestern University Press), has received high praise, including in The Economist. Tom Barnett and Jack Weingarten were spotted in a tense match on a golf course in Houston. And Buck Scott reports pleasurable get-togethers in Philadelphia with Paul Staley, Barry and Else Spiegel and Jim Cornman’s widow, Betty.
We report the deaths of Dave Leslie and Chuck Packard. Our class was represented by Al Loehr at Chuck’s memorial service in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Our fall mini-reunion is scheduled for October 11-12. That is Homecoming Weekend, including Dartmouth Night with parade and bonfire, Green vs. Yale in football and, we hope, fall color. Given this array of attractions space will be at a premium. Make your reservations soon!
—Pete Henderson, 450 Davis St., Evanston, IL 60201; (847) 905-0635; pandjhenderson@gmail.com
