1956's Advanced Fifth Reunion: CLASS SECRETARY
The 1956 Big First is history, but let's recall the highlights which made it such a warm and colorful success. General comment on the 1956 gathering accused the married delegation of adding ten to twenty pounds per man since June of 1956. The single men all looked like Olympic candidates for the 100-yard dash. The problem was solved by putting all the wives on diets. One wife seemed amazed that her '56 husband had a terrible time remembering how to get to White River Junction but for some strange reason could drive blindfolded to the package store in the same town. How time will dull the mind!
We rolled up in front of Topliff Hall Friday afternoon just in time to see a '56 couple unloading their baggage. It was soon discovered they had taken, by mistake, all the baby clothes that should be back in Burlington, Mass., with grandmother and their daughter. Chaos must have prevailed when grandmother went to change the young weekend guest.
Inside the door of Topliff stood Bob Dumont apd his sweet Mrs. to welcome all the '56 reunion folk. The above two people continued to go at jet speed throughout the reunion in order to give their classmates a wonderful time in Hanover.
Soon fifty-six forces invaded the Alumni Reception at the Gym where cocktails and dinner awaited all. Since the 1954 and 1955 classes joined the group it was possible to see an additional mass of familiar faces. Conversation ranged from Hygiene I to "Sink Night."
After the group had a chance to inject their aging bones with Geritol or facsimile the gang headed for the '56 Tent, located in front of the tennis courts and facing the stadium. The Class movie seemed to hit the memorable years of 1952-56 in Hanover; those early days as "pea greenies," the year of sophomore settling down; the junior year of great expectations; and the senior series from Janet Pilgrim, our "Playboy" recruit, to the traditional smoking of those El Producto pipes before getting the title of "Old Grad." Tanzi was kept busy the rest of the evening by our high "spirits." Some retired early at 2:00 A.M. but others remembered the good old days of home fries and scrambled eggs at Butch's, ala 3:00 A.M.
Doughnut and coffee time, for the early risers, started Saturday morning. It's amazing how so many of us scrambled up early enough to hear Professor Adams talk on "Marxism Challenge to the West" and later Professor Finch's lecture, "Shakespeare's Politics and Ours."
Later we all managed to collect ourselves into 105 Dartmouth for a very brief class meeting. Our past four years as grads had been excellent to your retiring executive committee. The new committee reads as follows: Russ Brace, Ted Bremble, Bob Dumont,Jim Flynn, Leo McKenna, Wally Pugh, StewSanders, Will Sogg and George Yeager. Let's back up the new brass so our next six years will be the greatest ever.
After the historical class picture of '56 males, females, and kids, the classes of '56, '55 and '54 held a joint picnic highlighted by a "Downhill Regatta" race between the three classes. The '56 oarsmen weren't victorious, successful, great, or admirable. There were fears we might join the D.N.F. (did not finish) club. Tom Rosenwald pumped enough spirits into the boys to get across the finish line before the sun and the '56 crew faded completely.
Off to Topliff for clean-up time and then to a coat and tie affair, our class buffet banquet, on the banks of Occom pond by the Dartmouth Outing Club. Tremendous credit should go to Ted Bremble for capturing this spot for our class — it was a beautiful affair. The final event of the evening was the Dartmouth Players production of "Guys and Dolls" at Webster Hall. It certainly spoke well of the dramatic talent of the undergraduates.
Our tent became the focus for the last minute conversations and hilarious nominations such at fat man of the class, biggest contributor to the ALUMNI MAGAZINE by a single performer, biggest loafer in four years' time, most productive family-wise and other ludicrous suggestions.
Doughnuts, coffee, Sunday morning farewells, and our Big First was history. Those not present were missed. Those present had a chance to see many of the old gang and baptize their wives into our Dartmouth family.
Though small in number, the Class in 1956 was back vociferously for its first reunion since graduation.
