1938

Box 42 Waterford, ME 04088

Oops! It takes some doing not only to make two errors in one column but also to make both within a single sentence. I achieved that distinction, however, in the October class notes when I reported that Bill Bronk would write a poem for our 50-year reunion book and then added, gratuitously and entirely from memory, that he had also written our class poem back in June 1938.

Wrong on both counts! A kindly letter from Bill set me straight. Though he has given permission, he said, for the use of whatever work of his the editors may want to include, he is not writing a special piece for the 50-year book. And secondly, Bill added, "I was not poet, Charlie Livermore was." So much for my flawed memory! Red-faced, I sent an immediate apology to Charlie. His reply was also kind, more so than the error deserved. "It is perfectly all right to rely on memory in such matters," Charlie wrote.

"What is remembered is often more appropriate than what really happened." I have my doubts about that though it was kind of Charlie to say so and so my apologies all around. I'm glad for the chance, even belatedly, to set the record straight.

The sharp eyes of Charlie Hathaway down in Longboat Key, Fla., have picked up another goof, this time, happily, not mine. In a recent schedule of events circulated to the class he noticed that the starting date of our 50th reunion is listed as Friday, June 11, 1988. Hold on there, Charlie wrote, "my 250-year ready-reference calendar tells me that Friday June 11 doesn't occur in 1988." And you know what: he's right. My perpetual calendar, in fact, lists no Friday June 11 until 1993. Naturally, I checked with the guru of the event,' Dick Francis, who tells me he was using the dates sent him by the College. So let's get this one straight right now: the proper dates for the 50th, Dick says, are Friday, June 10 through Sunday, June 12. Since Dartmouth College apparently doesn't count very accurately, it's reassuring to know there are a few '38s left, like Charlie Hathaway, who still can.

By now you've no doubt read the good news out of Hanover that Gil Tanis will have a hand, a very big hand, in the process which will lead to the selection of a new president of the College in 1987. Norman McCulloch '50, chairman of both the Board of Trustees and the presidential search committee, recently appointed Gil executive director of the search committee. From his office in Baker Library (appropriately enough, John Dickey's former office), Gil is already hard at work coordinating the search on behalf of the committee, whose 18 members are drawn from the trustees, faculty, alumni, and student body. The ultimate aim, many months down the road, is a final, winnowed-down list of candidates from which the full Board of Trustees, in the exercise of its legal responsibility, will select the next president of Dartmouth College. For anyone who wants to submit recommendations for the post, Gil tells me his address is Box 347, Hanover, and his phone number 603/646-3470.

While Gil comes out of retirement for this important job, another classmate heads toward it. Sox Calder has announced plans to retire as chief executive officer of Union Camp Corporation at the end of 1986. Sox, who has been Union Camp's CEO for 20 years, has also chaired the corporation's executive committee. After acquiring his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, Sox joined Union Camp in 1940 and, except for four years in the service during World War II, has spent his entire business career with the corporation. After retirement he will continue to serve on Union Camp's board of directors.

A quick note from the '38 Chowder and Marching Society: Dick Francis reports that among classmates "marching" in the Dartmouth Night parade in Hanover back in October were Dick himself, John Scotford, Charlie Hitchcock, Jack Lutz, and Jack Graham. And a quick conversation with Jim Garvey (at a recent meeting of the Portland, Maine, Dartmouth Club) discloses that several visitors of note have had the good sense to turn off at the Biddeford exit of the Maine Turnpike to drop in on Jim and Ginny. The most recent were Gil and Bette Kruschwitz, Jim reports, and before that, Charlie andMartha Hathaway, who were apparently trading Florida for Maine during a hot late-summer month. More frequent visitors in recent years, Jim says, have been Fran and Mildred Mooney, who live just over the hills, as it were, in Center Barnstead, N. H.

A note from Paul Bauder in Wellfleet, Mass., is the source of an idea I'd like to pass along. "Since 1988 isn't too far off," Paul says, "I've already written several of our classmates ... to be sure to set aside the dates for our 50th." Now, what if each of us were to follow Paul's example and write to a couple of close college friends urging them to come back to the 50th? Might that not make a considerable difference in attendance? Think about it. Better yet, do it.

THE-W4Y-IT-WAS DEPARTMENT

February. What else but Winter Carnival! And since one picture is worth you- know-how-many words, I asked JohnScotford's wife, Anne, photo archivist for the College, to dig out a picture of the snow sculpture which stood at the middle of the green 50 years ago this month. It is reproduced herewith. Who can forget. . . .

Is this sculpture frozen in your memory? See the'38 column for a look back in time.