Class of 1976
From HanoverFrom Hanover • June •2015 February • Spring…at 2016 last! The non-Winter Issue This year, I experienced spring three times: in Denver—end of March/beginning of April; Greetings from inwinter-less Central Europe—mid- Hanover! toTake late April;a and right here in Hanover—May. really close look at this photo. Do you notice First spring: I traveled to Denver to visit Julia Miller Shepherdanything?, fast Or friend better since posed, we metdo youin front notice of thewhat’s Ha- novermissing? Inn on theYou eve guessed of freshman it—no orientation. Winter JulieCarnival is the foundingSnow Sculpture principal partneron the ofGreen! a creative We’ve and had innovative a non- schoolwinter within here the in Denver the Upper Public Valley,School system:so instead Creativ of- ityhauling Challenge in snowCommunity from local or C3. ice Julie rinks, merged far flung her abid ski- ingareas, interest wherever, in and passion the sculpture for the arts on withthe Greenher skills was as ancancelled educator andand administrator,replaced by ice to createblock C3,carving which along was approvedone walkway in 2011 atand the will south be at capacityend of saidwith theGreen. start ofIt thewas 2015-16 a sorry school sight. year. Click here to visit the school’s website and learn more about Julie’s work! The disappointment of Winter Carnival aside, SecondHanover spring: has mybeen husband, busy thisTom winter ’74, and due I willin largecele- bratepart our to 40ththe steadywedding stream anniversary of candidates this July. paradingOrdinari- ly, we don’t go for big celebrations, but this year we The fall was bittersweet with prima donna through town in the run up to the First in the succumbed to advertising and the recommendations of performances (Renée Fleming), sports trustedNation friends New and Hampshire embarked onPrimary. a Danube I liveRiver with cruise. a championship games (football, men’s soccer, Wepolitical made a junkypre-cruise and visit I’m to an Prague, inveterate which Jeopardy! reminded women’s rugby), and a memorial service for viewer, so even if I wanted to ignore the hoopla, us quite a bit of Paris, though smaller and cleaner. Travel our beloved adopted classmate (John Rassias). I couldn’t—my mate’s nose is constantly buried books talk about Prague’s myriad spires, but I was im- Thanks to Dartmouth’s new academic calendar, in some political blog or commentary, and I’ve pressed with all the clocks—everywhere. No excuse for December in Hanover is quiet—probably too beingbeen late bombarded in Prague! Ourwith return the to Budapestworst of (wepolitical visited quiet for most folks, but for me it’s perfect bliss. 13advertisements years ago on the foradvent weeks of Tom’s on end. 50th birthday) at the end of the cruise was remarkable: we felt as if we were There was no snow, and for the first visiting an old friend. And yet, much had changed in time in 40 years,Courtesy Tom andof the I Dartmouthwere alone Coop the interim. We visited with family friends there, which on Christmas morning, which gave us made the visit even more meaningful. pause and caused more than a twinge of sorrow. Third spring: Winter held its grip on the Upper Valley until the end of April this year. But May has been glori- I fear I’m setting a negative tone for ous! I never cease to be amazed at the speed with which what’s ahead in this newsletter, but winter’s last vestiges disappear. Seemingly overnight, not so. There’s news ahead—some buds and blooms on trees and flowers burst open; yards turn into rich carpets of green grass; and the air is filled funny, some sad, all of it interesting with the scent of lilac—my all time favorite—and all the and all of it a testament to the strength other fragrant bushes that spill out over the sidewalks. and vitality of the Class of 1976. Seasons are good for the soul, and I really do marvel at Read on… the splendor and character of each and every one of them. [email protected] 1 Class of ’76 News Spotlight on Y-O-U
From George McBride, Whitneyville, ME: Most of my classmates are retired or thinking about retiring. I feel, on the other hand, like I’m just getting started. After a lackluster career in manufacturing and, more recently teaching (math), I have discovered my niche as an inventor. One patent in hand, another on the way—my next event is presenting my ideas on “Spent Flow Discharge Apparatus for instream hydropower turbines”.
From Andy Shaw, Chicago: Jim Naylor and his wife Dale spent a long weekend recently in Chicago with me and my wife Mar- ty. Among other activities, Jim and I had the great pleasure of playing golf on a sunny fall-like Saturday at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, where the U.S. Open is scheduled to be played in June 2017. The course, which is public, is in a spectacular setting in the Kettle Moraine region north and west of Milwaukee and is very challenging. I met my goal of breaking 90, but not by a lot. Jim didn’t quite make his goal of breaking 80, but he played beautifully, as he always does. What a fun way to spend the day with a great friend and classmate!
From Julia Miner, Boston: From the Food Project website: In 1991, The Food Project’s founder, Ward Cheney, had a vision of young people from the city and the suburbs working side by side on the land producing food for the hungry and learning together. He imagined youth experiencing the value of labor and service while building a di- verse and effective community. He pictured a place where youth could discover and develop their talents, make friends and test themselves physically, mentally and emotionally. His vision became The Food Project.
From the Class of ’76 Facebook page. Ward Cheney understood how suburban and inner city youth experienced similar feelings of isolation from their surroundings and meaningful work. Creating compelling work on the land, his dream was to bring these young people together – connecting their communities in the process – to supply food to deserving organizations. The Lincoln fields have grown from five acres to thirty-one, and farms have opened in Roxbury, Lynn and Beverly. Employing 100 young people and 25 staff, and engaging nearly 2,000 volunteers each year, the orga- nization grows produce for donations, subsidized sale, and youth-driven food enterprises.
Paintings from my “Rhythms” series drawn from the Food Project, Lin- coln MA, are on exhibit in Gallery 3, Umbrella Com- munity Arts Center 2 [email protected] From Michael Montgomery, Los Angeles: Nicole and I are doing very well in a very hot and humid Los Angeles. I was swimming in the Pacific Ocean in mid October!
I am teaching again at UCLA Anderson on technology and media. Big class, but I love it, keeping me on my toes and trying to stay ahead of what is going on in media these days.
Dartmouth seems so far away and long away now! I’d love to connect with Reggie Williams. He reached out to me 25 years ago for career advice when I was at Disney…and lots of humor in his joining Disney down in Orlando. Hope he is well.
[Editor’s update: for those of you who follow Reggie’s Facebook page, or who follow the Cincinnati Bengals, you will know that Reggie suffered a stroke on New Year’s eve. He is fighting to regain his speech even as he is still fighting to recover the use of his mangled knee. He is in our thoughts and hearts as he faces this latest trial. We wish him a full recovery and trust that the Granite of New Hampshire that is part of who he is will see him through these difficult times.]
Another one from Andy Shaw: Attached is a “summit” photo of the group that climbed Moosilauke last Saturday (Octo- ber 24th). There were six ‘76s in total, me, Scott Simons, Sean Gorman, Jim Burns, Jim Beattie and Dave Balderston. Scott’s and Burns’s wives (Pam and Marion, respectively) also climbed, as well as two ‘75s, Dave Rob- ertson and John Clayman. One other young- er couple, Vivienne and Brad, rounded out the group. Vivienne is a Dartmouth medical student.
After the climb, the six ‘76 climbers, plus Art Howe and Martha Beattie, met at Art Howe’s summer home on Squam Lake to have dinner and spend Saturday night. All in all, a really great weekend of reconnecting by some classmates whom I hadn’t seen for quite a while! Pictured left to right are: Sean Gorman, Jim Burns, Dave Balderston, Andy Shaw, Scott Simons and Jim Beattie. From Martha Hennessey Martha Hennessey posted The Four Agreements on the Class of ’76 Facebook page. I thought they were worth sharing with a wider audience. What do you think?
From Dave Spalding, Iowa: We are enjoying Iowa. The people are great, and I am enjoying the job. I am in my third academic year as dean of the College of Busi- ness at Iowa State University. We set a new record for enrollment in our College this fall, breaking a record that had stood for 29 years. [Editors note: Dave is Raisbeck Endowed Dean and Professor of Finance at the College of Business of Iowa State University.] [email protected] 3 From Gordie Miles, Winnnipeg: It has been a relatively mild winter in Winnipeg to date, although the forecast is for a blast of cold air to track through on the weekend...but we had some nice snow just before Christmas which made for really good cross-country skiing conditions over the holiday season!
2016 will see my wife retire at the end of June from her elementary school teaching position - she’s ready for something different, whether that’s on a volunteer or a paid basis remains to be seen! And both of our kids are in Toronto, so we’ll get out there a few times to visit with them...and for my part, no plans to retire for another couple of years, but we’ll see!
From Kip Hall, New York, NY: After serving as a Wall Street litigator, the firm, DLA Piper, keeps me on as senior counsel while I pursue teaching and public service. I’ve been teaching at the University of Connecticut School of Law for the last 5 years, and I get to give a lecture at Oxford every other year.
I will finish as Chair of a State Commission this month (through which I interact with George Jepsen, who is Connecticut’s Attorney General and who has wide bipartisan support), and next month I will fin- ish as Selectman for Darien. If the next appointment comes through, I’ll move from the state executive to the legislative branch. I also just started my first assignment for the Aspen Institute’s Middle East Investment Initiative to develop small businesses in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Last year I reentered competitive ski racing in the Masters. It’s odd when you are called “sir” in the start- ing gate, and you hear younger racers ask, “How old is he? Really?” My goal in ski racing is simple – no more surgeries.
I double hand a J-122 sailboat, and, with my sailing partner, I am preparing for the Grand Prix 2016 New- port Bermuda Race. Having done 5 Bermuda Races for owners of much larger boats with crews of up to 28, we decided this year to race a 40’ boat with just 2 people. It’s been scary at times, but we like the challenge and just got second place in the 2015 Vineyard Race covering 278 miles in 43 sleep deprived hours.
Brittand I will relocate to Crested Butte this winter, using airplanes as needed for work responsibilities and helping the race program as fill in coaches and instructors.
From Merja Lehtinen, Colchester, CT: I rarely report on my whereabouts to Dartmouth, Mount Holyoke, or Amherst Colleges, much less the University of Helsinki where I pursued but did not finish my doctorate at my grandpar- ents’ native Finnish university; I do, however, read your news of old friends and classmates with interest and joy.
My group at Dartmouth were others on the 12-college exchange and of course our Dartmouth classmates, many of whom were in the classes of 1975, 1976 and 1978-- we were all in the “motel” together due to over enrollment in winter term 1975. The brothers of C&G, Tom Higer and Christopher Clarke, ‘75, adopted us and got us involved with the Course Guide and Ke- meny’s Krispies, for which I sold ads.
4 [email protected] My news is that I am now teaching English at the Connecticut Community Colleges, spe- cifically Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT, after years as a freelance journalist for Gannett, Gate House, and most recently Tribune’s courant.com and as a former Man- hattan magazine editor and writer. I published from 1977 until my last news article on Dec. 14th, 2014. My 60th birthday was spent grading papers happily and quietly at home after a luncheon with local friends in Colchester where I live. For the first time since college, a changing decade was commemorated without Christopher Clarke, ‘75 gracing my dinner table, as Christopher retired from the Greenwich Time and moved back to New Jersey a few years ago. I am the youngest and the only surviving sibling of my immediate family. I inherited wonderful nieces and nephews and their children, my grand nephews Sean, Todd, Clayton and Joshua O’Rourke, the latter two who are Boy Scouts, but committed to living and attending college in Florida; neither will likely seek admission to Dartmouth, to my deep chagrin. Sean and Todd, the two “older” grands are young veterans and served in the US Navy and US Army during this last decade of war. Todd recently married and a baby is ex- pected in January.
Merja Helen Lehtinen ‘76 -- 12 College Exchange to Dartmouth Junior Year
From Thad Bennett, Newfane, VT: Thanks for the invitation to share news. Saving postage by e-mailing! George (Connell) and I just finished about 2 years of elder/hospice care at our home for his parents: a wonder-filled and blessed experience. Now we are “empty nesters” in a different way and pondering next steps. Vermont continues to be beautiful and amazing, but how long can I carry wood and shovel all that snow? J
From Steve Bell: We just came back from a grand annu- al reunion in Seattle, we had a blast. Hosted by Bruce and Kim York ‘77, Craig and Becky Reininger and Eric and Amy Copenhaver, Also attend- ing were Scott Simons and [his wife] Pam Florio, Mike and Jackie Feasel, Craig and Terra Stone, Chris Daniell and [his friend] Margaret Herlehy and my wife, Liz Kahn and I. We did all the Seattle touristy things – Chihooly, Gates Foundation, Space Needle, fer- ry to Bainbridge, Pike Street Market. And some special meals at our hosts’ homes. Also got to see John Olsen and his wife Christine one night for dinner. This is the 26th year this basic group has gotten together. Unable to attend In the picture, l to r are: Becky R., Margaret H., Chris D., Mike F., Steve this year were Tom and Susan Rein- B., Jackie F., Liz K., Terra S., Craig S., Kim Y., Pam F. Scott. S. hart and Todd and Teese Mosenthal. [email protected] 5 Class of ’76 News…from the executive committee:
From Lancaster, PA, our class Gift Planning Chair, Stefanie Valar, writes:
The individuals below have included Dartmouth in their estate plan, thus treating future Dartmouth students like family. The College and all who love her are deeply grateful.
Class of 1976 Bartlett Tower Society Members
Here is how we compare to other classes of our ‘vintage’ (class year with number of Bartlett Tower Society members):
Anonymous (1) Naomi Baline Kleinman Thaddeus A. Bennett Peter K. Leer Martha J. & James L. Beattie Laurence M. & Anthony J. Magro Catharine J. Brennan Melanie Fisher Matte* John J. Brennan Charles P. McCann Timothy W. Caldwell Marion McCoy Mustard* Judith Burrows & Thomas C. Csatari Jack K. Nicholson, Sr. Christopher H. Daniell, M.D. Rob Saltzman William C. Davison Andrew H. Shaw K. Brewer Doran, Ph.D. John F. Shepherd David Q. Ferguson David M. Shribman Andrew Gettinger, M.D. David P. Spalding Amy J. Gillenson R. Diane Stiles Carey E. Heckman Stefanie B. Valar & Edward A. Hauck Thomas J. Heim Paul K. Windrath W. Philipp Hertz, Jr. Judith M. Yablong Hilary W. Hoge, M.D. Indicates deceased*
1970 17 1976 34 1971 24 1977 17 1972 16 1978 15 1973 22 1979 29 1974 20 1980 35 1975 8
1980 has us beat but not by much. With your help, we will leave them in the dust. If the College is a beneficiary of your IRA, retirement plan, trust or insurance policy or is named in your will but you haven’t notified Dartmouth yet – or - if you would like information on how accomplish this, please contact Julie Hinman in Dartmouth’s Gift Planning Office ([email protected]; 603-646-3799). Your conversation will be kept in strict confidence.
6 [email protected] 2014 Fall Alumni Council Meeting News from our Dartmouth College Alumni Councilor, Dana Rowan
Dear Fellow D '76 Classmates: Report from the 211th Meeting of The Dartmouth Alumni Council, October 22-24, 2015 The Dartmouth Alumni Council (DAC) will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Dartmouth Alumni Award at its upcoming fall meeting in Hanover to be held October 23rd – 25th. As your class Alumni DearCouncil fellow representative, members of the I Classwant ofto ’76: reach out and solicit your input on any topics you'd like addressed during Asthe your weekend. Dartmouth I’m Alumnialso happy Council to representative, relay any questions I want toyou your might report li keto toyou have on the answered Council’s byrecent the appropriatemeetings. members of the College administration. This is also a good opportunity for you to raise any new issues or Theideas Alumni that you Council believe – 125 deserve members further strong, consideration representing byalumni the fromDAC each or administration. class, as well as a range of other Dartmouth constituencies – convened in Hanover in late October for its annual fall meetings. For your reference, the major agenda items at the October DAC meeting will be: Among the themes of the Council sessions was the value (and cost) of a Dartmouth education. In the bullet points be- low, loosely• Address organized by by President topic, I have Philip tried J. to Hanlon summarize '77 some of the news and other information that was shared with us – along• withUpdate links from where the those Board who of wish Trustees to learn more may do so. • Student panel presentation on Living and Learning Communities • Presentations by Provost Carolyn TheDever, College’s Interim Finances Dean of the College Inge-Lise Ameer, Dean of · Dartmouth’ Graduates endowment Studies earned F. Jon anKull investment ’88, and return Interim of 8.3%Dean for of the the fiscal Tucker year Foundation ended June Theresa 30, 2015, Ellis which ‘97 com- pares• very Update favorably on the with work peer of institutions the Presidential and benchmarks, Steering Committee according to forchief Moving investment Dartmouth officer Forward Pamela Peedinfrom ’89, ’98Tu.As Professor of the fiscal Barbara year-end, Will, the committee value of the chair, endowment and Association was $4.7 billion. of AlumniLearn more president about the Susan endowment Finegan. ’85, committee member. The Presidential steering committee was convened in Spring 2014 to · By one recommend measure, the actions total annual to end cost high-risk per student and of harmful a Dartmouth behavior education in three is just critical shy ofareas: $118,000 sexual – although assault, the price charged for full tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees is $62,000, according to Mike Wagner, chief finan- high-risk drinking, and lack of inclusion. For more information, click here. cial officer.The difference is funded by sources other than tuition, including the Dartmouth College Fund, unrestricted • Career networking session with current students resources from the endowment and research grants. The Dartmouth Alumni Magazine published an article in May titled “Why is Dartmouth so expensive?” For those of you who may be less familiar with the mission of the Alumni Council, we are a group of ·alumni We learnedmade up from of Annrepresentatives Root Keith, chief from operating various officer alumni for constitue advancement,ncies (classes,that in terms regions, of the affiliatedpercentage ofgroups, its alumni graduatewho made alumni, a donation etc.). Weto the collectively College last actyear, as Dartmouth the liaison was between ranked second the entire nationally alumni – bodybehind and only the Princeton Board – of with Trustees43.4% ofparticipation the College. (Yale Our wasmeetings a distant take third, place with twice 28% alumni a year inparticipation.)Ms. Hanover to discuss Root keyKeith issues said that pertaining her office was to thecurrently school. studying As in thethe feasibility past, I plan and topotential report focusback toof theyou College’s via email next with Capital a synopsis Campaign, of whichthe October could begin meeting as early as 2017. presentations by the College and key discussions of the Council. Campus Life Thanks so much for keeping in touch and enjoy the fall! · President Philip Hanlon ’77 told the Council that the Moving Dartmouth Forward Initiative announced earlier this year as a way to curb an array of harmful behaviors – including a ban on hard alcohol on campus – appeared to be having an Best wishes, initial positive impact, with transports to the hospital as a result of high blood alcohol content trending downward by at least 20% since the beginning of spring term.“I think it’s early days,’’ President Hanlon said. “We need to be patient. DanaWe Rowan need to continue watching.”
[email protected] 7 · Beginning in the fall of 2016, every Dartmouth undergraduate will be assigned to a house community, each a cluster of dorms to which the student will maintain affiliation throughout her or his undergraduate experience.The initiative is intended to build communities within the larger Dartmouth community that provide students with a sense of con- tinuity, identity and a deeper residential experience.A faculty member will reside in each house community, and help lead programming.Among the issues discussed relating to the new house community system was how alumni might be provided an opportunity to affiliate with one of the communities.
The Academic Experience
· In a lunchtime address to the Council, Cecilia Gaposchkin, associate professor of history and assistant dean of facul- ty for pre-major advising, provided a history of and made a forceful argument for a liberal arts education.She cited Dartmouth’s emphasis on preparing students for life after college and their careers, regardless of occupation, by im- buing them with the ability to reason, think, write and question, with increasing sophistication, with respect to com- plex issues.Professor Gaposchkin has written extensively about this subject, including this Op-Ed in The Washington Post with the compelling headline: “Why The Tech World Highly Values a Liberal Arts Degree.” · Provost Carolyn Dever spoke with the Councilors at length about the career phases for tenure-track faculty at Dart- mouth and throughout higher education today‒ a progression from candidate to assistant professor, associate profes- sor, full professor, and then professor emeritus/emerita.
Hood Museum Expansion
· The Hood Museum of Art, originally completed in 1985, will undergo a major renovation and expansion beginning with its temporary closing in March 2016, we were told by Lisa Hogarty, vice president of campus services, and Juliette Bianco ’94, interim director of the museum, who presented along with Bob Lasher ’88, senior vice president for ad- vancement.When it reopens in January 2019, the museum will have new galleries, a center for “object-based” inquiry, an expanded event space, and a new entrance and lobby that is intended to better integrate the museum with other nearby arts buildings such as the Hopkins Center and the campus as a whole.
Alumni Awards
· At a gala dinner led by Council President Jennifer Avellino ’89 at the Hanover Inn, the Council presented this year’s Dartmouth Alumni Awards to Patricia E. Berry ’81, Ellie Mahoney Loughlin ’89, and Ellis B. Rowe ’74.The Young Alumni Distinguished Service Awards were given to S. Caroline Kerr ’05 andMichael J. Vidmar ’03.View a series of short, emo- tionally moving, video tributes to each honoree.
Second Annual Alumni Day of Service: May 7, 2016 · Save the date! The Second Annual Alumni Day of Service will be held on May 7, 2016, and the Council encourages all alumni to participate.Please register to help lead these mobilization efforts as a service project coordinator or to simply volunteer on that day. This day is designed to provide opportunities for Dartmouth alumni, family and friends to give back to their local communities and also strengthen alumni connections. This is a terrific way to enhance Dartmouth’s reputation as a college that cares deeply about service.
Dartmouth on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
· Fans of Stephen Colbert and Dartmouth football got a double treat earlier this fall, when head football coach Buddy Teevens appeared on Colbert’s new CBS show to demonstrate a robotic tackling dummy – designed to eliminate con- cussions during football practices – that originated as a project at the Thayer School of Engineering.Watch the video, in which Colbert dons a Dartmouth helmet and tackles the dummy.
Dartmouth Alumni Council on Social Media
· The Alumni Council is expanding its reach in social media – including through live tweeting by two Councilors, Alexan- dra Roberts ’02 and Hoi Ning Ngai ’00, of the Council’s fall meetings, using the hashtag #DartmouthAC.Read the full minutes of our meetings.
8 [email protected] Post-Script
On November 12, a few weeks after our Council meetings in Hanover, there was a demonstration of Dartmouth community members in response to the vandalism of a Black Lives Matter art installation in Collis. At the conclusion of the event in front of Dartmouth Hall, some of the participants marched on Baker-Berry chanting “Black Lives Matter” and engaged in a political protest. Safety and Security was called and ultimately a Dartmouth staff member was able to disband the protest. I encourage you to read thePresident’s Message to the Community, sent to all alumni on November 23, if you have not yet already done so. Additionally, in a statement to the students, faculty, and staff, President Hanlon reminded the entire community of the Dartmouth citizenship pledge inaugurated earlier this fall, which includes the following principles:
We learn together. We teach one another. We create knowledge together. We treat ourselves and each other with dignity and respect. We recognize that our diverse backgrounds broaden our understanding of the world. We appre- ciate that an honest and civil exchange of ideas – especially conflicting ones – strengthens our intellect and makes for an inclusive community.
President Hanlon then continued,
“These are not just words on a page. The inclusion and safety of all members of our campus is a responsibility we each hold as citizens of the Dartmouth community. Each of us should play a role in confronting harmful and hurtful behavior. We should not tolerate acts of prejudice. We must be ready to listen with respect. And we should expect to be spoken to with respect. Free expression and the open exchange of ideas are the essential underpinnings of this, and every, academic community.
We have much to learn and much to do ‒ here, and in the wider world ‒ to make every person feel welcomed and valued, to confront acts of bias and ignorance, to engage in respectful conversations about challenging topics with peo- ple who have a diversity of opinions, and to increase our diversity in all areas of our community. Like so many in the Dartmouth family, I am committed to pursuing these goals. I ask you to join us, and thank you for your partnership.”
Well said, President Hanlon.
Seeking Your Stories of Lifelong Learning, Beginning at Dartmouth
Last but not least, I want to pose a question inspired by the most recent convening of the Alumni Council – a question that all Councilors are being asked to pose to their constituents in their Council reports.
As Alumni Councilors, we talked a great deal throughout our meetings about the value of a liberal arts education, as well as the critical importance of the intellectual experience at Dartmouth extending far beyond the classroom. We also discussed how the learning experience at Dartmouth can be life-long.
So the question is:
To what extent did an intellectual experience or experiences you had while an undergraduate at Dartmouth continue to resonate after you graduated ‒ whether in the work you do, or have done, or in your life overall?
The Executive Committee of the Council asks that you share your responses directly with me, via email, at ashaw@sidley. com. I will then forward them to the Alumni Liaison Committee, which is charged with conveying alumni sentiment and reflections on a range of issues to the Board of Trustees.
As always, feel free to email me at the above address with any questions or comments you may have about the recent Alumni Council meetings or this report.
Happy Holidays to all!
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew H. Shaw Class of 1976 Alumni Councilor
[email protected] 9 Class president Andy Gettinger posted the following announcement of Bob Bresticker’s passing:
ELBURN - Robert B. Bresticker, 60, died at his home due to pancreatic cancer. He was born January 15, 1955, in Pittsburgh, PA, to Samuel and Clair (Bossack) Bresticker. Raised in Bethpage, NY, he then attended Dartmouth College, Class of ‘76. He belonged to the Phi Tau Fraternity. Rob served in the U.S. Navy for eight years before being honorably discharged as a Lieutenant JG on the U.S.S. Eisenhower, the first nuclear aircraft carrier. He returned to Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and earned an M.B.A. in 1982. Rob settled in Wheaton, IL, and subsequently worked at General Mills, Arthur Young and Company, Motorola, and 3Com. He earned his second Masters Degree in Manufacturing and Engineering at Northwestern University. In 1992 Rob wrote and published American Manufacturing and Logistics in the Year 2001. After retiring for a short time, Rob found- ed Brigadoon Bay Asset Management and worked as an investment analyst. In 1990, he married Patricia Lane Phalen on St. Patrick’s Day in Peru, IL, and they eventually settled in Elburn in 2000. Rob was a member of the Lions Club of Geneva and a supporter of TAILS Humane Society, as well as Anderson Animal Shelter. He was passionate about animal welfare, and of his three dogs, Beau, Radar and Darby in particular. He is survived by his loving wife Lane Phalen Bresticker; his moth- er, Claire, and his sister and brother Miriam and Stuart Bresticker. He is also survived by the Phalen family: mother-in-law, Elaine; sisters-in-law/ brother-in-law, Cindy and David Schlesinger and Lori Meadows; nieces and nephews: Brad and Blair Meadows, as well as Jade Schlesinger. He is preced- ed in death by his father Samuel Bresticker and his father-in-law Patrick J. Phalen of Peru. Visitation will be at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn from 4-7 p.m. with a time of remembrance at 6:30 p.m. A private family graveside service at Peru City Cemetery, Peru, IL. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Rob’s name to TAILS Humane Society, 2250 Barber Greene Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115 and Anderson Animal Shelter, 1000 S. La Fox St., South Elgin, IL 60177. Trib- utes may left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page or on the web at www.conleycare.com. Published in Chicago Suburban Daily Herald on Nov. 29, 2015
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As many of you already know, John Arthur Rassias, adopted member of the class of ’76, passed away at his home in Norwich, VT on December 2, 2015. He was 90-years-old. Family, friends, colleagues, students, and well-wishers packed Rollins Chapel on December 11th for a memorial service that can only be described as truly and wholly fitting for this uniquely remark- able man whom we claimed as one of our own. Anne McClane Kuster ’78 called for a minute of silence in memory of Professor Rassias in the nation’s capital; the local newspaper--Click here to read the article in the Valley News--and news outlets around the world-- Click here for a feature
10 [email protected] from The Atlantic-- mourned his loss in eloquent obituaries and lead articles. Printed here are three quotes gracing the memorial card offered to all who were able to attend the memorial ser- vice here in Hanover:
“So I say to you Ask, and it will be given to you; Search and you will find; Knock, and the door will be opened for you.” Luke 11:19
“Look, listen, smell, taste, and touch all things with your heart.” Nikos Kazantzakis, The Odyssey
“And, a word to us all from Dad, Papou, Grampa, Gramps, Uncle John, John, Papa Bear, Juan More Time, Coach, Professor Rassias: (written for a speech at some point in the mid-sixties)
‘Love is the fuel that keeps projects aglow. The love I have in mind is all-embracing and demand- ing: it is respect for another, sharing, sincerity, friendship, devotion, it is hard work, honesty, conviction, it is commitment.’ ”
[email protected] 11 September’s Challenges: The Winners and the Responses
George McBride correctly identified and commented on all 6 Telluride at Dartmouth films: Ixcanul, He Named Me Malala, 45 Years, Rams, Spotlight and Suffragette.
Steve Feld, Kim Blanchard, Cynthia Pinkos, Dave Shribman, Dave Spalding, Jeff DeWald, Merja Lehtinen and Sara Hoagland Hunter responded to the questions I posed. The questions were: 1. Who was your favorite professor at Dartmouth? 2. What is your favorite memory of John Kemeny? 3. What is your favorite freshman year memory? 4. What is your favorite Homecoming memory? 5. What is your favorite Winter Carnival memory? 6. What is your favorite Green Key Weekend memory? 7. If you had a chance to have a beer with any three Dartmouth presidents, who would they be and why? 8. What is your favorite film of the 20/30/40 years? 9. What books are on your bedside table right now? 10. What do you like to do most when on vacation?
Feld: On John Kemeny: One always listened carefully to President Kemeny who spoke softly in heavily accented English. One of his most prescient thoughts was he wanted computers to tell him which care he should buy “which would easily start at -25º and allow him to drive to work reliably.” Of course, that day has long been here, but I could never understand why he needed such a car when he lived only a few hundred yards from his office.
Blanchard: 1. Jarotski, of course 2. I have a computer-generated picture of JK made by a Tuck school guy I was seeing, wrapped in a yellow cravat. Still. 3. Matriculation at the top of the hop – all those choices to join clubs! Like a kid in a candy store, I joined them all. 4. The first time I saw the bonfire. 5. Our class’s attempt to build ice/snow sculptures without snow – very inventive. 6.
12 [email protected] Pinkos: 1. Darrell Mansell because he was so hot. [Editor’s note: he’s my neighbor!] 2. His commencement speech when he said he wasn’t going to change Dartmouth just because women were now there. 3. Playing cards in Brown Hall/Choates commons. Sharon Lowenthal introducing me to Paul Dix- on at Theta Delt. 4. Bonfires! 5. Glee Club concert, hockey games! 6. What was special about Green Key Weekend? 7. Kemeny because he was so darn smart. The one who came from the snowblower company [Dave McLaughlin] because I would like his perspective as a business man on running a college. Hanlon because he is current. 8. After “Gone with the Wind,” I have no favorites - just lots I’ve enjoyed. How about “Bridget Jones Diary” and “About A Boy”--talk about chick flicks! 9. “Nurture Shock” and “The Gifts of Imperfection.” 10.Nothing!
Shribman: One answer only. On my nightstand is a first edition copy of the 1913 book “Dartmouth Out O’Doors’”
Spalding: 1. Jim Wright 2. He wrote a computer program to randomly invite some of us from his Math 6 class to the President’s House for refreshments. I was chosen, and it was great to be in that house informally visiting with him. He was great in the classroom. 3. Getting the chance to cox an 8 freshman fall. I didn’t stick with it after that term, but it was great being in a shell on the river. 4. Bonfires. 5. Senior year, my best friends from Kentucky came in for the weekend. It was great shar- ing Dartmouth with them. 6. Great times at AD. 7. Hopkins, Dickey, and Kemeny were presidents during the years when we became what we are today. Hopkins led the shift to faculty having PhDs which substantially improved the quality of the Dartmouth education. Dickey led the effort to engage with the world. Kemeny made sure Dartmouth was educating 100% of the world’s population and recommitted the College to Native Americans. Each of them made decisions that went against tradition, and it would be fascinating to discuss those decisions with each of them. I also think they all would be fun to hang out with. 8. The original Star Wars. 9. The Boys in the Boat 10. Read books. It is great getting away with limited distractions and opening up a good book.
[email protected] 13 DeWald: 1. Delo Mook. I’m sure I’m the only one who picked him, and truth be told I took Science Fiction on a lark, and because I needed the distributive requirement. But because of his skill, I may have learned more about critical thinking here than in any other class. And the fact it was great fun didn’t hurt. 2. Seeing him hug Jennifer with obvious warmth and affection. The fact that this brilliant giant of a man had a warm human side was gratifying and humbling at the same time. 3. Being a rookie DJ on WDCR and promoting a concert with a new artist no one on campus had ever heard of. Then the relief of going to the concert and finding that Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band lived up to the hype. 4. Gotta be bonfires. There’s no such thing as a bad one. 5. Watching hockey in Davis Rink. While I love the new venue, Davis was special. [Thomp- son Arena is celebrating its 40th anniversary!] 6. Hums. In the pre-PC world, some of the performances were flat out hysterical. 7. John Sloan Dickey to discuss how his Great Issues course could be brought into today’s liberal arts curricula. John Kemeny, to see whether the inventor of Basic ever anticipated our networked, smart phone and smart watch world. Phil Hanlon to find out how he keeps his sanity dealing with special interest groups in this overly PC world. But most of all, I’d love to hoist a few with Brew Deanster. 8. The Departed. I can watch it over, and over, and over again and never get tired of it. 9. Neptune’s Inferno. We visited Pearl Harbor and Battleship Row this summer, and I’m on a bit of a WWII history in the Pacific binge right now. 10. Sitting on a beach I’ve never visited before, with an umbrella drink in one hand, a Carl Hiaasen or Robert B. Parker book in the other, and Jimmy Buffett, Marshall Tucker and Loggins and Messina on the iPod.
Lehtinen: 1. My favorite professor was Starzinger although Rassias was a close second at Dart- mouth. My all time favorite was Professor Peter Viereck at Mount Holyoke who came up to Dartmouth while I was there for a poetry reading with the Russian poet Yevtushenko. 2. John Kemeny was a close friend of my childhood mentor, a Pachaug Pond neighbor, and one time Dartmouth ski coach, the world-class skiier Tauna Pulkkinen; and so I was shocked when Dr. Kemeny seemed to know me when I came to Hanover. Years later, I figured out why as the two were dear friends. I asked President Kemeny in 1975 for permission by written note not to learn BASIC and to be exempt from using the computers as I was simply there on Exchange from Mount Holyoke, and he wrote back: “NO.” And someone suggest- ed I take my tennis lessons more seriously as well. Years later, when I became arguably one of the first women news editors (Electronics Week) and then editor-in-chief of Indus- trial Computing, of two computer and engineering magazines (Harvard’s Ester Dyson had Release 1.0 and was considered the first at Ziff Davis), I was so grateful for that NO from John Kemeny and the emphasis on tennis. No other English majors had any idea what a mainframe was, much less what a PC might be, whereas Dartmouth and Kemeny’s policy «prepared” me to get the top jobs and lose every tennis game. I still tell that “lesson” to my students and tell them how John Kemeny was a protogee to Einstein at Princeton... they are
14 [email protected] stunned. No one at community college imagines Einstein as a colleague or mentor. 3. I visited Dartmouth my freshman year for a football game and then was sick with the flu on the weekend of the following big Homecoming game and the team sent me a signed picture via other girls from Mount Holyoke who did get to go; I still have the picture... somewhere. 4. Spending time with Chris Clarke, ‘75. 5. Skiing across the golf course with Chris Clarke ‘75 and then running in late to see the movie we all watched every Winter Carnival... 6. What? No memory of the green key weekend. 7. Kemeny, Kim and Hanlon to see how differently they interacted with Dartmouth students. 8. Casa Blanca. Surely NOT Animal House, although Trout was a dear. 9. Michael Connelly’s “Chasing the Dime,” Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol,” Chang’s ‘Bad Samaritans,” Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” University of North Carolina’s “Back Channel to Cuba,” and RFK’s ‘Thirteen Days,” and the St. James Bible. 10. Swim in lakes, preferably the one I grew up on as I go back every summer... and loving it most despite having traveled more widely than I ever intended.
Hoagland Hunter: 1. John Rassias who just celebrated his 90th and still has thousands of loyal students whose lives he changed. 2. Quoting the Biblical admonition, “You are your brother’s keeper.” I’ve never forgotten it. 3. Freshman trips: crying into our sleeping bags and bonding in conversation that first night; meet- ing best friends for life Cathy Brennan and Martha Beattie at Moosilauke Lodge; the first snowfall and snowball fight on the Green; the twinkly Christmas trees and lights around the Green; laughing hysterically with Peter Gergely pretty much any time anywhere; being in Spoon River Anthology with Adrienne Alexander, Carol Kohn, and a slew of fun guys; tennis team with Ann Fritz Hackett and Jody Hill Simpson; Green Key Weekend concert at Spaulding. A band called Seatrain played and we were in the front row. I’m still buddies with the piano player who just won a Tony for his arrangements for “American in Paris” on Broadway; Riding my motorbike around campus spring term. One night Jamey Hampton was on the back and a dog attacked us outside of Heorot and got the back wheel stuck in his mouth. There was so much barking and hollering, the police came and gave us a warning for disturbing the peace. 5. Just got laughing the other day about King Poor’s creative solution to too many bawdy snow sculp- tures. He fashioned an abstract entitled: “The Strange World of Benedict Arnold” outside of Sigma Nu. Someone from the bookstore thought it was serious and made a postcard out of it. 8. Annie Hall, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Young Franken- stein, Blazing Saddles, Tender Mercies, Cider House Rules, The Wizard of Oz, To Kill A Mockingbird. 9. I always learn something from autobiographies. Bob- by Orr’s is fantastic — such a good, wise, common sense take on kids’ sports today and how out of hand it’s gotten plus a really fun read because he is so modest and loved skating so much. Also just finished Jewel’s new autobiog-
[email protected] 15 raphy which is pretty amazing. The woman has been formed in quite a crucible of life experiences from frontier Alaska to homelessness to mega-success to depths and back again. Just read “A Tale for the Time Being” — really well written about a Japanese childhood and a kamikaze pilot. The award-winning author, Ruth Ozecki, teaches Creative Writing at Smith.
Editor’s Final Words
My sincerest thanks to all who have contributed to this newsletter. And my sincerest apologies to the class for not being able to do more of these this year. My job and my commitment to two other organizations make it difficult to publish more newsletters. I truly appreciate your understanding; and should anyone like to take a turn as guest editor, please let me know. It is a rewarding endeavor!
I am notoriously bad about taking photos, but I’ll share two taken of me with classmates this past fall. The first is from the Class of ’76 Mini-Reunion Tailgate at the Csatari house on Saturday, October 10. Several classmates (whose names I failed to record) stopped by and a good time was had by all on a glorious, crisp fall day. The foot- ball team was victorious over Yale that day, which added an extra layer of sweetness to the festivities. The second is from the mega-tailgate prior to the Harvard-Dartmouth football game in Cambridge on October 30th. The two Class of ‘76 Julia’s—Julia Miller Shepherd and Julia Miner—and I caught up with one another amid a sea of Dartmouth alums spanning the decades. The scene was chaotic, maybe even a bit surreal, but it was meaningful to carve out time to re-connect with these two women—one has been part of my life since we first met on the eve of Freshman Week and the other has become an increasingly important figure in our class and in my life thanks to her commitment to social justice and her artistic gifts. Our reunion is typical of the bonds that continue to hold us close long after our undergraduate days.
And now to circle back to the beginning of this newsletter, I had the great good fortune to connect with David Shribman this fall. Dave and his wife Cindy met Tom and me for dinner, during which the guys reminisced about their LSA trips to Bourges, France and honored their French Mother, Mme Clavier, who passed away this fall at the age of 94! Subsequently Dave sent me a copy of an article he wrote for Snow magazine, which I now pass on to you, with his permission, of course. It’s a great read, and for those of us who have not experienced winter this year, it’s a good substitute---almost. Click here to read David’s wonderful article.
With warmest regards, I remain yours truly,
Judy Cs.
Local ‘76’ers from left to right: Mel Treadway, Andy Gettinger, MK Beach, Terry Osborne (MK’s spouse) and yours truly Julia Miner, Julia Miller Shepherd and 16 [email protected] Judy Csatari.