January, 2003

Dear 65 Classmates:

Late fall and early winter have been an active time for your class. A number of gatherings, large and small, have occurred around the world and have continued to establish new and cement ongoing relationships among classmates. News of these meetings is included below.

The chief topic of conversation in the Dartmouth community has been the surprise announcement on November 25 that, in response to declines in the endowment and subsequent budget cutting, mens and womens swimming and diving would be terminated at the end of the current season. I have strong personal feelings about this decision and the manner in which it was reached, particularly since my daughter swam for Dartmouth and captained the team for two years (Im sure Ted Bracken and Ted Atkinson were sharing the pain with their daughters). Rather than editorialize here and impose my own view on you (and totally kill my chances for "Newsletter Editor of the Year"), Ill just report quite happily that under intense pressure from alumni, parents, undergraduates, and public opinion, the College on January 8 reversed their decision and reinstated the programs. Most notable in this process was the tongue-in-cheek appearance on e-bay of the Dartmouth Swim Teams, for sale for the reserve price of $212,000, which was the amount the College expected to save by the elimination of the programs.

Also in Dartmouth news was the November 9 dedication of Carson Hall, new home for the history department. The naming of Carson Hall honors Alice W. and Samuel G. Carson 34, parents of our own Russ Carson. Russ (currently a Dartmouth Trustee) and his four siblings are all active in volunteerism and philanthropy, and Russ, his wife Judith, and their children represent The Carson Charitable Trust.

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, the first weekend in October saw classmates Sing Chiu and Patricia, Steve Waterhouse and Linda, Bruce Wagner and Betsy, Carl Boe, Roger Hanson and Nancy, and Hank Amon and Karen meeting up with President Wright in Hong Kong for a mini-reunion. On October 4, Sing became the fifth member of our class, the first international student, and the first alumnus to ever receive The Dartmouth Alumni Award outside of North America. Steve Waterhouse presided at this momentous event and read Sings citation:

"You were the first in your family to travel halfway around the world from Hong Kong to Hanover. An astute math and physics scholar, you completed your studies at the Diocesan Boys' School in Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong. A standout athlete, you participated on your school soccer, tennis and swim teams and earned the title of school table tennis champion. A passion for music was already evident as you played first violin in the school orchestra. We almost lost you to Northwestern University, but a family friend recommended Dartmouth College and you chose "The Big Green". Dartmouth has continued to benefit extensively from your decision as two of your cousins followed in later years as well as your son, Yue-Seng, and daughter, Yue Ling, who graduated in 1998 and 2000.

Although originally planning to study pre-med, you were magnetically drawn to music, playing violin in the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and a student string quartet. Upon the completion of your sophomore year, you expressed your "pre-med or music" dilemma to your father, who played such an important role in your life, and he encouraged you to pursue your dreams by studying at the Julliard School of Music. A two-year "hiatus" from Dartmouth followed, during which you immersed yourself in your musical program in New York City. You returned to Dartmouth as the only music major at that time. In the interim, the Hopkins Center had opened and you were provided with a private rehearsal room. One of your most memorable performances occurred on January 8, 1967 when your cousin, Yee Ha Chiu, a professional pianist, performed at the Hopkins Center with the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra, which included yourself and your two other cousins, Sin-Tung Chiu '68 (a violinist) and Yanek Chiu '66 (a cellist). Recognizing your talent and dedication, the College honored you with the presentation of the Marcus Heiman Award, given to the undergraduate who "demonstrated promise for doing creative work in any of the arts identified with the Hopkins Center."

Following graduation you studied at Thunderbird, an educational institute located in Arizona, which specializes in foreign trade and business. In 1968 you entered the world of banking and finance as a training officer with Chase Manhattan in New York City. You relocated to Hong Kong and Singapore with the bank before returning to your family business in 1976. Since that time you have provided the leadership for Elias & Company Ltd and Seaga International dealing in international trading and securities. You are also the Managing Director of Ecoban Pacific Ltd.

Although you reside about as far away from Hanover as is physically possible, you are well-known as "Dartmouth's Ambassador to China." You have served as the local club scholarship fund chair and events chair; an alumni fund leadership agent; an enrollment interviewer and representative at local College fairs; and as your class vice president of "ROW" which the executive committee informed you is the abbreviation for the "Rest of the World". You have also shared your hospitality with all Dartmouth College representatives who find themselves in Hong Kong.

As the great Chinese philosopher Confucius said "Character is the backbone of our human culture. Music is the flowering of character." Sing, this certainly describes your passion and generosity. You and your wife, Patricia, continue to dedicate endless volunteer hours to the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Hong Kong Sinsonietta Orchestras as members of the boards and executive director of the latter. The Hong Kong Sinsonietta provides a venue for the graduates of the local academy for performing arts to continue to cultivate their musical talents and perform with world-class musicians whom you recruit. You have made an incredible difference in the lives of these young and aspiring professional musicians.

In honor of all that you have contributed to your family, your community and your alma mater it is our immense pleasure to present you with the Dartmouth Alumni Award."

The picture shows the full complement of 65s at dinner at Sings and Patricias home.

Betsy Wagner, Roger Hansen, Hank Amon, Nancy Hansen, Steve Waterhouse, Patricia Chiu, Bruce Wagner, Karen Kolodny (Amon), Carl Boe, Linda Waterhouse, and Sing.

Of less historical note, but no less fun, was the stateside mini-reunion in Hanover in November. Since both Sven Karlen and I were in Florida that weekend for a Class of 64 (shudder) 60th birthday, I'll let Hank Amon report: "The Class of 1965 celebrated its 25th consecutive Hanover Mini-Reunion in November. It was cold! Friday evening's hayride in the Homecoming (did someone say Winter Carnival!) Parade and bonfire took place in a wonderful snowfall that, mercifully, stopped after a few hours. As usual, the highlight was our Saturday evening dinner at Pierce's Inn (now run by Reg and Nancy's daughter, Cindy, and her husband, Bruce) at which we presented Reg and Nancy Pierce with a wonderful watercolor of the Inn by classmate Brian Walsh. After dinner, we were entertained by an animated talk (Dartmouth as seen during the course of its history through three poems, one of which by Robert Frost) by Professor Bill Cook of the College's English department. Other highlights were the usual pre-football game tailgate party on Saturday near Sphinx and, a new event, a joint cocktail party with the Classes of 1963, 1964 and 1966 at the Hanover Inn following the football game." Attendees were reported to be Hank Amon; and daughters, Carly and Joey; Ted Atkinson and Marcia Pryde; Dennis Bekemeyer and Maureen; Mike Bettmann and Ellen; Bob Blake and Sharon; Carl Boe and Mimi; Brad Dewey, Tom Falcon and Luda; John Ferdico, Rick Finnerty, Steve Fowler and Linda; Mike Gonnerman and Betsey; Jim Griffiths and Debbie; Bruce Jolly and Anne; Ed Keible; Tom Meacham; Jim Mechenbier and wife Mary Ann; Bob McConnaughy and French; Stu Russell; Dan Southard; Steve Waterhouse and wife Linda; Gary Wilson; Hank's daughter, Lindsay (Class of 1994 and currently at Tuck School), and her husband, Matthew Specktor, joined the group for the Saturday dinner at Pierce's Inn.

NEWS FROM THE .

My first item from the mailbag is a zipcode correction, as author Jay Wakefield wrote that his book How the SunGod Reached America c.2500 BC, is available at amazon.com, or by writing to MCS Inc., Box 3392, Kirkland, WA 98083-3392. Jay writes that "life is too exciting - I am just warming up! Opportunities open up as you learn how to live and have the resources and accumulated knowledge."

George Jacobs informed me that "In 2002 I retired from the Federal government after 31 years with the Department of Health & Human Services, and moved back to Georgia from Boston. My last post was regional administrator for New England of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and while there I was able to get to Hanover on several occasions and also to work on some of the great stuff at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center." George can be found at gjacobs23@alltel.net.

Not working for other reasons is Gary Wilson, who asks "I need help from my classmates - I need a job! If you think there isnt age discrimination, youre wrong. Im intelligent and qualified to do a great number of things. In the meantime, Im writing a WWII novel and working on a book of short stories. I still work out every day and am in pretty good shape for 60. Im hoping you or my classmates can help". Any thoughts out there? Reach Gary at PO Box 202, Georges Mills, NH 03751.

In a transition of a different sort is Jack Hill, who says "I have enjoyed the class newsletter immensely over the years, meeting classmates I never got to know while in Hanover (I transferred to Dartmouth as a junior and lived out in Sachem Village.) The transition phase folks of our age seem to be facing has me trapped in the vortex: I have moved from a comfortable home in Tennessee to Southern California after a near-25 year marriage dissolved and my kids settled into independent lives. A fresh start! After chasing computer technology for most of my professional life, I found the fun being taken away and the level of general competence dipping so low as to be frightening and embarrassing. What to do? For reasons so obscure and strange I barely grasp them myself, I dove into the public education system and have returned to a university after a 36-year hiatus from the classroom. I am now chasing a masters degree in Special Education, trying to balance a full load of classes with a full-time teaching job, loving every minute, stressing more than ever before, and finding satisfaction greater than anything I have ever enjoyed through work. Keeping priorities straight is a constant challenge, and trying to live on a substitute teachers paycheck and paying for books and tuition is an exercise I hope none of my classmates ever face, and yet this is an exhilarating time and a wonder-filled experience. I decided on a new career working with young high school kids rather than sit still for my "declining years" -- to hell with declining, so much better to be actively involved! And so goes my transition -- more as I transit." Other transiting classmates (that seems to cover most of us these days) can reacquaint themselves with Jack at jack@nanniandjack.com.

Traveling photographer Roger Hansen, who contributed the Hong Kong picture shown earlier, reported in with an update: "Nancy and I had a marvelous time visiting with Sing and Patricia and the rest of the crew in Hong Kong recently. We have had a good year. I continue in my position as an orthopaedic surgeon at the Dartmouth Hitchcock - Keene medical group. I am in my fifth year as chairman of surgery. This past spring I had the honor and pleasure of being named as the orthopaedist of the year in a survey of physicians in the state conducted by New Hampshire Magazine. Nancy and I have now lived here on Spofford Lake, outside of Keene, NH, for the past 16 years. Its a great spot to live and, happily, serves as a gathering place for our three children and their families. Nancy stopped teaching about four years ago and concentrates on her gardening and volunteer work, as well as activities with the family. Last May several friends and I went golfing in Scotland, where I bumped into Sven Karlen. Unfortunately we will be unable to attend the Mini in November, but look forward to the next class gathering." Youll be able to contact Roger at hrhansen@monad.net.

Evidently my powers or persuasion worked well on Claude (Rocks) Liman, who checked in with news of his own personal transitions. "In your last class mailing you said I was living it (my life) and they (my 1965 classmates) would want to hear about it, so here goes. I am interested in news from other 1965s, though I miss my freshman yearbook's help at putting faces to names (book is packed in boxes in my cluttered garage). I have moved within Thunder Bay, Ontario; a move across town is tricky because you don't winnow through stuff and throw junk away as you would when professional movers take you across long distances. So, all my stuff is still in boxes in the garage, along with the 1965 freshman yearbook that I normally use to put faces to names when reading class news.

I am living with Jacqueline Davis and having a blast. I am taking a sabbatical from teaching at Lakehead University (where Ive taught English since 1973), she from graduate work there. I am mostly avoiding my writing projects in order to move in to 829 Chamberlain, train for the upcoming ski season with Jacqueline, recover from my March, 2001, divorce from Ellen, wife of 19 years, and heal my right shoulder from the May, 2002, biking accident. The SUV that hit me on May 1 as I was biking home from the funeral of my best x-c ski friend, a suicide at 60, made me miss the golf season and consider the purpose of life. I decided that the purpose of life was not golf, nor x-c skiing. Nor was it to be miserable inside a 19-year marriage. Nor was it to squat as a tenant of a rental property in downtown Thunder Bay. Nor was it to weep over the loss of my shoulder, golf game, wife, nor was it to worry if I would ever function in the world again. So I bought a house and went to daily therapy at the bone clinic and in my yard, bought and installed a basketball net on my new garage and began an infinite series of "A-S-S" games with my 16 year old son who has never known archetypal moments of basketball with me. (Jesse is up 205-60 in games, making me the perpetual ass though a happy ass.) The purpose is to settle this house, heal this shoulder as well as it can be healed, enjoy this sabbatical, ignore the sabbatical proposal I drew up to earn this sabbatical, enjoy this Jacqueline and our upcoming ski season when the shoulder will do its appointed stabbing, travel to ski races with Jesse and Jacqueline, read the news of 1965 classmates and let them hear what I am doing here in Canada as I brood with northern perspective over the antics of my old homeland as it tries to find its proper place in the world.

I guess countries aren't any better than individual people in their attempts to settle themselves amidst the intersecting, sometimes competing demands of other countries and people. My new address is 829 Chamberlain Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7A 6R4; telephone is 807-766-8373. I plan on retiring soon, once I have come back from sabbatical and have returned a year of labor (labour) for my year off." One of the great pleasures of this scribe job is hearing these stories; your classmates really are interested, so take a cue from Rocks, retrieve that green card from the trash, and drop me a note or an e-mail (bob.murphy@hypertherm.com) and check up on Rocks healing process at rliman@tbaytel.net.

More testimony to my persuasiveness is this note from Rick Davey (or perhaps it was my threat to tell the real stories): "I thought I would take you up on your offer of an e-mail communication to avoid any undue recollections from our undergraduate days.

I have been living in New York for about one year where I wear the hat of Chief Medical Officer of the New York Blood Center. We have an active research program, a hemophilia service operation, the largest umbilical cord bank and bone marrow donor center in the country and, in our spare time, provide over 560,000 units of blood, platelets and plasma to 200 hospitals in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Keeps one busy. This followed five years as Chief Medical Officer of the American Red Cross, which followed 21 years at the National Institutes of Health. I have done a fair amount of mountaineering in the Himalayas, Alps, Andes and Alaska but a bad right knee has curtailed this activity. I have also been motorcycling quite a bit, especially in Canada and the Southwest. I had an unfortunate encounter with a deer when I was riding a Harley in Idaho a couple years ago. Now I know what a ballistic trajectory is, as well as a hard landing. A broken leg and an opportunity to grow some new skin was the fairly lucky result. The deer had a bad day.

I see Larry Corash quite often and Mike Lewis a bit less frequently. I am looking forward to the next reunion so we can get our lightweight (now decidedly middleweight) crew back on the water. Donate blood, guys. It's a civic duty!" Arrangements can be made through Rick at DaveyR1965@aol.com. Interesting address, Rick. Mine at home is murph65nh@aol.com; funny how we cant quite get those numbers out of our systems.

Also in the transition category is Weaver Gaines valedictory upon his retirement (although that word may be premature): "At the Ixion Biotechnology board meeting on December 21, 2002, I resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective January 1, 2003. At the request of the directors, I agreed to remain Chairman of the Board for the time being. During the decade of my tenure as Chairman and CEO, the people of Ixion, by prodigious efforts, sweat, and sacrifice, have driven our pioneering science from dreams to clinic. Our once imaginary products are now in real human clinical trials - and we can see, in the twilight, the prospect that men, women, and children dying of diabetes and oxalate poisoning may soon "slam the door on the doctors nose." Our arduous anabasis was done on a shoestring, during an ice age of biotechnology financing. Im proud of what our scientists and businessmen and women have accomplished. Never has so much been done by so few, with so little. It was a privilege being their leader.

I havent decided what I will do next from among several options on offer, but remember, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?" Weaver suggest you change his e-mail to weaver.gaines@worldnet.att.net.

Click Info: Ed Keible & Bill McConnaughy

I also ran into Howard Myers at a recent local "Inns of Court" meeting at the Hanover Inn. Hes the lawyer, not me - the Charades were there providing musical continuing legal education through such classics as "Runaround and Sue". Howie's firm is Myers Associates PLLC, located right down the road in Lebanon, NH.