Dear 1965 Classmates:
As I write this, I have just returned from Hong Kong and the wonderful min-reunion organized
by classmate Sing Chiu and attended by Sing and his wife, Patricia, Steve and Linda Waterhouse, Bruce and Betsy Wagner, Carl
Boe, Roger and Nancy Hanson and my wife, Karen, and me.
Sing put together a marvelous, non-stop program for our group. Roger and Nancy were first to
arrive and were treated on October 1 (Chinas National Day) to horse racing at the Sha-Tin Race Course and then a grand display
of fireworks over Hong Kong harbor in the evening. The rest of the "out-of-towners" arrived on October 2 and enjoyed over
the course of 4 days a ride on the Peak Tram, a Hong Kong Island tour, Stanley Market, a tram ride around old Hong Kong on
a tram specially organized by Sing for the occasion, the Hong Kong Museum of History, Macau and, of course, ample time for
shopping, including Hollywood Road.
And then there was the unparalleled Chinese food! Most of us enjoyed a lunch at the Hong Kong
Country Club (among the Mah-Jong ladies!), a dim-sum lunch on Kowloon side, a superb dinner at Sing and Patricias house, a
trip by boat through Hong Kong harbor to nearby Lamma Island for a wonderful seafood dinner and a dinner at the China Club.
Te highlight of the trip was, however, a dinner at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Friday, October
4, with the Dartmouth Club of Hong Kong and President Jim Wright, his wife Susan and other representatives of the College.
President Wright had stopped in Hong Kong on his way to Beijing to receive an honorary Professionship at Beijing Normal University,
an institution that has long ties to Dartmouth College. During the dinner, Steve Waterhouse presided over the receipt by Sing
of the Dartmouth Alumni Award. Sing is the first Dartmouth alumnus outside of North America to receive this prestigious award
and the fifth member of the Class of 65 to be accorded this honor. Steve read a citation which detailed Sings impressive career.
After Dartmouth, Juilliard and Thunderbird, Sing spent nine years at Chase Manhattan Bank before departing to run family businesses
in Asia and other parts of the world. Sings passion for the violin (he was the only music major at Dartmouth during his last
two years at the College!) and his founding and leadership of an orchestral group in Hong Kong were also noted. More on Sings
citation in a subsequent newsletter.
Hving lived in Asia myself back in the early 80s, it was a special treat to be back in Hong
Kong. We were all tremendously impressed with how Hong Kong has transitioned from British rule to a special administrative
region of China. To hear Sing and Patricia talk of what is happening in China today makes one acutely aware of the tremendous
economic potential of this country (and that this potential is rapidly being realized - a sobering thought).
I hope to see many of you in Hanover in early November for Homecoming weekend and to celebrate
our 25th consecutive Hanover mini-reunion. You will have received information from Mike Bettmann regarding this mini. Please
do plan to come and enjoy the Friday parade, Saturday pre-game tailgate party, post-game joint cocktail party at the Hanover
Inn with the Classes of 1964 and 1966 and the Saturday dinner at Pierces, with musical entertainment as well as a talk by
Professor William Cook. If you are not staying at Pierces Inn, please make sure to let the innkeepers know that you will join
us for the Saturday dinner.
See you in Hanover in early November!
Hank Amon