Click here to play the Route 66 theme song.

                                                                                                                                                                               
Co-Presidents: Bill Higgins,  5360 Miami Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243  
Steve Warhover, 33 William Fairfield Drive, Wenham, MA 01984 
Vice-President & Webmaster: Chuck Sherman, 3100 Rittenhouse Street NW, Washington, DC 20015
Secretary:  Larry Geiger, 93 Greenridge Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
Treasurer: Jim Weiskopf, 13125 Willow Edge Court, Clifton, VA 20124
Head Agent:   Bob Spence, 16 Surrey Road, New Canaan, CT 06840
Bequest Chairmen:  Rich Daly, PO Box 39, West Boxford, MA 01885
Alan Rottenberg, 24 Gould Road, Waban, MA 02468
Mini-Reunion Chairman: Al Keiller, 7 Elcy Way, Simsbury, CT 06070
Newsletter Editor: Bob Serenbetz, PO Box 1127, Newtown, PA 18940
Phone: 215-598-0262  Fax: 215-598-0770

Email: BobSerenbetz@prodigy.net

Holiday Issue 2001/2002

Dear Classmates:

First of all, my thanks for all the cards and letters forwarded with information on yourselves, family and friends.  I won't be able to get to the most recently received until the next newsletter, but please keep them coming!

Given the tragic events of September 11, I'm sure that this holiday season is a bit more special for most of you, as it is for me.  While we were fortunate not to lose any classmates, undoubtedly many of us had friends or relatives who were not as fortunate.  I was particularly concerned about Doug Scarff, whose office was on the 13th floor of 7 World Trade Center, but was able to reach Sherri, Gerry Paul's wife, shortly after the incident, who confirmed that Doug was OK.  As you may have read, nine Dartmouth graduates lost their lives.

Mini-Reunion Report 

A lively group of classmates assembled for the Fall mini-reunion, which included for the first time a reception at the DOC House on Occum Pond Friday night before the Parade of the Classes.  Skip Battle flew east from California to visit daughter Emily '05; Tim Urban and Toni, who had been traveling throughout New England with friends from Iowa, were on hand with Jonathan '05. 

Also visiting another '05, daughter Katie, were Bob Gilbert and Tina, all the way from Neenah, Wisconsin.  Bob continues as President and CEO of Bel Kaukauna Cheese, after having sold the company to a French-based cheese organization a few years ago.  Katie has a 15 year old brother Cameron who is already 6'1 and 200 pounds. Bob can be reached at bgilbert @ belkaukauusa.com.

Wayne LoCurto and Kathy were on hand, taking a break from the management of Heritage Marketing.  Wayne and Kathy are far at the head of the Class with a total, I believe, of eleven grandchildren!!  Californian Ken Zuhr scheduled an East Coast business trip to join the festivities in Hanover.

Back for the first time in many years was Mike Ransmeier, living just a bit north of Hanover in Lisbon, NH.  Mike is busy consulting while taking time for travel with friend Vickie Schmitt, a native of Germany.

Gary Broughton and Sharon stayed with Karen and me at the Trumbull House, an outstanding B&B the Broughtons discovered some years ago.  Gary joined the list of early retirees this year, leaving GPU Nuclear, where he had been President and CEO.  After completing a biking trip to Holland this past spring, they followed it up with a trip through the Canadian Rockies during late summer.

Bill Roberts and Paula, who were unable to attend the 35th due to the 91st birthday of Bill's Dad, drove up from Braintree, Mass.  Bill also recently retired from MIB, Inc.      

Robin Carpenter, Theresa and Abigail were, as usual, among the first at the parade site to insure the rest of us knew what to do and where to go, while curmudgeoning with the neighboring Class of '65.  Among the participants in addition to the above were Montrealer Jeremy Reitman and Gary and Leslie Jefferson.  Gary continues on the faculty at Brandeis University's Graduate School of International Economics and Finance, where he has a particular focus on China.  He makes it to Hanover fairly frequently as a result of a research grant with a colleague at Dartmouth, a grant  which involves collaborating with teams of Chinese officials and researchers both in Boston and in Hanover. 

Paul and Margo Doscher again hosted the pre-game brunch and class meeting in Norwich.  Paul is continuing to market Tuck School to businesses for continuing education, but has recently been focusing on Tuck's innovative program to provide college students, and recent college graduates, an opportunity to sample a graduate business program on the Tuck campus.  Tuck, for those who missed it, was recently named by the Wall Street Journal as the top graduate business school in the country.

The class meeting was superbly run by co-President Steve Warhover who drove up early Saturday morning with Ann from Wenham, Mass. Most of the discussion related to coming mini-reunions, including plans for a ski weekend this March in Winter Park, CO, hosted by Tim Urban (see sign-up sheet on page 7), a hiking/camping trip in August in the White Mountains, and the Class 60th Birthday Party to be held in San Francisco in 2004.  Head Agent Bob Spence reported on his goal of increasing class participation, which has fallen below 50%, for the 2002 Dartmouth Fund Drive.

Speaking of the Spences,  Karen and I had the chance to visit with Linda and Bob prior to the mini at their beautiful vacation home in Moltenborough, NH on Lake Winnepesaukee.  Bob retired in August from Citicorp, where he had spent the last thirty years in a number of senior positions, most recently Managing Director, in the commercial lending section of the Bank. Son Brian '95 is now in residency at the Dartmouth Hitchcock complex in Lebanon, so I'm sure Bob and Linda will be increasing their time in the North.

The Class dinner at the Norwich Inn was again highlighted by presentations from the two winners of the Class of 1966 John Sloan Dickey Foundation Fellowships.  Yelena Shklovskaya served as an audit intern for KPMG  Peat Marwick in Berlin and Matthew Sullivan worked for the Andean Rural Health Care Council in Bolivia.  Their reports are available on our class website.  Attending the dinner were New Hampshire State Representative Jeff Gilbert and Penny (Jeff promises to keep the state income tax- free!!), Steve Lanfer  and daughters, and David and Hera Johnston.

The weather and fall color were outstanding; the play of the Dartmouth football team was not. 

35th Reunion Aftermath

Larry Geiger, our long-serving Secretary, sent his regrets on missing the reunion, given an important meeting of the White Plains, NY School Board (on which Larry has served for seventeen years).  He and Amy had been in Hanover for an Alumni Council meeting in May; Larry represents the Class Secretaries Association.

Tom Louis writes, �Sorry to have missed the thirty-fifth.  I'll be sure to attend the 40th and look forward to seeing 66ers�.  Tom lives in DC and can be reached at tlouis @ rand.org. 

Richard Brigden was also sorry to have missed the 35th �due to a family commitment.  Since the reunion, our oldest and her husband have both been assigned new positions with Shell in The Hague.  Until they complete relocation and the first phase of indoctrination and the physical move, Betsy and I are substitute parents for our granddaughters Maggie (4 1�2) and Abby (19 months).  The activity acts as a reminder of the time and commitment raising children entails.  We are thoroughly enjoying  the girls and will redirect our travel over the next several years to visits to the Netherlands and Western Europe.�  Richard and Betsy live in Mooresville, NC and can be reached at rbrigden @ concentric.net.

I believe the largest fraternity contingent at the Reunion was Pi Lambda Phi.  Don Glazer was kind enough to send the photo on the next page of the nine �66 Pi Lamb attendees.  If anyone has any more photos of the reunion, please send them along.

(Front Row) Rick Reiss, Don Glazer, Neal Zimmerman, Rich Abraham

(Second Row) Noel Fidel, Dick Alderman, Alan Rottenberg, Hector Motroni

(Rear) Jeremy Reitman

Other News

Jonathan Wiesel has moved from Bozeman, MT to 195 Jed Smith Road, Ward, CO 80481, just outside Boulder.  Married in April 2000 to Mari Szatkowski, a former TV and radio journalist who was publicity manager for the publishing house that published Jonathan's book, Cross Country Ski Vacations, he is still a partner in Nordic Group International, planning cross country ski areas, guiding trips in the US and Canadian Rockies, and writing about it.  His newest venture is marketing recreation for guest ranches and ski areas, which involves writing press releases, preparing media kits and marketing plans, giving seminars and blitzing target cities.  Jonathan was hoping to ski his first marathon this summer in Australia and run his first marathon this fall in Boulder.  And I thought running on a treadmill for sixteen minutes three times a week was the peak of fitness!!!  Let us know how it went, Jonathan.  He can be reached at wiesel13 @ qwest.net.

Peter Chilstrom sent along information on the Lake Shore Interfaith Institute in Ganges, MI where he is dean and lecturer, and their Spring 2001 Newsletter.  The institute offers a nine month certification course, which this year explored Native American Spirituality, Taoism, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Cosmology; Saturday and Sunday interfaith programs are offered throughout the year.

For those interested in obtaining more information, you can call Peter at 616-543-3951.

Mark Budnitz writes, �During the summer of 2001 my fourth book was published.  It's title is Consumer Banking and Payments Law.  My daughter Jessica graduated from law school.  My son Dan started working as a doctor with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Dan and his wife had our first grandson, Jacob.  My wife Paula, who still vividly remembers those freezing Winter Carnivals, became a grandma.  The Boston Museum of Fine Arts showed three films based on published stories written by Judy, my other daughter�. Quite a year of achievement, Mark, who can be reached at mbudnitz @ gsu.edu.

                                                                       

Class of 1966 Survey

As you may recall, prior to the 35th Reunion a questionnaire was sent to survey the class on various demographics, activities, and attitudes.  Given what transpired on September 11, I thought I'd focus this edition of the newsletter on responses related to issues facing the country.  Responses are shown for both classmates and spouses:

                                                                                                            Classmates            Spouses

            What is the key international issue facing the United States? 

            World population/hunger/disease control                        15.8                15.8

            China policy/strategy                                                            15.8                10.5

            Conflict in the Middle East                                                   12.3                10.5

            Us leadership/serving as world's cop                              14.0                  0.0

            Environment/global warming                                              10.5                26.3

Immigration                                                                              5.3                10.5

Drug traffic                                                                               1.8                10.5

            Human Rights                                                                         0.0                10.5

            Terrorism                                                                                 7.0                  0.0

            Nuclear disarmament/proliferation/missile defense       7.0                  0.0

            Third world stability/living standards/trade                         5.3                  0.0

            Dealing with Russia                                                               3.5                  0.0

Like most Americans, the threat of terrorism seemed to most of us a relatively marginal issue last Spring.

            What is the most important legislation that should be passed by Congress?

            Tax reform                                                                               22.8%              0.0%

            Tax cuts                                                                                   12.3                17.6

            Universal Health Care/health care reform                       17.7                  0.0

            Campaign finance reform                                                     8.8               17.6

            Increased gun control                                                            7.0                23.5 

            Increased environmental protection/adopt Kyoto treaty    7.0                 0.0

            Decriminalize drugs                                                               3.5                  5.9

            Tort reform                                                                                3.5                  0.0

            National energy policy/conservation                                    1.8                  5.9

            Public school moment-of-silence                                         1.8                  5.9

After our survey, the Congress did pass tax cuts with some reform.  Interesting that it is still among the most controversial legislation before Congress in mid-December.  Also interesting to see more dispersion in responses between classmates and spouses.

            Do you consider yourself pro-life or pro-choice?

            Pro-life                                                                                     16.4                15.4

            Pro-choice                                                                              80.0                84.6

            Both                                                                                            3.6                  0.0

Not much difference between classmates and spouses.

                                                                     

                                                                                                            Classmates            Spouses

             Are you in favor of gun control? 

            Yes                                                                                           82.8%            84.6%

            No                                                                                             17.2                15.4

Again, little difference.  Given the near identical percentages of the pro-choice and pro- gun control respondents, an interesting tab would be to see if they're generally the same folks.

            How should the federal government deal with the budget surplus? 

            Cut taxes                                                                                 49.1%            34.6%

            Pay down the debt                                                                 43.9                46.2 

            Increase spending                                                                  1.8                  7.7

            Provide increased funding for social security/medicare    5.2              11.5

What would have been an interesting, on-going debate seems now almost moot (what surplus???).

I will review more of the responses in our next newsletter.

Dartmouth Club of Washington, DC

The DC Club is likely the most active regional club for �66ers.  Bob Bach sent along this photo of our classmates at a Spring meeting which Chuck Sherman emceed:

(L to R) Bob Bach, Jim Weiskopf, Chuck Sherman, Steve Posniak,

Peter Prichard, Joff Keane, John Rollins, Mead Over

 

The Announcement and Registration for our upcoming Colorado Ski Weekend Mini Reunion was appended tothis newsletter.