1987 PATHS green - Dartmouth Class of 1987
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DARTMOUTH PATHS
1987
from the
green
JUNE 2020
IN THIS
SPECIAL
EDITION
Results from the
Pandemic Survey
Impact on Sports,
Educators, and
The Arts
Staying Home
Cover art by
Meg Houston
Maker titled
“Soon it’s going
to rain”, 2020
Special edition 2020 This is a special edition of the 1987 Class Newsletter dedicated to the COVID-19
Pandemic. We wanted to take a snapshot of the lives of our classmates as we
continue to quarantine to reduce the spread of this virus. Around the world,
whole nations have stayed home for over eight weeks, with trips only for es-
sential goods and services.
We asked the class “What has this pandemic looked like to you?” Many of you
answered the call and sent in photos, thoughts, and articles on how you have
continued working, caring for your family, and trying to stay sane. Thank
Photo: Tom Remp, Dartmouth Library
you for sharing your stories. We have selected a few to share with you in this
newsletter so that one day, we can look back on this sureal time, and remem-
ber the spring of 2020, when the Coronavirus invaded. A Letter from the President
What we heard is that family time was a surprise bonus. And that every single
one of us has experienced loss. Some have seen great loss, even death, and the
unimaginable pain of being apart from those you love. We send our condo-
lences hoping it provides a small bit of comfort. Others have found they have Dear Classmates,
enjoyed this quieter time, with less time constraints, no commuting, and more
cooking. May it be a chance to rest and recharge for the challenges to come. We are going through the most significant upheav- Once a week, I venture out of the house to get gro-
al of our collective lives. After the WHO declared ceries. This trip is absolutely exhausting as I don a
And most importantly, those of you in healthcare, public safety, government, COVID-19 a pandemic, my law firm instituted work- cap, mask, and disposable gloves. I wait in line to get
and education have worked more hours than there are in a day serving others, from-home rules beginning March 17. New Jersey into the grocery store for 30 minutes, as we queue up
with great sacrifice to your own family and your own health. Thank you. issued stay-at-home orders. At this point, it has six feet apart outside. When I get home, I wipe down
been over nine weeks of unrelenting news, continu- all of my purchases before putting them away, and I
We hope you enjoy seeing the pandemic through the eyes of your classmates. ous loss, and worry. soak my fruits and vegetables in a baking soda bath.
Wishing you strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. I spray Lysol on the bottom of my shoes and my coat
For me, my husband and I can work from home when I get home. I regularly wake up in the middle
fairly easily and don’t have little kids to worry about of the night thinking—did I accidentally bring the
homeschooling. Honestly, I do not miss my 2.5-hour coronavirus into the house? Did I touch my face
roundtrip commute in NJ traffic and appreciate the with my gloved hand which touched something that
savings on gas and tolls. Our college-aged kids are was contaminated with the virus? Did I walk into an
both home, which has been fantastic (generally). invisible cloud of respiratory particles containing the
For us, this time has been marked by major disap- virus? Did the virus hop a ride to my house by adher-
pointments. Villanova conducted Avery’s graduation ing to my clothes? I am generally able to silence the
remotely. When we raced to pack her things and get noise, but my sleep is broken at times, and fortu-
her back home after school closed, she didn’t have nately, I do wake up to another virus-free day for my
time to say in-person goodbyes to her friends or family.
professors. She worried about her friends who live in
Hawaii or abroad who could not fly home (and who At the end of the day, all of these disappointments
are still stuck on campus today). Gabi is a ’22. She will pass. We are healthy and blessed to have the
and her classmates were looking forward to Soph- opportunity to spend time together as a family. Our
omore Summer, which, as you know, is one of the extended family communicates more often as we en-
many things that makes Dartmouth special. The Col- joy group chats, and my parents join us for FaceTime
lege is conducting classes remotely, and the experi- calls. At this point, it seems as if my family will be
ence will not be the same. Gabi’s FSP to South Africa together at home through the summer.
for Fall semester seems to be in jeopardy as well.
Let’s hope the Fall brings some better news.
Tracey Salmon Smith
President, The Great Class of 1987
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The thing about loss...
pandemic survey results Weddings. Funerals. Graduations. Sports seasons. years we spent together in Hanover created stron-
Performances. The losses are hard to fathom. It ger bonds than any pandemic. It is a good place to
seems everyone has a personal loss from COVID-19. reconnect, and share those stories that truly matter.
Our own grief is truncated by the larger spectre of Reach out to dorm mates, team mates, acquaintenc-
On the Class of 1987 Facebook page, we
invited you to complete a brief survey on tragedy. How can I grieve my loss when others have es. We can help you find them again.
the Pandemic. Thanks to the 47 people who even larger sorrows?
responded, we have a view of how our class And when you are reconnecting, consider what we
is faring during this time. This is not an ade- While “comparison” is not the answer, “commu- are learning from this new normal. What can we ap-
quate sample to be statistically relevant, but nity” may be helpful. Connecting to others, sharing ply to the future? What are the good things that have
in the meantime, this is what we found out: stories, and fully listening can bring back the hu- come from the Pandemic? How can we help those for
manity that has been locked away these past few whom this loss is significant?
months.
If you have a child in the class of 2020, from any
In this newsletter, we have had more contributors school, we salute you. Let’s try to connect those
than ever before. Thank you to everyone who has young graduates with jobs, places to live, and men-
one remember the zip code from the theme
song? 02134—Send it to Zoom! shared their stories. It is through these stories that toring advice. By infusing the Dartmouth Network
stronger connections are made. We hope that, if with opportunities, energy and hope, there are many
The results indicate we are staying busy— you read an article that resonates with you, you will more stories waiting to be told.
working more (30%), baking/cooking more reach out to the author, or share your story as well.
(60%) and spending time with family (61%). It doesn’t have to be through the Class of ’87. But the We can’t wait to hear about them.
To the 40% organizing their home, please
76% of us are quarantining with two to four feel free to drop by my house when this is
people. We should have asked if you liked the over and I can provide some new projects.
people you are with, so I can only hope that
it’s working for everyone. With sadness, there have been many import- What is One Good Thing that has come from the Pandemic?
ant life events that have been missed:
Interestingly, 54% say they don’t have fam- - weddings (21%)
ily living with them (presumably parents, - funerals (28%)
children, etc.) so I have to wonder if we have - graduations (34%)
any couples counselors in the class that need - sports seasons (55%)
new clients. 41% do have children with them - art/theater performances (57%) Having I have My mother and I learned
and two people have persons not related adult children much more I are closer how to
to them in the household. Personally, I am Even with these staggering results, you return home patience with daily bake bread
looking forward to the pandemic-themed all left an impressive list of silver linings Facetimes
novels that will arrive on shelves in the to the situation that is so hopeful. And the
coming years. These stats tell me there are comments all pointed to the slower pace as
stories to be written. improving relationships with family.
A chance to Less Time to
We are on Zoom a lot, but for the one person We hope to do more surveys and welcome
who claimed that they had over 30 Zoom ideas how to get more classmates to partic- reexamine what Pollution reflect and
calls in a week, my condolences. I thought ipate. Email me at betsyrutherford@msn. is important connect
my 18 number was way too high—anyone com with your thoughts on ideas and themes
else sick of staring at themselves on camera? for future surveys!
Of note, I did read a wonderful piece from
the New Yorker mentioning the irony of the However you are finding your way through
Zoom name for those of us who grew up with this, I wish you health and well-being. Not wearing Being back Life has
the TV show of the same name. Does any-
makeup or Perspective in touch with slowed down
doing my old friends
Betsy Rutherford hair
Newsletter Co-Editor
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quarantine 2020 connect
Tom Palisi: This is our 25-year-old daughter Alexa teaching my mother-in-law (who is 80 Meg Crone Ramsden: In this photo my husband Chris and son Mack are watching a bear at dusk (tiny
years young) how to use Zoom, so she can participate in a broad array of calls with friends and brown lump in the field on the other side of the pond) in New Hampshire. This was taken a few weeks ago
relatives. when the bears were emerging from their winter dens. These unexpected weeks together have provided
many opportunities to observe the wildlife through our telescope. As tragic and strange as this spring has
Julie Hubble: Daughter Margaret ’21 has visited with my mom only through the window since been, having Mack at home from his apartment in Boston has been a gift in its own way.
she’s been home.
Gregg Rippey:
I’ve heard people
asked to describe their
experience with all
of the stay-at-home
in six words. For this
picture, I’d say:
kitchen pong
empty cups
so far...
Michele Cloutier: This is a picture of us cele-
brating Emma’s 17th birthday in quarantine!
As she said, “thank goodness my 16th was
last year.” Hope all other ’87s are doing well!
Shoutout to all the ’87 swimmers... what
are you all doing during quarantine?! Miss
everyone!
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The Impact on
impact on educators Educators
by Laura Kennedy
I was checking Zooms one evening when Zoom class, thinking she’d be excited,
I saw the second grader’s video. “I am but her daughter ran from the room
really scared,” he said, peering into the screaming. And it’s hard to be
camera. “I am having nightmares. Is called pathetic by a parent who pre-
anyone else having nightmares?” As a viously told me how much her kids
private school administrator for K-4th loved me. It’s hard to stay balanced. I
graders, my days are usually filled with try to get up and exercise and step away,
more laughter than tears. I can’t say but there is always another teacher I
that’s been the case since we got sent need to check in on, always another kid.
home to teach.
Last Friday, we delivered congratulatory
As March turned to April, I started to lawn signs to our eight-grade gradu-
hear how stressed teachers were, par- ates. This was my first class nine years
ticularly teachers with kids. One of my ago when I joined this wonderful school. Holly Taylor:
first-grade teachers is a single mom I cried a lot seeing our graduates, and Here’s a picture of me having a Zoom
with four kids under twelve; several seeing them so excited to see our cara- meeting with myself to see what my
teachers have two young kids under ten; van of teachers, honking and screaming. students would see in class. From the
and three have spouses who are teach- teacher perspective, distance teaching
is not for sissies.
ers. One has young kids whose school You know probably where this is going:
expected the kids to be on Zoom calls Please be kind to teachers, particularly It involves having to re-think student
almost all day, while she’s supposed to those with kids at home. They love your engagement in class, coming up with
be teaching Zoom classes, sending her kids and are trying their best, and they creative ways to get the students to be
own kids into fits of tears. One teacher’s feel guilty when they can’t be the best involved. Then after all the work and a
grown child is a nurse who contract- for anyone. “When I have a day where I class session has ended, the feeling that
you spent an hour or more, talking in a
ed Covid. Still another is using her two feel like I’ve been the best virtual teach-
vacuum.
adorable kids in her math lessons and er I can be, I’ve let my own kids down,”
could be a YouTube star. one teacher told me. “I literally don’t
know what the heck they’ve been doing
Parents, too, are stressed, but it comes all day. When I pay attention to my own
out in different ways. Some parents kids, I’m letting my class and school
have sent me harsh emails complain- down.”
ing that we’re not doing enough, while
others say “stop the madness, this is Teachers are rock stars—I see it every
too much.” One parent said she told day.
her fourth grader about our new Coding
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The impact on educators stocking up
Delivering Cheer to 2020 Graduates
by Mary Carter
This week, a giant cougar and I, as Head of School,
visited all the members of the Derryfield School Class
of 2020 at their homes around Manchester, New
Hampshire. I should explain that the cougar is our
school’s mascot, and our school’s communication
director wore the somewhat stinky cougar costume.
She and I started our journey unsure how we’d be
received, because we were a spectacle—our noisy
maroon-and-white bus stopped at each house to
unload the petite head of school (me) and a large furry
creature. But we quickly saw how happy the kids were
to see us, and how emotional their parents were, that
we were celebrating their kids with yard signs, stuffed
baby cougars, and some warm conversation. We had
funny moments and healing moments, as when we
realized that a single parent and student hadn’t seen
anyone else in weeks, and really needed a long chat.
Angie Erdrich: The April 22nd fruit hutch, so replete and bountiful, is down to Med-
These interchanges—asking students how they’re jool dates, 2 tomatoes, 4 apples, canned fruits and macadamia nuts we are unable to
doing in shelter at home, how their senior projects are crack (by May 4.) Trying to make it 7 more days before shopping!
going—felt like the most normal thing in the world,
but also better than normal, because I had the chance
to thank and commend each graduate for their con-
tribution to the school community. It was an honor to
be part of an important life milestone for good young
people in uncertain times.
Karen Boyle:
I find what I miss terribly is the day
to day interaction with my students,
helping them to understanding and
seeing their faces when the light goes
on. The support and encouragement
just doesn’t sound the same when
it is via email and I feel like I’m not
really reaching so many of them. This
is not the kind of teaching I signed up
for - but it is the reality for now.
Alan Haig sent in this photo of empty shelves at a Florida Publix
grocery store in early March. Even at the beginning of May, it was
still difficult to find Clorox Wipes or toilet paper.
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From the Heart of New York City, by Emil Chynn
From Tom Palisi: After
taking photos of Dart- “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you that the last time I was in bankrupt, and if they don’t let us perform elective
mouth, my kids, Alexa your office, I was positive for coronavirus.” surgery in June, it will go under. On the positive side,
and Thomas, and their one of the reasons I’m still single is because I’ve
full collegiate experi- What goes through your mind when you hear such a unfortunately allowed my profession and career to
ences, I have resorted thing? Unfortunately, as a physician/surgeon, you’re consume too much of my life. The silver lining might
to capturing the dog expected to remain always professional, and cannot be I’ll have more time for my personal life this fall.
and odd things around say, “WTF!” Fortunately, this patient was the last
the house. patient on a Friday afternoon, or So, it looks like my medical career will
I would be ethically obligated to be book-ended by two tragic events. I
“contact trace” and call every pa- opened my practice right before 9/11,
tient who came into our office after and was the first and only physi-
this numbskull, freaking out dozens cian at Ground Zero that day. Now it
of people. Instead, all I had to do looks like COVID will end my medical
was inform my staff, and freak all career.
of them out.
In parting, I’d like to say that my
My world started to go south when (traumatic) experience at WTC
Governor Cuomo announced on a Ground Zero did help me in certain
Tuesday afternoon that elective ways. Yes, I did wind up with some
surgery would be banned the next mild asthma that I never had before.
day. We had to cancel everything, But on the positive side, I knew I
putting the eyes of a dozen people could perform professionally, survive
“on hold” along with the rest of their lives. and persevere, even in the face of enormous adver-
sity, which gave me a certain confidence throughout
The majority of doctor’s offices are really just small life. Hopefully, once we all get through these trying
businesses. No surgery means no income, so I had to times, we will all have been forced to reassess what
From Julian Okwu: The reality of call my staff in, hand them their last paychecks, and is truly important in life, stop chasing money, or
quarantining sharpens the dichotomy furlough everyone. Including myself. So, I started to fame, or fortune, and focus on spending more time
of our global COVID-19 experiences. collect unemployment for the first time in my life. with those we love, being more kind and generous to
For me, the luxury of a daily swim in them as well as strangers, and doing our part to help
our pool to maintain a modicum of my When I applied for PPP, they ran out of money. Once the greater community. I know that’s my goal.
sanity, symbolizes that idea. Are we they refunded PPP, I received money, but it is hard
sinking in our response to the virus to bring staff back who risked getting infected. Now Wishing all of you a healthy present and happy fu-
and our responsibilities to one another the business I spent 20 years growing is slowly going ture.
or moving towards new ways to reset
our lives and our communities for a
post-pandemic existence?
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staying home From Chrissie Drescher:
The green smoothie pic (below) is be-
cause I told Carrie to run the Nutribullet
in the bedroom because our house is
very open. Even with headphones, we
try to be a little quiet if Mike is in court
via the phone—so Carrie was slightly
sullen at her mother’s request to blend
in the bedroom. Despite all working/
studying under the same roof, it is a
silver lining to be together. The world is
full of such sadness and stress, and we
are lucky to live where we do with plenty
of space. We are getting a lot of outdoor
work done now that spring is in VT.
Coach Chris Schutz Brownell is hitting a squash ball through the Dartmouth Corn Hole. Try that one at
home! The second photo is a little diversion and almost a daily game between her two squash playing kids:
Jess ’23 on the right, MVP as a freshman, wondering whether the College will have a season and Timmy,
graduating from Harvard virtually on May 28, was supposed to go straight into the Squash Pro Tour...
Jeff Lazarus: The only thing missing is a beer.
Remedied just after this was taken.
John Gannon
captured the Blue
Angels flying over
Dallas honoring our
heroic healthcare
workers.
From Sally Adams: A cartoon by Brooke Bourgeois.
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the impact on athletes
When the NBA canceled the rest of the season, we all took notice. The suspension of sports then became wide-
spread and affected so many of us directly. From athletes, to sports fans, to soccer moms, to the Olympics. We
miss everything about sports. So many of you have stories like these to tell. Please share them with us.
From Deb Marchiony: Our son, Max
Marchiony ’22, was planning to row for
Dartmouth and then be off for his soph-
omore summer to compete in rowing
at U23 Worlds. But all rowing has been
cancelled for the season. This photo is
from last July, when he finished 6th in
the world in U23 lightweight pairs. The Loss of a Senior Athlete’s Final Season
by Doug and Kathy Keith
One of the saddest things for me is that
I had put all the regattas for the season
in my calender and didn’t delete them
Like so many of us, the experience of the strive for excellence—to work hard and
once the season was suspended. So now
abrupt suspension of normalcy has been to reach for their dreams, and Julia has
each Saturday, I see where he would have
surreal. After dedicating the better part of achieved every bit of that—but she had
rowed.
their young lives to striving for academic so much more to give! Middlebury is the
excellence with an unwavering commit- reigning DIII National Champs and the
ment to a collegiate sport, the spring of #1 ranked team in 2020 with the longest
From Anne Kubik: There are stages of dealing with leaders. Each day we skin up, and ski. Each day, I see 2020 brought that all to a very sudden, jar- winning streak. Julia and her team had
the Coronavirus, denial, anger, depression, accep- the mountain through his eyes, he chatters on about ring and unceremonious end for so many such determination and will to defend their
tance. As a physician, it has been excruciating to his course load at Dartmouth, the journalism class senior athletes. Our family fully embraced national title!
watch the leaders of our country squander oppor- he loves, his podcast that he created for Ski Racing Middlebury lacrosse—we loved the atmo-
tunities to manage this public health crisis, which Magazine and I have hope. For that is what must sphere, the weekend rituals, All that said, as we reflect
has cost our young people and each one has a story come after the stages of grief. the games, the parents, the now, 10 weeks later, we are
of something lost, coaches and most of all, The excitement of still sad and feel a definite
unsalvageable and Jimmy was on an watching our daughter put the games and sense of loss. But we are also
I am left incredibly upswing and about her all into every moment very thankful and grateful.
the thrill of the victories
angry. As a parent, I to peak when the and always leaving it all on We were able to be part of
am awed at the re- last races of the the field.
are a gift to us that her amazing journey. We
silience of my kids. year were can- we will always cherish. were introduced to so many
celled, which he We were also so very bless- amazing young women—her
My oldest, Jimmy needed to qualify ed that both her high school teammates—and gained so
Krupka ’21, is an for a spot on the US and college teams em- many new friendships with
alpine ski racer. The National team. On braced the Keith Family as well—from our such fantastic parents. The excitement of
virus hit as he was May 6, Jimmy was exuberant cheering from the sidelines to the games and the thrill of the victories are
peaking and vying named to the US encouraging Jimmy (Julia’s twin brother) a gift to us that we will always cherish.
for a named spot national team. The dancing on the sidelines (often stealing the
on the US team. I future is unknown, glory!)—oh the fun! While it would have been nice to be able to
have now found and it is unclear if acknowledge and celebrate her last game,
myself stealthily there will be World When Julia’s final season ended so abrupt- we do know she always left it all on the
skinning up in the Cup season, if our ly, we were sad, stunned and angry. As field after every game. So maybe it ended
early morning in the nation will allow ski we saw what was happening around the the way it was supposed to—because the
dark with my son racers to gather and world, the anger softened, but the sadness journey is not yet done.
and my dog. Those mornings, I learned of the joy train. What I do know is that the future has hope, as I remained. We were experiencing grief. We
that ski racing had given my son, of the courage to watch Jimmy and all our youth handle all of this with all want our children to set high goals and
find a way to keep training, of the resilience to not courage and passion for life.
give up in the face of the virus and ineptitude of our
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through a different lens From Craig Bamsey:
This is a Polaroid of my
son and his high school
senior friends meeting
for a safe “Trunk Meet”
hangout at their school
parking lot, a scene
From Leslie Collins Trautwein: As many of you
repeating across Ameri-
know, Vic and I moved with our four small kids to
ca right now, a moment
a small mountain town in the Dominican Repub-
that couldn’t have come
lic in 2002 to help lead the efforts of Kids Alive
from any other time.
International (NGO) to serve at-risk, impoverished
Somehow this captured
children. Eighteen years later we are still here,
for me so much of their
without our kids now, and our projects have grown
sadness and hope and
to include seven schools, three residential cam-
spirit. We are leaving a
puses and 70 students in a university scholarship
world worse off in their
program. All the work involves moving children
far more capable hearts
from difficult beginnings to becoming well edu-
and hands. I am impa-
cated, responsible members of society who can
tient for them to take
help themselves, their families and their commu-
nities. over our mess.
We love the work and are currently serving over
2,000 children and youth in our ten projects. Our
COVID-19 experience has been and continues to be
a bit crazy. On March 19, the President closed our
borders, issued a lock-down with a strict 5 PM to 6
Tim Parker is quarantining in his house with
am curfew, and closed all but essential businesses.
his giant dog Kush. Outside of work, Tim is
We locked our residential kids into their campuses
keeping busy with numerous organizations,
with their caregivers (without day staff) to keep
include Dartmouth’s Alumni Council. His heart,
them safe. With schools closed since March 13, we
however, is captured by New Salem Bap-
have done our best to get food and schoolwork to
tist Church, in Linden, Ohio. Serving as their
1,800 students who generally live in some type of
Treasurer, the church’s food pantry has been
shanty with no running water and one or two beds
working around the clock to meet demand and
for all (think about handwashing and distancing!)
predict increased strain on their resources.
Thanks to generous donors, (including some of
Serving over 200 people per week, the Bread
you), last week our staff distributed food pack-
of Life Food Pantry provides boxes of food and
ages to more than 1,200 families as most of the
other necessary household items to the line of
children’s households (80-90%) are without
cars in the church’s parking lot. Nearly 60%
work, savings, or other income. Some benefits of
of employed Linden residents work low-wage
COVID-19 for us are that we attended our first ever
service industry jobs, and 58% of neighborhood
Dartmouth mini-reunion (because it was virtual!),
residents are housing cost-burdened. Addition-
and we watched The Princess Bride for the first
ally, 38%+ of all households in Linden include
time in years (after the class vote!). And we have
children, who are typically fed at school. The
gone camping six Saturday nights in a row (in our
loss of income for many residents has exacer-
yard—or on our roof). bated tenuous housing situations and height-
ened families’ food insecurity. Tim and his
church have remained faithful as they continue
to be a critical resource their community can
depend on.
GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORMEmpty Streets, Warm Houses
The Gannon House is filled to the brim with
extended family and accomplished chefs!
John’s video talents have been capturing the
activity in the kitchen. Covering all topics from
grinding coffee to cleaning the oven to rais-
ing worms, John shares all the secrets to their
success. Daughter Lela ’15, has gone through 50
pounds of flour, baking desserts, and bagels and
beautiful loaves of bread.
Holly Taylor is finding ways to connect with
without using technology. As walking out-
doors has been the one thing we CAN do,
Holly and her neighbors have creatively used
the following ideas to revitalize the neigh-
borhood walk. Consider sharing these ideas
where you live!
- Sidewalk Chalk Art
- Neighborhood Snow Sculptures
Amy Strasser Kistulinec: - Make a Family Crest or Flag for your yard
One of my daughters - Make cardboard masks for whoever is in
thought this would be fun your home to put in the front window.
-you know, bored at home - Kindness Rocks: Decorate rocks to place
during the pandemic. The around the neighborhood
pink is temporary lasts a - Front Steps Project: take a photo of who
few days! you are quarantining with.
Photos: Tom Remp, Dartmouth Library
GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORMThe loss of live theater share
Thoughts from Heather McCutchen Kannam, Durham, CT From Munich, Germany, by Paul Churchill
Working in children’s theatre was a defining activity my breathlessness watching James Monroe Iglehart We feel fortunate to live in a country the time was used to build up intensive
for me as a kid and now I direct a nonprofit com- dance from the front row. So yes, I am sad about the that has handled the crisis well so far. care capacity.
munity theatre of my own. We raced through one of canceled shows and unused tickets that I can’t bear It’s been about 100 days since the first
our most successful productions (The Lion King Jr, to toss. But what makes me ache is the young artists cases were detected (just outside Mu- The initial economic measures were
with 120 elementary schoolers) in February and even I work with who message me daily pleading for sum- nich, in fact), but the rates are decreas- targeted at smaller businesses, which
squeezed out a cast party before the world changed mer theatre camp, for the fellowship of the drama ing so the country is starting to open helped keep supply chains open and
and everything stopped. community, for the magic of the connection with a up again. unemployment relatively low (it’s still
live audience. expected to rise to 6%). The lockdown
I have not yet lost anyone close to me in the pan- Probably because Italy is not far away, was thankfully not as strict as in Italy
demic, and I do count my blessings daily, but I am My son attends a performing arts high school as a local politicians and health care ex- or Spain, so I was able to go for daily
mourning the evaporation of live theatre. musical theatre student—now virtually. Will the- perts reacted quickly and decisively to walks or bike rides—at least with fam-
atre exist as a possible college major or career in his prevent a similar situation here. Test- ily members. We’re now keeping our
Creative artists have risen to the challenge admira- future? I’m watching through the window as he takes ing was ramped up quickly, scientists fingers crossed that easing restrictions
bly, and there are incredible theatrical performances his Zoom tap class out on our deck. And I wonder were given the floor (Merkel is herself a won’t create a massive second wave,
to enjoy online, from archives of Broadway classics how different the world will be without performanc- scientist, which perhaps helped), there because most importantly, beer gar-
to Zoom new play festivals. But none of it is live es, audiences, and the excitement of seeing some- was quick, non-partisan support for dens are set to open in a week and no
theatre. As an avid “Broadway Lottery” enterer, I can thing created live. the initial economic packages, commu- one wants to jeopardize that!
tell you that nothing pre-recorded can compare to nication was factual and frequent, and
Forgiveness by Kavari Patel
There’s something new about the world
the day after it rains. To see past editions of the Class Newsletter,
It’s as if an artist go to 1987.dartmouth.org/Newsletters.
erased the whole palette,
then redrew homes, the trees, the sky
with bolder outlines, and brightened
them with new paint
more vibrant than the old colors.
What if we were all artists
washing away old images of ourselves
with tears of forgiveness?
What if you could see
past outer appearances
and your heart was
your only canvas?
Would you imbue it
with the shades of your love,
or tear it to pieces
to equal
your number of self judgments?
Photo: Tom Remp, Dartmouth Library
There’s something new about the world
the day after it rains. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
An artist erases the whole palette
for the chance to begin again.
G AT H E R | C O N N E C T | S H A R E | S E R V E | I N F O R M | G AT H E R | C O N N E C T | S H A R E | S E R V E | I N F O R M G AT H E R | C O N N E C T | S H A R E | S E R V E | I N F O R M | G AT H E R | C O N N E C T | S H A R E | S E R V E | I N F O R Mthe new normal
Dartmouth ’87s Greatest Movie of All Time
Over 70 Classmates participated in
the March Madness Replacement
Tournament to name the Class of
1987 Greatest Movie of All Time. 16
16 Team Single Elimination
Team Single Elimination
The Princess Bride Animal House
And the winner was: The Princess Bride (68%) Animal House (63%)
THE PRINCESS BRIDE! The Godfather II Monty Python's Holy Grail
Princess Bride Animal House
Buttercup put the screws to Don The Sound of Music When Harry Met Sally
Corleone in the finals from a field of Raiders of the Lost Ark (50%) When Harry Met Sally (63%)
87 movies. The top 16 were entered Raiders of the Lost Ark Pulp Fiction
into a Bracket, and the voting com- Princess Bride Godfather
menced. Check out the final bracket Casablanca It's A Wonderful Life
below for movie ideas. Casablanca (53%) It's A Wonderful Life (53%)
The Chronic Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): N95 masks, plastic shields, gog- The Wizard of Oz To Kill A Mockingbird
gles, gloves, gowns--the country is constantly running out of PPE. People began sewing masks at The request for the next survey was Casablanca Godfather
home, distillery companies pivoted to making hand-sanitizer, and New Balance switched to mak- Best 80’s Band of All Time. Start
Blazing Saddles Rear Window
ing medical masks. Even Dyson, the vacuum cleaner company, repurposed their plants to make thinking about your candidates! Shawshank Redemption PRINCESS BRIDE The Godfather (62%)
(63%)
ventilators. (L to R: Dawn Kleinman, Alan Haig, and Beth Paap.) Shawshank Redemption
Winner
The Godfather
PrintYourBrackets.com
From Steve Salem:
the next generation
Here’s a pandemic thought. For anyone still wonder- If you don’t want to wear pants, it’s your respon- Zach Wilkins, (front right, in the “41” jersey,) son to promote mental wellness support for healthcare
ing about masks, consider this: Imagine that every- sibility to move away from other people so you of Kevin and Ginny Wise Wilkins, is a high school providers. (https://www.remedyribbons.org/donate).
one is walking around naked. If someone walks past don’t pee on them. They shouldn’t have to zig zag junior at Lusher High School in New Orleans. (Ben-
you and pees on you, you’ll get pretty wet. to avoid being peed on by you and all the others jamin Wilkins ’24, is in the Specifically, for each donation
not wearing pants. Same goes for masks. It’s really grey shirt.) Zach felt frus- received, ribbons are placed
• If you wear pants but they are not, when they pee quite simple! trated as he watched the around trees or community
on you, your pants will block some 24/7 news reports about the accessible areas that the donor
of the pee, but you’ll still get wet. In a dense city like NYC, where so pandemic’s rising morbid- chooses. Having already raised
many people normally walk or take ity rates, and the toll it was more than $8,000, they hope
• If the other person is wearing pants subway, I would expect a notable up- taking on healthcare work- to reach $100,000 this sum-
but you’re not, when they pee, tick in cases, or at least a stopping of ers. He thought that these mer. But their goal is to not
their pants will block most of it but any decline, as more and more people courageous people needed to only raise money for healthcare
there’s still some chance some pee start to move around. be acknowledged, and their providers’ mental wellness—
will still wind up on you. mental health needs ad- they also want daily physical
This weekend was sunny and in the dressed. With help from fel- reminders of thankfulness for
• But if both of you wear pants, upper 70s, and so many people walking low students and his family, the healthcare workers.
hardly any pee at all will get on around without “pants” and not caring Zachary created a nonprofit
you. much how close they were getting to organization, Remedy Rib- As healthcare workers put their
other people. bons. lives at risk to remedy society,
Now imagine that in this scenario, people are con- their goal is to serve as a rem-
stantly peeing. Just like they are constantly breath- The initial program focuses edy for them. Great job, Zach!
ing. on raising money for a recov- Photo: Sarah Ravits | Gambit
ery fund that will issue grants
GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORMWe’re Gonna Zoom. We’re Gonna Zoom, Zoom, Zoom...! Face-to-Face Mini-Reunions for the 87th Night of the Year were replaced with Zoom Conferences. The first one, in early April, had over 70 classmates on the call! This call, in May, was hosted by Brendan Connell, who provided Movie Trivia questions. This screen shot was taken by John Street. Thanks to the Mini-Re- union Committee for setting up these Zoom Conferences! Look for the next Re-Zoomion in June. The Pandemic Newsletter June 2020 The Newsletter Team continues to grow with more contributors every year. This Pandemic Edition was a team effort, starting with Betsy Rutherford and Julie Hubble as co-editors. Gregg Rippey provided design support. Sarah McCraw Crow contributed and is our copy editor. John Gannon provided photographic sup- port. Cover art is an original work by Meg Houston Maker, titled “Soon it’s going to rain” (2020). And a whopping 36 classmates contributed photos or articles! We’d love to add your talents to the list! Please con- tact us if you are interested in joining this team. GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM | GATHER | CONNECT | SHARE | SERVE | INFORM
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