These men and women ate at the Hop, crossed the Green and watched the sun set behind Baker Tower every day as seniors. Twenty-five years later, they will return to Hanover to recapture some of the college spirit Dartmouth instilled in them.
According to Buck Becker '74, organizer of the event, around 150 class of 1974 alumni are expected to bring with them around 200 to 300 family members.
"One comes back and reminisces and enjoys the camaraderie we had while we were at Dartmouth, and also to get up to date for what's going on at Dartmouth and show our support for Dartmouth," he said.
"It's always great. You get a chance to do a couple of things: you see friends and make new acquaintances, and you get a chance to check out the campus," Rocky Whitacker '74, class president, said. "One of the most rewarding experiences is to talk to the young people that are there now."
The reunion will last four days, from next Thursday to Sunday. Events will include a golf and tennis tournament, a Dartmouth Outing Club trip to Mt. Moosilauke and star gazing at Shadock observatory.
The highlight of the reunion will be a dinner at Leede Arena, where most of the participating alumni will get a chance to mingle and talk.
As sophomores when the transition to coeducation took place, the class of 1974 is no stranger to campus-wide change and despite their absence from the College as students, at least some alumni keep a close watch on current issues surrounding the campus. One particularly controversial issue is the Trustees' initiative and its effect on the Greek system.
The alumni view of the Trustees' initiatives is mixed.
"I think at this point, we are disappointed that the actual program that's being outlined by President Wright doesn't seem to be so well formulated that anyone can understand exactly what he's trying to get to," Bucker said. "I hope that the student body will continue to take the initiative to try to get to some kind of equilibrium."
"Tolerance has been lacking to some degree. I think the Trustees should be applauded," Whitacker said. "Let's look for inclusion of all ideas and all thoughts. I think it will be wonderful. [The fraternity system] was functional at [our] time. The world was different. We need to adjust as the world adjusts. We need to move to the next level."
"For us, meaning the men, it was fairly a smooth transition. The biggest impact that I saw was that guys got dressed for class, combed their hair and acted more civil," Whitacker said.
The political upheaval in the 1970s also made the campus a more heated atmosphere than today.
"There were a lot of forums, marches and sit-ins, but never any violence. The college did a wonderful job helping us develop ourselves as men and women," Whitacker said.
But, among all the change in the last two and a half decades, the class of 1974 will return to a place where they will find friends, old memories, and familiarity.
