It was a very different Dartmouth back then. But it was an even more different group of students at Dartmouth.
Half a century after graduating, the Class of 1950 -- the only one of its kind -- returns to Hanover this weekend to meet their friends and reminisce their golorious days at the College.
Joel Leavitt '50, reunion chair for the class, told The Dartmouth that he and his fellow classmates were excited to come back to Dartmouth and meet his fellow peers.
The first class to enroll at Dartmouth after the end of World War II, the Class of 1950 had an large numbers of war heroes -- coming to attend college after years of treacherous fighting.
"There was a great [number] of people who had been involved in the war one way or another," Robert Shnayerson '50 said, adding the class had a wide mix of people ranging from an ordinary rifleman to a fighter pilot.
Following the government's passing of the GI bill -- aimed at helping war verterans receive an education -- many members of the class were people who ordinarily would not have been able to afford a Dartmouth education.
"The GI bill made a huge difference to ... democratize the idea of going to college," Shnayerson said.
The Class of 1950 was the largest Dartmouth class to date, and members, on average, were older than usual. Yet coming after the depressing war, they were keen to have their fun.
During freshmen year, members of the class refused to wear the traditional "beanie" hats -- seen by many as belittling.
"It was a great life down there and a wonderful experience for all of us," Leavitt said. "It was the time of our lives."
Leavitt said their class had a "big" freshman rush of the football field during Homecoming game, adding that he has very fond memories of Green Key Weekend and Winter Carnival.
It was also a time of change at Dartmouth. Under the new presidency of John Sloan Dickey, the College was seeing a lot of noticable innovations.
As a president who was very interested in international and political issues, Dickey tried to change the curriculum and also ensured that the College invited a lot of influencial speakers to campus.
Shnayerson said the Class of 1950 was required to take a course that dealt with important issues of the world and had the opportunity of hearing famous speakers like Robert Frost and George Cannon.
The Class of 1950 did not escape war. After graduating, many members decided to join the American effort in Korea.
Although the general faade of the College has essentially remained the same, Dartmouth has undergone several monumental changes in the last half a century.
"The change in gender is very striking," Shnayerson said. "It's been a terrific thing for Dartmouth."
He also said that the high percentage of minorities at the College is also very visible, adding that it is a welcome change for Dartmouth.
Alluding to the Student Life Initiative, Leavitt said, "The College is on the right track. It's doing right things to change the culture."
Members of the Class of 1950 arrived in Hanover on Friday.
At 7:45 p.m. that evening the graduates were expected to parade to College President James Wright's house along with the Lebanon High School Marching Band, followed by Wright's welcome to the alumni.
The class members attended a 1950 Symposium titled "What Visions we Have Seen. Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow" at 10 a.m. at Moore Theater at the Hopkins Center.
Yesterday, the class attended another symposium titled, "Dartmouth -- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Part I of the symposium was a panel with six current students speaking and was moderated by Acting Dean of the Tucker Foundation, Robert Binswanger '52.
Part II of the symposium dealt with the new libraries and buildings on the Dartmouth campus.
The members of the Class attended a Banquet last night followed by the 1950 Party.
Most of the class members are planning to leave campus later today.
