Class of '61 Storms City, Reunion Classes Arriving

Wasn't Freshman Week fun? Didn't you enjoy not taking classes, participating in the dazzling array of pre-planned activities, and just having the chance to sit around and talk to your classmates?

Well, now it's mom's and dad's turn.

This week thousands of Harvard alumni and their families are reliving that experience as they attend their 25th, 35th and 50th reunions.

"It's nice seeing my dad be 20-years-old again," said David L. Conant '89, who is attending his father's 25th reunion.

"It's really wonderful and exciting to see old friends and to see who they married and what their kids look like," said Ephron Catlin III '61.

Nearly 580 members of the Class of 1961 and their families registered yesterday at the Freshman Union for 25threunion festivities, while 380 people signed up atDunster House for the 35th reunion of the Class of1951. Tomorrow, more than 700 people, members ofthe Class of 1936 and their wives, are expected toregister at Winthrop House for 50th reunionactivities.

To keep all of these people busy, the reunioncommittees have scheduled a frenetic, week-longextravaganza. Planned events range from asymposium on the spirit of public servicemoderated by Congressman Barney Frank '61(D-Mass.) to a dinner at the Bright Hockey Centerwith President Derek C. Bok and RadcliffePresident Matina S. Horner, to an evening at aBoston disco.

Tonight, in one of the week's most spectacularevents, Harvard has arranged to close StorrowDrive to allow 50 police-escorted buses totransport all of the 25th reuniongoers to Boston'sSymphony Hall for a special performance of theBoston Pops.

Twenty-fifth reunioners pay $560 for theirwhole families, and they can bring as many oftheir children as they want, while those alumniattending their 35th and 50th reunions pay $280for themselves and an escort, according to MarionR. Briefer, associate for major reunions.

"Harvard becomes like a hotel," said CatherineE. Cuite '88, the student coordinator for the 25threunion.

In order to carry out this metamorphosis, theUniversity rents 20,000 towels, 8500 sheets, 4500pillow cases and 52 wheelchairs, according toRobert L. Dwyer, a buyer in the purchasingdepartment, who is in charge of rentals duringreunion week.

But the organizers didn't remember everything."They forgot trash cans," said Loring Conant Jr.'61. "My son tells me that we should throw thegarbage in the corner of the room."

Harvard knows that no party could be completewithout favors. When the alumni register, they getlots of souvenirs.

"It's like boot camp," said Robert J. Flynn'61. "They hand you a schedule, six t-shirts andsix pairs of underwear."

The people attending the 25th reunion come outon top in the gift-getting bonanza, since theyreceive gifts for their families as well asthemselves. The whole family gets t-shirts andtowels with the reunion logo. In addition, thereturning alumni get ties and tennis hats, andtheir wives get tote bags, while their childrenget hats color-coded to their age group.

Despite the excitement about the grown-upversion of Camp Harvard, Loring Conant did noteone short-coming. "I'm very sensitive to the issueof spouses, and I am shocked that my wife has beengiven nothing to cover her head."

The reunion office and members of the reunionclasses spent more than a year organizing thisweek's events, and planning is already underwayfor next year's reunions.

Meanwhile, alumni here for their reunions aregearing up for a good ol' time. Said LoringConant, "When I went to my father's reunioneveryone looked archaic. But I don't feel archaicat all.