Franklin & Marshall College

Dear Classmates:

Yes, believe it or not, 45 years ago we graduated from dear old F&M. This year on Friday through Sunday, June 7-9, the Class of 1968 (the last all men's class at the College) will celebrate our 45th reunion. Our base for the weekend will be the Lancaster Arts Hotel — where we will kick off festivities with a cocktail hour and social Friday evening that will start at 6 p.m. … and will go until as late as the old folks can stay up!!

I urge you to attend what will undoubtedly be a memorable weekend. If you were at the 40th, you remember how exciting it was to reconnect with classmates and see the campus. I think it will be even better this time around. Our goal is to bring 80 alums plus spouses and friends back for a total attendance of well over 100. The F&M campus is beautiful in June, and if you have not been back to campus recently you will be amazed at the number of new buildings and improvements which have been made to the physical facility. Another reason to come back is to meet the new president, Dr. Daniel R. Porterfield, who is in his third year. Dan has some great ideas, and has the students and faculty fired up about new ways of looking at things. Come hear firsthand about the exciting and ambitious plans for the College going forward.

On a more somber note — but let's face it, time marches on — out of a total graduating class of 505, 52 of our classmates have achieved their final graduation. We will hold a very meaningful memorial to remember them during the weekend. I'm sure we will all be moved as we think back on their lives, which inevitably leads us to thinking back on our own.

As proof that you can teach old dogs new tricks, we are on Facebook. Friend us at F&M Class of 1968  Also, log onto www.fandm.edu/reunion. Find out which of your classmates will be attending and see the schedule of activities. We are making a focused effort this year to get groups of alums sharing common experiences ("affinity groups") to come back and relive those memories. Examples are the various athletic teams (the infamous freshman wrestling team is one!), the Green Room and majors (geoscience, pre-med, pre-law, economics, etc.). You will hopefully hear from one of your classmates who shared an experience with you — or better yet, why don't you come forward and volunteer to get your own group to come back!

You may, of course, stay wherever you like in Lancaster (and believe me, there are a lot more and better accommodations now than there were in 1968), but please consider staying at the Lancaster Arts Hotel. It's an easy walk from campus. Call the Lancaster Arts now at 717-299-3000 and make your reservations, or go to www.lancasterartshotel.com. Be sure to mention you are with F&M Class of 1968, to receive a discount on the rate and to get into the block of rooms we have reserved.

I look forward to seeing you in Lancaster in June. If you want to contact me at any time with questions or suggestions, call me at 832-453-1037, or email me at . You may also contact our F&M support staff: Donna Pflum at or 717-291-4266; or D.J. Korns '69 at or 717-358-4113.

All the best,

Dave Lehman, Reunion Chair