Why Dickinson?

We all have our reasons. Some of us followed in the footsteps of parents or sibs. Some got a great deal on tuition because their parent worked at the college. Some came from a prep or high school that had funneled good students to Dickinson for years. But not me.

If your college experience predates the internet you'll probably remember pouring over the thick college guidebooks that provided snapshots of the schools of higher education throughout the country. If a particular school interested you you sent a letter to the Admissions Office requesting a College Catalog (no e-mail existed back then - you actually typed a letter and probably used carbon paper to make a copy for yourself - yes - this was the dark ages - no copiers back then either).

Well I spent hours with that guidebook and collected a decent library of college catalogs. But why Dickinson? I was strongly influenced by my high school principal. Our high school was relatively new and no one from Methacton (near Norristown, PA) preceeded me to D'son. But our principal "targeted" several of us - ultimately nudging 4 of us out the PA Turnpike to then Exit 16 (Carlisle).

I never recall the principal dropping any names on us as he talked up the College, but I finally understood the connection the first time I presented myself at Drayer Hall to visit a girl (my high school classmate and now my wife of 35 1/2 years). Our principal's name was Alpheus P. Drayer.

And now you know the rest of the story.........