MAKING THE DEAN’S LIST

The Watergate Complex

During the height of the Watergate scandal, the Spiro Agnew crush and the making of so many stars in congress the Congressional probe about President Nixon actually touched me in a peculiar way. The national media was abuzz about the Watergate scandal, the constant reports and the all day coverage of events as they unfolded during the hearings on TV. Everyday was a new revelation, everyday brought something new to the table to be made aware to the general public.

The chairman of the company was an influential man, coming from the field of journalism, working for a major media company at one time, and that influence ranged all the way over to politics, and the attention of Richard Milhous Nixon. The Chairman was a somewhat wealthy man and made contributions to the Democratic Party. During this time of political infighting and the unhinging of the Presidency under Nixon, it was not a good thing to do as far as Republicans were concerned. My politics were of a conservative bent in those days, without an affiliation to any party, and I still feel that way.

the 'Dean'

Arriving at my office one morning, I notice as I pass the desks of the support staff, little buttons on each desk. I don’t think much of it since there was always a promotional item hanging around for one client or another. When I got into my office, there on my desk was this same button. It was about 2 ½ inches across and had a hangman’s noose on it, Across the button in big letters was the words: “I’M ON THE DEAN’S LIST”!

Finding it on my desk gave me the creeps. Why? Because I knew what it meant, and I was guilty by association, and I didn’t like the whole idea for myself. I had a little kid at home and just married and didn’t want anything to do with this that might touch even so slightly on my wife’s reputation.

There seemed to be a certain pride among the office personnel how we were all on the “Dean’s List’. I was confused and wondered why. I hate politics, always have and hate politicians in particular, so this whole idea was abhorrent to me. Then I figured it out, my boss was on the Dean’s List, not the staff or anyone else! I was starting to get a little giddy, life away from Bellport, NY was getting complicated!