Class of 1920

The coming of the New Year witnessed the rebirth of the class paper, ''Twenty," as a reminder that the half-way mark had been reached between the Fifth and Tenth reunions. Jimmy Vail, in his official capacity as chairman of the Tenth, featured the issue with an enthusiastic broadcast of plans and promises. Also aiming at the same target was Secretary Al Cate, who is girding up his loins for the publication of a new class directory, replete with facts and figures. If the Secretary's present idea is worked out, this forthcoming directory will list the members of the class geographically rather than alphabetically, the idea being to provide the confirmed globe-trotter with an easy means of running the men of '20 to earth on their respective native heaths.

Perhaps the most entertaining story in the issue was a communication from Class President "Tommy" Thomson, relating something about the conditions that go with his new post as head track coach at the Naval Academy. Part of "Tommy's" letter reads:

"I am now a full-fledged head track coach with a big job on my hands here at the Academy. Track has been sliding backward for the past few years, and it is my job to get it on the same level with football and crew. Needless to say, I will not be able to do it in a year or even two, but they have promised me a little time in which to come through. The stuff is here. All I have to do is to get it out. The whole Academy has lost interest in the game, and I have to educate them back to it.

"I have two cross-country teams working out every day, and it looks as though I will have a fairly presentable outfit before the fall is over. I also have twenty-five or thirty men out for fall track. Most of the good track men are playing football now, and I have to take what is left. ... I not only have to coach the cross-country teams, but it is my job to instruct all the midshipmen in the rudiments of track, such as history, participation, and coaching. In that way I have a great chance to get hold of the men."

Speaking of class presidents, we note with pride and gratification that the New York dailies recently reserved front-page space for a discourse on another former director of '20 destinies, Carl Newton. It seems that graft is again rampant and rife in the big city. When the public-spirited citizens, feel the call to investigate graft, they call upon Mr. Buckner to lead the chase; and he in turn summons Carl to stand at his right hand. It is the Queens sewers this time that must pass the inspection of Buckner and Cos., the "company" in this case being composed of Newton and five other enthusiastic young lawyers. It will be remembered that Carl served at one time under Buckner as assistant United States attorney. The World has made announcement of his resignation from that position, saying that he had expected to join the law firm of White and Case at the beginning of the new year. Owing to the demand for a thorough "Clean-Up Week" in Queens, Carl has postponed his start in private practice for a time. The first task for him and his colleagues is the examination of charges filed against Borough President Connolly and the overhauling of evidence already taken in the various investigations under way.

By a roundabout route news has reached this desk of the arrival of stalwart youngsters at the Laddie Myers and Nate Whiteside homesteads. Further information is hoped for later. We are also delighted to inform the world that David Allison Page, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Page, made his appearance on November 25, weighing 872 pounds. Another boy eligible for the ranks of Alan Winslow's "Sons-of-Twenty-Club" is the young son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sussdorf, born at Plattsburg, N. Y., December 17.

Bill Carter sends along a good line from out at the University of Missouri, where he is working toward his master's degree in economics. Other fathers of the class who have been at a loss for a proper description of their own offspring will be particularly interested in Bill's comment on the Carter hopeful: "Doug did an Annette Kellerman from the baby carriage and landed on one of his front teeth. Outside of the loss of a tooth there was no harm done. He reminds me now of little 'Hardtack,' who was champion hot penny gatherer of Hanover during our stay there." Bill says that "to get back to the books into advanced courses after being out so long required much review. However I feel now I am holding my own and coming along fast, all of which is encouraging."

Editor, 131 East 23d St., New York