CLASS OF 1920
Throughout the world thousands of scientists are quietly laboring to solve the problems of industry and humanity. Occasionally, sometimes unexpectedly, success comes to one of them and the world stops to acclaim him. The abuse of narcotics is and has been one of their major problems, and according to latest reports one of our classmates is well on the way to its solution. We quote from a recent issue of Time:
"The U. S. this week observed the first of the year's widely noted special sennights —Narcotic Education Week. . . . The League of Nations is trying desultorily and ineffectively to restrict the growth of the particular poppy from which opium, morphine, and heroin are manufactured and the manufacture of narcotics. . . . Medicine needs some 350 tons of opium yearly. Manufacturers produce something over 8,000 tons yearly.
"Joshua of the world fight against the narcotic trade is Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson, who sat in Manhattan last week with dope-haters of 21 countries. . . . Last week he was in Manhattan to blow a large blast against the Jericho of dope.
"Of all activities against the narcotic evil those of the Universities of Virginia and Michigan seem to be most scientific. Two years ago the Bureau of Social Hygiene gave the National Research Council funds for a study of drug addiction and the invention of a drug which would do for medicine everything which the habit-forming drugs do, yet not cause habit itself. Such a harmless, beneficial drug would make the manufacture of the baneful drugs needless. Then they could be completely suppressed.
"The Council discovered Dr. LYNDON FREDERICK SMALL, just returned from two years of study in Europe, at the University of Virginia, and financed a special laboratory for him. Out of a coal tar product called phenanthrene he has synthesized several drugs which closely resemble the chemical structure and physiological action of morphine. He sends them to Professor Charles Wallis Edmunds of the University of Michigan, who tests them on animals. The two are confident that within perhaps a few months they will have an authentic drug which will not make, as morphine, heroin, and opium do, pasty-faced, emaciated, depraved liars out of its users."
After leaving Hanover, Red was instructor of chemistry at M. I. T., did research work at the University of Munich, Germany, 1926-27, has been at the University of Virginia since 1929. He was married in 1923, and our brief records show one child, a son now seven years old.
We recently met WALK FIELDING unexpectedly at a wedding. Not his own, however, for you will find his name still among the bachelors. A name soon to be dropped from this rapidly diminishing list is that of fraternal worker CHABLIE SARGENT. His engagement to Miss Arlene M. Gardner of Greentwood has been announced. As nearly all the class know, Charlie is with the Masonic Service Bureau in Boston of the Grand Lodge of Mass., A. F. and A. M. Returning momentarily to Bachelor Fielding, we find that after four years with the Eastman Kodak Co. he associated with the J. W. Moore Machine Co. of Everett, presided over by classmate 808 MOOBE, who far from being a bachelor is father of three children.
Not long ago an unexpected phone call informed us of the imminent departure for British Guiana of former haberdasher WAHRIE GAUM. This latest quest according to his own story, believe it or not, is for diamonds. Mrs. Gault and two children will for the time being remain in Amherst, Mass., location of the one time firm of Southwick Brothers and Gault. During the last two years Warrie has been in New York first as private secretary to W. T. Grant (chain stores), then as purveyor of oil royalties.
HIKE NEWELL has recently made his annual trip to Hanover to talk to the boys in Tuck School on merchandising with particular emphasis on Frigidaire, for which he is general manager in New England.
AL FBEY recently spent a night with us. We are indebted to him for a few bits of news. BILL CABTER of the economics department will do graduate work in his chosen field at Princeton next year. You have probably all read HARRY SAMPSON'S interesting article on the Dining Association in last month's MAGAZINE, but few probably know that Harry recently won the squash tournament of the Graduate Club.
JACK MAYER alone has carried on for the correspondents during the past months. He reports somewhat vaguely (having lost the Times clipping he planned to enclose) on the international golf match reported last month, but assigns the privilege of playing with Cruikshank to Wild Bill Melhoun rather than to Hagen as recorded. Take your choice. JACK BROTHERHOOD attributes their defeat by classmate SHIRO and Bro. to the long sea trip, but Jack Mayer won't listen to him. Jack also tells of the annual '20-'21 dinner at the Club at which the following were in attendance: SHERRY BAKETEL, TOM DAVIDSON, HAL CLARK, GERRY MORSE, LLOYD (Virginia Dare) SMITH, CARROLL SWEZEY, GINGER BRUCE (recently moved to New York from Boston), DON HARRIS, JOHN STICKNET, GEORGE SACKETT, JOHN FELLI, JACK BROTHERHOOD, and the reporter himself. Among the entertainment features was an advance showing of JTMMIE VAIL'S reunion pictures, which were the cause of much merriment and furnished ideas for boys of '21, reuning this year.
The cotton business in New England, as everyone knows, has been hard hit by the depression. It receives further setbacks whenever Fall River has a night fire. For, now it can be told, CYRUS ROUNSEVILLE, treasurer of potent Shove Mills, is absent from his office on the day following every one. He sleeps with his shoes under his bed, his hard rubber hat on a nail at his head, a brightly polished brass rod ready to aid in quick egress from the house. Officially he is fire commissioner, actually one of that increasing group possessed of fire-mania. Another contributing cause of Fall River depression: Cy's annual trip to Havana.
Secretary, Needham, Mass.
