Class of 1934
Glancing over the pages of our near neighbors in the class notes of the last issue, your Secretary feels like a lark among ravens. Or like the happy child who sees the possibility of his own dark and gloomy future in the past of the wretched beside him. Not to open up any great amount of discussion on the Alumni Fund at this distant and unpropitious time, but merely to point while the pointing is good, I merely hope with all due secretarial fervor that this time next year will not find us in either 58th or 49th place.
Before tearing into the labyrinth of letters before me in an attempt to untangle them for publication, there is one announcement to be made. It pertains only to men in and around New York, whose name is legion. A small group of us, by common consent, got together one night late in September and over a few mugs of beer hatched plans for regular '34 gatherings in New York. And this is what was more or less arbitrarily decided: On November 7, which is the first Wednesday of the month, the Wednesday following the Yale game, all '34s who are in the metropolitan district will meet at the Dartmouth Club for dinner at 6:30. At that time we will be more able to discuss future plans, of which there should be many.
It is much to the gratification of this scribe to hear that Al Hewitt, our leading light of histrionic talent, has followed his inclinations and entered the professional theater. Al spent the summer playing stock with the South Shore Players at Cohasset, Mass., and now relates that he is engaged to play a part in a show which is opening in early November. "It is a beginning, andI am glad to get it," says Hewitt, "but I canassure you that the part is very small." It is safe to predict that Al will not be in the "Enter-a-Citizen" class for any length of time.
A note from Ernie Barcella, stylistically inscribed on yellow Western Union paper, tells the tale of a traveling press correspondent. Ernie was in the midst of the Eva Coo murder trial at Cooperstown, which he covered only after a summer of scribbling at such events as President Roosevelt's LL.D. at Yale and the extraordinary session of the New York state legislature. Buttering his bread with the United States strikes him as "a swell life. Something newevery day in this game."
Frank Wardwell, Hanover summer resident, worked during vacation at the power plant in Wilder, and at the time I received his letter was trying to decide whether to stay there and continue learning the utility business from the water wheels up or to travel down the line to M. I. T. for a master's degree in business and engineering administration.
Speaking of utilities, John Foley claims he's fairly well on the way towards becoming a magnate in that field, but admits in the same breath that he is installed as a clerk in the field accountant's office. Address: New England Power Company, Shelburne Falls, Mass., "in case any of my buddies care to lighten the coming winter witha little literature."
Fritz Rinaldo, reported in last month's issue as "looking for a job in the movies," unconsciously refutes such a contention. Quote: "I am working out at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, writing dialogue continuity. Itis good fun, and has a future that rangesall the way from the gate to becoming anace scenarist."
Lex Paradis has got hooked up with the circularizing and publishing of The BluePencil, which he describes further as a literary magazine for both beginning and seasoned writers. Sounds suspiciously like The Dart, except that Lex claims this effort is growing at a prodigious rate. He sends word of Russ Smart studying psychology at the University of Minnesota.
.... Howard Clarke, ex-'34, back in the States from Honolulu, having decided at the eleventh hour to get his A.B. from Dartmouth after all, as a member of the class of '35 Neal Richmond going after an M.A. at Yale Dick Gould with the International Business Machine Company in their New York office.
Quotes from Gene Orsenigo: "I'm having a hell of a good time; in fact, I neverknew business could be such a pleasure." Gene is going at it hot and heavy selling furniture and rugs, for the Orsenigo Co. in New York, and scores a point against his own goods in admitting that "warming achair doesn't get you anywhere."
Which reminds me that at lunch the other day with Dave Callaway, I chanced to remark on the incredible swiftness with which our class has been absorbed into economic life. "Why," I observed innocently, "out of all the letters that have piled intome this fall no more than three or fourhave come from the unemployed." As I finished I saw a wicked gleam in Callaway's good eye; his hand reached into an inner pocket and drew out a wallet. This was in it, torn from the pages of the Times:
"Dartmouth graduate, 1934, seeks startin business or allied field; distinction economics, ambitious, intelligent, refined.B 438 Times."
To allay any suspicions, let us note at once that Callaway himself is planted firmly in Halsey, Stuart, and Company down on "The Street," learning from top to bottom the details of his own organization and of every bank in the city. It was Callaway, Hedges, Gruen, and self who constituted not long ago the caucus mentioned in paragraph 2. It all took place in the German-American Club, which is recommended as a good place to meet Southern girls. In fact one of the Southern girls told Callaway he was the first gentleman she'd met in the North. Hedges evened UD the score by getting her phone number. Gruen, incidentally, is working for the Home Life Insurance Co., having deserted the Middle West for the cozy attractiveness of New York.
Rumor has it that Bob Gallagher was last seen selling eccy books in downtown Gotham. Not Knight and Smith, we hope.
John Anderson is located with General Electric in Bridgeport, doing accounting problems for the merchandise department. He relays the announcement of Bill Haist's engagement to Miss Dorothy Goddard of that city.
Harry Rosen reports himself in New York looking for a job, and meanwhile doing part-time work for Thom McAn.
Mac Collins, my cub reporter in the Omaha district, sends in the following copy: "Bill Baird has spent the summer atLake Okoboji, lowa, where I understand(unofficially) that there is a fair damsel. (Editor's note: Official check with New York authorities corroborates this statement.) This fall he intends to storm AnnArbor in an endeavor to become a lawyer.
.... Johnny Randall has used his summer working in the commercial department of Bell Telephone. He intends to return to Tuck School to finish out hisstretch I think all the other Dartmouth alumni here in Omaha have probably died."
Chuck Rolfe is dean of men at his father's clothing store in Swampscott. On September 15 last he announced his engagement to Miss Julia Anne McVey of Lancaster, Pa., graduate of Connecticut College 1934.
A letter from Bob Newman, in his "own picturesque vernacular," tells the story of some mythical character whom he prefers to dub "Unky Bob." "The first part of thesummer," it says, "Unky mowed the grass and baited hooks and cleaned fish. The second part of the summer he kept on doingall those things and in addition got in abit of bottle washing and garbage buryingand bait digging." All of this brings him down to the present time, which finds him rooming in Harvard Graduate School with Ben Rippe, who has spent the summer months in more intellectual occupations at the Sorbonne.
Al Hine has resigned himself to the life of a rich bachelor on one automobile sale a month. Selling Pontiacs has been a mere side-line occupation, however, for he confesses to considerable time spent winning sailing championships on Bantam Lake.
Bill Eldridge is working for Montgomery Ward, in the stock room of their air mailorder house in Chicago. Learning the ropes, he says, is a nice way the company has of saying hard work with little pay.
This month Fred Robbe goes to the head of the class as the Secretary's chief newsgathering agency. We quote: "Nick Nanosis giving Europe the once-over. He intendsto enter Harvard Law this fall Afew weeks ago I spent a week-end in Lowell,Mass., with George Donehue. He is working with the ERA, doing some social work,and will probably enter Harvard BusinessSchool this fall. We drove over to HamptonBeach and saw Johnny Dineen acting asmaster of ceremonies at the Casino
I met Bill Adams in front of the Paramount in New York a few weeks ago. Hetried to introduce his girl friend to me butcouldn't quite remember her name On the way back from Montreal yesterdayI had lunch at the Campus. Gitsis was doing a pretty good business ArtGrimes is working in Lord and Thomas,advertising, in New York As formyself I have been pretty much of a vagabond this summer, but soon shall return tothe city and go to work if I can."
Bill Gay reports on the year's activity by noting that the summer heat wave and the well-known slim purse have raised callouses right where he expected to raise them. About now he's undoubtedly busy compiling scandal for the Quincy journals. Incidentally, you Aegis readers, it's Quincy, III., not Ohio. Don't mention it, Bill.
Wil Maynard, nee Monsky, is learning the printing business, technically and commercially, with the Herald-Nathan Press.
. . . . Stan Silverman, ex-Red, is advertising manager of a N. Y. photography firm.
.... Bill Hartman had summer travels in Europe Ed Valier and his wife are living in Chicago, where Ed is studying at the University Goose Goss has been pounding the streets of White Plains as one of Postmaster Farley's star pupils Arne Yensen, recently come out of summer hibernation on a farm, is at Pitt gathering in facts for his master's degree in physics.
.... Ed Hill is among others returning to Thayer Hulsart, Werner, and Powers have found their way to Harvard Law.
More concrete news of the Hekma wedding reads that Frank was married in September to Miss Beatrice Ter Meulen, and will reside at Charleston, S. C., near some government dam he is working on.
Ed Hilton, after laboring a few weeks in the hayfields of Massachusetts, has entered Law School at the University of Chicago. He includes in part a letter from Luke Wilson: "I've got a job lined up for next fall.... with the National Institution ofPublic Affairs, which plans to bring onehundred fifty college students and graduates here to Washington on fellowships tostudy the government at first hand and actually participate in it. There is a lot ofwork to be done getting bureau chiefs andother government executives to co-operate(help, including lectures, from all cabinetmembers has been promised) and I willprobably work with the head of the organization in securing that co-operation."
Ted Thompson, in the reception department of the N. B. C. studios at Radio City, sends an attractive invitation: "If any ofthe fellows ever find themselves in the citywith a few spare hours on their hands havethem get in touch with Wendy Williamsor myself, and we can, in all probability,show them around the studios and get theminto some broadcast."
Indirectly I have word that Bob Webb is now with the Boston Transcript, and at the present time, if his plans have come through, he is traveling around with the big teams and writing up the important games. O for the life of a reporter!
El Fulton has been added to the faculty of Tilton School, where he expects to teach winter sports as well as academic subjects. He speaks of Dick Emerson as a prospective Phoenix Insurance go-getter, but to the present time my band of sleuths has been unable to track down further details.
Phil Eckels' letter had a worried look on it, and I opened it in fear and trembling, a veritable tear-bag. The cause of this state is, or, let us hope, was, the condition of the worthy Aegis—as he tersely states, "nonetoo good." "For," he says, "if the boys don'tpay up their debts pretty quickly we endup in the hole for a fare-thee-well." Eckels has been spending his time repairing barbed-wire fences, operating switchboards, week-ending with J. B. Torinus, and getting eaten alive by six of Johnny Trost's dogs.
Ben Twiss has a job assisting in the Poli Sci department at Princeton, working toward a degree at the same time
Johnny Roberts is also out for higher degrees at M. I. T Don Allen, who has been bicycling through Germany, Austria, and Italy throughout this turbulent summer, is now settling down to a more peaceful life at Wadham College, Oxford, to study jurisprudence. All this comes from "Ski Heil" Feth, who is now teaching the Bronxville high school kiddies their ABC's of history and public speaking.
Bup Sweeney rested from the arduous toils of senior year by working on a 50-foot schooner which cruised the Great Lakes, and in the course of events ran into such phenomena as (1) Phil Glazer, (2) the man who threw the party for the boys after the Chicago game last fall, and (3) a job at the Mountain Square State Bank in Indianapolis. "On the side I plan to go tonight school," he says, and adds intuitively, "Didn't know that I really wanted to learnsomething, did you?"
ODDS AND ENDS According to reports, Jake Edwards and Buster Snow have been playing first-rate ball on the Cape Roald Morton, recently come from the Brooklyn Bushwicks, is now enrolled on the ground floor of the General Bank Note Co., a new concern with revolutionary ideas in dollar bills. Printing them, not earning them Dan Taggart is "starting at the top and working down" as a coal miner in Pennsylvania Dick Barrett is out at Michigan Law.
Mike Menchel doing rock-bottom work in the Lightolier Company, but already boasting one promotion Mel Gunst fitting metropolitan debs with suitable attire Coley Falk starting at Harvard Law Joe Robinson entering the dental field through the University of Pennsylvania Don Moir studying philosophy at Columbia, possibly for three years .... and so on, far into the night, with scores of September letters still on my hands. Harry Wellman writes me that since we've left, the old town ain't what she used to be. So long.
Secretary, 193 Brookdale Ave., New Rochelle, N. Y.
