Class of 1921
The main subject of debate out on Long Island these fine spring evenings is over the respective merits of two actors from 1921, Orton Hampden Hicks and Paul Barrymore Nicholson. If you listen to the crowd from Port Washington, you will hear that "Nicholson is the boy to knock 'em off their chairs" and that "this Hicksis a mere neophyte alongside the greatPaul." Down where the Great Neckers hang up their hats, however, the cry is all for Orton, "who has his audience cheeringbefore he has been on the stage a minute." We've yet to see these sterling Thespians perform, although Ort did read us a few of the most limpid lines in his latest over the telephone (the effect, especially at long distance, was quite devastating), so we refuse to take sides. However, the boys have promised to put the issue up to the class at the Famous Fifteenth in '36, and Ort has already engaged the Nugget, while Paul has signed a lease for Webster Hall. The latest Hicks opus is "The Soul of Nicholas Synder" (fancy that!), in which our Hampden appeared as ye old Burgomaster and had the S. R. O. sign hanging out at Great Neck for the three nights of the run. Paul's latest triumph was scored in the w.k. insect comedy, "The World We Live In." We refuse to name the role Ort alleges Paul played, for fear of becominginvolved in a libel suit. Anyway they are saying out in Port Washington that it was the best thing Paul had done to date.
Just to show that he is not a one-role man, Ort has gone out and won some laurels in another field. One of our Long Island scouts reports that the Hon. Hicks not only has just been elected president of the Great Neck Country Club, but has also been chosen head of the Long Island Tennis League, in which he has been building up a reputation as a splendid combination of Chochet and Tilden.
The 1921 gang in New York staged their annual spring dinner at the Dartmouth Club on the evening of April 17, and 16 of the brethren were out, as follows: Wade Werden, the advertising expert, who was making his first appearance at a '21 party since he moved East from Chicago, Dave Plume, Sumner Perkins, Rex King, Ort, Doug Storer, Hilt Campbell, Bandy Lowe, Paul Nicholson, Bill Alley, Al Laffey, Ernie Wilcox, Mac Johnson, Coot Carder, Abe Weld, and ye sec. And Cliff Hart dropped in for the chinfest afterward.
Actor Nicholson reported the arrival of the third girl in their household, Miss Betty Washington Nicholson, now aged six months. Nick's other daughters are 10 and 6 years old respectively. Their dad is still a Wall St. man with Paine, Webber, & Cos.
Doc Wilcox broke the news to us that he has a son. The boy is now three years old, but it was the first time the Pleasantville physician had let this department in on it. That makes two children for the Wilcoxes, the elder being a girl.
And while we are on the subject of children we'll swing up Boston way for a moment and report the arrival of another daughter in the household of the Tom Clevelands. The third Miss Cleveland made her debut at the Newton, Mass., hospital on April 29.
Now to return to Manhattan. Dave Plume reported at the dinner that he had a new job. He is now the sales manager in the New York area for the Synthetic Plastics Cos., Inc. His firm is the manufacturer of "Beetle" molding powder and has offices at go Rockefeller Plaza, New York City. Dave still dwells out in Pelham.
The New York '21 delegation learned with regret at the dinner that Al Laffey was departing from their midst, having been transferred back to the Chicago office by his boss, the National Provisioner, the w.k. trade publication.
Brace yourselves, bachelors! You're losing another colleague. On April 25 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bliss of New Haven, Conn., announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Elizabeth B. Reed, to Bord Helmer. Miss Reed attended the Westover School and Vassar College.
Though our detective forces have been active in the past five weeks, we still have nothing definite to report on the predicted impending desertion of the bachelor ranks by Red Kerlin. The rumor will not down, however, and it is even being whispered in these Eastern circles that the big event is to take place in June. If so we'll promise a full, accurate, and graphic account in the first issue of the MAGAZINE in the fall.
The Dartmouth alumni out in Chicago have just proved that they know a good man when they see one by electing Bill Embree, the w.k. lumber magnate, to the executive committee of their association.
A recent issue of the New York Times carried a highly interesting feature article on Exeter under the Harkness plan by our Manny Manchester, who was Exeter '17. Although blossoming forth in the columns of the Times, Manny still swears allegiance to the Boston Herald, on whose staff he is still a feature writer.
The secretary of the Dartmouth Club of Northern New Jersey reports that at the annual dinner of that organization, which was held at the Essex Country Club at West Orange on April 7, Sumner Perkins and Oky O'Connor upheld the laurels of '2l.
Ye sec. had a most enjoyable letter recently from Henry Palmer out in Akron, Ohio. Henry reports that he is still chief chemist for the Xylos Rubber Company, which is the reclaiming plant subsidiary of Firestone. Incidentally Henry reports that Xylos is now the largest manufacturer of reclaimed rubber. He says that the Palmer family still numbers four, including besides Mr. and Mrs., two fine boys, Henry, aged 8 and Neal, aged 4. Incidentally Henry is the author of a recent article published by Industrial and EngineeringChemistry on "Testing Reclaimed Rubber."
And now if you are one of those who have not yet contributed to the Alumni Fund, don't forget that there is still time to help out and that Dartmouth is counting on every one of you.
Whereupon we'll bid you all farewell until fall. With many thanks for all your help during the past year and the best of wishes that you may all have a pleasant summer.
Secretary, 7 Lotus Road New Rochelle, N. Y.
